Megyn Kelly said ousted “Good Morning America” anchors TJ Holmes and Amy Robach made a “massive PR error” in response to the public revelation of the affair that led to their exit at ABC.
Kelly slammed the pair after photos emerged of Robach jumping into Holmes’ arms in a PDA-filled embraced in Los Angeles just hours after they signed exit agreements finalizing their departures from the network.
“They don’t understand – no one looks at this and says ‘true love,’” the media personality said on Monday’s episode of “The Megyn Kelly Show” on Sirius XM radio.
“They cheated on their spouses. They cheated on their children. Yes, it happens. It’s sad. Act like it’s sad. Stop projecting ‘I don’t give a s–t about anybody who I hurt,’” Kelly added.
Holmes and Robach have faced intense scrutiny since last November, when Page Six and other outlets revealed the married “Good Morning America” co-anchors had engaged in a months-long affair. The news sparked an internal investigation, as well as eventual revelations that Holmes allegedly had affairs with three other ABC employees.
ABC confirmed their departures in a statement last week and described the affair and its fallout as a “distraction” to network employees.
Kelly argued that Holmes and Robach, who have been regularly photographed together in recent weeks, struck the wrong tone in their handling of the saga.
“I think those two could have come out, they could have said on the show the next day, ‘We are very embarrassed. It’s true. This was a private matter that we wanted to resolve privately given the fact that we have kids and we have spouses, but we couldn’t, given the Daily Mail report. And we are going to take a leave of absence to deal with this. And we hope that we can earn your forgiveness and trust when we come back,’” Kelly said.
“And then, lay low,” Kelly continued. “Stop with the very clearly orchestrated photo events in South Beach, where they were all over each other kissing and fondling, while their spouses who they cheated on, are posting sad face pictures with their kids, who look incredibly forlorn. That was a massive PR error. They 100% orchestrated it in my opinion.”
Kelly expressed her view that the couple’s behavior after the affair emerged played a key role in ABC’s decision to cut ties with them.
“I think there is a very good reason why they lost their jobs,” Kelly said. “I think it was two things – the ridiculous PR behavior they engaged in post the scandal breaking. They handled the media exactly the wrong way, in my view. And number two, it came out that he had all these other alleged affair partners at ABC.”
“My suspicion is they were in a position where, what are you going to do? You’re going to fire the black anchor and you’re going to let the white female stay? That can’t happen. She had to go to,” she added.
[Written in collaboration with other media outlets with information from the following sources]
