Yesterday, I covered Mario Lopez’s comments during an interview with Candace Owens, she of the Nazi water-carrying. When I wrote that post, I thought the comments were recent, like this week recent. They were not. Lopez gave the interview in June, and some people just noticed the interview this week, and everything got amplified online. Lopez and Owens spoke about Hollywood types (it’s always Hollywood types) deciding to raise their kids to be transgender, or at least that’s how the conversation was presented – you can go here to read the quotes.
In addition to the transphobia, Mario Lopez also said some sh-t about “Believe Women,” and the poor, poor men who get blamed when some woman lies, because all women are liars, totally. Anyway, knowing that all of this sh-t went down in June adds another dimension to everything – Mario Lopez was fine with those comments being out there when nobody noticed them. But as soon as people actually noticed, then suddenly Mario released an apology:
In a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday, Lopez apologized for his remarks.
“The comments I made were ignorant and insensitive, and I now have a deeper understanding of how hurtful they were,” he said. “I have been and always will be an ardent supporter of the LGBTQ community, and I am going to use this opportunity to better educate myself. Moving forward I will be more informed and thoughtful.”
People Mag also had a statement from GLAAD, and the organization has already been in contact with Mario Lopez’s employer, Extra. Do you think Mario could or should be fired for these comments? I really don’t know if entertainment-news shows have “morality clauses” or any kind of contractual language about “you can be fired for saying offensive sh-t about women and transgender peeps.” We’ll see. I’m not an Extra watcher, so I have no idea if there’s a separation between Lopez’s conservative bent in his personal life and what he does and says on the job. As for his apology… all I’ll say is that I appreciate his use of “ignorant and insensitive.” Expand on that, Mario.
Photos courtesy of WENN and Backgrid.
I do wonder now that he is moving to Access Hollywood if they will cancel him! They should!
I agree. He should lose his job. Many before have lost their jobs for a lot less.
ALL of the contracts have that “morality clause”. That’s what got Les Moonves and Matt Lauer booted at the end of the day. It’s basically lets the Board of Directors out a problematic employee in these circumstances (after covering up for them fails).
ETA: local news said Lopez was yanked off his show last night. I think they are going to keep him off until they see how his “apology” goes, then put him back on w/out fanfare.
Access should can him; this isn’t a good look after Billy Bush
We are living in crazy and dangerous times. Mario received backlash, but he is also receiving an insane amount of support. I don’t know if firing him is going to do anything but embolden and multiply conservatives.
How outrage works:
Day 1 – Person makes insensitive or controversial comments.
Day 2- Ferocious backlash to those comments with people attacking and calling for the firing of offender.
Day 3 – Backlash to the backlash. Offender ends up with more support and new opportunities.
Yup, I saw far more tweet yesterday in support of Lopez than those calling him out. Right-wing trolls are rallying around him.
He’s free to form and express his opinion, just as we’re all free to comment on it. Collapsing nuance is what drives polarity. These things take on a life of their own once extrapolated away from personal opinions and turned into bigger culture wars.
For example, it shouldn’t be news or controversial to say “people lie and sometimes those people are women.” Duh! That’s obvious. Why are we burning his effigy again?
I’ve seen it time and time again — if well intentioned people are attacked as bigots, misogynists, etc., they’ll quickly lose patience as well as good intentions. Opinions are formed from experience and exposure, so an inclusive society must extend some humanity to those whose thinking hasn’t evolved at the same pace if we ever hope to move forward together.
So we should ignore context? I don’t think so. ML didn’t make that comment in a vacuum, he was referring to the MeToo movement in an exact MRA, BS talking point.
Yeah, I agree. I posted something like this yesterday but it didn’t show up in the comment section.
As I said yesterday, I don’t agree with Mario Lopez’ conclusion that accepting a child’s self gender identification is wrong. But I understand his confusion. I do think that immediately accepting a child’s self gender identification without much question is tricky.
From what I’ve read and heard, most transgender people know at a very young age, before puberty, what gender they identify with. But some children are just confused or claim they are transgender for other reasons other than really identifying with a different gender. So what does a parent do? Don’t disregard what your child says just because they are a child but rather listen to what the kid is saying, and pay attention to the cues or signals the child is showing. Some kids are transgender and need to be heard and their self gender identification accepted by their parent. But some kids (which I understand are the minority) are actually not transgender but they claim they are. It’s not easy.
I think what Mario Lopez is reacting to is the way some celebrities make it seem like their child just woke up one day and said “I’m transgender” and the parents accepted without much discussion.
Anyways, Mario’s comments make a great opportunity to talk and learn more about this subject, from experts and the transgender community, that is confusing for many parents and people in general.
@wherearewe,
exactly, ITA
@carol
good points
My guess is that they will take him off the air until the controversy dies down and then bring him back.
Yep – that’s my guess too. He’s still big money to them, and that’s the main thing that counts in the industry.
Was the publicist’s use of the word “ardent” a good choice? Discuss.
