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Miami Herald

TV Host Fired Over Remarks About Michelle Obama

Mar 12, 2015  •  Post A Comment

An Emmy-wining television personality was fired after he allegedly said that first lady Michelle Obama looked like a cast member from the movie “Planet of the Apes.” The Miami Herald reports that Spanish-language host Rodner Figueroa was canned by Univision.

“Figueroa, who’s known for his biting fashion commentary, made his remarks Wednesday during a live segment of the show ‘El Gordo y la Flaca’ in which the hosts were commenting on a viral video that shows a makeup artist transforming himself into different celebrities, including Michelle Obama,” the Herald reports.

The article quotes Figueroa, 42, saying: “Well, watch out, you know that Michelle Obama looks like she’s from the cast of Planet of the Apes, the movie.”

the report adds: “When hostess Lili Estefan countered with ‘What are you saying?’ and host Raul de Molina said Obama was very attractive, Figueroa defended his remark, saying, ‘but it is true.’”

Univision issued a statement today calling Figueroa’s remarks “completely reprehensible.”

The Univision statement adds: “Yesterday during our entertainment program ‘El Gordo y La Flaca’ Rodner Figueroa made comments regarding First Lady Michelle Obama that were completely reprehensible and in no way reflect Univision’s values or views. As a result, Mr. Figueroa was immediately terminated.”

The popular Spanish-language talk show has been airing for more than 16 years.

rodner figueroa-univisionRodner Figueroa

21 Comments

  1. Pretty rude no matter how you slice it. Reference to Apes or Monkeys where ANY woman is concerned is not appropriate. Shame on him. Apologize and move on. Fired? NO!! Stand up, be a man, get educated and get on with your job.

  2. He is right about Michelle’s looks and there is no more freedom of speech since OBAMA became President. He is the worst President in history.

    • @Janey you have no soul. I wish all things bad to happen to you and only you!

  3. Is he an award-wining journalist or does he not wine an is an award winning journalist.

  4. Michelle Obama needs to take a time out. This country gives the right for free speech, The Obama’s have ripped American’s hearts out. The First Lady should try acting like The First Lady, not. Supreme Commander. Just think what the legend comedians of the 1970’s would say about this comments.

    • You sir are an idiot! And its sad that we share the title of American!

  5. This is why this country is the way it is. Too much ignorance. These comments are ignorant. It’s not about freedom of speech it’s about respect.

  6. Janey, one thing is speech freedom and another is being disrespectful.
    What would you say if I just show up at a public place and say that your mother looks like a monkey or a whore. Please don’t take it personal, just be honest with answer. Use your common sense.

  7. Well it just goes to show that (blunt) honesty is not appreciated but imo it is still better than these politically correct colleagues of him who are just acting out of fear, one is saying she is very attractive (probably he is lying, but you don’t get fired for that now don’t you) and the other one asks “what are you saying?”; I mean, did he stutter? No. Are you deaf? No. Is there any way shape or form that what he said can be misconstrued or is up for multiple interpretations? No. Just covering their asses, this guy said it like it is and lost his job for it. Freedom of speech is a liberty we must defend, and sometimes liberty of speech is insulting to others but this is similar to someone writing about Islam, someone finds it offending and kills this person and then says well he shouldn’t have offended me, my God, my religion etc. That isn’t right either, and if this is truly the land of the “free”, people should be able to say something like that; liberty of speech will offend people but the alternative is totalitarian censhorship of anything people in power don’t want to be heard which will be enforced by sanctions such as loss of job, imprisonment, fines etc.

  8. Is it certain that he wasn’t referring to the makeup artist’s rendition of Mrs. Obama (when he transformed himself into looking like her) — maybe the end result more closely resembled a Plant of the Apes character than Mrs Obama?

  9. Its amazing how people let the acting president and his ape wife ruin this once great country. His term is about up.. expect something large to hit us before he goes. Watchmen

  10. The only thing I found wrong with what he said was when he referred to Michelle as “lady” and “she.”

  11. The President and first lady are
    Educated people. And haters can’t stand it. This T.V. personality is a true
    Idiot who lacks respect and should have been fired due to his lack of judgement. Respect and professionalism. I bet if the first lady
    Was reporting the news she wouldn’t look like latina whore like most latinas. Would she????….hmmmmm.

  12. And RODNER looks like an overly-made-up poster child for a ”have you seen me” milk carton.,, ,,,,,DUMD-ASS BRADY-BUNCH LOOKING REJECT. ..GLAD YOUR ASS IS HISTORY and DONT COME BACK UNTIL YOU HAVE LEGAL PAPERS.

  13. Janey: You must be a real racist, I hope one day all the racist like you are gone, how dare to say , Rodner Figueroa is right ? you stupid asshole ! and by the way, Obama is one of the best Presidents we had . go back in KKK whole you stupid Idiot.

  14. Respect for the Obama’s Please. they”re the worst. in US. history.

  15. First thing here is I don’t Respect Michelle Obama because she has no Respect for Americans..Liberals should talk into a digital tape recorder and listen to what they say before printing it.
    USA doesn’t Respect Obama At All Thank God She is gone in 2017…

  16. He should have been fired!! And his freedom of speech rights were not violated! He was working as an employee of Univision. He as all employees of that company must adhere to the requirements and policies of his company! Some of you are so bias you refuse to discern the difference!

  17. hey millions of americans cant keep the image of an ape in a cage or planet of the apes movies out of their head when viewing obama but i agree that it seems most keep in there heads…..but its there….and this man is in public broadcasting…by the way this isnt a muslim country…we make fun of politicians….in there circus tents….always have…cartoonists have alway put emphasize on facial features…is that ok with everybody? good

  18. seems the seed of the puritans ha e made it to the end of the age….its just that they are not pure……but well see to that soon enough

  19. Lots of Obama Pay For Play in this website NO use being her
    $$$$ Gets you Anything is this Country including Government Cheese sent home to your relatives in third world countries

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