‘Bombshell’s’ Theron: Fox News Does ‘Incredible Damage’
Charlize Theron has a message for her liberal friends, one that should be as obvious as saying the sky is blue.
Ready?
The “Bombshell” star insists we care about conservative women harassed by predatory men. That obvious declaration didn’t appear out of thin air.
As HiT reported late last year, several media outlets suggested conservative women, like those portrayed in “Bombshell,” weren’t worth our sympathy.
“Bombshell” treads too lightly around the limitations that the conservative movement imposes on women, @onesarahjones writes: https://t.co/aCXPDzgZzi
— The New Republic (@newrepublic) December 21, 2019
Theron, who produced and stars in the Oscar-nominated film, shared that thought with an L.A. Times reporter this week. Theron stars as Megyn Kelly in the film, one of several Fox News employees allegedly harassed by the channel’s founder, Roger Ailes.
It’s only part of the baffling L.A. Times interview in question, which starts with a headline you’d never see about female employees harassed by the likes of Matt Lauer or Charlie Rose:
‘Bombshell’s’ Charlize Theron: Why care about the women of Fox News? To stop harassment
That’s like saying, “Why care about liberal actresses attacked by Harvey Weinstein? To stop harassment.”
It’s not the only jaw-dropping takeaway from the interview, part of the awards season push behind the Roger Ailes feature.
Journalist Akiva Gottlieb tries to goad Theron into wishing away the one news channel that represents right-leaning viewers.
“What is your relationship with Fox News? Do you think it should exist?” – Gottlieb asks.
Theron doesn’t technically take the bait, but she reveals what she thinks of half the country in the process.
Whenever there’s a story that breaks in the news, I surf. I want to see (a) if they’re even talking about it and (b) how they’re talking about it. So I would always watch Fox that way. Observing people saying things that you so don’t believe, and saying them in full conviction, is just fascinating.
Alternate headline: “Star Shocked to Learn Some People Share Different Ideological World Views”
Gottlieb isn’t satisfied, so she circles back to her original question: “I feel like that’s a different answer than should it exist,” she asks.
Anyone wanna guess how Gottlieb would answer that question?
RELATED: What ‘Bombshell’ Stars Truly Think of Fox News
Theron, perhaps realizing she could win some Oscar voters’ hearts and minds with some Fox News bashing, lets loose with both barrels.
Well, it’s never going to go away. Do I think that they’ve done incredible damage [emphasis added] in what they spread and put out there? 100%. If somebody tells me they only get their news from Fox, I’m dumbfounded.
Here’s one follow-up query: Does Theron think the mainstream media has done “incredible damage” by inaccurately reporting Donald Trump colluded with Russia to steal the 2016 election?
What about the mountain of Fake News reporters over the past three years, all designed to diminish the Trump administration?
Those queries didn’t occur to the L.A. Times reporter, apparently. Millions of potential 2020 voters, though, may have that question top of mind come Election Day.