Fox News anchor Shepard Smith on
Thursday paid tribute to his former boss Roger Ailes, who died at 77
of complications from a head injury.
In remembering Ailes, Smith, 52,
recognized his flaws, possibly the allegations of sexual harassment
that last year forced him out of the media empire he built.
Smith described Ailes as a “media
genius, revolutionary in American politics, shaper of American
history, uproariously funny man with now well-documented flaws”
during an on-air tribute.
“I loved him,” Smith said.
“There was an underdog spirit here
that was exhilarating,” Smith said of the early days of Fox News as
it challenged established networks CNN and MSNBC. “And our leader
was inspiring like none other. We worked not for Fox News but for
Roger Ailes and he was with us in the bunker fighting for respect and
fighting for viewers. Fighting to win.”
Smith, who came out last year, recently
revealed he's in a relationship.