Megyn Kelly fired back at NewsNation host Chris Cuomo on Tuesday, unleashing a sharp rebuke after the former CNN anchor appeared to take aim at her coverage of the presumed kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie.
During an episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, Kelly addressed Cuomo’s criticism head-on, calling him a “douchebag” and accusing him of being envious of her platform’s success. Kelly has repeatedly covered and speculated about Guthrie’s disappearance, and she said Cuomo was upset that she and fellow host Ashleigh Banfield had raised questions about the brother-in-law in the case.
“I’ll show you what the douchebag Chris Cuomo is saying,” Kelly told her audience. “In fact, let’s just play it now. He’s very upset that Ashleigh Banfield and yours truly have raised questions about the brother-in-law.”
Kelly then aired a clip from Cuomo’s NewsNation program in which he criticized “sloppy influencers and would-be sleuths” for speculating about Guthrie’s disappearance for “clicks and ragebait.” As Cuomo spoke, photos of Kelly appeared onscreen.
Referring to Cuomo as “Fredo,” a nickname that has followed him in media circles, Kelly mocked the size of his audience and accused him of resenting her show’s success.
“Here’s Fredo Cuomo on his little-known show on NewsNation which has less viewers than I have fingers,” she said.
Kelly argued that Cuomo’s real issue was not journalistic standards, but what she characterized as professional jealousy.
“Okay, so let me tell you what Fredo is really upset about. He has Fredo no raito. That’s his real problem,” Kelly said. “Nobody watches his show on NewsNation, and I mean nobody, and nobody watches his failed podcast either. Nobody watched his serious radio show, nobody watched him on CNN, and therefore he gets upset at anybody who does well.”
Kelly claimed her show consistently ranks among the top conservative podcasts in the country and is currently number one on Apple. She said Cuomo “gets upset and he gets jealous” and cannot handle criticism.
She further alleged that Cuomo once contacted her lawyer, who had briefly represented him in a separate legal matter, in an attempt to get her to stop mentioning him on air.
“Fredo actually called my lawyer … and begged the lawyer to get me to stop mentioning him,” Kelly said, adding that she believes Cuomo saw an opportunity to criticize her because her coverage of the Guthrie case has drawn attention.
Kelly also took aim at Cuomo’s brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, referencing what she described as “his many problems in grabbing women.” She also brought up sexual misconduct allegations that were made against Chris Cuomo in 2021.
Cuomo responded to Kelly’s remarks in a social media post, writing, “Get over yourself, little hater. Odd language choice for a mom with young kids. Classy.”
The public exchange marks the latest clash between two high-profile media figures, as tensions escalate over coverage of the Guthrie case and broader disputes over media standards and ratings.
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