Gay host Thomas Roberts quits ‘Miss USA’ over Donald Trump
Miss USA has been left hostless – after its hosts Thomas Roberts and Cheryl Burke both quit over controversial comments made by owner Donald Trump.
Mr Trump, a Republican Presidential hopeful and billionaire businessman who is partial owner of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, has caused controversy by claiming Mexican immigrants include “rapists” and bring “drugs and crime”.
Following his comments, the Miss USA organization has been left to scramble after losing two hosts in quick succession.
After co-host Cheryl Burke moved to renounce from the pageant, MSNBC news anchor Thomas Roberts today confirmed he too had stepped away from the show
The anchor co-hosted both the 2013 and 2014 Miss Universe pageants – even hosting Miss Universe in Russia – but will not return for this year’s contest in just two weeks’ time.
The Miss USA competition, which is supposed to occur on July 12 in Louisiana, has been plunged into difficulty, considering both Univision and NBC have cut all ties with Trump.
Additionally, Miss Universe will not receive a representative from Mexico.
Lupita Jones – the first Mexican woman to win the Miss Universe title in 1991- expressed her disgust on Facebook.
She wrote: “As a Mexican I am really offended and angry, like everyone else.
“As Miss Universe I think Donald Trump is doing a lot of damage to the organization. Miss Universe is a competition with a lot of history in the world that has been categorized for calling countries to participate in an event where friendship and unity are the focus, and shooting down cultural barriers.”
Rather than apologise, Trump has instead claimed he will sue Univision for $500 million for dropping the contest.
He also took to Twitter to insist he “loves” Mexican people, when not claiming they are rapists or criminals.
The TV star previously explained he opposes same-sex marriage because he “just don’t feel good about it” – but was recently challenged on his belief in ‘traditional’ marriage given he has been married three times.
Despite Trump’s public opposition to the rights of gay couples to marry, actor George Takei claimed previously that Trump privately admitted he has attended a same-sex wedding and that he’d found it ‘beautiful’.
The Republican was recently accused of paying actors $50 each to pretend to support him at his catastrophic campaign launch.
He is not considered a serious Presidential contender.
