Armani model and math teacher gets blasted for racist stereotypes in 'workout video'

You may recognise Armani model Pietro Boselli as "the world's hottest math teacher," which made headlines last year.

But more recently, he's gotten in a bit of hot soup after posting a "workout video" of him lifting a Filipino man.

"I need to find something to repeatedly lift, for exercise," Boselli says, before he looks around and points to a Filipino man. "That Filipino man looks ideal!"

"But I need to be very careful, approach slowly, because he can get scared and start running," said the 28-year-old, as comical music plays in the background.

Boselli, who's signed onto British modeling agency Models 1, goes on to chase after the man and lifts him over his head like a barbell.

Throughout the video, Boselli refers to the unnamed man as "that" and "my weight."

Naturally, netizens are pissed at the racist depiction of the Filipino man, and have accused Boselli of perpetuating racist stereotypes.

In a long rant, Krishna Omkar wrote: "The Filipino man is referred to by the white man [Pietro Boselli] as 'that' and 'my weight'... he is purely an object to be used by the white man."

"I do have fun and I have a great sense of humour. That's what lets me recognise that this is demeaning and derogatory -- not funny."

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"This is so wrong in many levels," says Maria Carmen Hinayon. "A white european man coming to our country and treating our people like objects, equipments and (slaves) to be used for whatever he pleases. Sounds familiar?"

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"While this is cute, slightly homoerotic and clearly not mean-spirited... I also find it somewhat problematic," said JP Mercado.

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"Well this is just so dumb and racist. Yes, this is a 'joke' but it does not erase the fact that it suggests some culture or person is better than the other," said F Jordan Carnice.

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Several people defended him.

Mark Fort said: "I personally loved this video and did not take any offence to this but I guess other people are welcome to speak up if they found it offensive. I guess that is the problem with being a celebrity and putting out content for the public."

When the Telegraph approached Boselli for comment, he said that the man in the video was his friend, Danel.

"I am so far removed from racism that I cannot possibly see anything racist about a funny video I have made with my friend," Boselli said, adding that both he and Danel still think this was a funny video.

"We all have differences but we are all the same as human beings. I have and always will respect everyone...If anyone sees any racism in this video, they probably have racism in their head," said Boselli.