Anderson Cooper’s Giggly “Hating on Miss Peru” Moment

Nov 18, 2013
10:17 AM

We got this one from @TRANSLATINAS_NY, who tweeted us earlier this morning. (BTW, she had us at Anderson Pooper.)

A few clicks here and there, and this is what we found.

Peru

First, the video (get to the “man baby” part and Cindy Mejía, Miss Peru):


From Gay.Net:

…[Cooper] dissolved into giggles as he described her costume, a colorful dress representing the traditional attire of women in the nation’s Mantaro Valley region, with a plastic baby doll attached to her shoulder.

It was the latter element that particularly tickled Cooper. “What says Peru more than colorful flowers and what appears to be a plastic little old man baby on her shoulder wearing a hat?” he said before bursting into uncontrollable laughter, then added, “Oh, look, the man baby looks surprised! He’s got his little, little man baby hand right up there in front of his face like, ‘Oh! I’m a little — I’m a man baby from Peru.’”

Some Peruvians are a bit pissed:

A number of Peruvian media outlets (RPP, America TV, NetJoven.pe, Trome, and others) have reported on the incident with an air of indignance. While some commenters on those sites seem outraged by Cooper’s “ignorant” comments, others wonder what all the fuss is about.

As for us? Yes, it’s Miss Universe, we know. This isn’t high-end intellectualism. But there is a big difference b/w humor and outright mocking. Cooper took it a bit too far, sounding like the rich little white dude who likes to make fun of Latin Americans behind closed doors. It just felt uncomfortable to watch. But what else is new? It’s CNN, guys. You would expect something better?

And, by the way, the jokes about Miss Chile bit as well. And his explanation, too.