Megyn Kelly Today programme cancelled after Halloween blackface comments
NBC has cancelled Megyn Kelly Today after the host's comments about Halloween blackface costumes.
"Megyn Kelly Today is not returning," the statement read. "Next week, the 9am hour will be hosted by other 'Today' co-anchors."
The announcement comes amid uncertainty over the television personality's future at NBC. Ms Kelly signed a contract granting her $23 million a year for three years.
The cancellation of Megyn Kelly Today is the latest outcome in a series of consequences resulting from her comments defending blackface Halloween costumes, for which she has apologised. Earlier this week, on Wednesday, The Hollywood Reporter revealed the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) dropped Ms Kelly as a client and that its rival agency United Talent Agency (UTA) refused to sign her. Her show was also taken off air for one week.
During her morning show on Tuesday, Ms Kelly hosted a roundtable discussion on cultural appropriation and Halloween costumes. In the discussion, she argued in favour of blackface and “whiteface” for the spooky holiday citing that it was "OK when I was a kid as long as you were dressing like a character.” It should be noted that not a single black commentator appeared her roundtable discussion.
The comments sparked outrage from viewers and from her NBC colleagues. In a company town hall meeting, NBC Chairman Andy Lack expressed disappointment in Ms Kelly’s comments.
“There is no other way to put this, but I condemn those remarks, there is no place on our air or in this workplace for them. Very unfortunate,” Mr Lack said to NBC employees.
Following the backlash, Ms Kelly apologised for her remarks and said the negative response from viewers made her realised that “it is not OK for [blackface] to be part of any costume, Halloween or otherwise.”
She also noted that she has never been a politically correct person. This much is true considering Ms Kelly had made several racially insensitive comments in the past. The most notable example was in December 2013 when Ms. Kelly, who hosted The Kelly File on Fox News at the time, baulked at a Slate op-ed arguing against a white male Santa Claus.
"Just because it makes you feel uncomfortable it doesn't mean it has to change,” Ms 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?"
Historians and scientists have come to a consensus that Jesus was a dark-skinned, Middle Eastern man. Santa Claus is a fictional character.
