st. nicholas was from the area of the world that is now turkey. he was no a cherubic wilford brimley type. >> that makes us uncomfortable. >> jon: meghan said there's no needle change it. >> she said if i feel uncomfortable then we don't have to change it. if white people are uncomfortable we have to change it. that's how this became this. it works that way for everything like how this becomes this. why people don't want to hear jailhouse rock from somebody who went to jail. real jail is uncomfortable. elvis jail is fun! >> jon: he looked like he was having fun. ♪ ain't nothing by a hounddog >> right. jon, that's how it's done. you fix history and lock that (bleep) down. santa is not black just because a blogger says he was and megyn is not black because she spells her name creatively. the moment white men saw a black man with a bag coming down the >> jon: welcome back. when a news story falls through the crack, lewis black catches it for a segment we call "back in black." ♪ >> when i was a kid, i was constantly being told the future was going to

st. nicholas figure, the traditions around the st. celebration, the depictions of that st. nicholas. there's a transition where he's accompanied by six to eight black men, who may or may not be slaves, this is a real thing, i'm not making this up. but our santa claus is a collective creation. there's no historical figure, verifiable or not, about which we can make claims. >> exactly, he's a huge hodgepodge, which is why there shouldn't be a problem with taking a different stance on it. >> can i also say this? i thought the jesus thing was interesting too. i do think like the idea that we have -- that we have to, in this society, think about race as these like fixed things that are out there in the world, like, he is white. like, whiteness is a thing, it's a thing in the world, the way like gravity is or planets or plants or trees and you name it and he is white and that's just the way reality is. well, i have news for you, jesus wasn't white, because the category white didn't exist when jesus was around in the roman empire. that is a

st. nicholas center which is dedicated to the truth of santa claus. he was originally greek. >> kelly has since said her santa comment was tongue in cheek and has been blown way out of proportion. >> for me the fact that an off hand jest i made about whether santa should be replaced by a penguin has now become a national firestorm says two things, race is a volatile issue in this country and fox news and you your truly are big targets. >> for "the 11th hour," martin savage, cnn. >>> here to talk about this is an author of a book called "zealot." >> i want to play megan's response to her comments. >> this would be funny if it was not so telling. the knee jerk instinct by so many to race bait and assume the worst in people. >> bill you think she has a point but you say that santa is white? >> there is no question about it. he is st. nick. nick was greek. the last time i checked greeks weren't black. it is much ado about nothing. i never met a racist at fox or cnn in my life and god knows that megan kelly doesn't have a racist bone in her body. people ne

st. nicholas. and december was the month of santa sinterkla us and then there is a poem written that is the night before christmas. and then thomas knap came up with the modern-day image of santa claus and the ones kids all over the word delight. to that's it. that's how santa claus came into being. why the bother. any talk of skin color brings out the zelots and controversy with the fox nows channel will be seized on by the media. >> i guess the truth is out. secret sant a. here is a secret for you. i am black at hell. >> that i never anyhow. >> good, better for everybody that way. you know how many preponderates i got to deliver. i can't afford to get pulled over. >> are you okay for santa being white. >> white guy attacking credit for what a black guy did. >> miss kelly is correct. santa was a white person. does it matter? no it doesn't matter. it is a spirit based on kindness to children and magical moments. but for those who despoiz the fox news channel there is nothing magical. the mainstream

st. nicholas, for instance. he was an early bishop, a very religious ethical man and he would give gifts at the winter solstice. and much like, you know, saint valentine, that sort of idea. but the idea of st. nicholas and auslander so on, the north earn europeans have a lot of this stuff. there was a celebration for thor, the great god of thunder. and it would be celebrated around the fireplace and he would come and leave gifts. and his sled was powered by two goats. >> oh, wow. >> and so thou. >> no hammer. >> he probably had one. but... that became part of the lore. so if you want to look at many of our sort of christmas traditions, i think you can look at -- and blame the luther rans. you can blame them for a lot of this. >> not pope gregory this time. >> no. we can get back to martin luther. and the second blame we can sort of put on the 19th century magazine writers and novel i was. many people know martin luther is credited with the christmas tree. and he was supposedly out wandering about one christmas e

