It’s a shame Tracy Morgan isn’t on South Park instead of 30 Rock. Then we wouldn’t have had to wait seven months (and counting) for his show to address his verbal diarrhea.
Back in June, at a standup show in Nashville, Morgan said he would stab his son if he told him he was gay. His comment sparked a firestorm of debate, leading Morgan to go on an apology tour and Tina Fey, 30 Rock star and producer, to say this “wasn’t the Tracy I know.”
Now comes word the hit NBC comedy will actually address Morgan’s faux pas. MSNBC’s out newscaster Thomas Roberts, who makes a cameo appearance on the show, tells The Huffington Post:
“Well, you know how a lot of their episodes mirror their lives … They’ve incorporated [Morgan’s rant] into the Tracy Jordan storyline… Liz Lemon writes Tracy’s apology on the show and says he’s not a homophobe, he’s an idiot. That offends idiots, so while NBC is being picketed by the LBGT community, now it’s also being picketed by idiots led by Denise Richards. She’s the leader of the idiots.”
It’s not immaterial that Roberts works for the NBC family—If this were an episode of 30 Rock, Jack would have arranged for just such a storyline (and Roberts involvement) as some kind of Machiavellian damage control.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
So is this just spin or a legitimate attempt to address an obvious wrong, albeit belatedly? We’ll have to tune in to see how it’s handled.
Photos: NBC/Universal
newcityspot
Look up how much work he’s done since he made a comedic error, and you’ll see he is sincrely sorry for what he said and genuinely felt bad, not just lip service or publicity minimums.
MEJ
They’re using an openly gay person to justify defending Morgan’s idiocy. It’s like when South Park trots out Big Gay Al to justify their use of anti-gay slurs, or defending the Boy Scouts banning gay people.
Cam
@newcityspot: said…
“”Look up how much work he’s done since he made a comedic error, and you’ll see he is sincrely sorry for what he said and genuinely felt bad, not just lip service or publicity minimums.”
____________________
HEre’s an idea, since you claim that it is so easy to find, why don’t you link to it?
Actually what I saw, was him on Letterman saying it was a misunderstanding and he didn’t remember what he’d said.
MKe
I’m looking forward to watching 30 Rock but not Tracey’s scenes, I hope they keep this mess short.
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
Sorry. No. This guy doesn’t deserve a career.
ron
@John: Kathy Griffin watches TV shows onstage?
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@John: No. You’re right. Only a whiny queer would get all worked up online about stand-up comics …
SEXXYJAMAICAN
@ron: She might as well because her material sucks a huge clit and Lisa Lampoolli is a hot ass mess too.
Isaac C
@John: I agree, except that those comedians you mentioned who make anti-gay/homophobic jokes have a strong gay following, and they welcome their gay audiences. Tracy does not. That may be why he’s been targeted.
Cinesnatch
I’m a big fan of 30 Rock. It’s no secret here on Queerty.
While Dan Avery uses the term “belatedly” correctly and acknowledges that the show has been off the air since the incident, they’re dealing with it in an actual episode as soon as they legitimately could. The whole reason 30 Rock didn’t start until January was because of Tina Fey’s pregnancy, otherwise, this would have already been dealt with back in October.
People are going to feel how they do about Tracy Morgan regardless. No, he isn’t perfect. No, the bit wasn’t funny. Yes, comedians are politically incorrect all the time, to various extremes. Yes, they take all kinds of chances to various degrees. Yes, some things fly, others don’t. Yes, sometimes they go too far. Yes, he makes lots of money. And, yes, I feel like he was sincere when he apologized. Others, don’t.
Has my impression of him changed? Yes. Do I think he’s an evil person? No. I choose my battles. He ain’t one of ’em. If you want him to be one of yours, so be it.
Cinesnatch
Additionally, the guy who brought this all to our attention in the first place, has forgiven him.
ron
Tracy Morgan ruins an otherwise good show. He is NOT funny.
christopher di spirito
I haven’t watched ’30 Rock’ since Tracy Morgan’s outburst and I won’t until he’s canned from the show.
DavyJones
@Cinesnatch: Hear, hear! Well said.
Cinesnatch
P.S. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Queerty never posted about Kevin Rogers forgiving Tracy Morgan and moving on. For those interested, seeing how it’s queer-related material (but doesn’t assist Queerty’s vitriol-inducing narrative), you can read an interview with Rogers here:
http://tiny.cc/un0ns
If I missed the post, where they discussed Rogers meeting Morgan, please correct me. If I didn’t, then Queerty is even more disappointing than I thought. I would prefer if I was wrong.
