Sunny Hostin criticizes 'cult-like' Fox News and labels Megyn Kelly 'aggressive' amid ongoing feud

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Sunny Hostin, co-host of 'The View', revealed on February 20 that during her short stint at Fox News, she was taken aback by the assertiveness of Megyn Kelly during her appearances on Bill O'Reilly's show.

Hostin, who served as a guest panelist during Roger Ailes' tenure as head of Fox News, shared on the 'Behind the Table' podcast that the atmosphere at the network "felt very cult-like" during that period.

Sunny Hostin criticizes Fox News culture and Megyn Kelly's on-air persona

"People are always shocked that I worked at Fox, because they consider me to be extremely liberal and to the left. I'm actually not very far to the left, I'm a little more centrist. But, Fox was unlike any place I'd ever worked before, and unlike any place I've worked since. That's because it felt very cult-like," Hostin told 'View' producer Brian Teta.

Hostin explained, “There was almost a mandate that would come from the top about what topics would be discussed on every show, and there were whiteboards on every floor."

The shows were separated often by floors. You could see it as you walked in to where you were sitting. No. 1 was like, ‘Obama sucks', No. 2 was like, 'Obama was not born in this country.'"

Hostin further noted under Ailes' leadership, "The hair and makeup and clothing, I thought was a little inappropriate … the shorter the skirt, the more airtime you got."

She highlighted that during their appearances on 'The O'Reilly Factor' in the segment titled 'Is It Legal?', Kelly and Hostin often held opposing viewpoints, with Hostin observing that Kelly appeared to adopt a different persona while on air.

Hostin further said, "She was fine and it was great and we would talk, and that red light came on and she became a completely different person, a very telegenic person, very aggressive, assertive."

Hostin elaborated, stating, "[Kelly] took up all the air time, she took up all the air in the room, and I realized what my task was because I had the minority voice, of course, for Fox News viewers. I had a mission, I wanted them to see the other side."

Sunny Hostin and Megyn Kelly trade barbs amid the turmoil 

This wasn't the first instance of Hostin clashing with Kelly, who departed the network in 2017. In 2023, Hostin remarked, "I think I bested [Kelly] most of the time".

Kelly fired back on social media, referencing Hostin's career trajectory at Fox News: "Yes, Sunny, that is what led Fox to give you your own show and then elevate you to the primetime where you built the No. 1 show in cable and also became part of the network’s presidential debate team. Oh wait."

She further highlighted the tumultuous events surrounding Fox News, including Roger Ailes' sexual harassment lawsuit by Gretchen Carlson in 2016.

Additionally, 'The O'Reilly Factor' was canceled in 2017, coinciding with Bill O'Reilly's settlement of a sexual harassment claim for $32 million with former legal analyst Lis Wiehl.