The holiday season is widely considered the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s consistently a battleground for Fox News, which has already launched its annual “War on Christmas” crusade that will likely carry through its airwaves until the big day arrives on Dec. 25.
The first target of 2015? Starbucks.
On Monday, the cable news network began labeling the corporate coffee purveyor’s bland, red holiday cup design (which Donald Trump suggests boycotting) as the first shot fired in the cultural battle, and continued on Tuesday with a “Fox and Friends” segment that went online after the morning show aired.
“I think we should start a promotion. Go in, buy your Starbucks, take a Sharpie and write ‘Merry Christmas’ on it,” country singer Larry Gatlin said to a panel, which also featured MTV reality stars Nicole “Snooki” LaVelle and Jenni “JWoww” Farley.
But the former “Jersey Shore” cast members didn’t bite.
“I think it’s crazy,” Snooki said. “I think it’s a red cup, and I just feel like people are really sensitive nowadays, and they just want to start something.”
“But like start something over nonsense,” JWoww added. “There are real-world issues out there, and I don’t think a Starbucks cup should be one of them. When I take my daughter to see Santa, I want the full effect. When I got to a Starbucks to get a coffee, I don’t care what it’s in, as long as it tastes good.”
Co-host Steve Doocy made sure to point out that his guests probably say “Merry Christmas” over “Happy Holidays” — an expression some Christians consider a grenade lobbed at them by agnostic activists conspiring to ruin Christmas. Once again, both women didn’t really care for the distinction.
“I do both,” Snooki said. “I do have a lot of Jewish friends.”
Another co-host quickly pitched the ball back to the guy who actually cares about getting in on the good fight.
“We’re not going to change [Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz] and his way of doing business,” Gatlin said. “I would say that the best way for those who believe in Christmas and what it means … is sit down before they open the presents and open to the second chapter of Luke and read them the story, so that when their contemporaries wage a war on Christmas, they’ll have something to talk about and know what the deal’s really about.”
The discussion follows Monday’s “Fox and Friends” segment, in which host Kelly Wright waded into the outrage by asking, “Is Starbucks acting more like Ebenezer Scrooge to bah humbug Christmas?”
Starbucks has released a statement explaining the purpose of the red cup was “to create a culture of belonging, inclusion, and diversity. The cup is meant to be a blank canvas … that encourages customers to tell their Christmas stories in their own way.
“In the past, we have told stories with our holiday cups designs. This year we wanted to usher in the holidays with a purity of design that welcomes all of our stories,” Jeffrey Fields, Starbucks vice president of design and content, said in an October blog post introducing the 2015 cups.
12 Ways 'Back to the Future II' Predicted the Present
In the 1989 sci-fi sequel, Michael J. Fox's Marty McFly time-traveled forward to Oct. 21, 2015 -- and saw prescient visions like self-tying sneakers and the Chicago Cubs in the MLB post-season. How accurately did the film predict the future (at least circa 2015)?
Movie 2015: Power laces make tying your own shoes a thing of the past.
Universal Pictures
Real 2015: Nike was working to have a model with the same auto-lace-tying technology out by the end of 2015.
Movie 2015: Holograms are prevalent in entertainment, and there are a staggering number of movie sequels ("Jaws 19").
Universal Pictures
Real 2015: Holograms of stars like Michael Jackson have brought performers back to life and Hollywood is practically living off of sequels.
Movie 2015: A video game where you have to use your hands is "like a baby's toy."
Universal Pictures
Real 2015: Xbox Kinect provides hands-free video game entertainment, the first of its kind for a mass audience.
Movie 2015: Need to make a quick exit? Just grab the nearest hoverboard and float away.
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Real 2015: The Hendo Hoverboard can float an inch off the ground with up to 300 pounds, but we still can't quite escape psychotic bullies.
Movie 2015: People own portable tablets that can transfer needed funds or provide instant information.
Universal Pictures
Real 2015: iPads and modern smart phones almost make the film's prediction look antiquated.
Movie 2015: Not only would Miami have a baseball team, but the Cubs would beat them in the World Series.
Universal Pictures
Real 2015: Miami now has a team and the Cubs were in the pennant race in 2015, but the two will never face each other as they are both in the National League. The 2016 Cubs did beat the Cleveland Indians to win their first World Series title in 108 years.
Movie 2015: Wall-mounted, flat-screen TVs allow you to watch up to six channels at once.
Universal Pictures
Real 2015: Once an expensive pipe dream, wall-mounted flat screens are now everywhere, and picture-in-picture viewing allow many cable viewers to watch multiple programs at the same time.
Movie 2015: Voice command allows you to cook food and control household electronics.
Universal Pictures
Real 2015: While not able to control the entire home, voice command can get you any information you want thanks to Siri technology.
Movie 2015: Kids disappear from their families behind virtual-reality eyewear.
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Real 2015: Oculus Rift and Google Glass have helped blur the boundaries between technology and reality more than ever before.
Movie 2015: Flying drones walk our pets for us if we were just too tired.
Universal Pictures
Real 2015: While not able to take the place of a pet owner yet, drones were everywhere by 2015 and used for a variety of purposes (OK, mostly for spying).
Movie 2015: No more signatures! Just give your thumbprint to pay the cab fare or transfer funds to help save the clock tower.
Universal Pictures
Real 2015: Biometrics were an integral part of many nations' top-secret security systems by 2015 and one of the most reliable detection methods.
Movie 2015: Talk to your friends (or conspiring work colleagues) via your own living room television.
Universal Pictures
Real 2015: Facetime, Skype and multiple other videoconferencing technologies made this prediction spot on.
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In the 1989 sci-fi sequel, Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly time-traveled forward to Oct. 21, 2015 — and saw prescient visions like self-tying sneakers and the Chicago Cubs in the MLB post-season
In the 1989 sci-fi sequel, Michael J. Fox's Marty McFly time-traveled forward to Oct. 21, 2015 -- and saw prescient visions like self-tying sneakers and the Chicago Cubs in the MLB post-season. How accurately did the film predict the future (at least circa 2015)?