I had this little voice in me saying , ‘ I am more interesting than this . I am more interested than this .’
“ The media gets paid to get eyeballs , right ? To get you viewing them . And the way you do that is to stoke outrage . That ’ s why whenever you turn off the television from cable news , you feel pissed off . You may not even know they ’ re doing it to you , but that ’ s what they ’ re doing to you . It ’ s one of the reasons I wound up leaving .”
It ’ s not the first time Kelly has turned her back on something that she didn ’ t perceive as fulfilling and transparent . After graduation from Albany Law School , where she was a member of the student senate and edited the law review , she embarked on a career in corporate law . By age 33 , Kelly was representing high-profile clients including credit bureau Experian for the international law firm of Jones Day . On track to becoming partner , Kelly excelled in the field but wasn ’ t inspired .
“ I had this little voice in me saying , ‘ I am more interesting than this . I am more interested than this ,’” Kelly told Vanity Fair ’ s Evgenia Peretz for a 2016 cover story .
Armed with gumption , charisma , and the doggedness that would come to define her as a journalist , the experienced trial attorney turned her sights on becoming a newscaster . While still practicing law , Kelly took a reporting class and completed an internship at a local Chicago station . She then put together a sample reel with a friend to present to television stations in the hopes of securing a newscaster spot .
As they say , one thing led to another and her tape landed in the hands of Fox News Washington-bureau chief Kim Hume , wife of Fox News anchor Brit Hume . From
K
there , it eventually hit the desk of Fox News chairman Roger Ailes . He recognized her star power . Kelly ’ s career ascent was fast and furious .
“ I could have kept doing [ law ], and I think I was in what my sister-in-law calls my ‘ zone of excellence ,’” Kelly explained to Peretz . “ But I chose a different path , and I made a big financial sacrifice when I first started , and wound up getting into what she calls my ‘ zone of genius .’”
Her years as a trial attorney served Kelly well as a news anchor . Quick on her feet , her verbal sparring skills are finely honed . Kelly regularly took guests to task on her popular live evening news show on Fox , The Kelly File , and elsewhere . She also wasn ’ t ( and isn ’ t ) afraid to ask tough questions , as well documented when she served as a moderator for the 2015 Republican presidential debate .
“ She takes no prisoners and takes no BS ,” veteran newswoman Katie Couric has said of Kelly . “ And I ’ ve noticed that she ’ s a really good listener . Sometimes the tendency is to go down a laundry list of questions and to not say , ‘ Wait a minute .’ It requires you to think on your feet and to take the conversation in a totally different direction .”
Campbell Brown , a former CNN prime-time host , said this about Kelly : “ She doesn ’ t talk down to her audience . There is none of the sanctimonious , condescending attitude . And , frankly , none of the hate . I think people are sick of these primetime chest thumpers characterizing the other side as evil .”
10 • MARCH / APRIL 2021