Mario Lopez, who we usually don’t have to worry about because his job is literally just to host Extra and go home, really stepped in it. First, he went on a podcast, but not a fun “haha let’s hear some Saved by the Bell anecdotes†podcast. Nope, he went on Candace Owens’s podcast, where he proceeded to say he thought it was “dangerous†for parents to support young children who say they are transgender. Mario. Why. A lot of people, including his co-workers at Extra, were unamused by this, and they issued a statement in which they referred to him as a “caring person,†but that “the opinions he expressed in this interview do not reflect those of Extra.â€
Lopez missed today’s taping of Extra, and issued a statement expressing his regret. “The comments I made were ignorant and insensitive, and I now have a deeper understanding of how hurtful they were,†he said to People. “I have been and always will be an ardent supporter of the LGBTQ community, and I am going to use this opportunity to better educate myself. Moving forward I will be more informed and thoughtful.â€