Univision Fires Rodner Figueroa for Insensitive, Offensive on-the-Air Remarks about Michelle Obama

American Spanish language broadcast television network Univision fired Emmy winning fashion expert and long-time TV host of El Gordo Y La Flaca Rodner Figueroa, 42, for making remarks on the air apparently mocking First Lady Michelle Obama, which has been widely received as offensive or racist.

In a segment of the show on Wednesday discussing the work of make-up artist Paolo Ballesteros who posts photos of himself transformed into female celebrities, Figueroa was talking about how Ballesteros had transformed himself into the First Lady when he said: "Well, watch out, you know that Michelle Obama looks like she's from the cast of Planet Of The Apes, the movie." When co-host Lili Estefan countered with "What are you saying?" and co-host Raul de Molina said Obama was very attractive, Figueroa defended his remark, insisting, "But it is true." 

That Wednesday evening, Figueroa's photo had already been taken down from the network's website. Univision also released a statement to the media the following day that reads: "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."

Soon after, the fired Figueroa released a public apology to the First Lady that in part says: "I offer my sincerest apologies for a comment that I made about the characterization from a make-up artist that I made about you in the Univision entertainment program El Gordo y La Flaca. I want to make it clear that I'm not racist and it was [not] directed personally to you, but to the characterization of the artist, that left a lot to be desired...." However, he also said: "I can't accept that I am being called a racist and 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." He claims his dismissal was a direct result of a complaint by the First Lady's office to the network, saying: "I was notified verbally that due to a complaint from your office I was fired."