CNN hosts ‘Alisyn Camerota’ makes ‘racist’ comment to 12-year-old Spelling Bee Champion
CNN host, ‘Alisyn Camerota’ is accused of making what some are saying is a “racist” remark to 12-year-old Scripps Spelling Bee Champion Ananya Vinay who the host said likely misspelled a word on air because “its root is not in Sanskrit, which is what you’re probably used to using.”
Ananya, who is of Indian origin, was born and raised in Fresno, California and had just been named the 2017 National Spelling Bee champion. An Indian-American child has won the competition every year since 2008, and Ananya is the 13th overall to do so.
The Atlanta-based news network has a pending class action lawsuit that alleges the network gives African-American employees lower performance ratings and pay inequality compared with other employees.
In an interview on “New Day” on CNN, she was asked by hosts Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota to spell “covfefe,” the word President Trump used in a tweet.
When the spelling bee champion hesitated after asking its pronunciation and language of origin, Mr. Cuomo ribbed her: “Stop stalling! Do you know how to spell this word?”
https://twitter.com/NSMlive/status/871243476066746371
https://twitter.com/CosettePaneque/status/871212381170352129
Thanks Mark -CNN's Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota used Ananya Vinay spelling bee Champion for their political anti Trump views! Bigot Liars
— Earl Sanford (@Sailguy62) June 5, 2017
CNN has not responded to a request for comment on the matter. Ms Camerota has not responded to the several tweets lambasting her for what they feel is a “racist” comment.