Megyn Kelly took aim at Beyoncé’s latest ad campaign with Levi Strauss & Co., calling the singer “artificial” and “fake” after the launch of a denim-themed promotion that featured the Grammy winner wearing a blonde wig and styled in 1990s-inspired fashion.
“This is the opposite of the Sydney Sweeney ad,” Kelly wrote on X Tuesday.
The SiriusXM podcast host’s criticism reignited ongoing tensions between her and the pop star, which intensified earlier this year after Beyoncé featured video footage of Kelly during her “Cowboy Carter” world tour.
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Kelly’s remarks were posted shortly after the release of the Levi’s ad campaign, which included Beyoncé in a variety of cinematic scenes — riding a motorcycle, in a laundromat, and at a pool hall — modeled after classic Levi’s commercials from the 1980s and 1990s.
“Everything — from her image to her fame to her success to her look below — is bought and paid for. Screams artificial, fake, enhanced, trying too hard,” Kelly continued on X, referencing the campaign’s visual direction.
This is the opposite of the Sydney Sweeney ad. Quite clearly there is nothing natural about Beyonce. Everything – from her image to her fame to her success to her look below – is bought and paid for. Screams artificial, fake, enhanced, trying too hard. https://t.co/sQXijTgrJn
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) August 5, 2025
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Kelly’s reference to Sweeney follows the recent controversy surrounding American Eagle’s ad featuring the White Lotus actress and the caption, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”
The campaign sparked backlash from progressive activists who interpreted the play on words — between “jeans” and “genes” — as promoting Eurocentric beauty standards and alleged eugenic undertones.
Despite the criticism, American Eagle defended the ad, stating it “is — and always was — about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.”
The company emphasized it aims to showcase individuality and confidence in how everyone wears their jeans.
President Donald Trump weighed in over the weekend, praising the ad as “the hottest ad out there” and applauding Sweeney for her reported Republican registration.
Following the attention, American Eagle stock rose by approximately 30%.
Kelly’s recent comments come months after she publicly challenged Beyoncé’s foray into country music.
In an earlier appearance on Australia’s Sky News, Kelly accused the singer of “playing victim” by incorporating a clip of the podcaster’s commentary into her concert visuals.
“Beyoncé, who’s on some world tour right now reinventing herself as a country star, is running videotape during the show of yours truly,” Kelly said in the segment titled “Beyonce Tries Playing Victim.”
Kelly further criticized the singer’s response to the coverage, saying Beyoncé “still has to look for the one sliver where she could play the victim and be aggrieved because big bad Megyn Kelly said something completely milquetoast about her entry into country music.”
“She’s another one of the most privileged, beloved women in the world — and richest, based on her own fortune, never mind the man she’s married to,” Kelly added, referring to Beyoncé’s husband, billionaire rapper and businessman Jay-Z.
Beyoncé became the first black woman to top the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with her single “Texas Hold ‘Em.”
Her album Cowboy Carter went on to earn the top spot on the Billboard 200 and won both Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards.
Despite the commercial success, Kelly has remained vocal about her concerns with what she perceives as a manufactured public image and narrative surrounding Beyoncé’s evolving brand and musical direction.
Beyoncé’s Levi’s campaign has been praised in the fashion industry for revitalizing the brand’s global presence, particularly among younger audiences.
Analysts credit her influence with boosting Levi’s visibility and sales since the ad’s launch.
The dispute between Kelly and Beyoncé continues to draw public interest, reflecting ongoing cultural debates over image, authenticity, and celebrity influence.
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