History of Megyn Kelly in Timeline
Megyn Kelly is an American journalist, attorney, political commentator, and media personality. She currently hosts "The Megyn Kelly Show" on Sirius XM and YouTube. She rose to prominence at Fox News from 2004 to 2017, hosting programs like "America Live" and "The Kelly File." Following her time at Fox, she anchored "Megyn Kelly Today" at NBC News from 2017 to 2018. Kelly was recognized as one of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2014.
1964: Sister Suzanne Born
In 1964, Megyn Kelly's older sister, Suzanne, was born.
1965: Brother Pete Born
Around 1965, Megyn Kelly's older brother, Pete, was born.
November 18, 1970: Megyn Kelly Born
On November 18, 1970, Megyn Kelly was born in Champaign, Illinois, to Edward Francis Kelly and Linda (née DeMaio).
1985: Father's Death
In 1985, Megyn Kelly's father died of a heart attack when she was 15 years old.
1992: Graduated from Syracuse University
In 1992, Megyn Kelly obtained an undergraduate degree in political science from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
1995: Graduated from Albany Law School
In 1995, Megyn Kelly earned a J.D. from Albany Law School.
1996: Co-wrote "The Conflicting Roles of Lawyer as Director"
In the fall of 1996, Megyn Kelly co-wrote an article titled "The Conflicting Roles of Lawyer as Director" for the American Bar Association's journal, Litigation.
2001: Married Daniel Kendall
In 2001, Megyn Kelly was first married to Daniel Kendall, an anesthesiologist, in a Catholic ceremony.
2002: Josh Duggar's Alleged Molestation
In June 2015, Megyn Kelly interviewed Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar of 19 Kids and Counting regarding their son Josh Duggar's alleged molestation of five girls in 2002.
2003: Hired by WJLA-TV
In 2003, Megyn Kelly was hired by the ABC affiliate WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C., as a general assignment reporter.
2004: Covered 2004 Presidential Election
In 2004, Megyn Kelly, as a general assignment reporter for WJLA-TV, covered the 2004 presidential election.
2005: Trump's sexual comments
In October, a contentious discussion between Kelly and Newt Gingrich on The Kelly File regarding Trump's sexual comments in a 2005 audio recording gained widespread social media reaction.
2006: Divorced Daniel Kendall
In 2006, Megyn Kelly's marriage to Daniel Kendall ended in divorce.
2008: Married Douglas Brunt
In 2008, Megyn Kelly married Douglas Brunt, then president and CEO of Authentium.
2009: Birth of son Yates
In 2009, Megyn Kelly and Douglas Brunt welcomed their first child, a son named Yates.
February 1, 2010: Hosted America Live
On February 1, 2010, Megyn Kelly began hosting her own two-hour afternoon show, America Live, on Fox News.
December 2010: Hosted New Year's Eve Special
In December 2010, Megyn Kelly hosted a New Year's Eve special with Bill Hemmer on Fox News.
2010: Hosted America Live at Fox News
From 2010 to 2013, Megyn Kelly hosted America Live on Fox News and co-anchored America's Newsroom with Bill Hemmer.
2011: Birth of daughter Yardley
In 2011, Megyn Kelly and Douglas Brunt had their second child, a daughter named Yardley.
July 2013: Left America Live and Took Maternity Leave
In July 2013, Megyn Kelly left America Live and took maternity leave from Fox News.
December 2013: Santa Claus Controversy
In December 2013, Megyn Kelly commented on a Slate article on The Kelly File, stating "Santa just is white," which led to widespread satire and controversy.
2013: Hosted The Kelly File
From 2013 to 2017, Megyn Kelly hosted her own show, The Kelly File, on Fox News, which focused on breaking news and political events.
2013: Birth of son Thatcher
In 2013, Megyn Kelly and Douglas Brunt had their third child, a son named Thatcher.
2014: TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People
In 2014, Megyn Kelly was named one of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people of the year.
June 2015: Interviewed Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar
In June 2015, Megyn Kelly interviewed Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar of 19 Kids and Counting regarding their son Josh Duggar's alleged molestation.
