The Mercury News

A-Rod makes comments that raise eyebrows

- By Martha Ross mross@bayareanew­sgroup.com

Jennifer Lopez may regret letting her fiance, Alex Rodriguez, go unsupervis­ed into an interview with Sports Illustrate­d.

The former baseball star ended up saying some insulting and otherwise questionab­le and culturally insensitiv­e things about several fellow celebritie­s the couple dined with at the Met Gala in May.

So far, the former New York Yankees slugger has only taken to Twitter to clarify his remarks about Kylie Jenner; the 21-yearold beauty mogul took umbrage after he claimed to Sports Illustrate­d that she boasted during dinner about being a billionair­e. “Kylie was talking about Instagram and her lipstick, and how rich she is,” Rodriguez, 43, told Sports Illustrate­d.

After Jenner fired back on Twitter, asserting, “We only spoke about ‘Game of Thrones,’ ” Rodriguez responded a few hours later with an apology of sorts.

He wrote, “OMG that’s right @KylieJenne­r!! It was me talking about you and your makeup line and how much my girls love you. #GOT #respect #alllove.”

But Jenner probably isn’t the only celebrity Rodriguez should be clarifying things with. He also described other people he and Lopez dined with in ways that could generously be called inept.

“We had a great table,” Rodriguez told Sports Illustrate­d. “The black guy from ‘The Wire’ — Idris Elba, yeah, and his new wife.” Rodriguez reduced Elba — a globally recognized, award-winning actor and fan favorite to be a future James Bond — to being “the black guy from ‘The Wire.’ ” By the way, Elba’s new wife is model Sabrina Dhowre. But wait — there’s more.

Rodriguez also mentioned dining with “an Asian gentlemen from ‘Rich Asians,’ the lead.” Could it be that Rodriguez was talking about Henry Golding? He’s one of the breakout stars of “Crazy Rich Asians,” last summer’s hit romantic comedy.

In the category of a comment that was simply ignorant, Rodriguez said he was seated at the table next to “some famous” singer. “I don’t know what her name is. Versace — Donatella,” he said.

Maybe Lopez has already corrected her fiance on this point: Donatella Versace is a famous fashion designer, not a singer. In fact, Lopez has shared a long and starmaking relationsh­ip with Versace, ever since the designer dressed the singer for the 2000 Grammy Awards in a green chiffon gown with a low neckline that has become one of the most iconic red carpet looks ever.

 ?? ANGELA WEISS — AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE VIA GETTY IMAGES ?? Jennifer Lopez’s fiance, Alex Rodriguez, is under fire for saying Kylie Jenner boasted about “how rich she is.”.
ANGELA WEISS — AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE VIA GETTY IMAGES Jennifer Lopez’s fiance, Alex Rodriguez, is under fire for saying Kylie Jenner boasted about “how rich she is.”.

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