Some people really hate waiting in line. You might think there’s no line, but then suddenly, there it is. On the other hand, Mexicans will wait in line even if they don’t know what it’s for.
George Lopez has always been great at making his fans laugh, but he’s also had his share of controversies. In 2020, during the height of racial and social issues in the country, George voiced his support for the BLM movement. Remember Tupac’s line, “Black love, brown pride, in the sets again?” Well, not everyone appreciated George’s stance. He told Entertainment Weekly that after he posted about the changes needed, he faced criticism from fellow Latinos who questioned, “How am I supposed to help black lives when they don’t help us?” George responded that you should do the right thing without expecting anything in return. He also called out Latino celebrities who weren’t supporting their black peers. Although he didn’t mention any names, many of his followers felt offended and accused him of turning against his own community.
Hypocrisy Exposed: George’s Controversial Past Comes to Light
A writer for The Daily Beast recently called out George for his hypocrisy, pointing out his past insensitivity towards Black people. The writer noted that George didn’t seem concerned about Black people when he made jokes at their expense early in his career, including comments like: “African-American people and Latino people need to get together and have some babies. We need to make some babies. Have you seen the kids that we make? They are beautiful. They got ugly hair, but they’re beautiful. Ugly.”
The Trump Bounty Comment: A Joke Gone Too Far?
In 2020, after an Iranian legislator allegedly placed an $80 million bounty on then-president Donald Trump’s head, George found himself in hot water. He replied to an Instagram post with, “We’ll do it for half.” Despite George’s representative brushing it off as a harmless joke, the backlash was intense. Conservatives and Trump supporters flooded social media, branding George as sick, violent, and a low-life. Some even called for his arrest, and according to The Wrap, the movement to have him jailed gained traction on Twitter. Users tagged the FBI, CIA, and Trump himself, demanding the Secret Service investigate George. The Trump administration took these calls seriously, and the Secret Service confronted George. He told the agents, “You took it as a threat. I took it as an estimate.” The agents were not amused. While the meeting did not lead to any consequences, George didn’t back down, naming his 2020 Netflix special “We’ll Do It for Half.”
George vs. Sheriff Joe Arpaio: A Feud for the Ages
Since 2012, a feud has been simmering between George and former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. According to AZ Central, the conflict started when George targeted Joe in his comedy specials for Joe’s anti-immigration stance. Joe didn’t take it lying down, responding with a news release and several interviews, including one with ABC, where he challenged George to confront him face to face. Joe taunted, “Get some guts. Come down here and meet me face to face. Let’s see how you act then.” He later tweeted that George refused to meet with him. Was George scared, or did he simply find Joe irrelevant? The debate continues.
The Ongoing Feud Between Joe and George
By 2019, Joe and George’s feud showed no signs of cooling down. Joe stirred the pot by unearthing a 2016 video where George told TMZ that if Trump won the election, he wouldn’t worry about immigration because he’d leave the country. Tagging George, Joe asked, “I thought you were leaving?” Not stopping there, Joe took to Instagram to slam George, writing, “Once again, Lopez is full of garbage and should keep his promise and go back to his homeland.” Joe’s followers piled on, calling George a thug, an idiot, a chicken, and a loser, even accusing him of cartel connections.
The tension escalated further in October 2018, when George was at a Hooters restaurant in New Mexico. A persistent Trump supporter harassed George all day, shouting “Make America great again.” Eventually, George lost his cool and allegedly grabbed the man by the neck. The next day, police interviewed George and charged him with misdemeanor battery, but the case was dismissed in December 2018 when the accuser didn’t show up in court.
In 2017, George faced backlash at a juvenile diabetes gala after making anti-Trump jokes. According to Page Six, a significant donor who had contributed $250,000 to the charity asked George to ease up on the political humor. George ignored the requests, resulting in the crowd booing him. Sensing the audience’s disapproval, George apologized sarcastically, saying, “So I apologize to your white privilege.” After further controversial comments, George was escorted out of the event.
