Univision fires host for comparing Michelle Obama to ‘Planet of the Apes’

Univision has fired Emmy-winning talk show host Rodner Figueroa for saying first lady Michelle Obama looked like a cast member of “Planet of the Apes.”

{mosads}”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,” the network said in a statement Thursday.

“As a result, Mr. Figueroa was immediately terminated,” it added.

Figueroa, a fashion commentator who hosted multiple Univision programs, said during a Wednesday segment that Obama looked like an actor from the film while her image flashed on the screen.

The comment reportedly came during a segment about the work of makeup artist Paolo Ballesteros, whose work appeared alongside Obama’s image when Figueroa made the remark.

Another host, Raul de Molina, quickly said that Obama was beautiful, according to Fox News Latino, which reported that Figueroa’s comment was edited from the show’s version that played on the West Coast.

Figueroa claimed in an open letter addressed to Michelle Obama on Thursday that he was verbally notified of his firing due to a complaint from the White House.

The first lady’s office declined to comment to CNN, which translated the letter. A Univision executive acknowledged it reached out to the White House on Thursday morning with its public statement but denied the White House had contacted the network to complain.

Figueroa said Thursday his comments were meant to criticize the unflattering work of Obama’s makeup artist.

“The full video clip in context shows that,” said Figeurosa, who invoked his own background coming from a biracial Latino family to say he’s “no racist.” He mentioned in his letter being the first openly gay host on Spanish-language TV.

Still, he said there was “no excuse” for his comments “that could be interpreted as offensive or racist during these volatile times we’re living in.”

“I openly voted twice for your husband, Barack Obama, because I consider him a great man who respects minorities like me in this country,” he said in the open letter.

— Updated at 6:15 p.m.