@DavyJones: Thank you.
Cam
@John:
If you don’t want to come off like some crazy bigoted fan you might want to tone it down a bit.
All the other people you mentioned are pro gay and have publically proclaimed this. Morgan said he would stab his kid in the chest if he was gay. Then when called on it, at first lashed out and attacked the gay community.
If you’re a bigot fine, but admit it, lets not pretend that what Morgan did was in any way not homophobic.
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@Cinesnatch: Yeah. It’s great that that guy “forgave” Tracy Morgan. But (I guess this goes without saying) he doesn’t speak for the gay community. I don’t think that one gentleman’s opinion of Tracy should have greater influence of this debate than anyone else’s.
jeff4justice
Here are my favorite takes on the Tracy Morgan incident:
Gay Ally Comedian Myq Kaplan On Tracy Morgan Gay Joke Controversy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LX5r6auuoA
LEAVE TRACY MORGAN ALONE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnyYCD4oo3s
HRC Staffer On Tracy Morgan’s Anti-Gay Comments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tWZ2jNBSRU
SF PFLAG Mom Julia Thoron On Tracy Morgan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7t2n_JSbwE
Cinesnatch
@Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva: No, you are correct. Rogers doesn’t speak for the gay community. And, as the person who witnessed the set and was so offended by it that he wrote about it on Facebook and got the ball rolling, I found his reaction more informed than most and he certainly sets an example. And, I’ve already stated this, but Queerty conveniently failed to “report” on this development, yet “reported” on eight just as relavent (if less so) “Morgan-related” posts since that interview took place. They had no problem scraping the bottom of the barrel on this matter, as long as it fit in with their vitriol-inducing narrative.
I try not to project the ills of society on one person, unless they deserve it. Instead of the continuing public-denouncement that took place, which had a thirst that would never be satisfied (if the comments on Queerty and Towleroad were any indication), perhaps Louis C.K. was correct, that it was a teachable moment that could have elicited far greater value than any perceived harm inflicted by Morgan’s stand-up routine. And the gay community passed it up. Too bad.
But, that’s just how I feel and a few others. Not enough, if you ask me. Society is stubborn. So is progress.
Cinesnatch
@jeff4justice: Thanks Jeff for conning me into falling for your shameless self-promotion.
Lance
@Cinesnatch: Sorry, but what Louis C.K. tried to do was sit down and baby the LGBT community. He is trying to pretend that every time a gay person faces an attack, he or she has the duty to engage the person in a debate and explain the error of their ways.
To put it simply, he is wrong. Backlash against a celebrity for making a disgustingly bigoted comment is much more effective than sending a thought-out e-mail (that will either be ignored or simply go through PR) addressing “why” they could be bigots and “what” they should do to correct it.
Cinesnatch
@Lance: Thanks for the response Lance, but what I actually got from Louis C.K.’s remarks was his suggestion of an actual sit-down between the two parties in multiple venues to discuss the matter. I wasn’t envisioning a thought-out email. And neither was C.K. if you listen to his comments.
The backlash was effective in getting Morgan to address the matter and Tiny Fey to produce a response. But, what was next? More backlash? Where does that get us? Nowhere. And that’s what C.K. was saying. He acknowledged the backlash. But, then what? I never listened to the whole clip until now and he said perhaps the most intelligent thing on the matter. I didn’t realize how nuanced it was.
If you’re interested in an intelligent response, feel free to watch the 3-minute clip:
http://tiny.cc/wt0j8
We passed up an opportunity. But, doesn’t America have a track record of passing up opportunities of redemption for vengeance instead? I seem to remember an infinitely more tragic event in our recent history where we had the support of the world and then squandered it by taking a knee-jerk reaction instead of stepping back, assessing the situation and coming up with a sensible way of handling things. I recognize that the two incidents are incomparable on a multitude of levels, but still, it popped into my head as I was writing this comment and I felt like mentioning it.
newcityspot
@Cam: http://youtu.be/WDNWLcCN9sE
stop talking about this
if ever a gay comedian were to make a racist joke about a black person… they would be prosecuted… so honestly… i will never forgive tracy morgan for his comments…
pedro
Wow, you people are still pissed at Tracy…after the guy figuratively crawls over broken glass while giving you guys blow jobs…I guess he’ll have to literally do that before some of you guys can excise the hate and move on…and it still won’t be enough…
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@pedro: Actually talented people lose their careers over smaller stuff. Why should we cut a break to a homophobic douche who got famous with what is essentially a 21st century minstrel act? Save your pity for someone who deserves it.