Nope, not in the least. You can’t call yourself an “ardent” supporter and spew that verbal trash all over. Should’ve scratched that word from the statement and it would have been a teensy bit more acceptable.
What I don’t understand is how celebrities lose their jobs for speaking their mind (regardless of right or wrong) yet we have a President who spews A lot worse and has done a lot worse and he isn’t being held accountable. And we should hold the highest office in the land, all offices for that matter, to the same standard. But I know I’m preaching to the choir.
45 is making rich people richer. They will protect him as long as possible.
it seems you have to be a president to speak your mind and dont get fired
now seriously:
it seems nobody can speak their minds anymore without being attacked and people get offended
very sad for a healthy conversation about things
PS. the apology is a standard damage-control apology, I dont think any of them mean it…. how is that good for the people involved directly? you issue a standard apology, offended people get calm and…. what?
no wonder he got so many positive reactions as well (and I dont think it was from right-wing fake-account loonies only), defending what he said, people are getting fed up with the totality of political correctness, and I lived in a totality regime
the hypocrisy is astounding
He is clearly a narrow-minded person, and I dont like this side of him at all. It is really ignorant, and arrogant.
Thats not a fireable offence in my opinion. But is he a douche? Yes.
Maybe all that Botox went to his vain little head.
Just kidding. He’s sexist and a bigot.
Idiot.
If he said some shit about straight white dudes he be fired for sure.
He shouldn’t be fired. I agree, I don’t think a 3 year knows what sexuality is let alone that they’re trans .
I disagree. I knew at three that I liked boys. Had crushes on them in my preschool class. I definitely think you know about your type, or if you’re in the wrong body at that age.
Agreed, Margo. Kids might not understand the intricacies of relationships – but many people have crushes from a very early age – I think it’s so important to follow their lead and let them forge the path they want.
I mean – what’s the downside of making sure your kid knows you support them?
KH6: Sexuality and gender identity are not the same thing. It’s like saying I am vegan because I have red hair. Stop equating these two things. If you are ignorant on a topic inform yourself or stop spreading your ignorance in the world.
True, toddlers don’t know what sexuality is but they do have feelings. Teenagers and adolescents who have not been educated on the subject also don’t know what sexuality is. It’s the same with them, they have a feeling what is right or wrong for them and identify a certain way even when they cannot put it into words yet or even hold a scientific speech about it.
We’re going to keep saying this until we are blue in the face.
GENDER IS NOT SEXUALITY!
Ask a three year old who they are sexually attracted to and they don’t know. They don’t understand the question.
Ask them if they are a boy or a girl though and they know.
And honestly, all you have to do to support a child who expresses the feeling of a gender mismatch with their bodies is let them dress how they want and play how they want and be open to communication.
Every parent will tell you that they dressed their kid in blue because he’d wear nothing else, that they decided they were only answering to a nickname, that they only wanted to play with that one doll, etc and we parents respect that and deal, even if it’s dumb like calling themselves kitty and drinking from a bowl.
And yet in terms of gender identity, it’s the end of the world to let a child born a boy wear dresses and put bows in his hair while he grows and develops into himself and leave room for the possibility of change later?
DS9- YES! THIS!!!!
My kid has very strong feelings about how clothes feel, as a 2 year old girl…she hated tights and leggings, and jeans, and khaki type pants. Basically, all she would wear were dresses that didn’t have elastic at the waist, with bare legs, or pants that were loose from hip to ankle…but only if the waistband was not deemed “uncomfortable”. And her “rules” were constantly in flux. Getting her dressed has been very frustrating for as long as she could vocalize her preference. (It turns out it is a manifestation of anxiety…and we are dealing with it but that is a whole other kettle of fish)
If she had said “i want to wear boy clothes” you better believe I would have let her, and it would have been a LOT easier than what we dealt with. (though, if it turned out she was trans vs a tom boy, I recognize that there would likely be a lot more to cope with as she grew up–just saying, letting your young kid just BE who they want to BE is a pretty easy and straightforward thing to do, that causes ZERO harm..vs say, forcing a little kid into dresses if they either just don’t WANT to wear them, or actually feel like you are trying to assign them the wrong gender by making them wear them wear a dress. That is the harmful part !)
I haven’t personally experienced something therefore no one else can possibly have that experience.
Add in that he’s deep in the closet, and his hypocritical comments are even worse.
Mario is replacing natalie morales on Access which has dropped the word “hollywood” from title. Nbc publicist ok’d this knowing candace owens would set a trap for mario to walk into (which he did seversl times incl. conflating gender identity and sexuality) in hopes of getting rid of him b4 new “access” starts in sept.!? Why nbc hired him in the first place is beyond me.
I didn’t read the comments, but I know he was accused of rape many years ago. Fire his ass.
