Megyn Kelly’s Fox News Christmas war: Santa Claus ‘just is’ white

Megyn Kelly is representing for Santa Claus. And according to the Fox News host, the chubby dude in the red suit is white.

He just is, OK?

On Wednesday’s “The Kelly File,” the newswoman criticized a Slate article written by a black journalist that questioned cultural depictions of Santa as white and suggested that the traditional jolly and zaftig elf should be replaced by a penguin.

“For all you kids watching at home, Santa just is white,” Kelly informed viewers. “Santa is what he is.... I wanted to get that straight.”

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Were there not a War on Christmas underway (Fox News has a helpful “war room” map and other details here), Showtracker would counter that some scholars have debated whether Santa is at all and whether it would be possible to deliver presents to millions of homes around the world in a single night assisted only by a sleigh and a team of reindeer. But such musings might incite further hostilities in this war, which we hope is over soon so the troops can return home to their families.

Anyway, in debating the issue with three panelists (three panelists! for a Santa segment!), Kelly took issue with the notion of a racially inclusive Santa.

“Just because [an image] makes you feel uncomfortable doesn’t mean it has to change,” Kelly said. “I mean, Jesus was a white man too. He was a historical figure — that’s a verifiable fact.” And then Kelly cupped her hands to the sides of her mouth and added: “As is Santa. I just want the kids watching to know that.”

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Kudos to Kelly for worrying so much about kids under 10, who as everyone knows constitute a major portion of the Fox News demographic. Of course, the little ones also understand what it means to be a “historical figure” as opposed to someone who, say, runs an opinion show on a cable news network.

But Kelly may have gotten into trouble at one point. She said that the Slate writer’s penguin suggestion was “off the rails.”

The war on birds! Coming soon to Fox News.

What do you think of Kelly’s Santa comments?

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