Not so fast! Some viewers of the 2014 Emmy Awards complained about a supposedly “sexist” stunt involving Sofia Vergara, but the Modern Family star herself hit back at the critics, calling the claims “ridiculous.”
Vergara, 42, had a moment in the spotlight during the awards show inside Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre on Monday, Aug. 25. She took the stage for a segment with Bruce Rosenblum, President of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, who made a less-than-exciting speech while the focus was on the buxom actress, who was placed in her body-hugging Roberto Cavalli gown on a spinning pedestal.
As Rosenblum joked about giving the viewers “something compelling to look at,” many viewers took to Twitter to speak out against the objectification of Vergara, calling the bit “sexist.”
Even Katie Couric voiced her distaste for the number, tweeting, “I love @SofiaVergara but did anyone find that schtick somewhat offensive?”
“I think it’s absolutely the opposite,” Vergara told Us Weekly following the backlash. “It means that somebody can be hot and also be funny and make fun of herself and enjoy and work and make money. So I absolutely think it’s ridiculous and somebody who started — and I know who she was — has no sense of humor and should lighten up a little bit.”
Controversy aside, it was largely a positive night for Vergara and the Modern Family cast, as the ABC show took home major awards including its fifth nod for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Ty Burrell.