Megyn Kelly’s Attack on Jane Fonda Cost Her Show Bookings

Will Megyn Kelly‘s feud with Jane Fonda cost the Today show A-list bookings?

It might too early to tell, but multiple talent representatives told The Hollywood Reporter that Kelly’s Fonda take-down has made them think twice about booking their clients on Megyn Kelly Today.

Others said it was the last straw.

“Actors don’t trust her,” said one talent rep.

Those close to Kelly told THR that she had had enough of Fonda’s insults stemming from an interview on Megyn Kelly Today back in September, during the first week of Kelly’s show.

In that interview, Fonda abruptly shut down Kelly’s line of questioning about plastic surgery, a topic Fonda has openly discussed in past media appearances. Then, in a Jan. 20 interview, Fonda said she was “stunned” by the question, saying that it “showed that [Kelly] is not that good an interviewer.” She added that she would come back on Kelly’s show “if she comes around and learns her stuff.”

But after the Grace & Frankie star cracked a joke about Kelly on Today and called her a poor interviewer in another interview, Kelly said it was “time to address the ‘poor me’ routine.’

On Monday, Kelly delivered her own remarks geared toward Fonda during the final minutes of her show. Her rebuke included questioning Fonda’s patriotism by referring to her controversial history of anti-Vietnam War activism.

“This is a woman whose name is synonymous with outrage,” Kelly said.

NBC News management was aware of her impending remarks, THR reports.

However, other sources say NBC was shocked by how far she took the monologue. Page Six reports that prominent members of the network were surprised by Kelly’s rant and that Kelly’s colleagues were also shocked by the unfiltered attack.

“The problem is that nobody at NBC is controlling Megyn. They paid her more than $20 million to host the 9 a.m. show, and she’s been given too much power. But the fact remains: You can’t say those things, or be so aggressive, on morning TV,” an insider at the network said.”

NBC executives also reportedly fear that Kelly’s public take-down will deter celebrity guests from appearing on her show.

“Megyn was already having trouble booking celebrities — so how is she ever going to book other stars if they disagree and she goes on air later and trashes them?” the insider asked.

Reaction outside the network was swift and extreme. The View panelists — and guest host Ann Curry — tore Kelly apart. Joy Behar called the former NBC News anchor a “b—”; minutes later, she apologized, rescinding the epithet. Wendy Williams accused Kelly of doing it “for ratings.”

Kelly did not appear on air on Tuesday, causing many to wonder if she had taken it too far; later, NBC said that it was airing a scheduled pre-taped segment on human trafficking.

An NBC News representative says Kelly has not lost any bookings since Monday’s show.