August 6, 2015: Asked Trump Temperament Question
On August 6, 2015, during a Republican Party presidential debate, Megyn Kelly asked Donald Trump whether a man of his temperament ought to be elected president, leading to criticism from Trump and widespread media reaction.
2015: Moderated the first Republican Party presidential debate
In 2015, Megyn Kelly moderated the first Republican Party presidential debate while at Fox News. This debate was a significant moment in her career and garnered considerable attention.
2015: Identified as an independent
In 2015, Megyn Kelly told Variety that she identifies as an independent, and had voted for both Democrats and Republicans in the past.
February 2016: Cover of Vanity Fair
In February 2016, Megyn Kelly appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair.
February 2016: Signed deal for autobiography
In February 2016, Megyn Kelly signed an agreement with HarperCollins to write an autobiography scheduled for release later that year, in a deal worth more than $10 million.
March 2016: Announced Prime Time Special
In March 2016, it was announced that Megyn Kelly would host a one-hour prime time special on the Fox network, interviewing celebrities from various fields.
May 2016: Aired Prime Time Special
In May 2016, Megyn Kelly's one-hour prime time special aired on Fox, acquiring 4.8 million viewers and placing third in the ratings.
July 2016: Confirmed Harassment by Roger Ailes
In July 2016, amid allegations of sexual harassment against Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, Megyn Kelly was reported to have confirmed that she herself was subjected to his harassment.
September 2016: Producing 'Embeds'
In September 2016, it was reported that Megyn Kelly would be collaborating with Michael De Luca to produce Embeds, a scripted comedy about reporters covering politics, to be aired on a streaming service.
November 15, 2016: Released autobiography "Settle for More"
On November 15, 2016, Megyn Kelly's autobiography, titled "Settle for More," was released. This book details her life and career experiences.
2016: Clashed with Trump during campaign
During the 2016 campaign, Megyn Kelly clashed with Donald Trump, who referred to her as "nasty" following a widely publicized debate exchange.
2016: Moderated Presidential Primary Debates
In 2016 and 2024, Megyn Kelly moderated several presidential primary debates.
2016: Considering Moving to Other News Networks
In late 2016, with her Fox contract in its final months, Megyn Kelly was rumored to be actively considering moving to other news networks.
January 6, 2017: Final Episode of The Kelly File
On January 6, 2017, Megyn Kelly's last episode of The Kelly File aired on Fox News.
June 2, 2017: Interviewed Vladimir Putin
On June 2, 2017, Megyn Kelly interviewed Russian president Vladimir Putin at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
June 4, 2017: NBC's Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly Premiere
On June 4, 2017, Megyn Kelly's one-on-one interview with Vladimir Putin aired as the premiere episode of NBC's Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly.
July 2017: Non-compete Clause with Fox Expires
In January 2017 it was reported that Megyn Kelly remained under a non-compete clause with Fox until July 2017.
September 2017: Megyn Kelly Today Premiered
In September 2017, Megyn Kelly's daytime talk show, Megyn Kelly Today, premiered on NBC.
2017: Reported Stories for Dateline NBC
In 2017, Megyn Kelly joined Dateline NBC and reported stories for the show.
2017: Left Fox News
In 2017, Megyn Kelly left Fox News after working there since 2004.
October 23, 2018: Blackface Controversy
On October 23, 2018, Megyn Kelly was criticized for on-air remarks she made on Megyn Kelly Today regarding the appropriateness of blackface as part of Halloween costumes. She apologized for the remarks later that day.
October 26, 2018: NBC Canceled Megyn Kelly Today
On October 26, 2018, NBC canceled Megyn Kelly Today following the blackface controversy.
2018: Intended Return of 'Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly' Cancelled
After an initial run of eight episodes in the summer of 2017, NBC planned to bring back Megyn Kelly's newsmagazine show Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly for summer 2018, but this return never materialized.
2018: Joined NBC News
In 2018, Megyn Kelly worked at NBC News where she anchored Megyn Kelly Today.
2018: Criticized lawmakers for inaction on gun reform
In 2018, in response to the Parkland shooting, Megyn Kelly criticized lawmakers for their failure to pass meaningful gun reform, expressing frustration with the cycle of sorrow following mass shootings without real action.
