‘I Am Sorry’: Megyn Kelly Apologizes For Blackface Comments in Email to Colleagues

Megyn Kelly apologized to her staff on Tuesday after she faced a swift backlash for comments on using blackface in Halloween costumes, Mediaite has learned.

In an internal email obtained by Mediaite, the NBC host apologized for the comments she made on Megyn Kelly Today Tuesday morning, in which she appeared to defend using blackface in costumes.

Read the full email here:

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 asDiana 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

Kelly’s controversial comments came in a segment discussing Halloween costumes.

“But what is racist?” she asked her all-white panel. “Because you do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface on Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface on Halloween. When I was a kid that was okay as long as you were dressing up like a character.”

Kelly also brought up the controversy sparked after a white star of Real Housewives of New York wore a Diana Ross costume.

“People said that was racist and, I don’t know I felt like…who doesn’t love Diana Ross, she wants to look like Diana Ross for one day,” said Kelly. “I don’t know how that got racist on Halloween.”

Her comments drew an intense backlash on social media, where users pointed out the racist history of blackface.

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