Backlash Over Comments
Megyn Kelly faces widespread criticism after discussing Presley Gerber's tragic death and parenting.
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Key Points
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Kelly cited Presley Gerber’s 2019 DUI, when he was legally too young to drink, and his 2020 face tattoo as signs she believed should have prompted an “all-hands-on-deck situation.”
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Kelly argued that Presley and Kaia Gerber entered modeling unusually young—Presley signed with IMG Models as a teenager, while Kaia began even earlier—and said, “both kids were commercialized” by being exposed to adult environments before they were prepared to navigate them.
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Kelly specifically warned that sending teenagers to New York, Europe and Hollywood could expose them to “predators in that industry, predators in modeling, in music, in Hollywood,” while offering no evidence that Crawford or Rande Gerber had been negligent parents.
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The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner had deferred determining the cause and manner of Presley’s death pending further testing, while Santa Monica police continued investigating it as a suspected overdose.
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Among the public backlash, Spencer Pratt said criticizing grieving parents after a child’s death was generally considered poor form, while New York City councilwoman Inna Vernikov accused Kelly of treating Presley’s family similarly to Hayden Panettiere’s family.
Talk show host Megyn Kelly drew sharp criticism after suggesting that Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber should have seen warning signs in their son Presley's life. Presley Gerber, 27, died at a Los Angeles rehabilitation facility in what authorities are investigating as a suspected overdose Daily Telegraph. Kelly pointed to his 2019 DUI and a 2020 face tattoo reading "misunderstood" as red flags that parents should have caught, sparking backlash from people who said she was blaming a grieving family instead of showing compassion.
Kelly's Argument About Early Modeling Exposure
Kelly argued that both Presley and his sister Kaia entered the modeling industry too young. She said Presley signed with IMG Models as a teenager, while Kaia started even earlier NT News. "Both kids were commercialized," Kelly claimed, suggesting they faced adult pressures before they were ready to handle them. She warned that sending teenagers to New York, Europe, and Hollywood exposed them to "predators in that industry, predators in modeling, in music, in Hollywood."
Critics Accuse Kelly of Blaming Grieving Parents
Public figures and ordinary people quickly denounced Kelly's comments as insensitive The Chronicle. Spencer Pratt said criticizing parents after a child's death was widely considered disrespectful. New York City councilwoman Inna Vernikov accused Kelly of treating Crawford's family the same way she had treated Hayden Panettiere's family in a prior controversy. Many argued that addiction can strike anyone, regardless of parenting, and that the moment called for compassion rather than judgment.
Kelly Acknowledges Sympathy But Debate Continues
Kelly said she sympathized with the Gerber family and acknowledged there was no simple explanation for Presley's struggles News.com.au. However, her comments continued to spark debate over celebrity culture, child modeling, and parental responsibility. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner deferred determining the cause and manner of death pending further testing. Santa Monica police continued investigating the death as a suspected overdose.
The Warning Signs Kelly Said Were Missed
Kelly cited Presley's 2019 DUI—when he was legally too young to drink—as a major warning sign. She said the face tattoo added to the picture of someone struggling. Together, she argued, these should have prompted an "all-hands-on-deck situation" from his parents Cairns Post. She offered no evidence that Crawford or Rande Gerber had been negligent, but her framing suggested they should have acted more decisively to help their son.
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