Megyn Kelly Condemns Hoda Kotb's Interview Approach
Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly has launched a scathing critique of Hoda Kotb's emotional interview with Savannah Guthrie regarding her mother's disappearance. Kelly argued that Kotb's conduct during the interview was unprofessional and distracted from crucial journalistic follow-up questions.
Emotional Interview Sparks Controversy
Savannah Guthrie, co-host of NBC's Today Show, sat down with stand-in host Hoda Kotb for her first interview since her 84-year-old mother Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson, Arizona home on February 1st. The emotional conversation, which aired in segments on Wednesday and Thursday, saw both women breaking down in tears as Savannah discussed the ongoing investigation.
During her podcast on Thursday, Kelly expressed strong disapproval of Kotb's approach. "This interview was not about Hoda, it was about Savannah," Kelly stated emphatically. "And I'm sorry, but Hoda kept wiping away tears that weren't there either. This was acting on Hoda Kotb's part, and it was a distraction and an unnecessary one."
Missed Journalistic Opportunities
Kelly's criticism extended beyond the emotional display to what she identified as significant journalistic failures. She highlighted Kotb's failure to ask follow-up questions when Savannah revealed new information about discovering her mother's $1.4 million home following the abduction.
Savannah disclosed during the interview that her mother suffered from severe back pain and could not walk far, and revealed that "the doors were propped open" when she and her siblings arrived at the property.
"Why would the door be 'propped open?'... I don't understand," Kelly questioned after playing the clip on her podcast. She argued that Kotb should have pursued this line of questioning immediately. "She did not ask very basic questions, like, 'What do you mean 'propped open?'" Kelly noted. "That's it. I'm not talking about you go for the jugular... I mean very basic reportorial ABCs."
Production Choices Under Scrutiny
Kelly also criticised technical decisions made by Today Show producers, particularly their choice to keep Kotb's microphone active during Savannah's responses. "The producers at the Today Show kept Kotb's mic on for her empathetic sounds and her active listening," Kelly observed, calling this "a major distraction" and a "very odd" choice.
She suggested this decision reflected a broader agenda. "The reason they left Hoda's mic open is because I'm telling you, NBC had an agenda here, which was to show you one big, happy family. Look how empathetic she is," Kelly argued, maintaining that the microphone choice was "inappropriate journalistically, because it served only as a distraction."
Savannah Guthrie's Emotional Account
During the interview, Savannah provided heartbreaking details about the night her mother disappeared. She revealed she was out with Today Show co-host Carson Daly and their children in New York City when her sister Annie called with the devastating news.
"Her phone was there and her purse was there and all her things, and it just didn't make any sense," Savannah told Kotb, describing the initial chaos. "I started calling the hospitals and the police were there and talking to her at the same time and it was just chaos, and disbelief."
She shared that her brother Camron, a military veteran, immediately suspected kidnapping for ransom, possibly connected to Savannah's fame and wealth. "My brother, he was in the military, he saw right away what this was," Savannah recounted. "He said: 'I think she's been kidnapped for ransom.' I said 'Do you think, because of me?' He said 'Sorry sweetie, yeah, maybe.' But I knew that."
Family Anguish and Investigation Details
Savannah expressed particular distress about speculation that her brother-in-law Tommaso Cioni might be involved. "It piles pain upon pain. There are no words. There are no words," she cried during the interview. "I don't understand, I'll never understand, and no one took better care of my mom than my sister and brother-in-law."
The investigation has revealed disturbing details, including Nest doorbell camera footage showing a masked figure in black nitrile gloves with a gun on the doorstep around the time Nancy vanished. Despite this evidence and a massive search effort spanning nearly three months, there have been no arrests and no sign of the grandmother.
Savannah made an emotional plea during the interview: "We are in agony... To think of what she went through. I wake up every night in the middle of the night, every night." With tears streaming down her face, she added: "In the darkness, I imagine her terror. And it is unthinkable, but those thoughts demand to be thought. And I will not hide my face. But she needs to come home now."
Kelly concluded her critique by emphasising her professional perspective. "I'm just being honest. I'm not trying to be petty. I'm trying to be honest about what I saw there and what should have happened in an interview this big," she said, maintaining that Kotb's approach was "not journalistically sound."
