Megyn Kelly is wrapping up a $30 million exit deal from NBC after the network booted her from NBC’s “Today” over controversial comments about donning blackface for Halloween.
The negotiations are taking “longer than expected,” a source familiar with the situation told Page Six, noting that “the paperwork is going back and forth,” and NBC owner Comcast will ultimately shell out approximately $30 million as part of an exit deal with Kelly.
“NBC decided rather than fight and face a lawsuit from her, they — and more importantly, Comcast with all its money — decided to draw a line under the entire debacle and pay Megyn the full amount owed in her contract to go away,” another source said.
Despite the high-profile ouster, Kelly, who initially signed a $69 million deal with NBC in 2017, may not be done with television.
“But this is far from the end of her TV career — in the Trump era, there are few broadcasters like her. Megyn would likely take a short break from TV and return to cable news ahead of the 2020 election,” the source said.
Kelly came under fire late last month after she suggested on her show “Megyn Kelly Today” that it was alright to wear blackface for Halloween.
“You truly do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface at Halloween or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween,” Kelly said at the time. “Back when I was a kid, that was OK, as long as you were dressing up as, like, a character.”
Kelly apologized for her comments, but the network canceled her show.
