Over the past 24 hours, I was invited by the senior producer for FoxNews’ Megyn Kelly, Karrah Kaplan, to appear on a segment exploring the film. For all I know, the producer may’ve been genuine in proclaiming her wanting to hear both sides addressed concerning this issue. After exploring the question of appearing with American-Muslim friends who encouraged me, I spoke to the producer and agreed in principle to appear if she could get me a copy of the film and tell me who would appear with me.
But in the past thirty minutes I’ve had a chance to read a FoxNews hit piece on the film which is replete with lies and inaccuracies. That story links to the segment Kelly did tonight on Honor Diaries. Her guests were Israel Lobby ideologue, Brooke Goldstein of the Lawfare Project and Qanta Ahmed, one of the subjects of the film. But what truly shocked me and made me change my mind about appearing on her show was this intro in which Kelly attacked me viciously and lied about pretty much everything:
We reached out to CAIR to get its perspective…CAIR pointed us to a blogger who, instead of coming on to defend his criticism of the film decided to write a hit piece lamenting that “Jews” produced this film and that FoxNews was intent on ginning up controversy over the movie. Clearly CAIR’s chosen spokesperson wanted FoxNews to back off of its coverage.
So many lies and so little time to rebut them. As I wrote above, twelve hours before Kelly aired this saying I refused to come on the show, I had agreed with her senior producer to go on the show on Tuesday. Second, I am not a chosen spokesperson for anyone but myself. I don’t represent CAIR or speak for CAIR. I certainly never believed FoxNews would back off its coverage because of anything I said or wrote. I merely wanted to pre-empt the slanted, bogus coverage it would put on air with something much closer to the truth.
There is simply no way to have an honest conversation with anyone like Megyn Kelly on this film or anything else. Feh-fooya.
Just as well you didn’t appear….no doubt they planned to ‘ambush’ whoever appeared for the opposition.
Whats to the old saying?….something like it doesn’t pay to argue with pigs, all that happens is you get dirty and the pigs love it.
I do agree. Richard made a good choice though it seems tempting to go on FoxNews. I don’t know if the segment was supposed to be aired live or not. If not it’s a further reason to say no, one never knows what FoxNews is capable of manipulating.
Might have been interesting if you had gone on, but I say that from a detached scientific perspective, the same sort of curiosity that had me watching wildlife shows when I was a kid, seeing the crocodiles go after the swimming herd of wildebeest.
Seriously, I suspect you made the right decision here.