In a social media post from September 2017, George made a controversial statement suggesting that instead of deporting illegal immigrants, the Trump administration should deport the police to make the streets safer. According to Fox News, even though he deleted the post, the damage was already done. Conservative media had a field day, calling his remarks irresponsible. This incident is a prime example of Hollywood’s tendency to intervene in politics, and how a bad joke can go horribly wrong. George pointed out, “There have been a lot of police shootings recently this year,” which he found deeply troubling. He was concerned about the rising violence against law enforcement and the lack of respect for them. Many people online expressed their disappointment, urging George to stick to comedy and avoid political commentary. George responded to NPR, saying he supports law enforcement but isn’t a fan of all cops, and he wasn’t going to apologize for his statements.
During a stand-up show in Phoenix in February 2017, George made a joke saying, “There are two rules in the Latino family: Don’t marry someone black and don’t park in front of our house.” When a woman in the audience stood up and started shouting, George assumed she was offended. He told her she could either shut up or leave, eventually having her kicked out of the venue. The incident went viral, with headlines claiming the attendee was a black woman, which led to accusations of racism and misogyny against George. However, the woman’s friend later told Fox News that she was biracial and not a heckler. She had actually stood up, raised her hands, and jokingly shouted, “F you. I’m black and Mexican, so I’m kind of stuck in the middle.” George misinterpreted her reaction, thinking she was offended. Despite the backlash, George received support from fellow comedians like Sheryl Underwood, who said, “When you come into the venue, you have to expect what happens in the house, and the person with the mic runs the house. I am pro-black female, but if you put yourself into it, you’re gonna get lit up.” The woman later called into the D.L. Hughley Show to clarify that she didn’t think George was racist and advised critics to mind their own business.
In 2005, George’s kidneys failed because of a congenital problem, and his then-wife Ann Lopez generously donated one of hers to save his life. During an appearance on the Howard Stern Show, Howard joked that George could never divorce Ann because he owed her his life. George smiled and said he would never leave her. But life took an unexpected turn, and in 2010, after 17 years of marriage, Ann filed for divorce. The National Enquirer claimed their marriage fell apart because George allegedly paid women for intimate activities. The internet was unforgiving, tearing George apart for betraying the woman who saved his life.
In 2016, George finally opened up to the New York Post, explaining that despite Ann’s selfless act, their marriage wasn’t solid at the time. While their personal issues don’t affect us directly, many people just can’t get over how he treated her.
The drama didn’t stop there. In 2011, when the late Kirstie Alley was on Dancing with the Stars, George made it clear he wasn’t a fan. He compared Kirstie to a pig and showed a clip of a squealing pig from a commercial. The backlash was swift, and George apologized, but Kirstie wasn’t having it. She tweeted, “I don’t need or want your apology. I want your kidney, dude. On behalf of your ex and all the women you’ve insulted, give it back.”
In a February 2023 episode of his podcast with Steve Treviño, Steve emphasized the importance of supporting new Latino comedians like Ralph Barbosa. As Steve praised Ralph several times, George responded with, “Nobody knows who he is. Why does it matter? That’s what he’s saying, his name. Man, look, I think he’s great, and I’m doing it wrong. And I don’t mean to be mean; I’m saying the man on the payroll. But you look out for yourself. That’s what you look out for, yourself. But I also want to look out for others.”
As soon as the podcast aired, George faced widespread criticism. Many suggested he could have instead said, “Okay, you know what? Let’s check them out. Let my fans check them out.” The reaction was swift and harsh, with fans telling George to “just stop.” Ralph even posted a clip from the podcast on Instagram with the caption, “It’s all good, baby. The future is now, old man.” Ralph’s representative told the LA Times that George had privately apologized to Ralph, and that the conversation was amicable and appreciated by Ralph. However, many people remained unaware of the apology, as George continued to face backlash on Instagram, where comments on his recent posts were still turned off or limited.
This isn’t the first time a comedian has gotten into trouble for their outspoken remarks. Are people too sensitive these days, or does George need to watch his mouth? Let us know what you think in the comments below