While presenting at the Golden Globes this year, actress Sofia Vergara made a joke poking fun at her accent, a joke many felt to have been made in poor taste.
“The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has an anal tradition,” Vergara began, seemingly struggling with her pronunciation. “I didn’t mean … they have an anus tradition. They have a tradition that they do every year of choosing a second-generation performer to assist in the presentation of the awards.” She then proceeds to wink before finishing her presenting on stage.
Though it’s not clear if script writers at the Globes or Vergara herself wrote this joke, many are rightfully upset by the dig at Latino accents. Representation of people of color is far and few-between in the entertainment industry, and having the first Hispanic person on stage deliver a joke slandering her own identity is cheap comedy. Twitter user Nicole Froio also points out that Latina woman are often sexualized and that “the joke being she said the word ‘anal'” is problematic and sexist. Jokes such as the one delivered tonight contribute to the stereotyping of Latina women, with Twitter user Deanna Martinez noting “this is why I keep getting ‘sassy latin mom’ on audition call sheets”.
This isn’t the first time Vergara has been the butt of degrading jokes at award ceremonies. Hollywood has made some sort of tradition out of poking fun at Vergara- take the 2014 Emmys, when Vergara stood mute on a rotating pedestal as it turned to show the audience her ass. “If that’s how you do it in American television, OK!” Vergara said while she was onstage. As the president of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences said,“What truly matters is that we never forget that our success is based on always giving the viewer something compelling to watch,” Vergara proceeds to touch her ass. Then there was last year’s Emmys, when host Jimmy Fallon recalled the pedestal incident, saying the academy president had “one last shot at hitting on Sofia Vergara.” Vergara then made her famous “eesh” face. When Rolling Stone made drinking-game rules before the 2016 Emmys, the magazine told readers to “Drink every time … Host Jimmy Kimmel makes a reference to Sofia Vergara’s breasts. (Editor’s note: Please stop drinking once that number gets to 10.)”.
Vergara’s been a good sport by taking part of all of this, and I’m sure she doesn’t mind the paycheck that comes from these appearances, but this attacking of her identity must come to an end. Award shows are a great platform for people to spread positive beliefs and messages supporting equality for all – take a look at Viola Davis’ powerful statement from the same show tonight. In today’s political environment, where racism and sexism are very real and dangerous movements, stage time should be used for speeches resembling Davis’- not Sofia’s. The accent gag is inappropriate and frankly, just not that funny. Stop degrading her, and especially stop forcing her to play a part of it.
Sofia Vergara is a talented woman of color with the amazing ability of being able to speak more than one language. Any writer only able to come up with a joke targeting her accent should attempt being a wildly successful entertainer in their second language. Retire the joke, award show writers- I’d rather take one more corny bit about Taylor Swift and Kanye West than any more of this.
