Raven Symone On Michelle Obama: ‘Some People Look Like Animals’

Raven Symone recently defended a Univision host’s racial remarks that were targeted at first lady Michelle Obama. As the Inquisitr reported, host Rodner Figueroa said Michelle Obama looked like an ape in the Planet of the Apes film.

This caused major outcry and cost Figueroa his job, as the network fired the host after the comments became controversial. Despite Univision trying to backtrack about the comments, it’s still a topic that everyone is talking about, which meant it was in the hot topic discussion on The View.

Actress Raven Symone was part of the panel for the discussion where she defended the Univision host for his racist comments about Michelle Obama. Her response?

“Was he saying it ‘racist-like’? Because [Figueroa] did say he voted for [Michelle] later and I don’t think he was saying it racist.”

The View’s Rosie Perez shot back at the actress, “I am the Latin person here on this table and I would like to tell you that it was racist, period. And the thing is this is a problem in the Latin community that we do not talk about. That we do not address. And it is real and it was revealed by this man’s statement. And you do not disrespect the first lady of our country.”

Prior to Raven’s comments, Perez said that the Latin community, especially the Caribbean, South American, and Central American Latin community don’t want to be seen in the same light as black people.

Symone once again defended the host by saying that Michelle Obama might just look like an ape. “Some people look like animals. I look like a bird. So can I be mad if somebody calls me a Toucan Sam?”

This isn’t the first time Raven Symone said something questionable. During an interview with Oprah, she said she didn’t want to be called an African-American.

“I don’t want to be labeled gay. I want to be labeled a human who loves humans. I’m tired of being labeled. I’m an American. I’m not an African-American — I’m American.”

At the time, a visibly shocked Oprah said that those comments were going to get her in trouble and “set Twitter on fire.” As Oprah predicted, Twitter did lose their minds, and Raven had to further explain her comment.

The actress went on to say, “I never said I wasn’t black. I want to make that very clear. I said, ‘I am not African-American.’ I never expected my personal beliefs and comments to spark such emotion in people… I’m an American. And that’s a colorless person.”

[Image via ABC Studios]