Cher has called for Wendy Williams to be fired after she mocked Joaquin Phoenix’s lip scar.
The 55-year-old talk show host came under fire on Wednesday (15.01.20) when she made fun of the ‘Joker’ actor’s scar on his upper lip – which he has never discussed but is believed to be a nonsurgical scar he was born with – and also pushed her lip up to imitate the flaw, which she referred to as "cleft lip" during her eponymous-titled programme.
Wendy said: "When he shaves off his moustache he’s got a hairline fracture.
"He’s got one of those — what do you call it? Cleft lip, cleft palate."
Cher was furious and called for Wendy to be "fired" for insulting Joaquin and the many people who suffer "pain" from a cleft, an an opening in the upper lip or roof of the mouth that occurs when developing facial structures in an unborn baby don’t close completely.
The 73-year-old music legend tweeted: "BEFORE THEIR TEENS MUCH OF THE TIME THEY ARE IN PAIN,AFRAID,BUT HAVE HOPE THEY WILL LOOK NORMAL. THE& FEAR THEIR PARENTS GO THROUGH IS UNBEARABLE. IF YOUR MOM SAW WHAT YOU DID SHE’D BE ASHAMED. MY MOM TAUGHT ME TO LOVE & HELP PPL IN PAIN.WHO ARE U !? U SHOULD B FIRED (sic)"
Wendy apologised to the "cleft community" and promised to donate to Operation Smile and the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, who help families dealing with the condition.
The presenter was responding to Canadian footballer Adam Bighill, who was born with a cleft palate and whose son Beau was undergoing surgery for the condition.
She told the soccer star "I want to apologize to the cleft community and in Beau’s honor, our show is donating to @operationsmile and @AmerCleftPalate and encourage our Wendy Watchers to learn more and help support the cleft community (sic)"
Cher later added a screenshot of Wendy holding her lip up on her show and fumed that the apology was not enough.
She captioned the post: "DOES AN APOLOGY MAKE UP FOR THIS (sic)"
Responding to a Twitter user who suggested she should let it go after Wendy said she was sorry, Cher fumed: "APOLOGIZED THERE IS NO APOLOGY FOR
WHAT SHE DID…. & LAUGHED
ABOUT !! I KNOW THESE CHILDREN,& ADULTS.THEY GO THROUGH HELL,THEIR PARENTS GO THROUGH HEL !! Fk Her Apology.
SHE WANTS TO KEEP HER JOB !! I CANT CONTAIN MY ANGER !! (sic)"