NBC anchor Megyn Kelly’s upcoming interview with “InfoWars” host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has resulted in a firestorm of criticism, notably from the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims.
And now an advertiser is reportedly pulling from NBC programming until after the episode airs on June 18.
J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM) has asked to remove its TV ads and digital ads from Kelly’s show and all NBC news programs until after the episode airs, the Wall Street Journal reported. While the company has not publicly announced its decision, Kristin Lemkau, J.P. Morgan’s chief marketing officer, made her opinion clear on Kelly’s interview.
“As an advertiser, I’m repulsed that @megynkelly would give a second of airtime to someone who says Sandy Hook and Aurora are hoaxes. Why?”
https://twitter.com/KLemkau/status/874224702067281920
A representative from J.P. Morgan has not responded immediately to request for comment.
Among spreading other conspiracy theories, Jones has said tragedies like the mass shootings at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn., and Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colo., both in 2012, were hoaxes, propagated by opponents of the Second Amendment.
Families of those killed in the Sandy Hook shooting condemned the interview, saying it gives a platform to a conspiracy theorist who encourages others to “harass” families reeling from the tragedy.
Kelly, who moved to NBC from Fox News this year and now hosts a Sunday evening news magazine show, defended the decision to interview Jones, citing President Donald Trump‘s interest in InfoWars.
POTUS's been on & praises @RealAlexJones' show. He's giving Infowars a WH press credential. Many don't know him; our job is 2 shine a light. https://t.co/5e88BJyqnz
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) June 12, 2017
In her first edition of “Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly,” the anchor interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin. Her next segment with Jones is expected to include conversation about “controversies and conspiracies,” according to a preview of the interview Kelly posted on Twitter on Sunday.
In the interview, Jones calls 9/11 an “inside job,” and directly addressed parents of children who died in the Sandy Hook mass shooting, saying “none of it’s true.”
“When you say parents faked their children’s death, people get very angry,” Kelly said in the clip.
“Well, I know, but they don’t get angry about the half million dead Iraqis from the sanctions, or they don’t get angry about,” Jones said, before Kelly interjected with: “That’s a dodge.”
“No, it’s not a dodge,” Jones responded. “The media never covers all the evil war that’s promoted.”
“That doesn’t excuse what you did and said about Newton, you know it,” Kelly responded.
A representative from NBC News did not respond immediately to request for comment.
