A clearly upset Jenna Bush Hager (daughter of former U.S. president George W. Bush) apologized on Monday morning following her Golden Globes gaffe on Sunday night, when she referred to movie Hidden Figures as Hidden Fences. The ex-presidential daughter apparently combined two movie titles by accident: Hidden Figures and Fences.
During NBC’s Golden Globes red carpet pre-show, Bush Hager was interviewing musician Pharrell, who scored Hidden Figures, when she made the flub. (You can watch the video of the error, above.)
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“So, you’re nominated for Hidden Fences,” said Bush Hager to Pharrell, who looked confused and appeared to bite his lip. The clip went viral almost immediately, and a social-media backlash quickly followed. It didn’t help that both movies feature almost entirely black main casts, which caused some people to accuse Bush Hager of racial and/or deliberate ignorance.
The morning after her gaffe, Bush Hager appeared on the Today show and was quick to apologize.
“I had an error in the night, which I have to apologize for,” she said. “When I was interviewing the incomparable Pharrell, who I adore, I accidentally — in the electricity of the red carpet, which I’ve never done one before — called Hidden Figures ‘Hidden Fences.’ I have seen both movies, thought they were both brilliant. I’ve interviewed casts for both of the movies and if I offended people I am deeply sorry.”
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“It was a mistake, because y’all know I’m not perfect,” she continued, with tears brimming in her eyes. “I am authentic, but a human. And what I didn’t want to do is make anyone lesser than who they are. I apologize to both the cast, to Pharrell … but it was a mistake and I hope we can move on.”
Later on, things got worse when actor Michael Keaton repeated the flub while announcing best supporting actress nominees at the Golden Globes ceremony, again calling the film Hidden Fences (as you can see in the video, below).
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An oblivious Keaton apologized later on to TMZ when a reporter approached him after the ceremony.
“Let’s make this official: I’m sorry, I apologize. I screwed it up,” he said. “I’m a horrible person.”
Even actress Gabrielle Union (Birth of a Nation, Bring It On) expressed her disappointment.
Comedian-actress Robin Thede summed up many peoples’ frustrations with one tweet:
Hidden Figures left the Golden Globes trophy-less, while Fences star Viola Davis walked away with the Best Supporting Actress, Drama award.