Megyn Kelly sharply criticized Kim Kardashian and Kanye West (Ye) for their parenting of 13-year-old daughter North West, questioning whether the high-profile pair are providing adequate guidance amid the teenager’s increasingly public career and striking visual style.
On the August 25, 2026 episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, Kelly and guest Dr. Drew Pinsky discussed North’s recent appearance on the cover of British magazine Dazed’s Autumn 2026 “New Idols” issue, photographed by filmmaker Gus Van Sant. In the images, North appears with bright blue or turquoise hair often styled in pigtails, heavy makeup, dental grills, and multiple facial piercings (a mix of real and temporary/stylist pieces, including eyebrow and nose), along with piercings on her hands, fingers, and reports of dermal piercings on her thighs.
“Does North West have good parents?” Kelly asked. “Kanye (‘Ye’) and Kim Kardashian because she is on the cover of this British quarterly magazine right now, with false teeth like a grill situation, blue hair, all these facial piercings. Look at this.”
Kelly noted that North, born in June 2013, is nearly the same age as her own son Thatcher, born in July 2013. “I know this age very, very well. He is a sweet little boy. This girl — I mean, would you look at this?” She contrasted her son’s typical activities—riding bikes, playing tennis, and hanging out with friends in the backyard—with North’s trajectory: releasing a debut EP, performing onstage, and cultivating a bold public image.
“They are rushing to try to make her a star without, it doesn’t appear, any reflection, especially by the Kardashians, on the significant downside of putting your child on camera for her childhood,” Kelly said. She added that the parents “are much more interested in being on camera and working on their careers, such as they are, than I think in actual parenting.”
North released her six-track debut EP N0rth4evr in May 2026 and has performed publicly. She also released a music video for the track “Aishite” (Japanese for “love me”), which features lyrics about betrayal, feeling chased, and emotional isolation, including lines such as “Ain’t nobody finna save me… Why can’t I escape? ’Cause they chase me… Just love me, everyone betrays me.”
In her Dazed interview, North described her style preferences: “Everyone’s in love with boys, vaping, and doing all kinds of bad stuff. All I want is blue hair and piercings.” She said piercings “just make you your full self” and expressed a desire for a bridge piercing, which her parents have not allowed. She also rejected advice to delay her career, calling music her hobby and long-term goal. Kim Kardashian shared the Dazed photos on social media with evident pride; Ye also circulated the images.
Dr. Drew echoed concerns about the intensity of North’s public exposure. He pointed to bipolar disorder in her “genetic heritage” (a reference to Kanye’s publicly discussed diagnosis) and suggested the parents “have not been available… It doesn’t look like they’re around all the time,” which “can set you up for trouble.” He compared heavy early celebrity placement to a “guillotine” and expressed unease about the themes in her music, saying if they reflect her feelings, “this isn’t going to go well.”
Kelly observed that social media reaction to the Dazed cover was largely negative, with many commenters expressing discomfort that the subject is still a child. “People recognize this is wrong,” she said.
The criticism comes amid broader public debate over North’s self-expression. Earlier piercings, including on her fingers and hands, had already drawn online pushback, which Kim Kardashian has at times downplayed or defended as her daughter’s choice. North has also spoken of more ordinary ambitions, including interest in a job at Starbucks, alongside her creative pursuits.
Representatives for Kardashian and West had not responded to the comments by press time. North’s growing music output and fashion presence continue to draw attention as she navigates early fame under the intense spotlight that has followed her family for years.