NO. I’m so fucking tired of people saying any trash they want to say, any racist, misogynistic, sexist, ageist, thing that pops into their head and then they hang their head in mock shame and say they’ll educate themselves. NO. Educate yourself BEFORE you step in shit. It’s 2019, educate yourself right this second and for the love of jebus, keep your shitty opinions to yourself if you insist on not doing anything to learn.
and ESPECIALLY this guy, because he made these comments over a month ago and only “apologized” once he got dragged for them.
I said yesterday that I have a genetic condition (Turner’s Syndrome) that left me with one X chromosome (a form of intersex). I am sick to death of POS idiots like Mario spouting off that gender is chromosomal. It’s against science. It’s more than ignorance and insensitivity. It’s dangerous and can get people killed. That’s a firable offense to me.
Leskat: YES!
If Billy Bush could lose his job on Access Hollywood (Or whatever show that was) with the Trump thing, Mario should lose his over his disgusting comments. Fire his a** and teach him a lesson!
He still didn’t actually apologize for the comments he made discrediting female victims of sexual assaults
excellent point.
Because if he brings up those comments in particular they might inspire the media to look into his past where they will find an accusation of rape. He’ll never address what he said about MeToo because those comments were very telling…
I, a rape victim who was blamed for what was done to me against my will, am still waiting for him to apologise for his Believe Women misogynist phrases.
Men lie. Men rape. Men abuse. If women are capable of so much idiocy and lies, then so are men. Believing otherwise makes you a misogynist.
It was not your fault, Cee. Not in any way. And I’m so sorry about others ignorance toward what happened to you, I know what it’s like, from my own family. You are not alone. *hugs*
omg, the filler is REAL, in that top shot. dayyyyuuummmmm
This may be sort of off-topic, but wasn’t he accused of rape more than once many years ago? Or am I thinking of someone else?
These comments, added to the fact that he thought it was cool to work with Candace Owens, say everything about his ignorant, privileged mind. I hope some real celebrities reason to work with Access or him, just to show him that he is truly replaceable. I’d love a big name telling the press they refused to be interviewed by Slater.
I knew he’d apologize, he’s really good friends with Eva Longoria and she was instrumental to Time’s Up. I bet she gave him a good talking to.
Billy Bush was so great on Access, he and Kit had such awesome chemistry. (It was on during my son’s nap time years ago, OK?!) 🙂 I really think he got a bad deal in the whole DT scenario…if he had never left Access I don’t think he would have lost his job to begin with, but the power dynamic between the two men was not equal.
Billy Bush is coming back to TV. He’ll be on extra or something starting this fall. I saw a commercial for it, but wasn’t paying attention.
AC Slater is a piece of misogynistic trash. I don’t accept his “apology”
Mario Lopez is a PRIME example of what happens when your mouth starts cancelling checks….
Firing him is a pretty grey moral area. Yes, I don’t believe or support what he said in anyway and I d think he’s a gross douche…but I also think it starts getting problematic when we fire someone for something they have a different opinion on. What he believes in parenting wise (whether you agree with it or not) has nothing to do with his line of work. I think it would be different if he said something like “I’d beat it out of them”…or if he said he would deny a transgender person an interview on his show or whatever. I dont know..I just feel like we’re skating real close to censorship.
This isn’t some random dude in accounts receivable. He’s a celebrity on a program with interviews and sponsors where he will have a platform to discuss his erroneous beliefs.
Also, some things are wrong and dangerous and aren’t merely “his” views or opinions.
Consider it the Jenny McCarthy affect
but no one is “censoring” him. he’s free to say whatever the hell he wants…
…BUT, there are consequences to what he says.
freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences. no one is entitled to host a Hollywood gossip show. that’s a privilege, not a right. if he gets fired, he’s STILL not being censored, he just doesn’t get to be on a TV show.
it’s not just that people disagree with him, the words he’s using are harmful to transgender people. the words he’s using are harmful to rape victims/survivors. he’s famous, and words matter, especially if you have a large platform to spew them from.
I hope Charlize never lets him interview her
But… he’s right when we he says it’s crazy that we HAVE to believe all women all the time!!! That’s insanity.
We have to believe them until there is a reason not to. We listen, show support, then verify as much as possible when applicable. This doesn’t mean that we instantly convict every accusation. Heck, proven rape (DNA, witnesses, guilty plea) is sometimes barely punished, especially if the rapist is white and has money.
In a work situation, a parenting situation, we have to initially take the victim at her word. We can’t force a woman to work with her alleged rapist, and we can’t make a child live with her rapist family member. When someone is running for public office, about to be appointed to a powerful taxpayer funded position which requires impeccable ethics, we must look into these accusations. Otherwise, you’re simply believing all men all the time.
Why in the world was Mario Lopez giving an interview to Candace Owens? What is wrong with him? He’s not totally aware and living under a rock, he know what she’s said and done and what she stands for, and he went on her show and spewed the sh-t that he did and stayed quiet about it for so long. His apology is deeply insincere. He’s not sorry for what he said, he’s sorry he got caught.