The Good Morning America host Lara Spencer has apologized for an “insensitive” comment about Prince George taking ballet lessons.
Spencer was heavily criticized for her reaction on air last week, when she heard the oldest son of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge loved ballet, laughed and said: “We’ll see how long that lasts.”
Spencer issued a statement of apology on Saturday.
On air on Monday, she discussed the backlash against her comment, saying she had learned the “bravery it takes for a young boy to pursue a career in dance”.
Spencer also interviewed dancers Robbie Fairchild, Travis Wall and Fabrice Calmels, who told stories about the stigma they faced.
Outside the ABC studio, according to Out magazine, “dozens of male dancers gathered … in the hopes of turning Spencer’s negative comments about boys who take dance classes into something positive”.
In response to @LaraSpencer’s harmful mocking of a young boys (in this case, Prince George) who enjoy taking ballet classes, a group of professional male dancers led a class for boys and girls outside the @GMA studio this morning — a lovely sight to wake up to #BoysDanceToo pic.twitter.com/uqh7qLhNI8
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) August 26, 2019
The magazine said the professional dancers and others gathered in Times Square, “in a spot that would likely be visible from inside the Good Morning America studio”.
“There, they taught a dance class for boys and girls, presumably in an effort to buck the harmful, sexist stereotypes Spencer perpetuated last week.”
Spencer said she hoped to have turned a negative “into a teachable moment”.
She added: “I screwed up. The comment I made about dance was insensitive, it was stupid, and I am deeply sorry … I have listened, I have learned about the bravery it takes for a young boy to pursue a career in dance.”
