Legal Question in Employment Law in California

It's an odd thing. On the one hand, it could be a veiled way of ruling out people of different races. On the other hand, if there were a personal interview, one would know fairly quickly what one's race is. If it's a public relations or host/hostess type of job, it might be fair to seek a certain "type". So, one would have to delve deeper into determining the motivation behind the request.