January 11, 2019: Employment Terminated by NBC
On January 11, 2019, Megyn Kelly's employment with NBC was terminated, and she was paid the $30 million due for the remainder of her contract.
January 2019: Left NBC News
In January 2019, Megyn Kelly left NBC and transitioned to independent media with her podcast and online platforms.
December 13, 2019: Release of "Bombshell" film
On December 13, 2019, the film "Bombshell," depicting Roger Ailes' sexual abuses and his subsequent resignation from Fox News, was released. Megyn Kelly is portrayed in the film by Charlize Theron.
September 10, 2020: Launched Devil May Care Media
On September 10, 2020, Megyn Kelly announced the launch of Devil May Care Media, her media production company, along with a podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show.
September 28, 2020: The Megyn Kelly Show Premiered
On September 28, 2020, the first episode of The Megyn Kelly Show podcast premiered.
2020: Voted for Donald Trump
In April 2024, Kelly revealed she voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.
July 6, 2021: The Megyn Kelly Show Moved to Sirius XM
On July 6, 2021, it was announced that The Megyn Kelly Show podcast would move to Sirius XM on September 7, 2021.
September 7, 2021: The Megyn Kelly Show Broadcast on Sirius XM
On September 7, 2021, The Megyn Kelly Show began broadcasting weekdays on Sirius XM's Triumph channel.
2022: Loss of older sister Suzanne Crossley
In 2022, Megyn Kelly shared the loss of her older sister, Suzanne Crossley, who passed away from a heart attack following a battle with addiction.
2022: Sister Suzanne Death
In 2022, Megyn Kelly's older sister, Suzanne, passed away.
June 2023: Shifted opinion on preferred pronouns
In June 2023, Megyn Kelly explained that her opinion had shifted from supporting "preferred pronouns" to opposing them, citing concerns about their connection to gender-affirming care for minors.
November 30, 2023: Revealed role in Daily Wire animated comedy
On November 30, 2023, Megyn Kelly revealed on her show that she was set to star in Mr. Birchum, a new Daily Wire adult animated comedy series which debuted in early 2024.
December 6, 2023: Co-hosted Republican primary debate on NewsNation
On December 6, 2023, Megyn Kelly co-hosted the fourth Republican primary debate on NewsNation with Elizabeth Vargas and Eliana Johnson. This marked her return to moderating a presidential debate since 2015.
March 2024: Disclosed Catholic annulment process
In March 2024, Megyn Kelly disclosed that she was undergoing the Catholic annulment process for her marriage with Daniel Kendall.
April 2024: Revealed vote for Donald Trump
In April 2024, Megyn Kelly revealed that she voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election and would vote for him again in 2024, driven by issues like trans ideology and cultural changes affecting her children.
October 2024: Criticized Taylor Swift's endorsement
In October 2024, after Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris, Megyn Kelly criticized Swift during an on stage interview with Tucker Carlson, accusing her of "alienating half her fan base".
November 4, 2024: Publicly endorsed Donald Trump at a rally
On November 4, 2024, Megyn Kelly publicly endorsed Donald Trump at a rally in Pittsburgh, expressing support for his policies on women's rights, border security, immigration, and transgender athletes in women’s sports.
2024: Moderated Presidential Primary Debates
In 2016 and 2024, Megyn Kelly moderated several presidential primary debates.
2024: Mr. Birchum debut
In early 2024, Megyn Kelly starred in Mr. Birchum, a new Daily Wire adult animated comedy series which debuted.
January 2025: YouTube Channel Subscribers
As of January 2025, Kelly’s YouTube channel alone has over 3.2 million subscribers, and it has become one of the top ten podcasts in the U.S.
January 17, 2025: Announced attendance at Trump's inauguration
On January 17, 2025, Megyn Kelly announced on her show that she would be attending Donald Trump's second inauguration on January 20th, and would be delivering remarks on stage at his rally the night before.
February 17, 2025: Announced launch of second podcast
On February 17, 2025, Megyn Kelly announced the launch of a second podcast, AM Update with Megyn Kelly, set to premiere on February 19. The podcast will summarize major headlines.
2025: Opened up about shift in political standing
In 2025, Megyn Kelly opened up about her shift in political standing on The Megyn Kelly Show.
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