O'Reilly Debates Michael Jackson & Race: 'You Don't Become An African-American Icon By Bleaching Your Face, Having White Kids' (VIDEO)

Last night Bill O'Reilly voiced astonishment at a Pew study showing black Americans to be much more engaged in the coverage of Michael Jackson's death "even though Michael Jackson has white children -- and he chose to have white children -- and the face deal, don't even want to get into."

O'Reilly returned to the issue of Jackson and race tonight during a vigorous debate with Columbia University professor Dr. Marc Lamont Hill. O'Reilly criticized Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson Jr. and others for turning this into a "racial deal," saying there is no racial component and that it's foolish for black Americans to exult Jackson as a black icon when he "bleached his face" and had white children: "You don't become an African-American icon when you do something like that."

Hill countered that Jackson was indeed a groundbreaking artist for the black community and took issue with O'Reilly's belief that because he has white children he shouldn't be considered a black American icon: "That's a personal matter. That doesn't make him less black. There's no blackness meter here. You don't become less black when you have a white kid."

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Comments

[argon66]

Dr. Hill is a racist through and through. Every interview or article he is involved in is race-baiting. This is just an excellent example of his dementia thought process. He is one of the many reasons why race relations will never improve.

And he is able to shape young minds at Columbia. This is why our country is falling apart.

[diahni]

Michael Jackson was and is Michael Jackson because of his MUSIC.

[Kelly Robinson]

I wasn't even a fan of Michael Jackson but even I could see that he broke alot of barriers for African Americans. If his having white children is a problem; what about white people who adopt children of another race? Is something wrong with them? Are they insulting the white race?
The whole issue of race is a stupid one anyway. We're humanity, people. I don't think our souls have a color.
I work in the Psychiatric field and I believe MJ had body dismorphic disorder that went beyond a race identification problem and he was definitely was a victim of child abuse. I think he was very unwise to invite children into his house and continue to do that even after there were problems. He needed psychological services to help him sort out how to be happy and satisfied with himself and learn proper boundaries.
That by all accounts, he was a good father to those three children, does speak well on his character and his humanity.
OReilly I think doesn't know what he's talking about half the time and the rest of the time he's just a puppet for the Fox Network.

[lisaman]

Back when O'Reilly got recorded talking nasty to a woman he worked with, I worried that the media should not be playing it up so much, but only for the sake of his children. Then the miracle of Shawn Hornbeck being found alive was marred by O'Reilly claiming he liked his life living with a pediphile. He said this with no knowledge of what Shawn's life had been like. When the truth of what happened to that child came out, he didn't apologize, but he condemned the pediphile for his actions. This reminds me of that. Why should Michael's children have to listen to people like this man talk about their skin color and make judgements about their father. This man needs NO imformation to have an opinion and anyone who listens to him I truly have to wonder about.

[cobobs]

People who would vote Sarah P VP have no grounds to tell African Americans who to pick as an icon. That includes you, Mr O'Reilly.

[marciakayie]

My goodness can so called news agencies do their share of research or investigations? Michael did not and I repeat did not bleach his skin he suffers from a condition called VITILIGO, which damaged his pigment cells, he covered this up with make-up, this is just annoying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtHW7ptF76c&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SUwwJYD6aI&feature=related

[Allcolor]

Michael Jackson bleached his skin but he is still and remain African-American by blood .
What if Michael had adopted African-American kids instead ...?
Are you saying African-American's shouldn't have the right to adopted white kids ?
I need that bleaching cream my self ,what if I want to change my skin color ,it doesn't mean that I don't like this race or that race...
Maybe the doctors can make some test as he is dead now to find out,so you people can let him rest in peace!!!!!!!
Millions of white are going to the sun to get color are they rejecting they're race ?
Maybe you are jealous because you are afraid and don't have the courage like Michael to change your look ...its all about cosmetic how he wanted to look.
We all use close,make up different color of everything is that natural,and what is natural in this world ,even food you manipulate it ?????????
Go and find good news to report you all obsessing of Michael stories !!!!!!!!!
You guys need to find other hobbies then destroying people life's, you Lucifer's !!!!!!!!!!!
Michael Jackson is not a child abuser, Michael Jackson may have some bad sides but Pedofile is not one of them.
Yes, Elvis lived with a 15 yrs old Priscilla what do you call him Please O'Reilly answer my question !!!!!!

