Megyn Kelly Fires Back at George Clooney in a Fiery Defense of Her Journalistic Work

Things are getting spicy between Megyn Kelly and George Clooney. Clooney recently decided to speak up about Megyn Kelly. He made some comments about her not being a journalist. The former Fox News anchor did not take his words lightly. She took to her show to respond in an 11-minute rant.

The whole thing started when Clooney was talking with Patti LuPone for Variety's Actors on Actors. LuPone pointed out that Clooney has been called names like a "communist" for his political work. Clooney made no apologies saying he did not give up his constitutional rights just because he is an actor. He then said he does not care much about what people say. Then he went after Kelly.

“You see Megyn Kelly, who’s come out and said I’m not a journalist. I didn’t say I was a journalist,” Clooney stated. LuPone quickly jumped in saying, “Neither is she.” Clooney continued saying, “I’ve at least been to Darfur and Sudan and the Congo and been shot at to try to get stories out. I’m not quite sure what she’s done to be a journalist.” That statement clearly hit a nerve with Kelly. She was quick to respond on her show.

Megyn Kelly Takes Aim at George Clooney's Actions and His Broadway Role

She Questions His Timing Regarding President Biden and His Hollywood Career

Kelly devoted the first 11 minutes of an episode of "The Megyn Kelly Show" to hitting back at Clooney. She strongly argued that she is a journalist and he is not. She also criticized Clooney’s New York Times opinion piece from 2024. In that piece he asked Joe Biden to step down as the democratic presidential nominee. Kelly believes Clooney fancies himself a journalist. He has many thoughts on how journalists should do their work.

She then went on to say that Clooney mainly does his "journalism" by stumbling upon what she called "the biggest story of the decade." This story was about a sitting president being mentally unwell. She said he thought the president should be removed from office. But then, she claimed, Clooney kept quiet for weeks. He said absolutely nothing. This was even after President Biden humiliated himself during a presidential debate. Kelly says it was only after the entire Democrat Party watched its chances go "swirling down the toilet" that Clooney decided to write his opinion piece.

He finally wrote in The New York Times that Joe Biden was not fit for the job. Kelly’s strong words on this were clear. “That’s not journalism, George — it’s cowardice and naked partisanship. You’re not fooling anyone.” She also took a jab at his current acting work. Clooney is starring on Broadway as Edward R. Murrow in "Good Night, and Good Luck." Kelly asked him, "What’s the matter, George? Are the Hollywood roles getting a little hard to come by as you age and get decidedly more smug and self-congratulatory? I’m just asking!”

Megyn Kelly Defends Her Journalistic Experience and Takes a Shot at Patti LuPone

Highlighting Her Work with Everyday Americans and Criticizing Hollywood's Viewpoints

In his Broadway play, Clooney includes a montage of real-life news clips. Kelly’s words are in this montage. Clooney claims they do not tell people what to think when they show it. He says they only show her words. He insists it is not taken out of context or manipulated. He says they just show "These are your words." Kelly, however, views things differently. She believes Clooney brought her up because she had "hurt his thin-skinned Hollywood feelings" on her show.

Kelly then listed some of her biggest interviews to prove her journalistic abilities. She talked about interviewing Donald Trump. She also spoke about talking to everyday Americans. She mentioned the infamous Colorado baker who would not make a cake for a gay couple. She interviewed a January 6th rioter and a suicidal veteran. Kelly feels Clooney has no interest in these kinds of stories. She said he only wants to "demonize" regular Americans from his "elite Hollywood circles." She argued that this is not the fearless journalism Clooney talks about. She even praised Mark Wahlberg, a co-star of Clooney’s, for showing interest in troops. This was another implied criticism of Clooney.

Kelly also did not hold back on Patti LuPone. She called LuPone “Broadway’s biggest and oldest bully.” Kelly said LuPone is an "angry woman" like "so many leftist women." She suggested LuPone and Clooney were "navel-gazing" about themselves and their "vaunted profession" while complaining about the media. This shows Kelly felt both Clooney and LuPone were out of touch. They seemed to look down on journalists who do not fit their mold.

The Ongoing Battle Between Media Personalities and Hollywood Figures

Reflecting on the Clashing Views of News, Politics, and Celebrity Influence

This back-and-forth between Megyn Kelly and George Clooney highlights an ongoing tension. It is the clash between traditional news figures and Hollywood celebrities. Both sides claim to speak for truth. Both accuse the other of being biased or hypocritical. Clooney pointed to his experiences in war zones. This he feels gives him journalistic standing. Kelly pointed to her interviews with a wide range of people. She feels this shows her connection to ordinary Americans. This disagreement is about more than just personal feelings. It is about who gets to define what "journalism" truly means.

It also brings up the question of when celebrities should use their platform to speak about politics. Clooney clearly believes in using his voice. He does not apologize for it. Kelly suggests he is a "coward" for his timing on the Biden piece. She sees it as pure political play, not honest reporting. The whole exchange just shows how divided opinions are. It also shows how quickly public figures can turn on each other when their views are challenged. It is a dramatic display of clashing worlds: serious news and public image.

Ultimately, this public spat is unlikely to change anyone’s mind about either Kelly or Clooney. Their fans will likely stick by them. Those who dislike them will find more reasons to do so. But it certainly makes for an interesting show, even if it is not the kind of "show" Clooney performs on Broadway. It makes you think about how much attention these kinds of celebrity feuds get. It also makes you wonder what the real motivations are behind such sharp public words.