By David Bauder, Media Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Fox News has apologized for a guest's "disgraceful" description of environmental activist Greta Thunberg as mentally ill but was silent Tuesday on Laura Ingraham likening her to a murderous cult of children from a Stephen King story.
The network responded swiftly to a news segment Monday where Michael Knowles of "The Daily Wire" said the 16-year-old environmentalist was a "mentally ill Swedish child who is being exploited by her parents and by the international left."
Knowles was immediately called out by a fellow guest, podcast host Chris Hahn, who said, "You're a grown man and you've attacked a child. Shame on you."
Hahn called on Knowles to immediately apologize. He didn't and won't get a chance again on Fox. The network later apologized to Thunberg and viewers for the comment and said it had no plans to book Knowles, who has no tie to the network, again.
A couple hours later Ingraham, one of the network's prime-time stars, said she found some of Thunberg's remarks before the United Nations that scolded officials for not acting on climate change to be chilling. She juxtaposed a portion of the speech with a clip from the 1984 horror film, "Children of the Corn." Based on a King story, the film is about children in a Nebraska town being persuaded to kill the adults.
"I can't wait for Stephen King's sequel, 'Children of the Climate,'" Ingraham said.
Fox said it had no comment on Ingraham's segment.
In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Thunberg said that she takes personal criticism as proof that activists are making a difference.
"You just have to ignore them because they are just so desperately trying to remove the focus from the climate crisis to make it become something about me as an individual," she said. "When they do that, I mean, they don't have any arguments left."
Associated Press writer Seth Borenstein in Washington contributed to this report.
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More