MSNBC wasn’t the only TV news outlet to air an offensive Cinco de Mayo segment this year.
ABC’s Good Morning America also featured a segment filled with ethnic stereotypes. Host Lara Spencer wore a sombrero and called Cinco de Mayo “Cinco de Drinko.” She also said the day was “the biggest day of the year for margarita sales,” according to Media Bistro’s TV Newser.
During the segment, Spencer held a margarita and “adopted an accent,” Talking Points Memo added.
She also twirled her sombrero and shouted “Ole!” according to a clip of the segment posted on Instagram by Rebecca Aguilar, who is the vice president for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
Spencer tweeted an apology.
Got carried w excitement over Cinco de Mayo celebration on GMA-sorry and thankful to @johnqabc @prrosado @julito77-u make great points.
— Lara Spencer (@LaraSpencer) May 6, 2014
MSNBC also apologized for a “disrespectful” segment on Cinco de Mayo, as iMediaEthics has previously reported. MSNBC program Way Too Early had sombreros, tequila shots and maracas and called the day “an excuse to drink tequila on a Monday morning at work.” The National Association of Hispanic Journalists called out the segment as a “discriminatory stereotypical portrayal.” MSNBC then apologized on air and on its website for the segment.
iMediaEthics is writing to ABC News to ask if it will or has published an apology on air as MSNBC did. We’ll update with any additional information.