Lance
@Cinesnatch: I respectfully disagree with you. The only way a star who is too full of himself to actually attempt to measure his words before spewing them is to hit him in the wallet.
Louis C.K. was ultimately policing gay people on how to react and treating them like a monolith – as if we could just send an “envoy” to talk with Tracy and fix all problems. This was not the first time that he has made an offensive “joke”, but it certainly was the first one of this caliber, and he was aptly called out for it.
It was up to Tracy to show that he is not a homophobe. It was up to Tracy to start conversation and rectify his mistake. It was up to Tracy to clean his soiled image. All of this was settled after his apology, even if some people just can’t get over it. If Louis C.K. feels that things were “handled incorrectly”, then why didn’t he reach out to Tracy and hook him up with GLAAD or any other organization? Why not act instead of patronize?
This so-called solution is ultimately too wistful during most situations, sadly. Displaying that bigotry is absolutely unacceptable sends a much stronger message.
Shannon1981
What bothered me most about this, beyond the obvious homophobia, was the violence. In the midst of countless gay bashings and kids committing suicide, he said he’d harm his own son for being gay, and used graphic, violent imagery to get that point across.I think he absolutely believed what he said, and that kind of hatred doesn’t go away overnight. I think the only thing he’s sorry about is the backlash.
I don’t forgive that easily.
CBRad
@Shannon1981: I agree that the violence part was what pushed it over the line from simple bad-taste to unacceptable. Like you said, real people really do get killed for being gay and lesbian.
Franco
You know he made some poor choices but I do not believe he is hateful at all. He thought it would be funny, and it wasn’t. I’ve made similar mistakes and I wouldn’t want to be burned for it. We need to learn the power of forgiveness.
Shannon1981
@CBRad: Yeah, they do. Many of us sitting here reading this have been gay bashed. Furthermore, Morgan’s son is in early adolescence. What if the kid is gay? Or questioning his sexuality? No matter what Morgan said in that skit will trump whatever token do gooder projects he might be taking part in to save face and save his career. His son will never forget that, and will never trust his father enough to come out to him if by some twist of fate he winds of being LGBT or some variation thereof.
Shannon1981
@Franco: You’ve told an oppressed minority you’d stab your own child for being one of them? That’s way OTT. If he had just made a run of the mill “fag” or “dyke” crack, then realized the error of his ways and apologized, I’d be pissed but not totally write him off. Violence, or the suggestion of it, is the product of hate. I absolutely think he is hateful.
CBRad
@Franco: I don’t know if I’d agree with you in this case, but I do think that’s a generally good attitude to take.
pedro
@Shannon1981: …Can always count on Shannon…She really has disdain for her own race…You need psych help…And I ain’t even black…Your constant negative GENERALIZATIONS (not necessarily this post) about blacks is truly disturbing…What ever happened to the whole content of character thing? Does that not pertain to black people too. Why is it that the actions of some blacks get put on the shoulders of ALL blacks (This is also true of other minorities, remember when the Asian guy killed his partner? It was like Yellow hate fever was going around the web)…Why are you always in such a rush to paint all blacks with the same brush…self hatred is a tragedy…
As for Tracy, he’s not gonna be fired, so get over it. He has put forth a greater effort to make amends than almost any other celeb that’s come into the crosshairs of the pc police and you guys just won’t let it go…So are people allowed to change and grow, learn from their mistakes…Or not? If not then fine, just be consistent.