st. nicholas, okay? but refused to say what holiday st. nicholas was being brought in for.t that was absurd and i mocked them, all right? however, what i'm seeing here is an amazing amount of anger, not from you, because you're a humanist chaplain, all right? you can't be angry. you have to be nice. but from other atheists that are just so angry, and i don't really know what they're angry about. >> well, you know, i completely agr agree, in terms of, when it comes to these public displays, i would much rather see a lot more of the yes of atheism and humanism in the public square than the no of atheism. i want to hear from atheists what do we believe in? what do we stand for? what are our highest values? and i think that atheists have a unique contribution to make to the public discourse on religion and ethics, and we should be putting our energy and attention toward that, rather than -- >> right, rather than alienating 82% of the population which sees you guys as cheap-shotting them. you make a lot of sense and i really appreciate you coming on the program. thank you. >>> p

st. nicholas, the prototype of santa was white. he was born sometime around 288 ad in asia minor. now the country known as turkey, see, he was from turkey, just the white meat part. but you know, hate is going to hate like cnn's senior don lemon don lemon who fired back with this. >> with me tonight exclusively not one, not two, not even three but four santas. ho, ho, ho. >> ho, ho, ho. >> one black, one latino and one filipino. >> stephen: one black, one latino and one filipino santa that reminded he me of a great joke i can only tell to a white santa. (laughter) but folks, it's pretty good. (applause) (cheers and applause) i'm sorry, ma'am, but that's not my boot. but folks, there's an even greater danger than santa being from the wrong race. he might be from the master race. because germany has laid claim to father christmas arguing that he has german origins and is in danger of being sidelined by america's santa claus. wow. oh, oh, oh, germany going after santa? looks like someone didn't learn their lesson about invading the poles. folks, i tell you, i tell you what right now,

st. nicholas which originated in the netherlands and occurs every december 6.ay not have heard about that because every other holiday is sucked into the black hole that is christmas. by the way, you are upset with a department store because in their effort to get to you buy the hello kitty figurine they are not invoking christ's name enough. i thought christmas was too commercialized. >> i love the commercialization of christmas because it spreads the cheer. it's the most jolly holiday on the calendar. >> jon: obviously. commercialization is spreading christmas cheer. i have been confused about the holiday. i thought it was about opening ones home to friends not opening a present and returning it for credit. anyone who denounces those things is waging war on christmas, sarah palin, bill o'reilly meet your newest nemesis. >> today pope francis denounces trickle down economics as unfair to the poor. >> calling for catholics to resist excessive capitalism and materialism. >> jon: when will the pope stop his war on christmas? [laughter] [ applause ] well, i hope hi

st. nicholas would be showing up. >> the children were nestled all snug in their beds. >> what is that thing? >> that is a sugar glider along with dogs, cats, guinea pigs, bird videos, from talking animals. they have done videos before. >> i think it is adorable. people love their pets. it is nice to see them be a part of such a cute christmas video. they not only do "'twas the night before christmas," they also sing some songs. >> christmas eve is coming soon. >> i love the fact they added some fish, barnyard animals and that was a hermit crab check it out on our mobile app or go to right this minute.com to watch the whole thing. >>> it is the season for kissing. >> the kissing goes on and on. >> the latest kissing prank on the next "right this minute." >>> still to come, talk about a locomotive. >> this kid just jumps in that pool and starts dancing on it. >> see why this performance gets a ten. >>> some gifts come alive. this is cool. this is like what every kid imagines happens when you go to sleep. >> find out what these classic christmas toys are up to. [ female announcer ] here's to a

st. nicholas a greek bishop. was a white man. so all of this, i understand... >> poor santa. come on. >> how cute, right? >> so you can't take facts and then, try to change them to fit some sort of a political ajenned yoor a sensitivity agenda. >> i think that it's fine for santa to be represented as a traditional white man f people want to represent him as african american man or drag queen our social fabric, i don't think a society is going to break up if people respond to santa in different ways. >> thank you, bernard. >> thank you panel. >> coming up, a reporter leaves his job to move to newton to find out what happened leading up to the tragedy at sandy hook elementary cool. >> here is the point, sean. is this a step in the right direction or not? this cut spending this, lowers deficit. doesn't raise taxes. and -- >> we're concerned about what it does to defense. we see this as a step in the right direction. hi, i'm terry and i have diabetic nerve pain. it's hard to describe, because you have a numbness, but yet you have the pain like thousands of needles sticking in you

