Megyn Kelly and actor Jane Fonda started a feud in September when the actor appeared on the new NBC morning show. Fonda was promoting her movie Our Souls at Night, co-starring Robert Redford. Now, Kelly has gone hard after the older woman carried on with a “poor me” routine.
At the time, NBC’s host of Megyn Kelly TODAY asked Fonda about her own plastic surgery:
‘I read that you said that you felt you’re not proud to admit you’ve had work done. Why not?’
Clearly, Kelly hit a nerve with Fonda who replied:
‘We really wanna talk about that now?’
Since then, Fonda has taken shots at Kelly. She recently told Variety she would only appear on Megyn Kelly Today again if she “learns her stuff.”
Kelly had enough of Fonda, and she hit back hard with a full segment and a large audience. The morning show host did not pull punches in her response, explaining that she previously wanted to ignore Fonda’s criticisms. Yet, now she was ready to directly confront the issue.
She said that the older woman appeared on her show to promote her film about aging:
‘Now, a word on Jane Fonda, who appears to be fixated on an exchange I had with her months ago on this show. It’s time to address the “poor me” routine. For years she has spoke about the joy of giving a cultural face to older women. The truth is, most older women look nothing like Fonda, who is now 80. And if Fonda really wants to have an honest discussion about older women’s cultural face, then her plastic surgery is tough to ignore.’
The NBC host noted that Fonda had often discussed her cosmetic surgery:
‘Pretty much everywhere. When she came here, however, again to promote her film about aging, I was supposed to discern that this subject was suddenly off limits.’
Kelly had “no regrets” about her question and went on with a serious assault on Fonda’s past controversial statements:
‘I have no regrets about that question, nor am I in the market for a lesson from Jane Fonda on what is and is not appropriate. This is a woman whose name is synonymous with outrage. Look at her treatment of military during the Vietnam War. Many of our veterans still call her ‘Hanoi Jane,’ thanks to her radio broadcast which attempted to shame American troops.’
Kelly continued her response:
‘She posed on an anti-aircraft gun used to shoot down our American pilots. She called our P.O.W.s hypocrites and liars and referred to their torture as “understandable.” Even she had to apologize years later for that gun picture. But not for the rest of it. By the way she says she is not proud of America. So, the moral indignation is a little much. She put her plastic surgery out there.’
Fonda appeared at the Sundance Film Festival, where reporters asked if she would go back on Kelly’s show. Fonda went back to her buzz phrase, Variety reported:
‘Sure. It wasn’t like I was upset. I was stunned. It was so inappropriate. It showed that she’s not that good an interviewer. But if she comes around and learns her stuff, sure.’
Featured Image via Getty Images/Monica Schipper.
