US newsreader cruelly taunts Prince George for loving ballet
Good Morning America host Lara Spencer has come under fire after she poked fun at Prince George over weekly ballet lessons included in his school curriculum.
The morning show host was running through the future monarch’s fancy school curriculum for the audience, when she made the mean-spirited jibe.
“The future king of England will be putting down the Playdoh to take on Religious Studies, computer programming poetry and ballet among other things,” the host said.
The final activity was what got both Lara and the audience going with a ripple of laughter passing through the crowd.
Not leaving it at that, the host then followed it up with a statement which has since been labelled old-fashioned and even out of touch
“Prince William says George absolutely loves ballet, I have news for you Prince William we’ll see how long that lasts,” she said with a giggle.
Famous voices protest on social media
Celebrities and onlookers alike were quick to slam the host’s comments, flooding social media with written and video responses that sent a clear message.
“Ok Lara Spencer seriously? Laughing at boys who take ballet on Channel 7 ABC? What’s up with that?” Emmy-award winning actress Rosie O’Donnell said in a video posted to Twitter.
Maurice Martinez a celebrated broadway star, also lent his voice to the backlash.
Look @LaraSpencer: this is what happens when boys take ballet and cross borders when they grow up. Hopefully you’ll take back what you said & help inspire boys who take ballet instead of laughing at them. Aren’t you a mother? Shame on you & @ABCNetwork. Boys dance, too. pic.twitter.com/759oWAvbJR
— Mauricio Martínez (@martinezmau) August 23, 2019
Others quickly followed suit.
Lara Spencer on @GMA mocked a 6-year old Prince George of the UK for taking ballet class. It shows that “toxic masculinity” can be spread viciously by insensitive women, too. As a fellow “George” and a lover of dance, I am very troubled and disappointed by her actions.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 23, 2019
.@LaraSpencer I don't know what kind of toxic masculinity and gender stereotypes you've bought into, but do not project them onto young boys who want to dance. @GMA
— MALINDA (@missmalindakat) August 23, 2019
The host since apologised over the on-air gaffe via Instagram.
“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,” she wrote.
Not all were satisfied with the apology however, calling for it to be aired on the show itself.
So @laraspencer has apologized for her comments about Prince George and ballet via Instagram. I say that until it's on air on @GMA, with the same audience who heard her original statements, it's meaningless. pic.twitter.com/cAqAVaoSw4
— Howard Sherman (@HESherman) August 23, 2019
Dear @GMA ... I find @LaraSpencer response to be insensitive and her apology a cop out. Not good enough for me... is it good enough for you?? This statement needs to be made on air in the same forum she so freely judged and criticized.
— Shoshana Bean (@ShoshanaBean) August 23, 2019
Prince George’s dance lessons are part of his schooling at St Thomas’s Battersea which he attends with sister Charlotte.
Charlotte is also said to be keen fan of the ballet and has reportedly been taking private lessons already.
For a first child, the school fees are £6,429 per term from Reception to Year 2.
There are added charges for extra curricular activities, including the ballet, drama and music lessons.
Thomas’s Battersea teaches around 560 boys and girls between the ages of four and 13. Their website states that their most important school rule is to ‘Be Kind.’
Their curriculum includes art, ballet, drama, ICT, French, Music and PE all taught by specialist teachers.
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