Megyn Kelly has publicly criticized comedian Larry David after he stated he was "embarrassed to be an American" following President Donald Trump's involvement in a UFC event at the White House. Kelly, speaking on her SiriusXM radio show, suggested David should "stop with the political, over-the-top stuff."
Kelly, in a conversation with venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, commented on David's remarks, which were made in a Variety interview. David had described the UFC event as a "travesty" and "embarrassing."
"There’s no question Larry lives in either Beverly Hills or Bel Air and is living it up big," Kelly said, referring to David's perceived lifestyle. "And [he] looked at these guys, and had absolutely nothing that he could relate to on this more of a working-class American sport, turned his nose up at it and walked away saying: ‘I’m embarrassed to be associated with them.’"
Palihapitiya reportedly drew a parallel between the UFC event and LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations held at the White House under previous administrations. Kelly, in response, used a transphobic slur and stated, "There’s nothing Joe Biden could do to make me feel un-American. I feel disgusted with his choices."
David's comments were made around the premiere of his new HBO series, "Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America," which features a cast including Bill Hader and Jon Hamm, and is executive produced by former President Barack Obama.
While Kelly has historically supported Trump's political agenda, she has recently expressed a more nuanced view. In April, she noted on her radio show that while many people like Trump's personality, "there are aspects of his personality which are obviously not good." She described him as "not a moral man" and "extremely petty and thin-skinned," but also acknowledged his "endearing" and "charming" sense of humor and his "unwillingness to stay down."