st. nicholas" also known as "twas the night before christmas" how does st. chimney? is it sprinkles magic dust, spins, or puts his finger on his nose and nods. >> "d." >> who did that? who did the "d"? oh! santa saw you do that. >> i think there's somebody back there googling. the answer is "d," puts his finger to his nose and nods. >> indeed. here's how it goes. spoke not a word. went straight to his work. filmed all the stockings and turnd with a jerk, laying his finger to the side of his nose and giving a nod up the chimney he rose. >> you're from dallas. she goes to oral roberts university. which company was the first to use santa claus in an advertisement? was it ford, montgomery ward, coca-cola or macy's? >> "d," macy's. [ buzzer ] >> she wanted this cd for christmas. and you got it. >> the correct answer here is coca coal l.a. >> exactly. 1930, very famous painting of a department store santa claus enjoying a coke. and it appeared in "the saturday evening post." >> okay, i think we have time for one more, kath. >> from the home of kellogg's in battle

st. nicholas himself, nicholas looked similar to jesus the man. he was in turkey right? >> he was a bishop of turkey and gave out presents and things like this. this is really a crazy conversation. it's much more like the barbie doll conversation. should all barbi barbie dolls be white, no. it's okay to have other santas of different colors. it's fine just as barbie dolls. that's fine. we are a different nation than we were 50 years ago, that's fine, more inclusive. that's really a good thing. we have to talk about now not 50 years ago. >> the origin of santa claus was a northern european creation as a white santa clause, she had a point mentioning that but people can interpret jesus, any way they want. i have to ask the jesus panel what, would jesus have thought being on that panel? >> he might have said, do you deny me, megan? i don't know. >> don't see him declining that's for sure. thank you for fascinating discussion. great to have you guys both with us. and the show may be over but the conversation continues on our website, aljazeera.com/consider this or on our fac

st. nicholas who was a person, a gro greek bishop, a white man. >> look.an he be alienating. >> how cute is he? you can't take facts and try to change them to fit some kind of political agenda or sensitivity agenda. >> bernard, quick last word. >> if people want to represent him as an african-american male, a drag queen, i think our social fabric -- >> you had to go there. >> i don't think a society will break up if people respond to santa in different ways. >> thank you, panel. >>> coming up, a reporter leaves his job the to move to newtown, connecticut, to find out what led up to the tragedy at sandy hook school. coming up -- >> this isn't close to my ideal budget. is this a step in the right direction? it cuts spending, lower it is deficit, doesn't raise taxes. >> it raises fees. >> we are concerned about defense. it stops defense cuts from happening any more. we see it as a step in the right direction. in the nation, sometimes bad things happen. but add brand new belongings from nationwide insurance and we won't just give you the partial value of items

st. nicholas, an actual person, greek bishop and was a white man.ou can't take facts and then tripe to change them to fit a political agenda or sensitivity agenda. >> jimmy: you can't. i thought that was the fox news business model? in fact, fox news is doing something interesting this year. over the holidays airing classic christmas movie, it is a wonderful life. a lot of networks do. the difference the way they're promoting it. this christmas, rediscover the heart warming story of the sleepy, economically backwards town of bedfords falls. >> nobody ever changes here, you know that. >> one extraordinary citizen. henry potter. >> i may lose a fortune but i am willing to guarantee your people too. >> this capitalist had a dream. to transform bedford falls into a modern entertainment and business mecca. creating hundreds of new jobs. but one man would stand in his way. >> remember me, george bailey. >> draft dodger george bailey and his social ois building and loan. we have to have faith. will henry potter's reforms win the day. >> what does that get

st. nicholas, i know in some places, and kris kringle in other places.he would have been overheated. dehydrated. >> jimmy: he has the reindeer. >> look at big red suit, he would have never lasted in the sahara. >> jimmy: in bethlehem, that's a bad spot for him. >> the yard of beard he would have. he never would have lasted. >> jimmy: you're saying that it doesn't make sense. >> i'm not saying that. >> jimmy: the part that doesn't make sense to you is the visiting jesus thing, because apparently he was too busy making toys or whatever. to me, it's how he's able to deliver, however, many million gifts. >> that always got me. >> jimmy: you thought about that stuff as a kid. >> it tormented me. >> jimmy: i didn't think about anything. i saw -- fonzie jumping over a shark on a jet ski. that's what tough guys do. in the 50s. >> it worried me. it really worried me. all of us at the same time, would it really matter if i'm naughty? he might not even get to me. and, you know, he was that thing about coming early from school and catching your mom with tape in her

