Putting aside the schadenfreude in watching Kimberly Guilfoyle get pummeled for sexual misconduct by Fox News – the same network whose own sexual misconduct she worked to cover up – there’s something very puzzling about FNC’s behavior toward her that could be summed up as “why now and why not then?”
As News Hounds’ friend Richard pointed out to me in a Twitter DM, Fox News ousted host Eric Bolling within a few days of a HuffPost report that he had shared dick pics with colleagues. Although yesterday’s explosive HuffPost report about Guilfoyle does not specifically say so, it appears that Guilfoyle was warned about her dick pics a year before she was fired:
Six sources said Guilfoyle’s behavior included showing personal photographs of male genitalia to colleagues (and identifying whose genitals they were), regularly discussing sexual matters at work and engaging in emotionally abusive behavior toward hair and makeup artists and support staff.
According to sources, Guilfoyle was the subject of a human resources investigation that started last year and involved interviews with Fox News employees, including hair and makeup artists and producers. Sources said HR warned Guilfoyle about her behavior several times, including a stern warning from Kevin Lord, the head of Fox News HR, in the fall of 2017. HuffPost also began investigating Guilfoyle’s workplace conduct last year.
OK, let’s assume that Bolling was also ousted because of other sexually predatory behavior that came to light. And let’s assume that Fox News HR only recently became aware of Guilfoyle’s dick pics. Just as damning, if not more so, were her efforts to coerce colleagues into covering up Roger Ailes’ sexual harassment and abuse in 2016 for which she seems never to have recanted or apologized.
Meanwhile, the latest article about the war between Guilfoyle and Fox indicates that Guilfoyle is painting herself as the victim of a Fox News smear campaign. The Daily Beast reported today that “sources familiar with the ongoing drama” say the dick pics she shared were sent to her by a stalker. Also, “Knowledgeable sources and Fox insiders” warned The Daily Beast that Fox brass had a file of “oppo” on Guilfoyle that it was “potentially preparing to weaponize.”
However, The Daily Beast also noted that HuffPost reporter Yashar Ali has unequivocally stated that Fox News PR, headed by the notoriously vindictive Irena Briganti, “was not my source for this story or any story I’ve ever done.” Briganti told The Daily Beast, ‘Fox News in no way, shape, or form has said anything about Kimberly other than the statement issued by the network [last] Friday. To suggest anything otherwise is absolutely false, downright malicious, and defamatory.” Briganti was also correctly described by The Daily Beast as “a former Roger Ailes lieutenant.”
Former Fox co-president Bill Shine was ousted over his role in covering up the sexual harassment at Fox (he’s now a top aide to Donald Trump). But Suzanne Scott, who was also implicated, has since been promoted to CEO. That, plus the retention of Briganti and, until recently, Guilfoyle, indicates that foot soldiering for Ailes was not cause for firing at Fox.
All of which suggests that Guilfoyle had and/or has some powerful person(s) on her side but that she has since ticked off some person(s) even more powerful, such as Scott and/or the Murdochs. Whatever she did must have been pretty infuriating. Because now, not even dating Donald Trump Jr. is enough to guarantee Guilfoyle a job at Fox.
(Guilfoyle image via screen grab)
As with Tantaros, I take no enjoyment from seeing her get run out of there. (And I’d note that anyone who’s spent their career saying vicious things in public on Fox News is unlikely to get a media job anywhere else other than Newsmax or Glenn Beck’s dying outlet.) I just note that Guilfoyle acted in an extremely unpleasant manner and eventually that stuff catches up.
Result: Guilfoyle gets her job back at the troff.