Fox News television host Megyn Kelly claims both Santa Claus and Jesus Christ were "white" and people shouldn't try to make them "black", sparking backlash from viewers.
"Just because it makes you feel uncomfortable doesn't mean it has to change," Kelly said. "Jesus was a white man, too. It's like we have, he's a historical figure that's a verifiable fact, as is Santa, I just want kids to know that. How do you revise it in the middle of the legacy in the story and change Santa from white to black?"
"By the way, for you kids watching at home, Santa just is white. But this person is arguing that maybe we should also have a black Santa," Kelly told her viewers. "But you know, Santa is what he is, and just so you know, we're just debating this because someone wrote about it, kids."
Though many artistic portraits of Jesus Christ show him as a white male, many theologians and historians have argued his fair skin would not be plausible considering where he lived.
"Colbert Report" show host Stephen Colbert commented on Kelly's point about Jesus, sarcastically pointing out the "truth" in her statement.
"Just look at any photo of Jesus. He was just your average, Aramaic speaking, first century, Middle Eastern white guy," he said. "The only evidence I need are the sacred Dockers of Turin."
Another Comedy Central show host had his own remarks about Kelly's statement on the FOX news channel. "The Daily Show" host John Stewart asked a question that crossed his mind while listening to Kelly.
"Who are you actually talking to?" Stewart asked. "Children who are sophisticated enough to be watching a news channel at 10 o'clock at night. Yet innocent enough to still believe that Santa Claus is real. Yet racist enough to be freaked out if he isn't white."
