Fox News anchor Shepard Smith came out while discussing the recently ousted Roger Ailes from the conservative news network in a Huffington Post article Oct. 17.
In the article, Smith is asked about Ailes using homophobic slurs around him.
“He treated me with respect, just respect,” he said. “I wasn’t new in the business when I came here ― I’d been doing reporting for 12 years ― but I wasn’t old in it either, and he gave me every opportunity in the world and he never asked anything of me but that we get it right, try to get it right every day. It was a very warm and loving and comfortable place.”
Ailes left Fox News over the summer amid allegations of sexual harassment made by former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson.
While discussing the charges of sexual harassment against Ailes, Smith defended the ex-Fox News CEO against allegations that he prevented Smith from coming out publicly during his time there.
“That’s not true,” Smith said. “He was as nice as he could be to me. I loved him like a father. I trusted him with my career and with ― I trusted him and trusts were betrayed. People outside this company can’t know [how painful that betrayal was]. This place has its enemies, but inside, it was very personal, and very scarring and horrifying.”
