Megyn Kelly unloads on Hollywood and Hayden Panettieres on-off boyfriend after actress death at 36

Megyn Kelly unloaded on Hollywood over its treatment of child stars following Hayden Panettiere’s death at 36 — and tore into the actress’ on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson as an “absolute f–king douchebag.”The former Fox News star said she was saddened but “not surprised” by Panettiere’s death, arguing on “The Megyn Kelly Show” that the “Heroes” actress was another example of the devastating toll childhood fame can take.“Do not put your child into any industry that will make them a star as a minor,” Kelly warned parents.“Don’t do it, no matter how badly you need the money, no matter how badly your child tells you it’s her dream or his dream — the answer is no, if you love them.”Panettiere, who began appearing in commercials at just 11 months old, shot to fame playing indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s “Heroes” before starring as country singer Juliette Barnes on “Nashville.”Her father confirmed her death to ABC News on Sunday.No cause of death or details about the circumstances surrounding it were immediately provided.Kelly argued that Hollywood’s child-star machine can expose young performers to adult pressures and dangerous situations long before they are emotionally equipped to handle them.“This industry builds them up and then rejects them,” Kelly said.The SiriusXM host pointed to the troubled histories of former child stars including Amanda Bynes and the late River Phoenix, while also invoking Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore and Macaulay Culkin.“For every Jodie Foster, there are far more River Phoenixes,” Kelly said.She theorized that reaching extraordinary levels of fame as a child can leave young stars spending the rest of their lives trying to recapture what they come to view as their peak.“If your child has her peak at age 17 or 11, it’s going to be very hard for her to feel like she’s a success after that,” Kelly said.She was particularly scathing w...