Gay Univision Host Demands Reinstatment After Firing For Remarks About First Lady

Via the Wrap:

Rodner Figueroa, the fashion reporter for Univision’s “El Gordo y La Flaca,” who was fired for allegedly making disparaging comments about First Lady Michelle Obama on the air, is taking aim at his former employer. Or at least his famed Hollywood attorney, Marty Singer, is. In a scathing letter to Univision executives, Singer accuses the network of lying about the First Lady complaining about Figueroa’s comments, and says that Univision “falsely painted [Figueroa] as a racist.” The letter also demands that Univision reinstate Figueroa, who was fired earlier this month, and issue a public apology to him.

“I am writing regarding the outrageous tortious conduct of Univision Networks (‘Univision’), in which Univision defamed my client and falsely painted him as a racist, and publicly lied that the termination of his employment was at the request of the Office of the First Lady, Michelle Obama,” the letter, addressed to Univision Communications president and CEO Randy Falco, Univision Networks vice president Fabrizio Alcobe and others, reads. “Univision’s ignominious actions have caused irreparable injury to his reputation and career, for which the network will be held fully accountable.”

During a live segment about a make-up artist, Rodner had appeared to say that the First Lady looked like a character from Planet Of The Apes. Later that same day after his firing, he issued open letter to the First Lady in which he apologized for poorly chosen words which were "misunderstood."

Gay Univision Host Fired Over Planet Of The Apes Comment About First Lady

Openly gay Univision TV host Rodner Figueroa was fired yesterday immediately after comparing Michelle Obama to a cast member of Planet Of The Apes during a live broadcast.

The Emmy-winning host was dismissed over the racist remark said during his live segment on the entertainment news show "El Gordo Y La Flaca," HuffPost Voces first reported. Univision confirmed the news via e-mail earlier today. Figueroa's comment came while talking about make-up artist Paolo Ballesteros' viral undertaking of transforming himself into female celebrities. The fashionista, known for his critical "Fashion Police"-style remarks, analyzed Ballesteros' transformation for Michelle Obama with an original photo of the first lady beside it. "Mind you, you know that Michelle Obama looks like she's part of the cast of "Planet of the Apes," the film," Figueroa said. Host Raúl de Molina attempted to counter the comment saying he thought Obama was very attractive. The show aired live on the East Coast and was edited for the West Coast.

Figueroa has already been scrubbed from all of the Univision website. Later yesterday he published an apology in an open letter to the First Lady. An excerpt:

"I want to make it clear that I'm not racist and my comment wasn't directed personally to you, but to the characterization of the artist, that left a lot to be desired. The clip in full context is proof. I feel embarrased, I ask for forgiveness, because there is no excuse for a professional like me to make those types of comments that can be interpreted as offensive and racist in a volatile moment that we live in our country. I take full responsibility for the lack of judgement in my part, but I can't accept that I am being called a racist, being fired for that reason and being humiliated by Univision after working there for 17 years. I come from a bi-racial Latin family, with family members, like my father, who is Afro-Latino. I am the first presenter on Hispanic TV that is openly gay and I am an activist for causes that favor minorities that have been discriminated against just like me. I openly voted twice for your husband Barack Obama, because I consider him a great man that respects minorities, like me, in this country."