Political correctness comes to the BCS championship game, courtesy of the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Ross Coyle and Rockne Andrew Roll of the Student Free Press Association have the story:
University of Oregon students in “fiesta-themed” costumes were asked to remove sombreros by “Ellen DeGeneres Show” staffers Thursday during a taping of the show.
During the segment, Oregon students competed in a costume contest for two tickets to the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game, which will be played Monday night in Glendale, Ariz. between the Oregon Ducks and the Auburn Tigers. DeGeneres encouraged students to arrive at the EMU Amphitheater “dressed in their best fiesta wear.” An estimated 1,500 students showed up.
But when some students arrived sporting sombreros, not everyone was pleased.
“I noticed they all took their sombreros off before they started filming,” said attendee Sarah Abadi.
Andrew Seistrup said he was asked by “Ellen” staff members to remove his sombrero and fake mustache to, in Seistrup’s words, “avoid stepping on any toes.” Seistrup was one of four people interviewed on air during the segment as a finalist for the tickets.