st. nicholas, who was born in the third century in what is today turkey, the chances -- i'll have to askin turkey but chances he's blue eyed and blond hair are -- >> eugene, only 2% of african-americans believe he's white. not a lot believe white people were shooting down the chimney with gifts to bear. >> not in my house. that's the general experience. >> i will end it on this, josh. 33% of democrats believe santa is -- no, is santa democrat or republican 3.3% say democrat, 20 republican, 40% are unsure. how can he not be democrat. >> obviously a democrat, spreading the wealth. >> racially ambiguous. >> a socialist. we have to leave it there, thank you to dee dee, josh, katty and eugene. that is all joy reid in tomorrow at noon eastern. happy holidays to everybody especially all my producers and their families and especially them. aishl coming up. [ male announcer ] nyquil cold and flu liquid gels don't unstuff your nose. they don't? alka seltzer plus night fights your worst cold symptoms, plus has a decongestant. [ inhales deeply ] oh. what a relief it is. ♪ doing it with a cold, just

st. nicholas was from a greek home. that is correct. larry, i'm withholding his last name, new jersey.a comcast employee, many of us are strongly against what our leadership is allowing to happen on msnbc. bob at florida, please explain why ed schultz is breaking the rules of journalism by taking money from unions but fox news analyst karl rove is doing nothing wrong by working for the republican party. fair question, bob. almost all fnc contributors have outside jobs, many of them in politics. but full-time fox news anchors and reporters are not allowed to accept money from people they report on. there's a big difference between a gift contributor and an anchor or reporter. it's the bribery thing. ken patterman, sacramento, california. it seems strange to me to give "killing jesus" as a christmas gift. people don't want to think about his death on the day he was born. the book opens with the birth of jesus, ken. and the reason he was born is the theme of the book. perfectly in context with christmas. tim, cumberland, rhode island, o'reilly, enjoy the factor immensely. you don't pander

st. nicholas was from a part of the world that's now turkey.ch established by the vatican, he probably looked something like this. well, my guess is there'd be no christmas if he looked like that dude because he's probably still on the no-fly list. i'll give you that jesus was a historical figure, but you're going to get a little pushback on the white thing. you do know jesus wasn't born in bethlehem, pennsylvania. right? >> faith and religion shouldn't be reduced to matters of race. faith is something that should unite all of us. no matter what we look like. these people who invented the war on christmas might do well to remember that. i believe in jesus, no matter what color he was. but don't change his color. and don't change the situation for whatever reasons. zes ] zes ] [ female announcer ] the start of sneeze season. the wind-blown watery eyes. [ sniffling ] the sniffling guy on the bus. and, of course, the snow angels with your little angels. that's why puffs plus lotion is soft. puffs plus are dermatologist tested to be gentle. they he

st. nicholas came with a bound. and his clothes were tarnished with patches and so to. his eyes how they twinkled, his dimples how mary, his cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry. he had a broad face and round belly, the children laughed like a bowl full of billy. he went to his work, and filled all the stockings and turned with a jerk. and linda finger side is nose and giving and not up the chimney he rose. he sprang to his sleigh his team that will lead the way they all flew like official. happy christmas to all and to all a good night. ♪ [ engine revs ] ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] the mercedes-benz winter event s back, with the perfe vehicle that's just right for you, no matter which list you're on santa ] ho, ho, ho, ho! [ male announcer ] get the all-new 2014 cla250 starting at just $29,900. charles: we asked on facebook and twitter what you thought was the bigger threat to draw additional christmas, consumerism or taking of a christ out of christmas and here's what you had to say. on tweets consumers and,

