Former Today Show Anchor Ann Curry Says Megyn Kelly’s Jane Fonda Clapback Was ‘Not Journalism’

Ann Curry has weighed in on the ongoing Megyn Kelly/Jane Fonda drama — and she thinks Kelly’s decision to blast the actress on air this week was “not journalism.”

“Journalists are not supposed to be the story,” the former Today show anchor said during a Tuesday appearance on ABC’s The View. “We’re supposed to be — and it’s a struggle, I think, for everyone to be — but we’re supposed to be humble. We’re supposed to use whatever time we’re given to shine a light on other stories. I mean, there are so many stories that we’re not covering. And to take time with this — this is not journalism.”

On Monday, nearly four months after Fonda shut down a question about her plastic surgery during an awkward interview on NBC’s Megyn Kelly Today, the former Fox News anchor concluded her 9 a.m. hour with a three-minute aside on Fonda in which she brought up the actress’ controversial past, invoking the “Hanoi Jane” nickname that was used against her during and after the Vietnam War.

Kelly’s comments came after Fonda, 80, brought up the initial interview twice in the last week — during a Today appearance with co-anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb, and in a Variety interview over the weekend, calling Kelly’s question “so inappropriate.”

“I have no regrets about that question, nor am I in the market for a lesson from Jane Fonda on what is and is not appropriate,” Kelly, 47, said Monday. “This is a woman whose name is synonymous with outrage. Honestly, she has no business lecturing anyone on what qualifies as offensive.”

And Curry, 61, wasn’t the only View panelist who took issue with Kelly. Co-host Meghan McCain, 33, agreed with Curry, arguing that “there are so many more provocative and interesting topics Megyn should be covering.”

“To drag the Vietnam War into a plastic surgery conversation is a real stretch,” said Joy Behar, 75. “Jane should have just said to her, ‘And how much work have you had, b—-?’ “

Asked if Kelly’s actions reflected poorly on NBC and the Today show in general, Curry said “the decision is really what the viewers will accept or not accept.”

“There is a feeling, listening to some of this, that … we are witnessing a certain amount of meanness which we should not tolerate,” she said. “In general, about everything, we are better than this. We are made of good stuff. We can reach out to each other. We can listen.”

Whoopi Goldberg, 62, brought up one of Kelly’s own past controversies.

“Megyn, if I can forgive you for telling all of my friends’ black children that Santa is only white, you can step back,” she said. “Because you made a mistake. We all make mistakes. You’ve got to lighten up, babe. Jane made a mistake, and she’s copped to it, and as she has said, that will haunt her to her dying day. She’s aware, believe me — she knows how Fox News has used that and how it’s portrayed her. She knows. And she’s doing her best. But for you to do that is so not you.”

Later in the discussion, Behar backtracked on her “b—-” comment.

“I want to apologize to Megyn Kelly,” she said. “I didn’t mean to call her a b—-. I like her, actually. I’ve met her at parties and I like her. I just think that she’s struggling for a persona, like a comedian — ‘Who am I, on stage?’ She doesn’t know who she is. That’s the problem.”

This article originally appeared on People.com