Fox News host Shepard Smith recently opened up about his coming out experience while speaking to his alma mater about his roots.
Smith spoke at the University of Mississippi’s Meek School of Journalism last month at the New Media’s “It Starts With MEek” conference, an event promoting diversity and inclusivity, the Clarion-Ledger reported.
Wow – Shep Smith really opens up here – Shepard Smith’s journey from Ole Miss to Fox News https://t.co/tjn8Hiqzeq via @clarionledger
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) May 5, 2017
The chief news anchor and managing editor of Fox News Network’s breaking news division, Smith has had a long career covering many major news stories, from 9/11 terror attacks, Princess Diana’s death in 1997, Hurricane Katrina, and the Ferguson riots.
The former University of Mississippi journalism student spoke about his life at the April 21 event and how he first became interested in being a journalist, before eventually discussing his homosexuality.
While he tried not to speak much about his sexuality in his younger days, Smith said he never tried to hide the fact that he is gay, though he was given plenty of reasons.
“A. You’re going to hell for it,” he said, giving reasons why he avoided the discussion.
“B. You’ll never have any friends again. C. What are you going to tell your family? And by the way, you’re on television on the craziest conservative network on Earth,” he said.”That will probably put you in front of a brick wall. Of course none of that was true, but that’s how it felt.”
Smith also refuted the rumors that former Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes banned him from sharing about his homosexuality.
“Someone asked me if Roger Ailes had been abusive to me, and I said, ‘No. He was always good to me,’ and that was the truth,” Smith explained. “And when I told the truth, I guess it was considered that I outed myself. I didn’t even think about it, because I didn’t think I was in.”
Smith, who anchors Fox News Channel’s “Shepard Smith Reporting” and joined the network in 1996, said his sexuality, while important, is not an issue in his work life.
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“I don’t think about it,” he said. “It’s not a thing. I go to work. I manage a lot of people. I cover the news. I deal with holy hell around me. I go home to the man I’m in love with.”
Smith has become a target of many Fox News viewers for his blatant anti-Trump bias. In March, Smith ruffled feathers by going ballistic on Trump for “lying.”
In January, he raised eyebrows with an on-air tirade in defense of Fox rival CNN.
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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