Hollywood Stars Slam Megyn Kelly Over Jeffrey Epstein Remarks
Christina Ricci, Melissa Gilbert, and other prominent Hollywood figures have publicly condemned Megyn Kelly’s contentious statements regarding the deceased, convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
On the November 12 installment of Sirius XM’s The Megyn Kelly Show, the former Fox News anchor asserted that Epstein “preferred the barely legal type,” which appeared to imply he was not, in actuality, a pedophile.
She stated, “He favored 15-year-old girls. I understand this is repulsive. I am absolutely not attempting to excuse this. I am merely presenting facts, that he wasn't interested in, for example, 8-year-olds.” Kelly added, “However, he gravitated towards very young teenage types who might appear even younger than their actual age, yet would seem of legal age to an observer.”
Kelly then emphasized that “there exists a distinction between a 15-year-old and a 5-year-old.”
The precise count of minors and young women sexually exploited and trafficked by Epstein, who committed suicide in jail in 2019, remains undisclosed, although estimates suggest over a thousand victims. A lawsuit originating from the Virgin Islands indicated that some of his victims were as young as 11.
Following the widespread dissemination of Kelly's remarks, numerous public figures voiced their opposition. Her statements additionally ignited the social media movement “#iWasFifteen.” Notables such as Gilbert and Valerie Bertinelli joined this trend, posting images of their younger selves at fifteen and criticizing Kelly's assertions.
Continue reading below to discover the reactions from various celebrities regarding Kelly's controversial statements.
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci vehemently criticized Megyn Kelly for her remarks defending Jeffrey Epstein, posting on her Instagram Story, as reported by a Buzzfeed screenshot.
On November 15, the actress from Wednesday captioned a post featuring Kelly's statements with, “This individual poses a threat to minors.”
Melissa Gilbert
Melissa Gilbert participated in the “#iWasFifteen” movement on November 15.
“While I hesitated to post this, I feel compelled to share,” she posted on Instagram, accompanying several images from her youth as an actress. “After viewing numerous women's posts with the hashtags #iwasfifteen #imfifteen #iwasachild, I chose to search for myself at that age to see what emerged. And these are some of the results.”
The former star of Little House on the Prairie included multiple pictures from the series showing her with her older on-screen romantic partner, portrayed by Dean Butler.
“Now, from my current perspective, I am genuinely sickened,” she continued. “The girl vacationing in Hawaii with her family is the identical girl who was expected to ‘fall in love with’ and kiss an actor many years her senior on screen. Viewed through a contemporary lens, this is astonishing. I can only utter, ‘I WAS A CHILD.’ ‘I WAS FIFTEEN.’”
Gilbert conveyed appreciation for the presence of her mother and co-star Michael Landon, who helped guarantee her well-being.
“I was lucky. Thank goodness my mother, Michael, and many others were there to ensure my safety. Can you imagine if I hadn't had their support?” she wrote. “I am incredibly fortunate (in a way). Many other young women are not. @megynkelly, you must exercise caution with your statements.”
Valerie Bertinelli
On November 15, Valerie Bertinelli posted a nostalgic photograph of herself as part of the “#iWasFifteen” movement.
“This image was captured in 1975. I am 15. I am a child. I will articulate this with more emphasis for those further away. I AM FIFTEEN. I AM A CHILD,” the actress from One Day at a Time conveyed on Instagram. “My employment status is irrelevant. My activities are irrelevant. I was a child. Perhaps we should inundate the internet with photographs of all of us at fifteen?”
John Oliver
The presenter of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver criticized Megyn Kelly’s statements during his program's November 16 broadcast.
“Because if I'm interpreting you correctly there — and I most certainly am not — Epstein didn't favor 8-year-olds. He was merely attracted to very young teenagers who could appear even younger, yet somehow still manage to look legal to casual observers,” the late-night host remarked. “And you believed this constituted a crucial legal difference to mention to your agreeable companion.”
Oliver added, “I am evidently accustomed to presenting disturbing figures to my viewership, but I hope I never resort to calculating pedophile equations.”
