Comedian Ellen DeGeneres is under fire over a joke she made during yesterday’s Academy Awards ceremony.
During the broadcast DeGeneres spotted Liza Minelli and said;
“Hello to the best Liza Minnelli impersonator I’ve ever seen, good job, sir.”
Following the broadcast many people commented that they thought the comment was transphobic.
Whether you consider the comment to be transphobic or not, the Oscars have been a tough experience for Minnelli. She tried to get in on Ellen’s record breaking selfie shot but was cut out and fashion writers have criticised her blue dress describing it as a large sheet.
Minnelli attended the Oscars alongside her siblings Lorna and Joey Luft to mark the 75th anniversary of the film ‘The Wizard of Oz’ which stafrred their mother Judy Garland. During the ceremony singer Pink performed ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.
Do you think Ellen’s Comments were transphobic?
UPDATE: 5th March 2014 – Liza Minnelli has shown her support for Ellen saying, “I think the joke went a little astray but she didn’t mean any harm.” Minnelli described Ellen as a “lovely lady”.
The iconic singer has also said she didn’t mind that she wasn’t included in Ellen’s ‘selfie’ picture describing the event as funny and joked that she didn’t eat any of the pizza Ellen ordered to the ceremony because she’s on a diet.
