The Hollywood litigator representing Megyn Kelly accused NBC officials, including NBC News chair Andy Lack, of leaking false information about Kelly to capsize departure negotiations, CNN reported Wednesday.
“Despite my efforts to handle this process confidentially, NBC News is allowing the media to run with completely false and irresponsible reports that disparage Megyn by erroneously claiming she has ever asked for more money than her contract requires,” Kelly’s attorney Bryan Freedman said in a statement to CNN and other news outlets on Wednesday. “If NBC News is not the source then they have a responsibility as a news division to correct these false claims. Or are they somehow attempting to use these fabrications for some fictitious advantage in the discussions we’re having?”
In addition to saying Lack “needs to stop” on Tuesday, Freedman also called out NBC Universal CEO Steve Burke, according to CNN, imploring Burke to “step in” and “not permit blatant lies about our discussions to remain uncorrected.”
In a statement, NBC told CNN that “unlike Mr. Freedman, who has repeatedly commented to the media throughout the negotiations, we respect the confidentiality of the process, and will have no comment until it reaches its conclusion.”
Freedman is likely irked by reports in that Kelly is demanding more than the remainder of her $69 million contract as she negotiates her departure. NBC decided to cancel Kelly’s show last week, less than two years into her three-year contract, following a controversy that involved her defending the use of blackface paint for Halloween costumes on-air. According to a CNN story last week, conversations about Kelly’s exit were in the works before the blackface scandal.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, NBC does not want to pay out the rest of Kelly’s contract, while Kelly is reportedly reluctant to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Kelly herself has remained quiet as reports swirl about her future, but she broke her silence on Wednesday to criticize the Daily Mail for its photographers’ treatment of her family.
1 of 2: For a week paparazzi has been lurking outside my home day & nite. Finally today I took my kids to school. I went out alone 1st, offered them donuts &begged them to just take their pic of me & to leave my kids alone when they emerged. All were nice. Except the Dailymail…
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 31, 2018
2 of 2: The DailyMail 1st published photos of my husb IN OUR HOME & then *did* photog my kids, trailed us to my daughter’s school, & secretly videotaped my 7-yr-old child (her classmates too) & posted it. THIS IS NOT RIGHT.
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 31, 2018