st. nicholas came. >> this is a really big guy. and he fell down the chimney? and his face is all red?. you're going to get beat. >> a bundle of toys he had flung on his back. >> he now carries a gun in case of attack. >> the sprang to his sleigh, til his team gave a whistle. >> avoid north korea or you'll get hit with a missile. >> but i heard him exclaim. >> they picked ben affleck to play the dark knight? >> and that's our night before christmas. >> the kids got a lot of your advanced jokes. >> they did. >> it was nice. >>> coming up, two people who make america great, one of them, a 22 year old paralyzed from the chest down. the other, a 72 year old complete stranger who swooped in like an angel to help. >>> and then he made for himself playing gangsters in movies like license to kill, but did you know that his first love was singing? he's here to sing have yourself a merry little christmas. >>> at this christmastime -- i'm bill hemmer by the way. >> i'm martha maccallum. >> we express our gratitude to our viewers who have made such a fantastic year for us. >> and what says merry c

st. nicholas. the dutch call him sinter clause.clause klaus. eventually he becomes santa claus. saturday." i'm anthony mason. >> and i'm vinita nair. coming up this half hour yellowstone national park experiences 2,000 earthquakes a year. there's a reason. it's sitting on a super volcano. there's a reason. it's bigger than previously thought. we'll talk with an expert what will happen when it finally erupts. >> then a south carolina man develop add pepper that's so hot it can be used as a weapon. we'll tell you how hot it is. >>> and a great meal to ring in a new year compliments of award-winning chef daniel boulud. >>> a big winter weather warning. in maine crews are still cutting through broken branches to reconnect power lines brought down by last weekend's major ice storm. at the height of the storm more than a million customers from michigan to new england lost power. meteorologist danielle niles of our boston station wbz-tv joins us. danielle? >> we're tracking this storm from last season 2013. snow showers in the northern plains and heavy rain down along the gulf coast ar

st. nicholas" also kwn as "twas the night before christmas" how does st.s fingers to h nose and nods. indeed. spoke not a word. went straight his rk. filled ought stockings and tur with a rk, laying his finr to the s sef his nos and vi a nod up thehimney he rose. >> you're from dallas. whh coany was the fst to use santa claus in an advertisement? ford, mtgomery ward, coccola or macy's? >> d, macy's. [ buzzer ] >> she wanted thiscd for ristmas. and you got it. >> the correct answere is co cola? >>exactly. 1930,ery famous painting of department store sta claus enjoying a coke. an appeared in "the saturda evening post." >> w haveime from one more, kath. >> from battlecreek,michigan, at is e name of e dog in th dr.ss classic "how the grin stolechstmas"? butch, max,arvin or blake? >> i would say max. [ ding ] >> that'ght. >> he is correct. cu little do >> we got one. excellent. interesting fact, thi film was rrated andhe grinch's voice is none oth thanoriskarlov. >> who is that? >> ankenstein. >> didn't kn that. trivia. >>has for coming to seeus. >>hank you. me

st. nicholas in which language? dutch, swot tish, swedisswedish german?♪ take a look at the five and ten ♪ >> santa, you must be exhausted. >> it is the most wonderful time of the year and it's the best time to remind children how much santa loves them. >> aw. >> i always have and i always will. >> we want to give you a little something for you left because we felt like you needed some cookies. >> oh, thank you. >> and some milk. >> wonderful. >> thank you, santa. >> thank you so much. wrap up. >> that's right. that's right. >>> coming up, country star trisha yearwood gets cooking in the kitchen. can i have a cookie? thank you. before you settle for another ordinary mattress, isn't it time you discovered the sleep number bed? the bed clinically proven to relieve back pain and improve sleep quality. and right now, it's our lowest prices of the season. save $300 to $800 on our newest innovations. plus, for one week only, special financing until january 2016. only at a sleep number store, where queen mattresses start at just $699.99. sleep number. comfort in

the baltic countries and the st nick is a wonderful kind of figure you're correct that he is his christian version is connected with the fourth century christian saint nicholas but this joey fat man i believe is really a kind of a transformation of the primordial showman. how so and i mean shamans from that part of the of the world. well the showman in the ancient circle older traditions the showman he is the ancient wonder worker he is the guy knows whether you've been naughty or nice he is the one who knows all your secrets he very often dresses in a robe sometimes he appears with the staff and. he is associated with the reindeer or the caribou in the monica. cultures very interesting what about where the flying reindeer. will you know tell i laughed and laughed when i first read this in and siberian anthropological text because there's a funny story about that siberian sherman rely upon and loosen own genetic plant called the am and need to miscarry are the mushroom it's a mushroom and it's a mushroom that has santa claus's it's a red mushroom with white spots on it and it's like santa is perennial costume colors and the shamans go flying when they ingest