NBC and news host Megyn Kelly are starting to see consequences to her controversial upcoming interview with conspiracy monger and InfoWars founder Alex Jones.
Sandy Hook Promise, a gun-violence prevention organization founded in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that killed 20 children and six adults, has dropped Kelly as the host of its June 14 gala. Jones has called the 2014 massacre “completely fake.”
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“Sandy Hook Promise cannot support the decision by Megyn or NBC to give any form of voice or platform to Alex Jones and have asked Megyn Kelly to step down as our Promise Champion Gala host,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of the organization, whose 6-year-old son was killed at Sandy Hook, in a statement. “It is our hope that Megyn and NBC reconsider and not broadcast this interview.”
Kelly issued a statement that expressed disappointment over not attending Wednesday’s event, but she defended her interview with Jones.
JPMorgan is removing its advertisements from NBC News in response to the interview with Jones, according to the Wall Street Journal. The finance giant did not immediately respond to request for comment, but its marketing chief Kristin Lemkau tweeted out a rebuke of Kelly.
Alex Jones is infamous for his comments in 2014 calling the Sandy Hook massacre “completely fake,” though he later denied that’s what he believes.
“Sandy Hook is complex because I’ve had debates with devil’s advocates that the whole story is true, then I’ve had debates when I’ve said that none of it is true,” Jones says in the new interview when asked about the massacre by Kelly.
Promos for the June 18 interview triggered widespread backlash, with calls for NBC to cancel the interview and for viewers to boycott the network. Even Jones himself denounced Kelly for “misrepresenting” his views and called for a cancellation of the interview’s airing.
Jones and Kelly’s discussion is scheduled to air Sunday.
VICE News Tonight interviewed Alex Jones in a piece that charted his rise from fringe conspiracy theorist to a well-known Trump media surrogate. VICE News also published a four–part series on Jones’ antics and behavior.
