Kelly apologizes

Megyn Kelly apologizes for blackface comments

By JASON SCHWARTZ

NBC host Megyn Kelly apologized to colleagues Tuesday for questioning on her show why dressing up in blackface for Halloween would be considered racist.

During “Megyn Kelly Today” — the morning show NBC launched last fall after luring Kelly away from Fox News — she said, “What is racist? You do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface for Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween. Back when I was a kid, that was OK as long as you were dressing up as a character.”

Despite the panelists on her show gently pushing back, Kelly returned to the topic later, referencing an incident from last year in which a "Real Housewives of New York City" star was accused of darkening her skin as part of a Diana Ross costume.

“People said that was racist," Kelly said. "And I don’t know, I thought, like, ‘Who doesn’t love Diana Ross?’ She wants to look like Diana Ross for one day. I don’t know how that got racist on Halloween.”

Kelly’s comments were met with swift disapproval on social media, where celebrities, journalists and many others pointed out the racist history of performers using blackface in minstrel shows to mock people of African descent.

“I cannot believe the ignorance on this in 2018. You are on national television. You have a responsibility to educate yourself on social issues @megynkelly,” tweeted Padma Lakshmi. “This is so damaging.”

Alex Wagner, the co-host of Showtime’s "The Circus" and an Atlantic contributing editor, tweeted, “I was born in the same decade as @megynkelly and do not recall blackface being acceptable anywhere, anytime.”

By Tuesday afternoon, Kelly had sent an email to her NBC colleagues, apologizing.

“Listening carefully to other points of view, including from friends and colleagues, is leading me to rethink my own views,” Kelly wrote, in part. “I realize now that such behavior is indeed wrong, and I am sorry. The history of blackface in our culture is abhorrent; the wounds too deep.”

She added, “I’ve never been a ‘pc’ kind of person — but I understand that we do need to be more sensitive in this day and age. Particularly on race and ethnicity issues which, far from being healed, have been exacerbated in our politics over the past year.”

This is not the former Fox News host's first racially insensitive statement on the air. After NBC hired her, Slate labeled her a “racial demagogue,” for her focus on the New Black Panther Party, as well as her declaration that both Jesus and Santa Claus “were white.”

Read Kelly’s full letter below:

Dear friends & teammates-

One of the wonderful things about my job is that I get the chance to express and hear a lot of opinions. Today is one of those days where listening carefully to other points of view, including from friends and colleagues, is leading me to rethink my own views.

When we had the roundtable discussion earlier today about the controversy of making your face look like a different race as part of a Halloween costume, I suggested that this seemed okay if done as part of this holiday where people have the chance to make themselves look like others. The iconic Diana Ross came up as an example. To me, I thought, why would it be controversial for someone dressing up as Diana Ross to make herself look like this amazing woman as a way of honoring and respecting her?

I realize now that such behavior is indeed wrong, and I am sorry. The history of blackface in our culture is abhorrent; the wounds too deep.

I’ve never been a “pc” kind of person -- but I understand that we do need to be more sensitive in this day and age. Particularly on race and ethnicity issues which, far from being healed, have been exacerbated in our politics over the past year. This is a time for more understanding, love, sensitivity and honor, and I want to be part of that. I look forward to continuing that discussion.

I’m honored to work with all of you every day.

Love,
Mk