At the Miss America pageant earlier this month, Miss Colorado didn’t bother with a song-and-dance routine during the talent portion of the pageant. Instead, she talked about being a nurse.
What followed, thanks to TV’s The View, is a massive uproar in the medical community.
“Why does she have a doctor’s stethoscope on?” Joy Behar said, mocking the contestant, “She helps patients with Alzheimer’s, which I know is not funny, but I swear you had to see it.”
The pushback was so intense, the panelists issued their no-apology apology on Wednesday, complaining that the viewers didn’t get it.
“You have to pay attention,” Whoopi Goldberg said, not paying attention to the little alarm that should’ve been going off in her head.
Several advertisers, including Johnson & Johnson, have pulled their support for the program, USA Today reports today.
The medical community, meanwhile, is livid.
It takes a special person to be a nurse. #NursesUnite #NursesHeal https://t.co/X65xIRWg2U
— Johnson & Johnson (@JNJCares) September 17, 2015
Blerg. What a terrible "apology" – I feel like Whoopi just scolded me for not listening. Too bad I was. Intently. #NursesUnite
— Kati Kleber, BSN RN (@NurseEyeRoll) September 16, 2015
This is great. #TheView #nursesunite pic.twitter.com/IZPluZfKx4
— magruba (@marliciousx3) September 16, 2015
#nursesunite #ShowMeYourStethoscope pic.twitter.com/EwCApdS5iJ
— Martini Mistress (@DeborahPaquet) September 18, 2015
http://t.co/v3yhJjbmgA #nurses #NurseStethoscope #ThankANurse #nursesunite #nursesrock #WeLoveNurses #TheView #JoyBehar
— The Heartful Mom (@bizzzymom) September 18, 2015