Right-wing commentator Megyn Kelly has lashed out at former first lady Michelle Obama in a fiery rant.
The conservative broadcaster, 55, spent nearly 12 minutes blasting Obama, 62, on an episode of The Megyn Kelly Show on Monday.
Her venom was aimed at comments Obama made on her podcast IMO, where she was speaking to actress Keke Palmer. The episode was recorded live at the Essence Festival in New Orleans on July 3, and released on Obama’s feed last Thursday.
Kelly began by claiming that Obama has “been everywhere... trying to build her brand and trying to build her very sad little podcast.”
The host then reacted to a clip where Obama was telling Palmer about the media coverage of one of her first speeches, which she said began by discussing what she was wearing before what she was talking about.
“And I realized, `Oh, this is how they do women in politics. This is how we treat women in public life’. We diminish them to just what they look like, and not what I’m saying,” Obama told Palmer.
Obama also praised her own talent for making “impassioned speeches,” and noted, “That didn’t just start. I was always a powerful orator.”
After an epic eye-roll, Kelly said, “Oh my God, she is dripping in narcissism. Dripping in it. Would you at least feign some humility? I’m embarrassed for you.”
Referencing her oratory skills, the former Fox News host added, “You’re actually not that great. You’re fine, but you seem very scripted and artificial to me, if I’m honest. You don’t speak from the heart.”
Seemingly referring to her speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2024, Kelly said, “You didn’t move me at all... you felt a little recycled and tired, if I’m being honest.”
Kelly then took direct aim at Obama’s comments about her fashion being covered before the contents of her speeches.
“The reason they wrote about your fashion is because yes, you’re a woman. It wasn’t to diminish you,” she said. “They do it to every female politician. And it’s not to diminish them. It’s because it’s interesting. It’s part of your look. It’s part of your messaging.”
Kelly claimed the media “Would do it to men, too, if men dressed differently from one another. But they don’t, they all look the same.”
Referencing former President Barack Obama getting attention for wearing a tan suit in 2014 during a live White House press conference on the prospect of escalating the U.S. military response against ISIS in Syria, Kelly said, “we wrote about it. Oh, that was our racism. I forgot.”
“The women do tend to take more risks. And then it gets more interesting. It’s fun to talk about,” Kelly said.
“So f--- off with this grievance nonsense. You’re not aggrieved. It doesn’t make anybody a misogynist... Stop making everything an attack on you, you thin-skinned person. It’s just ridiculous.”
Kelly then cited the fact Obama has been on the cover of Vogue multiple times and how she published her own fashion book, The Look, last year.
“She wants to be known for her fashion, but it has to be on her terms,” Kelly claimed. “She finds grievance in everything.”
After continuing her tirade, Kelly then brought Obama’s family into her argument.
“This is what poor Barack has been dealing with for 20, 30 years now. I mean, no wonder the guy is so gray so prematurely. No wonder the girls fled the coop and you never see pictures really with the four of them. I’m sure they’re so happy to be rid of this non-stop Negative Nelly all the time.”
Barack shared a photo of his daughters Malia, 28, and Sasha, 25, for Father’s Day last month, and shared a family photo last Thanksgiving, as well a throwback family image for Mother’s Day in May.
Michelle Obama posted a video with her two daughters for Malia’s birthday earlier this month.
The Obamas and their two daughters were also photographed at the dedication ceremony for the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago last month.
The Daily Beast has contacted reps for Obama for comment.
