He also pointed the finger of blame at the first lady for being fired.
A firestorm of controversy has erupted over first lady Michelle Obama after she was compared to characters from the movie Planet of the Apes on live TV!
It happened on a Spanish language entertainment news show when Emmy-award winning host Rodner Figueroa was talking about a makeup artist who makes himself up to resemble female celebrities.
When images of the makeup artist looking like the first lady popped up, Figueroa quipped: "You know, Michelle Obama looks like she's part of the cast of Planet of the Apes, the film."
Not surprisingly, that remark got Figueroa fired from the Univision show and left the cast of the Today show stunned.
Carson Daly said, "What is wrong with people?"
Social media exploded with commentary.
One person tweeted: "He should think before he opens his ignorant mouth."
Another said, "That was absolutely idiotic and foolish."
Figueroa immediately apologized, directing his statement to Michelle Obama.
He said, "I feel embarrassed, I ask for forgiveness, because there is no excuse for a professional like me to make those types of comments that can be interpreted as offensive and racist."
But he also pointed the finger of blame at the first lady for his dismissal.
"I was notified verbally that due to a complaint from your office, I was fired," he said.
The White House has not commented on this matter.
