Gigi Hadid sparks controversy after impersonating Melania Trump at awards show
'You were pathetic and unfunny. You are the reason why Trump won, the public is fed up with narcissistic liberal haters,' says one Twitter user
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Your support makes all the difference.Gigi Hadid has stirred criticism for her impression of the President-elect’s wife Melania Trump at the American Music Awards.
The 21-year-old fashion model, who was hosting the ceremony, adopted a Slovenian accent and referenced the accusations of plagiarism directed at Ms Trump. The First Lady in waiting, who was born in Slovenia when it was part of Yugoslavia, was accused of plagiarising some of Michelle Obama’s Democratic convention speech from eight years ago at the Republican National Convention in July.
“This is my Melania Trump impression. I got to get the face right,” Hadid said on stage. “I love my husband, President Barack Obama, and our children, Sasha and Malia”.
Some Twitter users condemned her impression of Mr Trump’s third wife on Twitter and argued Hadid was being "disrespectful" and "tasteless", with some saying impressions like hers were the reason Mr Trump won the election.
"You were pathetic and unfunny. You are the reason why Trump won, the public is fed up with narcissistic liberal haters," said one.
"Very rude and disrespectful performance slandering Melania Trump - she has way more class than you two!" added another.
Others accused her of "racism" and argued she would not have impersonated a black person.
“Hey Hadid girl if Melania Trump was a black lady you would not racist jokes about her. Stupid liberal double standard”.
One person suggested that the President-elect would tweet demanding an apology from Hadid for the impression.
But others expressed their support for Hadid and said they thought her parody was hilarious. “Thank you Gigi Hadid for this impression of Melania! We all needed that laugh!”
Another suggested it was ironic some Trump supporters were accusing her of racism: "Funny how racist Trump supporters are calling racist @GigiHadid".
Jay Pharoah, who co-hosted the 44th annual ceremony alongside Hadid, commended her impression, saying it was “spot on”. He then did his own impression of Mr Trump. “I love Bruno Mars,” Pharoah’s Trump said. “I don’t know what colour he is, so I can’t deport him”.
References to the billionaire property mogul dominated the night. With Green Day singing “No war, no KKK, no fascist USA” and Chrissy Teigen making a bleeped-out reference to the “really interesting, fucked-up, fucking election”.
A representative for Hadid did not immediately respond to request for comment.
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