Kelly, mi’ja, la cagaste. Mate, you cagated it royally. And no amount of mealy-mouthed, yo-no-soy-racista-mea-culpas are going to be enough. Apologies not accepted. Not in my house.
This was not a misspeak, or a foot in mouth, not a slip, nor a verbal stumble. This was a spectacular fall. Let’s go back to the particulars, shall we?
In addressing the racist remarks against Latinos in general, but specifically Mexicans, made by America’s favorite buffoon Donald Trump (who by the way Kelly, has just become your roommate) you said, and I quote:
If you kick every Latino out of this country, then who is going to clean your toilet, Donald Trump?
The mind boggles.
Let’s watch it, because, Kelly, your body language speaks volumes to the truth.
I especially like the moment when you know you let the cat out of the bag and started sputtering: “In a sense, you know what I mean? In L.A. they always…”
In L.A. they always what, Kelly? Clean toilets? Are all leaf blowers? Nannies? Maids? What? And the fact that your fellow “Viewists” called us “these people.” Like aliens from Mars. Hmmm.
Oh yeah, spectacular fuck up. The mask just slipped off and from behind the Kabuki make-up of the stars emerged the nasty countenance of arrogant, entitled, ignorant white condescension toward not only Latino immigrants, but all Latinos. Listen to what you said—kick out ALL Latinos. That would include me. And my daughter. And my husband. And many who are reading this now. Well done, Miss Osbourne. Well done.
I read that during the break you became hysterical and wept over fears that you would be labeled a racist. Pues, mi’ja, no me da un carajo de pena. Tell you what, don’t go to a Bodega any time soon.
Kelly, words are powerful things. What’s more, they say much about you. And all the tiaras, purple hair and Hollywood connections will not change that. Ever. Let me acquaint you with what Maya Angelou said about words:
As Maya said:
Words are things… They get on the walls. They get in your wallpaper. They get in your rugs, in your upholstery and in your clothes. And finally into you.
And because of this, Kelly, what you said is racist. Because the words you used spoke the truth of exactly what you think. How you see Latinos. As underlings.
Your lukewarm and frankly pretty defiant apology certainly did not wipe them out.
#QueridaKellyOsbourne took to social media to debunk the stereotype that all Latinos/Latinas come equipped with a mapo.
#QueridaKellyOsbourne, there’s nothing wrong w/scrubbing toilets, but there IS with not realizing that your comment was dehumanizing.
— Amaris Castillo (@AmarisCastillo) August 4, 2015
#QueridaKellyOsbourne: whatever job they take, Immigrants are entrepreneurs first and foremost. Please stop using tired stereotypical tropes — Marce Graudiņš (@minsd) August 4, 2015
#QueridaKellyOsbourne I have scrubbed toilets numerous amount of times and I’m pursuing a B.A in Latin American studies and Spanish
— N. (@PalaciosNatasha) August 4, 2015
#queridakellyosbourne my moms scrubbed toilets and raised a college professor who will use your shortsighted comments as example of racism — abstinent attitude (@PalmTreesnGz) August 4, 2015
But to tell you the truth Kelly, I would expect something like this from you—even after all the self-righteous crap you gave Giuliana Rancic. Your world is Los Anegles and your Oyster is Fashion Police. Disculpa, pero es la verdad.
But what really sticks in my throat, what makes me even more indignant, and propels me to throw things, is that one of our own, ONE OF OUR OWN, bends down and apologizes to YOU. Yes, I mean you Rosie Perez. I imagine Kelly, this happened after you caused a commotion, got hysterical and frightened the fuck out of some producer. Because of course, you are Hollywood Royalty and Rosie, well, she just cleans toilets.
Rosie, how could you? How the fuck could you? At the end the show diste catedra en Uncle Tomism by delivering a groveling apology to Ms. Osbourne. You apologized for being “overly sensitive.” She just called us all “toilet cleaners” and you apologize! ¿Qué te pasa, Rosie? Did the control room scream that in your ear? Did they force you? Yo sentí vergüenza ajena. Me mataste.
To add insult to injury, you later tweeted out what really wanted to make me hurl:
My apologies @KellyOsbourne, I took your point wrong-#Trump #Latinos. My bad. You’re heart is so pure & righteous. I adore you. @TheView
— Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) August 4, 2015
I adore you? Not in my house, you don’t.
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Susanne Ramirez de Arellano is the former News Director for Univision Puerto Rico and a writer and journalist living in New York City. She has a blog in El Nuevo Día called Dos Caminos y Una Subversiva. Comments can be sent to her email. You can follow Susanne on Twitter @DurgaOne.
