# What makes someone like Megyn Kelly so nasty? I just don't understand the need for this sort of thing **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 29, 2023, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008 "2023-01-29T23:44:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/21 "2023-01-30T02:21:05Z")
Well, there are several examples of Megyn addressing Sebastian Gorka as Dr. so I wonder what the difference is. “Megyn Kelly \* @megynkelly • Dec 7, 2015 Dr. Sebastian Gorka: “These aren’t people that are being brainwashed - they are choosing the life of jihad.” #kellyfile • 45 17 129 © 196 Megyn Kelly \* @megynkelly • Dec 3, 2015 Dr Sebastian Gorka: Discussion on whether San Bernardino was “terror or not terror” is over. #kellyfile • 100 17 99 © 183 Megyn Kelly W @megynkelly • Nov 18, 2015 Dr. Sebastian Gorka: “The jihad is real. The jihad is global. And they want to bring it to the shores of America.” #KellyFile” I wonder why she didn’t or doesn’t have a problem with him using Doctor? I stand by my opinion that she’s a nasty, mean and small minded person. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/22 "2023-01-30T02:23:33Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > But I guess you’re just here to argue. No, I just don’t like giving her any justification or rational for why her nastiness isn’t completely her own intentional choice. She’s far from ignorant; she graduated from Albany Law School, which while not being held as the top tier of law schools is one of the oldest in the nation and has a disproportionate number of people in both the federal judiciary and in government; she was an associated at Bickel & Brewer which was one of the first ‘boutique’ firms that specialized in finance and accounting, emerging technology, and public relations, and later at Jones Day which was at the time one of the largest law firms running high profile cases international cases. Kelly is well aware that Jill Biden has an EdD and may be credibly be titled as “Dr. Biden”, but she’s also aware of how that gets her conservative base frothing at the supposed fabulism. A lot of people tried to give Kelly some kind of credit or assumption that she’d behave better after Donald Trump verbally insulted her in the most crude manner possible, but in fact she’s just as nasty and disingenuous of a media personality now as when she was mouthing Fox-y platitudes and dog whistles in 2016. > [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Well, there are several examples of Megyn addressing Sebastian Gorka as Dr. so I wonder what the difference is. Gorka is a Fox favorite and a proto-fascist growing into full bloom. Also, a cosplay Bond villain of the Hugo Drax mold: [![](https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_nbcnews-ux-2880-1000,f_auto,q_auto:best/newscms/2017_14/1955636/170405-sebastian-gorka-mn-1330.jpg) ](https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_nbcnews-ux-2880-1000,f_auto,q_auto:best/newscms/2017_14/1955636/170405-sebastian-gorka-mn-1330.jpg) [![](http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/total-movies/images/d/d9/Moonraker-movie-04.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20151102151047) ](http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/total-movies/images/d/d9/Moonraker-movie-04.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20151102151047) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/23 "2023-01-30T02:28:44Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > They might be nasty, but that’s not the appropriate word in this context. Try “ignorant”: ⁢ > > Just using the OP’s word from their title. ⁢ The nasty part of the comment isn’t saying that “Dr.” is only appropriate for those with a medical degree. That’s just ignorant. It’s the use of the ignorance to attack Dr. Biden that is nasty. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/24 "2023-01-30T02:34:36Z")
Jill Biden was at a football game and the announcer noticed. The First Lady wasn’t insisting on a title when the announcer used the title. I don’t know why Megyn Kelly thought she needed to make a comment at all. Megyn Kelly could have just kept her ugly thought to her damn self. I never expected anyone to defend this behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/25 "2023-01-30T02:54:07Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Megyn Kelly could have just kept her ugly thought to her damn self. New to the planet, are you? Welcome, welcome, welcome! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/26 "2023-01-30T03:00:24Z")
I had no idea who Megyn Kelly is until this thread. I preferred remaining ignorant of her existence, so thanks a heap. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/27 "2023-01-30T03:35:24Z")
Thanks! I just sent a tweet directly asking her how those two individuals’ doctorates are not fake, especially seeing how she used the honorific face-to-face with one of them. And, of course, I had to add a fun dig: _“Ms.” Kelly_ is how I began the tweet. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/28 "2023-01-30T11:59:49Z")
I saw her snarking on Hilaria Baldwin’s Spanish accent, but first she had launched into a lengthy preamble where she says she understands how the paps are intrusive and annoying and bewildering to children and that the Baldwins have a lot going on right now yada. But drops all pretense of concern and tries to engage her sidekick in bashing Hilaria accent. It was a pitiful display. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/29 "2023-01-30T13:12:42Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I’ve heard many people describe PhDs as not real doctors. Are they nasty too? Yes. Are you somehow under the belief that these sorts of comments are kindhearted? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/30 "2023-01-30T13:22:28Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Yabut many people. Just last week, a man came up to me with tears in his eyes and said, “Sir, PhDs aren’t real doctors.” ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/31 "2023-01-30T13:35:38Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Just last week, a man came up to me with tears in his eyes and said, “Sir, PhDs aren’t real doctors.” With all of the people coming up to him with teary eyes, one begins to wonder about Mr. Trump’s hygiene. Or if he has an onion tied to his belt. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/32 "2023-01-30T13:43:21Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Or if he has an onion tied to his belt. Well, it was the style back in the day. I will confess that when I first heard “Dr Jill Biden”, I assumed she was a MD, since outside of professional contexts most people using the title are MDs. That said, at this point no one in the US should be confused anymore, and the Seb Gorka usage is I think right on point (or counterpoint, as it were). ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/33 "2023-01-30T13:51:05Z")
