Megyn Kelly is one of the most well-known and influential journalists and media personalities in the United States. She has hosted popular talk shows on Fox News and NBC News, and currently runs her own podcast and radio show on SiriusXM. She is also known for her sharp interviews and commentary on political and social issues. But how did she become such a prominent figure in the media industry? Here is a brief overview of her life and career.
Early life and legal career
Megyn Kelly was born on November 18, 1970, in Champaign, Illinois, to Edward Kelly, an education professor, and Linda Kelly, a homemaker. She has two older siblings, Pete and Susie. She grew up in Syracuse and Delmar, New York, where she attended Tecumseh Elementary School and Bethlehem Central High School. She was interested in journalism from a young age, and participated in the school newspaper and debate club. She also excelled academically, and graduated in the top 5% of her class.
Kelly went on to study political science at Syracuse University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1992. She then enrolled at Albany Law School, where she edited the law review and served on a panel that reviewed sexual harassment allegations against faculty members. She graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 1995, and began her career as a corporate lawyer. She worked at the Chicago law firm Bickel & Brewer, and then at the international firm Jones Day, where she represented clients such as the credit bureau Experian. She was successful and well-paid, but she soon felt dissatisfied with the long hours and stressful work environment.
Television career
In 2003, Kelly decided to pursue her passion for journalism, and took a class on reporting and completed an internship at Chicago’s NBC News branch. She also made a sample reel, and started applying for jobs as a newscaster. Despite her lack of experience, she managed to land a position as a general assignment reporter at the ABC affiliate WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C. She covered national and local events, such as the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court justices, the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and the 2004 presidential election.
In 2004, Kelly caught the attention of Fox News, and was hired as a contributor and legal analyst. She moved to New York City, and co-hosted the show America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer. She also hosted her own legal segment, Kelly’s Court, and appeared on other Fox News programs, such as The O’Reilly Factor and Hannity. She quickly gained popularity and recognition for her hard-hitting and provocative style of questioning and debating. She also earned respect for her professionalism and integrity, as she was not afraid to challenge or criticize her own network or colleagues.
In 2010, Kelly was promoted to host her own two-hour afternoon show, America Live, which replaced The Live Desk. The show focused on breaking news and featured interviews with experts, analysts, and guests. Kelly also covered major stories, such as the 2010 midterm elections, the 2011 Tucson shooting, the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and the 2014 Ferguson unrest. She also moderated several Republican presidential debates, and famously clashed with Donald Trump over his comments about women.
In 2013, Kelly moved to primetime, and launched her new show, The Kelly File, which replaced Hannity. The show became the second-most-watched program on cable news, behind only The O’Reilly Factor. Kelly continued to cover the most important and controversial topics of the day, such as the 2016 presidential election, the sexual harassment allegations against Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the rise of ISIS. She also interviewed prominent figures, such as Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Vladimir Putin, and the Duggar family.
In 2017, Kelly decided to leave Fox News, and signed a multi-year contract with NBC News. She started hosting the third hour of the morning show Today, with her program titled Megyn Kelly Today, in September 2017. The show featured a mix of news, human interest stories, celebrity interviews, and lifestyle segments. Kelly also hosted a Sunday night news magazine show, Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly, which aired from June to July 2017. However, Kelly’s ratings and reviews were disappointing, and she faced criticism for some of her segments, such as her interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and her comments on blackface. The show was cancelled in October 2018, and Kelly left the network in January 2019.
Current projects and personal life
After leaving NBC News, Kelly launched her own media company, Devil May Care Media, and started producing her own podcast and radio show, The Megyn Kelly Show, in September 2020. The show airs live daily on SiriusXM, and features interviews with newsmakers, celebrities, and experts, as well as Kelly’s opinions and analysis on current events. Kelly also posts content on her Instagram page and YouTube channel, where she has millions of followers.
Kelly has been married twice. Her first husband was Daniel Kendall, a physician, whom she married in 2001 and divorced in 2006. Her second husband is Douglas Brunt, a novelist and former CEO of Authentium, whom she married in 2008. They have three children: Edward, Yardley, and Thatcher. Kelly is a practicing Catholic, and has described herself as a political independent. She has also written a memoir, Settle for More, which was published in 2016.
Kelly is one of the most influential and successful women in the media industry, and has a net worth of $45 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. She has also received several awards and honors, such as being included in the TIME 100 list of the most influential people in the world in 2014, and being named one of the 25 most influential women in the world by Variety in 2016. She has also been praised for her courage and resilience, as she has overcome personal and professional challenges, such as her father’s death, her divorce, her sexual harassment ordeal, and her career transitions. She has also been a role model and an inspiration for many women and aspiring journalists.
