A Univision broadcaster has been fired for offensive remarks about First Lady Michelle Obama – unfortunately not the first time the network has been taken to task for racist comments.

On Wednesday, during an episode of the popular program “El Gordo y La Flaca,” host Rodner Figueroa commented on a picture of Michelle Obama, saying that she “looks like she’s part of the cast of Planet of the Apes.”

Univision released a statement: “Yesterday during our entertainment program “El Gordo y La Flaca” Rodner Figueroa made comments regarding First Lady Michelle Obama that were completely reprehensible and in no way reflect Univision’s values or views. As a result, Mr. Figueroa was immediately terminated.”

Figueroa released an apology addressed to Obama: “I was verbally notified that because of a complaint from your office, my employment was being terminated.” Figueroa claimed his joke referred to a criticism of an artist’s depiction of Obama.

However, The Washington Post reports Univision executives deny that the White House called to complain.

Univision has faced criticism for racist remarks and humor in the past. In 2010, when soccer’s World Cup was played in South Africa, the network broadcast a segment where the hosts wore Afro wigs and held small spears. Univision later apologized.

NPR interviewed Professor Arlene Davila of New York University, who studies Latino media – she is not surprised. “I think that anybody who watches Univision regularly … will notice the white, white space that station historically has been,” says Davila. “You’re not going to see Indo-Latinos, you’re not going to see Afro-Latinos.” In fact, she continues, the Univision landscape is often whiter than mainstream U.S. television.

According to Davila, Latino television generally imports and repackages Latin American programming, which can be problematic. “Already in Latin America, our very [media are] skewed and not a representation. But then you’re talking about the U.S. Latino world, you would think that it would be a different world — a world that would not be tied to the traditional racist views of our countries, but that rather would try to imagine a pan-Latino universe.”

Davila adds that Spanish language media have a captive audience. “You can’t blame the people that watch it,” she says, “because those are the people that don’t have the power to change it, you know? And they’re watching it because it’s what’s available, it’s the lack of choices in Spanish language television.”

Unless Univision takes some targeted steps to address their diversity problem, it seems likely that the network’s embarrassing missteps will continue.