On Thursday morning’s episode of a show I have not watched in exactly two weeks, Megyn Kelly invited both Matt Lauer and the women who accused him of sexual misconduct to swing by for some interviews. “We remain committed to telling people’s stories if they choose to come forward,” she said. “We have been that place in all the other cases, and we will be that place – as well as for the accused – on this hour.”
Inviting her disgraced former coworker—along with his accusers—onto an hour of the show he once headlined (which happens to be on a network drowning in bad press for what would almost certainly be incredible television) is a perfect example of what Kelly likes to call “settling for more.” It is also a great example of dressing for the job you want, not the job you have.
These sorts of high profile one-on-ones were previously Lauer’s specialty (remember his recent interviews with Charlie Sheen and Bill O’Reilly?), and while Megyn Kelly has quickly managed to boost her ratings (and craft her morning show brand) by becoming a go-to spot for victims of sexual misconduct to share their stories…wouldn’t an interview with Lauer’s accusers—or, gasp, Lauer himself—be the ultimate coup? Yes! Yes. It would be an unprecedented moment of schadenfreude-laced morning show table-turning.
But does it mean she wants to abandon her third hour show and nab a seat at the big kids’ table alongside Savannah, Al, and Hoda?