Trump, make way for Kelly Osbourne: Column

Oh no, she went there. Appearing on The View Aug. 4, Kelly Osbourne tried to criticize Donald Trump for his bigotry and inadvertently revealed more about herself than the leading Republican candidate for the 2016 GOP nomination. “If you kick every Latino out of this country,” she said, “then who is going to be cleaning your toilet, Donald Trump? You know what I mean?” After co-host Rosie Perez (who is of Puerto Rican descent) interrupted to correct her, Osbourne backtracked, but the damage had been done. She received a storm of criticism on social media and Latino websites.

Although such criticism is deserved, let’s keep the outrage in perspective. Osbourne doesn’t deserve to be tagged as a racist. If anything, this unfortunate episode shows that she is just as flawed as the rest of us.

First of all, Osbourne seemed to grasp right away that she had said something offensive. “I didn’t mean it like that, come on. I would never mean it like that,” she said in response to the gasps from the audience.  “I’m not part of the argument.” Actually, she is part of the argument; by putting her foot in her mouth, she made herself part of it.  Still, Osbourne was trying to be an ally to Latinos, and shouldn’t be bullied online because she spoke inappropriately. It is to her credit that she apologized that same day on Twitter and on her Facebook page. Kudos to her for owning her misguided remark.

Secondly, Osbourne is not a politician or lawmaker who views should be held to the highest public standard.  She is a TV personality. Osbourne’s situation is far different from that of Paula Deen, who sparked legitimate outrage over her use of the N-word, and only seemed to be sorry once the controversy affected her business empire in 2013. Osbourne made her comments on a freewheeling live taping, on a show where the co-hosts once debated whether the earth is flat or round. In her defense, it is entirely normal to attempt to say something, have it come out the wrong way, and cause embarrassment all around. It’s called being human.

This controversy does highlight just how pervasive stereotypes of Latinos are. A 2012 study by the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) found that the most common portrayals of Latinos on radio and TV were maids, gardeners, drop-outs, and criminals. The study also found that 43% of those polled who described themselves as regular viewers of “The Rachel Maddow Show” said they associated Latinos with welfare — and these are people who likely consider themselves liberals. No wonder that even well-meaning types like Osbourne find themselves tripping over outdated assumptions about Latinos. Consider that one of the few TV shows with Latinas in leading roles is ... Lifetime’s “Devious Maids.”

Yes, Osbourne was rightfully called out for sentiments behind her remark. Using the hashtag #QueridaKellyOsbourne (Dear Kelly Osbourne), Tweeters reminded her that there was nothing wrong with being a domestic worker, that domestic workers provide opportunities for their families, and — most importantly — that Hispanics are much more than domestic workers. It seemed like this public shaming worked, as Osbourne acknowledge in her apology that “I whole-hearted f---ed up today.”  Perhaps now she has more empathy for her former “Fashion Police” co-host Giuliana Rancic, who had her own TV gaffe earlier this year; Rancic made an insensitive comment about African-American actress Zendaya Coleman.

Osbourne made a stupid remark and swiftly apologized for it. There’s nothing more she can do now, so it’s time to forgive her and move on. Leave Kelly alone.

Raul Reyes is an attorney in New York and a member of Paste BN's Board of Contributors.

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