Megyn Kelly calls out Bill O'Reilly and Fox News

Since her debut on NBC, former Fox anchor Megyn Kelly has been off to a rocky start. 

But on Monday morning, Kelly shared an emotional denouncement of Bill O'Reilly's claim that there were no official complaints filed against him at Fox News, revealing that she had indeed complained to the network about him herself. 

And audiences finally seemed to relate. 

SEE ALSO: We’ll never stop workplace sexual harassment as long as we ignore everyday sexism

Just days after a New York Times report revealed yet another sexual harassment case settled by O'Reilly during his time at Fox (this time for a staggering $32 million), Kelly angrily shared her experiences with her former colleague with her Megyn Kelly Today audience. 

"Fox News was not exactly a friendly environment for harassment victims who wanted to report, in my experience," the Fox-turned-NBC anchor said. "However, O'Reilly's suggestion that no one ever complained about his behavior is false. I know, because I complained."

Kelly is referring to O'Reilly's claim to the New York Times that he "never had one complaint filed against [him] by a co-worker in any human-resources department in 43 years." 

Kelly begs to differ.

She said her complaint was in response to O'Reilly's outrage over her comments about former Fox News CEO and chairman Roger Ailes in her memoir. Ailes left the network in the midst of a massive sexual harassment scandal.

Kelly played a clip for her audience of O'Reilly's appearance on CBS the morning her memoir was released. The then-O'Reilly Factor host said he was, "not interested in basically litigating something that is finished, that makes my network look bad."

In response, Kelly said she sent a complaint straight to the co-presidents of Fox News. She shared this email for the first time with her audience on Monday because she thinks it "speaks volumes about powerful men and the roadblocks one can face in taking them on."

The Today show shared the full email on its website. 

Image: MEGYN KELLY/NBC TODAY SHOW

In the message, Kelly says "perhaps [O'Reilly] didn't realize the kind of message his criticism sends to young women across this country about how men continue to view the issue of speaking out against sexual harassment."

She tells Bill Shine and Jack Abernethy, the co-presidents of Fox News, that O'Reilly's attitude of "shaming women into shutting the hell up about harassment" out of fear of disgracing the company is partially "how Fox News got into the decades-long Ailes mess to begin with."

Kelly said she received a call from Shine, who assured her that he would "deal with" O'Reilly, yet that evening, O'Reilly went on the air and sent a message to sexual harassment victims at Fox. 

"If someone is paying you a wage, you owe that person or company allegiance. If you don't like what's happening in the workplace, go to Human Resources or leave," O'Reilly said on The O'Reilly Factor. 

Kelly noted that workplace sexual harassment wasn't unique to her former employer. 

"Women everywhere are used to being dismissed, ignored or attacked when raising complaints about men in authority positions," Kelly said. "They stay silent so often out of fear. Fear of ending their careers. Fear of lawyers, yes. And often fear of public shaming, including through the media." 

She called out Fox News's media relations chief, Irena Briganti, for her "vindictiveness" in dealing with Ailes accusers, including Kelly herself. 

Kelly ended her show's opening with a call to action: "This must stop. The abuse of women, the shaming of them, the threatening, the retaliation, the silencing of them after the fact ... It has to stop."

In the wake of horrifying news of sexual harassment and assault in the film industry, many praised Kelly for her response to the threatening culture of her own former workplace. 

However, others were not as quick to praise Kelly for being a champion for all women, noting her less-than-inclusive point of view during her time as an anchor at Fox.

O'Reilly shared his thoughts about Kelly's commentary on Glenn Beck's radio show on Monday.

"I don't know why Megyn Kelly is doing what she's doing. I don't know why. I've helped her dramatically in her career," he said. He also shared "thank you" notes Kelly sent him — a move slammed by O'Reilly's critics.

The verdict is still out on whether or not Kelly's career at NBC will reach the same levels of success that she had at Fox, but her honest appeal to her audience Monday morning will certainly be remembered as a highlight.

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