I saw an interview withy Louis CK a number of years ago where he talks about the first time he ever told a really dark, risky joke. He told the joke, and the interviewer gasped. He then said “exactly. That was the reaction I was going for.” He then explained that when he first started doing comedy, his jokes got polite laughter, but nothing that people really remembered or cared out. When he started getting REACTIONS he knew he had something and that people would pay to see him perform. What GOP trolls like Rush Limbaugh figured out a long time ago is that in entertainment it doesn’t matter how many people hate you, what matters is how many people love you. (For that matter, non-political types like Howard Stern figured this out as well.) **It’s not accounting, it doesn’t matter if you have a negative balance.** If 10 million people love you and 50 million hate you, 10 million people will watch your show and buy your cheap-ass book. The 50 million who hate you don’t UN-buy your book. Conversely, if you’re inoffensive, 0 people love you and 0 people hate you; it’s a better balance but how does that make you money? If she doesn’t offend people, Kelly is nothing. If she does, Trumpists will pay attention to her; that everyone here thinks she’s a troll isn’t relevant to her income. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/34 "2023-01-30T14:08:30Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > > [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > > > Is it a need for attention, even if it’s bad? > > It works. It gets her clicks. Being a decent human doesn’t make her money. That’s really the whole thread in a nutshell. She’s a performer doing a performance of performative hate for money. Lots & lots of money. The fact she cares not at all about the harm she’s doing to the world is all on her, not on the character she plays. By this point in her life, kinda like we discussed about Jeremy Clarkson, it’s unclear how much she has actually turned into the character she started playing. One thing’s for sure: if she lets the mask slip now, she loses most of her audience. So we’ll never know if there’s any humanity left inside the shallow hatemonger. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/35 "2023-01-30T14:20:28Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > **It’s not accounting, it doesn’t matter if you have a negative balance.** If 10 million people love you and 50 million hate you, 10 million people will watch your show and buy your cheap-ass book. That is a brilliant explanation for the current state of the media. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/36 "2023-01-30T22:25:07Z")
Kelly’s take isn’t even original. A Wall St. Journal op-ed writer earlier took heat for mocking Jill Biden on this issue. > **[As critics blast a ‘misogynistic’ op-ed on Jill Biden, a Wall Street Journal...](https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/as-critics-blast-a-misogynistic-op-ed-on-jill-biden-a-wall-street-journal-editor-blames-cancel-culture/)** > > A Northwestern University professor's guest piece began by addressing the incoming first lady as "kiddo" and went on to mock her for using the title "Dr." (She holds a doctorate in education.) The op-ed went viral, and so did debate... While an eye-roll may be justified when advanced degree-holders are called “Doctor” in social settings, especially if they insist on it (M.D.s included), remarks like Kelly’s just make the sneering individual look bad. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/37 "2023-01-30T23:40:24Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > One thing’s for sure: if she lets the mask slip now, she loses most of her audience. Like she did in 2016 when she forgot she was supposed to be throwing Trump softballs. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/38 "2023-01-31T00:00:08Z")
I wonder if Megyn (if that’s her real name) has a degree at all. If so, we should start refereeing her to her as bachelorette #3. Gives her something to strive for. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/39 "2023-01-31T00:04:45Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I think she comes across as ugly and small and mean. She’s a Repblican. This is their brand. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.E](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.e/32/8932_2.png) [@Mr.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.E)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008/40 "2023-01-31T00:08:46Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > **It’s not accounting, it doesn’t matter if you have a negative balance.** If 10 million people love you and 50 million hate you, 10 million people will watch your show and buy your cheap-ass book. The 50 million who hate you don’t UN-buy your book. Conversely, if you’re inoffensive, 0 people love you and 0 people hate you; it’s a better balance but how does that make you money? It’s even worse than this, because as far as social media algorithms are concerned the 10 million people that love you and the 50 million people that hate you are the same. All Twitter sees is 60 million people that feel passionately about you, and that’s enough to get you shown to even more people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-someone-like-megyn-kelly-so-nasty-i-just-dont-understand-the-need-for-this-sort-of-thing/979008.md?page=3)