Megyn Kelly Criticizes Olivia Rodrigo for Supporting Jane Doe in Cornell Rape Lawsuit

Megyn Kelly commented on Olivia Rodrigo after the singer vocalized support for Jane Doe in the Cornell gang rape lawsuit.

In the Monday (Oct. 5) episode of her YouTube show, the commentator read a statement Rodrigo posted earlier that day. “Shame on Cornell and on every institution who protects rapists and abusers over women,” the Grammy winner had written. “I stand with Jane Doe. Her bravery reverberates across the country and the crimes against her will not go unpunished. What she lived through matters, and so does the failure of those who could have intervened but chose not to. She deserves answers, consequences, and lasting change.”

Kelly responded to Rodrigo by stating, “Shut up and stick to singing.”

“I liked you better when you were in front of a microphone singing your weird little depressing songs,” the media personality continued. “Shut up. You don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s better to keep your mouth shut and let people suspect you’re an idiot than to open it and prove them right. Ever hear that saying? It applies to you, sweetheart.”

She added, “We don’t need the participation of know-nothing morons who have been auto-tuned into fame and suddenly think they have something profound to say on the culture wars.”

“Sit down and be quiet,” Kelly said. “Or I’m going to have to start pulling your music and your lyrics and take a deep dive into exactly the kind of messaging that you are pushing on young women. I guarantee it’s not going to end well for you, Olivia. Be quiet. The adults are talking.”

*Billboard* reached out to Rodrigo’s representative for comment.

The 55-year-old broadcaster’s comments about the 23-year-old musician follow online discussion regarding Jane Doe’s recent lawsuit against Cornell and seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity. The plaintiff claims the defendants gave her alcohol and drugs such as ketamine before allegedly gang raping her for hours in October 2024 while she was unable to consent. Messages from a Snapchat group thread submitted as evidence indicate that the defendants encouraged other fraternity members to join them at the location of the alleged assault.

The university is also named in the suit, with Jane Doe alleging that Cornell failed to protect her or deliver justice after she brought her allegations to school officials two years ago.

The accused Chi Phi alumni denied wrongdoing, according to *The New York Times*, with some stating that the sexual activity described in the lawsuit was consensual or misrepresented. While Rodrigo, Florence Pugh, Lzzy Hale, and others expressed support for Jane Doe, Kelly and other commentators publicly backed the defendants and expressed the belief that they were falsely accused.

Kelly frequently features celebrity callouts on her YouTube channel.

Cornell defended its initial investigation of the alleged 2024 rape while welcoming the re-examination of the case through the new criminal lawsuit. “Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false,” Kyle Kimball, vice president of university relations, stated in a Sept. 28 statement. “A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault.”

On Oct. 3, university president Michael I. Kotlikoff stated that Cornell will participate in an independent investigation regarding how it handled Jane Doe’s report in 2024, adding, “We as an administration and community must do better.”

Regarding Kelly’s statement about examining the messaging Rodrigo directs toward young women, the host did not specify what she expected to find. The former Disney star has supported women and girls by raising money for abortion funds, domestic violence organizations, and other charities through her Fund 4 Good and the Daisy Chain Fields festival.

“When I play shows, I look out at crowds filled with young girls, and the bond I feel with them is profound,” Rodrigo stated in April 2025 while accepting Planned Parenthood’s Catalyst of Change award. “To be in a space where we can all feel safe to be wild, emotional and carefree is incredibly powerful, and even though we’re not speaking one on one, those moments where we sing together and lock eyes, something real forms … I often wonder, ‘What happens to those girls when they leave those venues? What are their dreams? What kind of world are they returning to?’”

*If you or anyone you know needs support, you can reach out to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. The organization provides free, confidential support to sexual assault victims. Call RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-HOPE) — which is available 24/7, 365 days — or visit the anti-sexual violence organization’s website.*