Television host Megyn Kelly received major backlash for her comments regarding blackface on her talk show, Megyn Kelly Today. The former Fox host sat on a panel with Jenna Bush Hager, Jacob Soborof, and Melissa Rivers to discuss Halloween costume guidelines set forth by the University of Kent in the United Kingdom.
The roundtable discussion began with a list of several costumes that were deemed unacceptable to wear during the "spooky" holiday and that's when Kelly decided to pose a question for discussion on blackface.
"What is racist? You…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 okay just as long as you were dressing as a character.”
She went on to support her claim by mentioning Real Housewives of New York star, Luann de Lesseps' costume from last year where she dressed as Diana Ross and darkened her skin.
After receiving much backlash on social media and at-large, Kelly apologized to her NBC colleagues for her remarks on blackface.
“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.”
While Steve and the crew didn't find Countess Luann's costume offensive, Shirley did find it hard to believe that "it took...[her] whole career, practically, to realize that [blackface] is offensive.
Take a listen:
Watch the full clip below and check out the 3:48 where the blackface discussion begins.
For the record, Melissa Rivers makes a great point, “If you think it’s offensive, it probably is."
Facts on facts on facts!
Photo: Getty