Bill O'Reilly Weighs In On Starbucks Controversy: 'The Cup's OK With Me'

"This kind of stuff diminishes the real problem."

In a surprisingly sensible turn of events, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said he has no problem with the minimalist design of Starbucks' holiday cups. The plain red cups have sparked outrage among some Christian groups and conservative activists who say the coffee chain "wanted to take Christ and Christmas off of their brand new cups."

Starbucks released the holiday cups earlier this month.

"As the original 'War on Christmas' five-star general, I have to say I don't see any problem with it," O'Reilly said Tuesday night on "The O'Reilly Factor."

"Red is one of the colors of Christmas. Santa's outfit is red. Rudolph's nose is red. The cup's okay with me."

The outrage over the cup's design went viral, with a number of customers attempting to stick it to Starbucks by giving baristas their names as "Merry Christmas," forcing employees to write the word "Christmas" on the cup.

O'Reilly added that the cups' simple design is not part of the "War on Christmas."

“This kind of stuff diminishes the real problem, when certain companies order their employees not to say the word 'Christmas,'" O’Reilly opined. “That’s what the war is all about.”

Starbucks addressed the controversy in a statement Sunday:

"Creating a culture of belonging, inclusion and diversity is one of the core values of Starbucks, and each year during the holidays the company aims to bring customers an experience that inspires the spirit of the season. Starbucks will continue to embrace and welcome customers from all backgrounds and religions in our stores around the world."

Watch the full clip from "The O'Reilly Factor" above.

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