Talk about knocking somebody off their square pedestal…just ask Latina actress Sofia Vergara who just recently came under fire of popular international anchorwoman Katie Couric’s scorn.
Just a few days ago at the Emmys, Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara was one of two presenters. The other presenter (Television Academy CEO Bruce Rosenblaum) took the presentation a step further: While explaining what a “meaningful impact television has had on viewers around the world,” she was asked to stand on the revolving platform to the right of both of them.
As if she were a statue (an Emmy perhaps), while presenting-using words like “both in front of and behind the camera” and “evolving;” as Vergara stood upon the revolving platform and it turned where her back was facing the audience she had [what she thought was] a harmless, and rather “comedic” moment.
With her hands on hips and struggling to hold her balance as the contraption turned and the audience laughed; she tugged at her strapless beautiful white gown she was wearing by softly double-tapping her bottom (the way another person would do while fitting a model for a dress or as if to say “good job’).
As Rosenblaum went on to finish his short speech and ending with words like: “what truly matters is that we never forget that our success is based on always giving the viewer something compelling to watch” Sofia clumsily held her stance while (pretending?) to try and hold her balance. By end speech, she laughed it off and proceeded to hop of the moving contraption.
Although it made the audience laugh, one person didn’t find [the obviously pre-rehearsed] stunt that funny: Katie Couric……….. as well as:
- contributors at Newsweek
- contributors at the Chicago Tribune
- the armchair gavel and ten-finger list count of scrutiny and scorn a.k.a social media
- …………and even members of the Latina community
…didn’t find the less that two and a quarter minute moment funny, and felt that the comedic actress voluntarily objectified herself by using sexism to get laughs.
Katie Couric (who at least was bold enough to ‘@’ to Sofia directly) tweeted:
I love @SofiaVergara but did anyone find that schtick somewhat offensive?
— Katie Couric (@katiecouric) August 26, 2014
Sofia Vergara responded to all:
“I think it’s absolutely the opposite, it means that somebody can be hot and also be funny and make fun of herself and enjoy and work and make money. So I absolutely think it’s ridiculous and somebody who started — and I know who she was — has no sense of humor and should lighten up a little bit.”
Although [indirectly] Vergara most probably was speaking about/to Couric when she stated: “So I absolutely think it’s ridiculous and somebody who started — and I know who she was — has no sense of humor and should lighten up a little bit.”
…As did I, someone else “got it” (understood the humor in it).
Tammy Beck – a contributor at Huffington Press wrote:
It’s not often I profess to know more than Newsweek or the Chicago Tribune. But I sure as hell do today.
A lot is being said about Sofia Vergara’s rotating pedestal act at the Emmys. Most of it bad. Very bad. Newsweek and the Chicago Tribune are just a small slice of the pie. Social media tore her to pieces, calling her every name in the book.
To all of them, I’d like to caringly say: shut the hell up!
It is not Sofia Vergara’s job to be a role model for Latinas. Nor is it her mission to be a voice for women everywhere. She is an entertainer, comedian, business woman and former model. And, by the way, she is quite good at all those things.
The Latino community slammed her for perpetuating negative Latina stereotypes and making a mockery of their community’s strong sense of family. Ouch!
It has also been written that her actions have once again painted women everywhere as little more than ditzy sexpots. Blah, blah, blah.
All right, settle down everyone and get a damn sense of humor.
A beautiful, intelligent, hard working girl has a right to exercise a little humor at a gathering of her peers without being responsible for the entire Latino community or the sexual perception of women everywhere. This wasn’t done to her. She participated freely. And cleverly. What is everyone talking about when they discuss the Emmys? Exactly!
Would we be having this discussion if Hugh Jackman had been displayed shirtless on that rotating pedestal? I think not. This was tongue and cheek, people. A parody. A lark. And a creative way to present a boring part of the show. Geesh!
Jealousy is an ugly thing. So is
