Gavin Newsom: California’s Leading Man or Hollow Performer? Megyn Kelly Rips Off the Gloss

This week, California Governor Gavin Newsom found himself in the national spotlight—and not for the reasons he might hope. After a headline-grabbing appearance on Shawn Ryan’s podcast, Newsom faced a barrage of criticism, most notably from commentator Megyn Kelly, who took aim at his leadership, image, and the growing crises in the Golden State.

From Hair Gel to Headlines: The Newsom Persona

Kelly’s critique was ruthless and unsparing. She mocked Newsom’s obsession with optics, quipping that his measure of leadership is how much hair gel he can fit into a single unit. “To him, California is not a state, it’s a stage,” she said, painting Newsom as America’s most glamorous governor—more actor than executive.

But beneath the shiny shell, Kelly argued, lies a man who treats incapacity as an accessory and failure as a brand. Newsom’s smooth talk and confident demeanor, she said, are just salesmanship—promoting a product that falls apart as soon as you take it out of the box.

Losing the Liberal Base

It’s not just conservatives who are frustrated. Polls show Newsom’s favorability among liberals plummeting—from 46% to 30%—after a series of interviews with right-leaning figures. Kelly points out that Newsom isn’t good at pushing back; instead of battling tough questions, he comes off as nervous and evasive, flailing his hands and dodging direct answers, especially on hot-button issues like transition procedures for minors and California’s pronoun policies.

California’s Exodus: The Reality Behind the Rhetoric

Kelly dives deep into the exodus from California—Silicon Valley billionaires, middle-class families, and small businesses are fleeing the state “like a sinking cruise ship.” The reasons are clear: a declining standard of living, soaring taxes, and crushing regulations. Kelly paints Newsom as a governor who couldn’t run a lemonade stand, let alone the world’s fifth-largest economy.

She highlights his hypocrisy, recalling the infamous French Laundry scandal, when Newsom dined maskless at an elite restaurant during the height of COVID restrictions. While Californians sacrificed, Newsom flouted his own rules—a snapshot, Kelly says, of his true character.

Performing, Not Leading

Kelly’s central argument is that Newsom treats crises as stages for self-promotion. Homelessness, crime, and failing schools are rampant, but Newsom’s solutions are “expensive smoke, stagecraft, and mirrors.” Billions have been spent, yet tent cities multiply and businesses like Tesla, Oracle, and Hewlett-Packard have packed up and left.

She describes him as a “clueless landlord” who raises the rent, ignores the mold, and acts surprised when tenants leave. He blames Republicans, Washington, even climate change—anything but himself.

The National Ambitions and the Local Realities

As Newsom polishes his image for a possible White House run, Kelly mocks his attempt to pose as the anti-Trump while California collapses under crime, taxes, and dysfunction. “He is the human equivalent of a glossy magazine cover—attractive on the outside, hollow on the inside.”

She argues that California doesn’t need a model or a performer—it needs a manager. And Newsom doesn’t manage; he performs.

The Myth Unraveled

By the end of Kelly’s takedown, the myth of Gavin Newsom as a bold visionary is gone. She exposes him as a failed leader, using the governor’s office as a springboard for national fame. Californians are voting with their feet, and the middle class can no longer afford to stay.

Kelly’s message is clear: California’s crisis isn’t just bad luck—it’s the result of arrogance and incompetence at the top. Newsom may have landed the role of governor, but as the curtain lifts, what’s revealed is just another politician with good hair and no results.