The Ringer's movie podcast blames Megyn Kelly's "short skirts" for alleged sexual harassment at Fox News
Female journalists - specifically Megyn Kelly -- who claim to have suffered sexual harassment at the hands of longtime Fox News CEO Roger Ailes are not entirely innocent in the ordeal, according to The Ringer Features Editor Amanda Dobbins.
Dobbins, who co-hosts The Big Picture podcast, made the controversial comments during a discussion of the new movie Bombshell, which follows Kelly and other prominent female journalists -- some fictional -- as they attempt to navigate Fox News during the latter part of Ailes' reign. The film is based on the accounts of several former employees who say they experienced sexual harassment from Ailes -- including explicit requests for sex in exchange for professional advancement.
In response to her co-hosts question about what it must be like to be one of those women, Dobbins was unsympathetic.
"I have to be honest. I don't really care," she said. "What it means to be Megyn Kelly is that you're rich as shit and successful"
"These women are on Fox News in short skirts and they know what they're doing," she said. (Full audio here)
Two of the real life journalists depicted in the movie have publicly detailed the sexual harassment they struggled with throughout their tenures working for Ailes.
Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson, played in the film by Nicole Kidman, revealed in 2016 that she had long suffered from Ailes' sexual harassment; she sued Ailes for firing her after she rejected sexual advances.
"It was explicit quid pro quo sexual harassment, which was basically: You sleep with me, and I'll give you a promotion," Kelly said in 2017.
Kelly is played by Charlize Theron in the movie.
Dobbins did not respond to inquiries placed through The Ringer website comment form. She also blocked the Kirk Minihane Show on Twitter, along with several of our fans, after the account tweeted out audio of her comments.
Get Kirk Minihane's reaction on today's Kirk Minihane Show (0:25:40)