During his show, Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Cohen appeared shocked by his guest's beauty, Ciara Miller a cast member on the hit show Summer House on Bravo. The reason he was taken aback?
She is a nurse.
After welcoming his guest, Cohen said:
"Hi Ciara. You're looking so beautiful. Wow."
"You're actually a nurse, and this is what you look like?"
Cohen's seeming unfamiliarity with the concept of an attractive nurse led viewers to take offense.
Andy Cohen issues apology to nurses around the world after offending 'WWHL' viewers https://yhoo.it/3u8eDGI\u00a0pic.twitter.com/oqUUwZNaKD— Yahoo Entertainment (@Yahoo Entertainment) 1649166080
Many jumped on Twitter to air their grievances with Cohen's comment.
One nurse posted:
"Andy darling. What do you think nurses look like."
"We don’t live in scrubs."
"There are many gorgeous nurses."
"I work with many of them."
"So your comment you’re a nurse and look like that. It’s a bit insulting."
"Shout out to my Ochsner nurses."
Andy darling. What do you think nurses look like. We don\u2019t live in scrubs. There are many gorgeous nurses. I work with many of them. So your comment you\u2019re a nurse and look like that. It\u2019s a bit insulting. Shout out to my Ochsner nurses.— jane (@jane) 1649124933
Another person shared:
"We’re not frumpy old ladies wearing white dresses and caps anymore."
@Andy I\u2019m a nurse, an old one for that matter. Have been one for almost 30 years. We\u2019re not frumpy old ladies wearing white dresses and caps anymore.pic.twitter.com/HKJCTf1Hio— Jennifer Kelly (@Jennifer Kelly) 1649170491
Some nurses also threw up some pics to prove it:
Just a few pics from the day I got pinned as an RN bc apparently @Andy doesn\u2019t think nurses can be hot #WWHL #NurseTwitterpic.twitter.com/vXnwPmzMe8— Carissa Explains It All (@Carissa Explains It All) 1649127183
@Andy Hi! Just thought I would show you my daughter who is an ICU nurse. How \u2018bout that?!?!? Brains AND beauty. pic.twitter.com/4UueMYVTAC— LMFC (@LMFC) 1649259859
And another lamented:
"Why did Andy say 'you’re a nurse and this is what you look like?!'"
"As if nurses aren’t attractive."
"Ciaira is obviously STUNNING but I know many beautiful nurses."
Why did Andy say \u201cyou\u2019re a nurse and this is what you look like?!\u201d As if nurses aren\u2019t attractive. Ciaira is obviously STUNNING but I know many beautiful nurses. #WWHL #SummerHouse— Lala (@Lala) 1649124923
As the interview progressed, Cohen apparently caught wind of how his comments landed.
He said:
"I just want to say before we move on, I have offended the nurses of America and internationally."
"I apologize."
"I was merely mentioning that Ciara looks like a supermodel."
"I know that many nurses look like ... it's no condemnation of nurses."
Ciara jumped in, saying:
"All nurses are hot."
Cohen continued on to say:
"All nurses have the biggest hearts in the universe, and they are beautiful inside and out. I am sorry if I offended anyone."
For some, his apology was insufficient.
One person tweeted:
"[Andy]¿ You don't say... I'm sorry IF I offended anyone, that makes the offended the problem (why are You so defensive? you shouldn't be offended)"
"You say, I'm sorry THAT I offended anyone, because You Did Offend a number of people (nurses, in this instance). Thank you."
@Andy You don't say... I'm sorry IF I offended anyone, that makes the offended the problem (why are You so defensive? you shouldn't be offended) You say, I'm sorry THAT I offended anyone, because You Did Offend a number of people (nurses, in this instance). Thank you.— Eileen M Doherty (@Eileen M Doherty) 1649162467
Also appearing on the show was seven-time Grammy Award winner John Mayer, who was bartending on the show.
He asked Mayer if his statement was "satisfactory."
The musician replied:
"It saved my woke little heart."
Fans were disappointed.
One said:
"Dude, I love you, but the nurse comment was just freaking stupid."
Dude, I love you, but the nurse comment was just freaking stupid.— No one! (@No one!) 1649162917
@Andy what kind of comment was that about Ciara being a nurse and \u201clooking like that?\u201d\u2026.. big yikes #WWHL— Caitlin (@Caitlin) 1649124248
@Andy You literally just offended the entire nursing profession. What, nurses can\u2019t be hot— Jen (@Jen) 1649124300
Though Cohen acted quickly in the interest of damage control, it seems for many his apology was too little, too late.