Alyssa Milano calls out Megyn Kelly in open letter over Cornell case
Megyn Kelly said on her show that if she knew she she would reveal the rape victim's identity
Actress Alyssa Milano has lashed out at conservative commentator Megyn Kelly for her remarks about Cornell University rape victim on her show.
Milano has written an open letter to Kelly targeting the journalist for mocking Jane Doe and blaming her for the sexual assault.
Below is the full text of Milano's letter Megyn Kelly:
"Megyn,
Cankles?! Really?!
A young woman says she was drugged and gang-raped for seven hours, and you found time to mock her body?! You even called her “not the most attractive gal.” You described her as “extremely beefy in her arms and her legs.” Then you disgustingly suggested she might have enjoyed attention from the Cornell 57 because she wasn’t beautiful growing up.
Let’s dive into this because I will not let the next news cycle overshadow your cruelty.
To reiterate, in case anyone missed it, when Jane Doe described being brutally and barbarously assaulted, you implied she wanted it and fabricated a desire for approval to support this ridiculous claim.
It’s been impossible to mistake you for a real journalist. For years, you have lived in the gutter of media shock culture. Yet even for a career built entirely on the systematic monetization of cruelty and…dumbness, your recent “reporting” on Jane Doe marks a descent from opportunism into pure, unvarnished degradation.
What the fuck is wrong with you?
With a law degree, a national audience, and years of experience speaking with people, you chose to apply those skills in this way.
And then you questioned why she took three weeks to report. You suggested that shame, regret, and conversations with other young women could turn an innocent encounter into a rape allegation. It seems waiting three weeks really bothered you, as if there’s only one right way for a woman to act after something traumatic happens.
You. A woman who came forward about a powerful man within a boys’ club and institutionalized sexism. A woman who spoke publicly about Roger Ailes and severe sexual harassment. You know that speaking up can carry a price. You know people in power have supporters who are there to protect their power. How long did it take YOU to report? A quick AI search suggests there was a 10- or 11-year gap between when the harassment occurred and when you publicly reported it. Women have spent years wondering whether anyone would believe them. Women who remember drinking. Women who initially said yes and later said no. Women who froze.
Were dignity and compassion supposed to be reserved just for you? Or maybe we are meant to believe you enjoyed the attention because you weren’t that beautiful growing up?
Did you say this in 2017 or nah?
“The abuse of women, the shaming of them, the threatening, the retaliation, the silencing of them after the fact. It has to stop.”
But I digress.
You even said you would name Jane Doe if you found out who she is. You questioned why
she should have anonymity even if she is a victim. You questioned why her privacy should be safeguarded.
You also dragged Mariska Hargitay’s teenage daughter’s clothing into your attack on her mother and told Olivia Rodrigo to shut up and stick to singing. Apparently, supporting a woman reporting sexual assault earns punishment as well?! You can’t demand that everyone else withhold support while you broadcast your own degrading speculation.
And I want to know what this is all worth to you. How much do you make a year from being a garbage human? Are you just trying to make people angry? Are you hoping for more clips, angry reactions, and views? Does saying something so harsh keep people watching until the next ad?
Your September 30 episode about this case came with a long list of sponsors. A quick AI search has you making 15-30 million dollars a year from your podcast. Do you truly believe your own opinions about Jane Doe, or do you simply know exactly how much a manufactured bullshit machine pays out in quarterly sponsorships?
It is enraging to watch you do this.
Women can become very successful by reassuring people that their contempt for other women is justified. We get it—you hate women.
Every time a woman with a microphone makes the process of reporting more humiliating, you preserve the system that keeps us silent.
You owe women an apology for promoting misogyny. You owe Jane Doe an apology for making her body part of your dumb argument. You owe your audience a correction: your opinion of a victim has nothing to do with her consent. You are part of the problem.
You asked your audience to imagine that Jane Doe enjoyed being wanted.
Ask yourself why you want them to imagine that.
The truth is you have commodified the abuse of women, proving yet again there is no depth of human suffering you won’t exploit if the advertising revenue is high enough.
Sincerely,
Alyssa Milano
P.S. I debated writing this because the last thing I want is to give Megyn Kelly clicks. But ultimately, my rage overrode my reluctance. So I’m asking you, please don’t watch, don’t subscribe, don’t share her clips, even to see how disgusting they are. We can call out cruelty without making it (more) profitable, right?"
