Beatriz Merino, head of the People's Defender's Office in Peru, said 'No country should have to be offended' in response to Sofia Vergara's offensive line on October 27 episode.
- October 30, 2010
AceShowbiz -
Sofia Vergara's Spanish-style yell at her on-screen husband Ed O'Neill has landed her in hot water. The Wednesday, October 27 episode of "Modern Family" saw Vergara's Gloria fighting with O'Neill's Jay about how Andean nation is full of backward, violent people. So fed up was Gloria that she compared Colombia to Peru in a degrading manner for the latter.
Jay began his argument with, "Now, maybe in Colombia ...," before he was cut by Gloria saying "Ah, here we go. Because, in Colombia, we trip over goats and we kill people in the street. Do you know how offensive that is? Like we're Peruvians!"
This quickly became a topic of discussion online, mainly by angry Peruvians. "It's incredible that in a country where everything is politically correct, ABC would have a line of this sort," said Milagros Lizarraga, founder of Peru USA Southern Ca, an online community that communicates through social media.
"Many Peruvians think this is no coincidence, that she knew what she was saying, because an actress has the power to say, 'No, I can't say this because it would hurt my image,'" Lizarraga said as quoted by AP. "Unless she agrees with what she said."
Head of Peru's People's Defender's Office is also demanding an explanation from the show and plans to talk to the U.S. ambassador about the episode. ABC is yet to response to the situation but Vergara, who is said to have the power to change her line, has made clear of her position. Writing in Spanish, she replied a bitter tweet follower, "Get a life!!!!".
A clip of the scene is embedded below:
