Male Dancers Protested ‘Good Morning America’s’ Lara Spencer’s Dig at Prince George Taking Ballet Classes #ICYMI
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WHILE WE were on vacation, GMA‘s Lara Spencer apologized for her “insensitive” comments about Prince George taking dancing ballet classes on air.
According to OUT magazine, “On Friday, Good Morning America aired a segment about Prince George’s school curriculum, which included ballet lessons. The studio audience laughed at the mention of ballet, as did Spencer.”
“We’ll see how long that lasts,” she said, before laughing again.
Following outcry from the dance community and members of the general public, Spencer issued an apology for her “insensitive” comments on Saturday.
“My sincere apologies for an insensitive comment I made in pop news yesterday,” the Good Morning America host wrote in an Instagram post. “From ballet to anything one wants to explore in life, I say GO FOR IT. I fully believe we should all be free to pursue our passions. Go climb your mountain-and love every minute of it.”
“In response to Lara Spencer’s harmful mocking of young boys (in this case, Prince George) who enjoy taking ballet classes, a group of professional male dancers led a class for boys and girls outside the Good Morning America studio this morning,” tweeted Netflix social media manager Jarett Weiselman, along with a photo of the male dancers assembled in Times Square. “A lovely sight to wake up to.”
In response to @LaraSpencer’s harmful mocking of a young boys (in this case, Prince George) who enjoy taking ballet classes, a group of professional male dancers led a class for boys and girls outside the @GMA studio this morning — a lovely sight to wake up to #BoysDanceToo pic.twitter.com/uqh7qLhNI8
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) August 26, 2019
“I screwed up,” she said Monday morning, said Deadline. “The comment I made about dance was insensitive, it was stupid, and I am deeply sorry… I have listened, I have learned about the bravery it takes for a young boy to pursue a career in dance.”
“I screwed up,” Spencer told viewers Monday morning. “The comment I made about dance was insensitive, it was stupid, and I am deeply sorry.” She went on to say she’d spoken with several members of the dance community over the past few days. “I have listened, I have learned about the bravery it takes for a young boy to pursue a career in dance,” she said. She then sequed to a previously recorded group interview she did with three prominent male dancers, Robbie Fairchild (Cats), Travis Wall (So You Think You Can Dance) and Fabrice Calmels (Joffrey Ballet), who relayed stories of the humiliation they felt as young boys when they were laughed at and made fun of because of dance. After the interview, she thanked them saying she was “hoping to turn a negative into a positive.”
“My sincere apologies for an insensitive comment I made in pop news yesterday. From ballet to anything one wants to explore in life, I say GO FOR IT. I fully believe we should all be free to pursue our passions. Go climb your mountain-and love every minute of it,” Spencer wrote.
Spencer drew the ire after making a comment during the Thursday segment in which she talked about Prince George’s demanding curriculum, suggesting it was more like a college program.
“In addition to the usual first- and second-grade things like math, science and history, the future King of England will be putting down the Play-Doh to take on religious studies, computer programming, poetry and ballet, among other things,” Spencer said, pausing and prompting laughter from the audience. “Prince William says Prince George absolutely loves ballet. I have news for you, Prince William: We’ll see how long that lasts. I mean, he might! He might end up … Between the religious studies and the computer programming, I just want to go back to the Play-Doh!” You can watch the previous video below.
The comments were followed by a swift backlash on social media, including from actress-dancer-producer Debbie Allen, Broadway choreographer and director Jerry Mitchell, Rosie O’Donnell, Broadway’s Tony Yazbeck and Michael Cerveris, Dancing with the Stars veteran Derek Hough and So You Think You Can Wall, among others.
