When Gigi Hadid Gave a ‘Half-As--d’ Apology After Impersonating Melania Trump at the AMAs

During the American Music Awards in November 2016, Gigi Hadid became the talk of the town when she impersonated Melania Trump. However, her performance, which poked fun at Trump's Slovenian accent, did not get the approval of many. The critics labeled her as being disrespectful and deemed her a racist. Given the backlash, Hadid wrote a handwritten apology on Twitter, as reported by the Mirror UK. Although she conveyed her regret for hurting the sentiments of people, many felt like her apology read more like a justification for her skit.

As reported by The Standard UK, Hadid wrote, “I was honored to host the AMA's last night and to work with some of the most respected writers in the business. I removed or changed anything in the script that I felt took the joke too far, and whether or not you choose to see it, what remained was done in good humor and with no bad intent. I too have been the center of a nationally televised comedy skit that poked fun at my actions and was able to find the humour in it." She added, "I believe Melania understands show business and the way shows are written and run. I apologize to anyone that I offended and have only the best wishes for our country."

During the AMAs, Hadid, co-hosting with comedian Jay Pharoah, kicked off the show by taking a playful jab at Trump. In the opening moments, she squinted her eyes, pouted, and adopted an exaggerated Eastern European accent. Hadid humorously boasted that she'd put in a lot of effort to nail the impression. She said, “This is my Melania Trump impression. I gotta get her face right”. 

Hadid managed to get a few laughs from the audience at the Microsoft Theater, but the reaction from viewers at home was starkly different. Shocked and angered, many accused her of being insensitive to Trump. When Hadid issued her apology, some people called her a bully, while others felt she had nothing to apologize for. One user wrote, "Not gonna lie, Gigi Hadid kinda lost points with me for apologizing about her Melania impersonation. You don't have to please everyone girl!" Another person wrote, "Gigi Hadid apologizing for poking fun at Melania Trump makes me want to have a stroke like damn humor is dead."

However, Hadid wasn’t the only one who impersonated Melania. In December 2018, comedian Stephen Colbert, known for his Donald Trump impressions, also did one of the former First Lady. As per TIME, the late-night host's Melania impersonation was an instant hit, with the audience crackling up. Colbert had said, "Reportedly, [Michael] Cohen wanted to speed up the legal process in part because he ‘has concluded that his life has been utterly destroyed by his relationship with Mr. Trump.’ To which Melania replied, ‘Get in line,'" before the host mimicked her facial expressions.