Megyn Kelly has been fired from her morning program on NBC and is seeking a $50 million settlement from the network, TMZ reported, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.
READ MORE: NBC’s Megyn Kelly Apologizes for Defending Blackface, Still Flayed by Twitter
According to the media outlet, NBC was paying the “Today” host $25 million a year, and her deal was 3 years firm, and she still had about a year and 10 months left in the contract.
As for the alleged shutdown of her morning show over Kelly's blackface comment earlier this week, he’s also reportedly going to argue that she was treated with “gross unfairness.”
Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter cited a source as saying that the CAA talent agency was no longer representing Kelly. Even though the agency refused to disclose the reason for Kelly's departure, the insider said that she left because CAA was also representing NBC President Noah Oppenheim.
Social media users have been closely watching the controversy around Kelly's reported departure.
NBC offering a settlement to Megyn Kelly to end contract… #MegynKelly #MegynKellyToday #megynkellyblackface #MegynKellyCanceledParty @megynkelly @MegynTODAY #RETWEEET pic.twitter.com/OLLEbTP8Iu
— Wolfie (@Wolfie713) 25 октября 2018 г.
Some suggested that the alleged amount of money was too much:
I misread the Megyn Kelly settlement as 9 million and thought even that was excessive lol
— Woke Bane QC (@banebutwoke) 25 октября 2018 г.
I can’t imagine why NBC ever thought Megyn Kelly was worth so much money. I change the channel every time I see her face. She will always be Fox News. Nobody gets to wash that stink off their body or soul. https://t.co/lfTABOeJku
— Linda Smith (@SadDemocrat) 25 октября 2018 г.
How many fantastic female journalists could NBC could have hired for the money they wasted on Megyn Kelly
— 👻 spooky anti fascist mob (@missmayn) 25 октября 2018 г.
Others said that she seemed to want to get fired and receive such a huge settlement:
I’m starting to realize that @megynkelly wants to get fired. She got a settlement from Fox, she’ll get a buyout from NBC, she can move to an online platform or just retire to the corporate circuit. She can paint herself as a martyr for blonde women who have despicable thoughts
— Kevin Hall (@KevinHallShow) 23 октября 2018 г.
#Breaking
— shon gables cbs46 (@shongables) 25 октября 2018 г.
She showing her true color now… #Green@megynkelly wants 50 million to go according to @TMZhttps://t.co/RBPLQgth9B
I’m about tired of this lady. But she may get it. Megyn Kelly Demands $50 Million Settlement from NBC via @TMZ https://t.co/lOD87lORDf pic.twitter.com/RR9wNVwYzm
— BEW (@DoUNVMeNow) 25 октября 2018 г.
Or more precisely, Megyn Kelly will be free as ever to speak in other places while still carrying the truckload of money NBC gave her on the way out.
— jay smooth (@jsmooth995) 26 октября 2018 г.
TMZ's report comes just days after Kelly wondered why wearing blackface had become racist during a discussion of Halloween costumes on her show.
"But what is racist? 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. Back when I was a kid, that was okay, as long as you were dressing up like a character,” she said.
On the same day, she showed a drastic change of heart following widespread outrage from viewers and apologized for her remark, claiming that she had realizied it was indeed offensive.