Megyn Kelly defends wearing blackface for Halloween, saying it's OK if you're 'dressing up like a character'

NBC/Megyn Kelly Today

Megyn Kelly

• Megyn Kelly discussed Halloween costumes on her NBC show Tuesday morning with Melissa Rivers, Jenna Bush Hager, and guest host Jacob Soboroff.
• Kelly asked her panel why wearing blackface was racist when a person is dressing like a character.
• People were quick to criticize Kelly on social media, posting clips of the comments and calling the NBC host a racist.

Megyn Kelly is being criticized after she defended wearing blackface for Halloween on her talk show Tuesday morning.

While speaking to Melissa Rivers, Jenna Bush Hager, and guest host Jacob Soboroff on Megyn Kelly TODAY, Kelly asked why wearing blackface was racist.

"But what is racist? You truly do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface at Halloween or a black person who puts on white face for Halloween," she asked her panel. "That was OK when I was a kid, as long as you were dressing like a character."

People were quick to criticize Kelly on social media, posting clips of the comments and calling the NBC host a racist.
Among her criticizers was "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi, who called Kelly's comments "damaging."

The discussion was part of a segment on Kelly's show in which the panel was talking about universities cracking down on inappropriate and offensive costumes.

In the clip, Kelly referenced "Real Housewives of New York's" Luann de Lesseps, who darkened her skin to dress as Diana Ross for Halloween last year.

After an episode showing the costume aired in April, de Lesseps apologized, saying she didn't mean to offend anyone.

Kelly questioned why people were offended by de Lessep's costume.

"I don't see how that is racist on Halloween," she said. "Who doesn't love Diana Ross?"

People took to Twitter to criticize Kelly's statements. 

Kelly's co-hosts were less supportive of the costume, however.

"I haven't seen it, but it sounds pretty racist to me," Soboroff said, with Bush Hager adding: "Me too."

This isn't the first time Kelly been criticized for her comments about race.

In 2013, Kelly declared Santa Claus and Jesus were white and said there was no need to change their race.

"Just because it makes you feel uncomfortable doesn't mean it has to change," she said on Fox News.

Kelly said that Jesus' race was a matter of "historical fact."