[Allcolor]

Yes, Elvis lived with a 15 yrs old Priscilla what do you call him Please O'Reilly answer my question !!!!!!
You are just jealous Michael is African-American ,and you are the kind of people that doesn't want anything good for blacks ( You KKK )
The guy is dead because of people like you who frustrated him.
He is in a better place now.
Let the family deal with they're lost in ...RIP Michael where ever your are !!!! .
O'Reilly is old and he is no Larry King so his trying to be popular don't give the opportunist the chance !!!!

[Allcolor]

Michael Jackson bleached his skin but he is still and remain African-American by blood .
What if Michael had adopted African-American kids instead ...?
Are you saying African-American's shouldn't have the right to adopted white kids ?
I need that bleaching cream my self ,what if I want to change my skin color ,it doesn't mean that I don't like this race or that race...
Maybe the doctors can make some test as he is dead now to find out,so you people can let him rest in peace!!!!!!!
Millions of white are going to the sun to get color are they rejecting they're race ?
Maybe you are jealous because you are afraid and don't have the courage like Michael to change your look ...its all about cosmetic how he wanted to look.
We all use close,make up different color of everything is that natural,and what is natural in this world ,even food you manipulate it ?????????
Go and find good news to report you all obsessing of Michael stories !!!!!!!!!
You guys need to find other hobbies then destroying people life's, you Lucifer's !!!!!!!!!!!
Michael Jackson is not a child abuser, Michael Jackson may have some bad sides but Pedofile is not one of them.

[dimplesmile7]

O'Reilly turns everything into race. This is the official race card man. Michael Jackson was a child star and been in the business for years. As far as the kid are concerned. I never saw him have a show about Madonna and Angellina on the black and asian kids they adopted. Why did they not try to adopt white kids in America? There is no shortage. It is obvious those children loved Michael and he loved them. Maybe that is disturbing the white people out here.

[chronic]

Why do intelligent people go in that crackpot r a c i s t s show?

[Dunbar]

Well, on CNN tonight, his dermotologist confirmed he had a severe case of vitiligo and his face was treated with creams because he was losing his color. So people like Bill need to shut up and I wonder why we all didn't believe Michael when he said he had the problem? He also had lupus. This caused other problems with his skin. Michael told the doctor he was proud to be a black man.

I hope this will put this issue finally to rest.

[Chip W]

I'm no fan of Bill O'Reilly, but I don't see what everyone else is seeing. I don't see, in this interview, that he's being racist. His point was that the race issue is being imposed on Michael Jackson's death where it doesn't have to be looked at in racial terms. His point may be incorrect, but it's not racist.

[Kilantra]

James Baldwin wrote: The Michael Jackson cacophony is fascinating in that it is not about Jackson at all. I hope he has the good sense to know it and the good fortune to snatch his life out of the jaws of a carnivorous success. He will not swiftly be forgiven for having turned so many tables, for he damn sure grabbed the brass ring, and the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo has nothing on Michael.

All that noise is about America, as the dishonest custodian of black life and wealth; the blacks, especially males, in America; and the burning, buried American guilt; and sex and sexual roles and sexual panic; money, success and despair–to all of which may now be added the bitter need to find a head on which to place the crown of Miss America.

Freaks are called freaks and are treated as they are treated–in the main, abominably–because they are human beings who cause to echo, deep within us, our most profound terrors and desires.

[chronic]

Have you seen any of his other shows?

http://www.oreilly-sucks.com/

[NOV42008]

Why do white people get tans? shouldn't white people consider them an odd species.

[Bude]

I don't know. Why not ask one?

[wrender]

He is ^

[shutyomouth]

what is it with people and these kids? They arent his.. they don't look like him... why are they white... they shouldn't get any of his money. Whether they are from his sperm or not, the same race as him or not, THEY ARE HIS CHILDREN! He has raised them from babies. He has loved them every day of their life. Get over it. People adopt everyday. How ignorant are you to say they aren't his children and there must be something wrong with them or him to have white children?

[Stozzel]

people do adopt everyday, but Michael wasn't one of them... he never legally adopted these children, is not listed as the father on the birth certificate, and isn't the biological father. They have no more relation to him than they do to the army of nannys that actually raised them. The more pertinent question is, what is it with people and these kids? why are people/the media referring to them as his?

[kate99]

just want to point out the fact that a black man can have white kids with a white woman but the fact is you can tell the kids are part black and white