Tim Tebow is affiliated with one of the most vile Christian hate groups in these here United States…Even made a video for them last year regarding abortions…It would be safe to say that Timmy probably shares their views concerning the gays…He’s a much greater threat to equal rights (with a bigger platform) than a clown like Tracy Morgan will ever be…but he’s fuckable…so what do the gays do? They spend their time fantacizing about Timmy being gay…It’s truly sad…
CBRad
@pedro: Give Shannon a break. She’d be saying the exact same thing about any comedian, no matter what race he was, who made such a statement.
pedro
@CBRad: Shannon consistently posts on stories about blacks and basically continuously says that she KNOWS that blacks are all basically homophobic…She never keeps it about the person or group in question, she always broadens it out to the whole black community…She doesn’t do the same to whites…That is clear disdain for other blacks in general, not specific black offenders…I call it as I see it…Of course some whites do the same thing, but that’s the way a lot of whites roll, nothing can really be done to help them…But for a black person to essentially applaud their generalizations and even join in is sad…As a Latino, I certainly know that there are Latin homophobes…However, I have too much self respect to get on a story about ONE of them and then essentially aver that ALL Latinos are by extention homophobes… I know that some whites will, of course, start making disparaging ethnic generalizations, but to jump in…tragic
CBRad
@pedro: Maybe she thinks it’s true though. She certainly isn’t alone in thinking that. And her own experiences, and statistics, just confirm it for her. One can criticize ones own race without being “self-hating.” Maybe she criticizes African-Americans, especially, because she expected more of them.
Tackle
@Pedro: You are absolutely right. And “great” points made.
If a guy is goodlooking, we are less harsh. Eminem used the word fag and made more anti homophobic remarks then Tracy Morgan but he’s more of a gay fantasy.
CBRad
@Tackle: Gays were protesting Eminem all over the place at the time!!
Cinesnatch
@Lance: If national organizations like the HRC can issues statements, they can also host sit-downs. You say it’s not their responsibility, that it was up to Morgan to go out of his way to make amends. In situations that reach the national spotlight where everybody has an opinion, it’s an opportunity that is up for grabs. If Morgan, who clearly didn’t have the tools to understand the ramifications of the controversy, wasn’t going to go the distance, the HRC or another major gay organization could have taken his hand and led him. Was it their responsibility? No. Am I saying that had to? No. Am I saying there evil for not doing so? No. I’m simply saying that Louis C.K. was right: it was a missed opportunity.
Some people wanted to fold their arms and stew in their juices until Morgan did the right thing–and even then, there were many that were clear he had no way of vindicating himself. That’s fine. That’s *a choice*. And, frankly, it’s a lousy one that got us nowhere. Again, the backlash was fine, up until a point. And, then there was an opportunity to capitalize on the moment. And it was missed. You can say, “Well, it’s not our responsibility.” That’s fine. That’s a choice. And, are we better off for it?
Interesting
@CBRad: There is a general tendency on gay blogs (the main stream one’s being mostly white) to defend white homophobes particulary if they are good looking, or to make excuses for them, particulary if they have acted in a particularly heinous way, especially if they are gay. the other big factors are if they are white, if they are the acceptable gay adjacent types and if they are people of certain economic means. This is not a one to one rule, but it is a tendency.
Your example of Eminem is an example of “missing the point.” What does Eminem do for a living? He’s a rapper. Meaning he’s not one of the acceptable whites.
There are some better examples. Indeed, there are some great examples of something else that often comes up- hypocritical positions that one sees at least on teh blogs (I don’t know if its general).
A: Ken Mehlman.
The words, “i am gay” had not been in the press for hours before I saw comments, which have been repeated since then every time his name comes up, saying “okay sure he was one of the leaders of the movement to outlaw gay marriage, but he’s gay so its okay.”
B. Tim Tebow
How many times have I heard , rightly, rants against hard core Chritians, and how many times have I seen people defend this dude in separate post because they either want to screw him or be screwed by him? A lot in both cases.
C. Neil Patrick Harris
I like him. In fact, he apologized for the incident. However, what I found interesting were the numbers here and else where racing to defend his offensive remarks by saying “it wasn’t offensive” (a non trans person saying that it shouldn’t offend trans people is like a non gay person saying it shouldn’t offend gay people), and, more over when I pointed out the hypocritical views at the time, it was defended
D. Dan Savage
He was responsible for starting the meme after the Prop 8 failure that it was the black voters fault although statistical evidence showed this to be a numericla impossibility and the data was a poll of 150 black voters in the exit polls. he has yet to apologize for that, and to cover up his tracks he pulled down the rant. Yet he is regularly defended here and else where.
E. Then there’s what you do when White bigots are called out. No one says when looking at Russia- “all those white people are homophobe.” When the anti-gay rights bills passed in lily White U.S. states, no one says “the bills passed because white people hate gays. there must be something about being White that makes one anti-gay” indeed, there are far more white voters, so someone could certainly make such a racist statement. yet its not made. Why? I know, I know- its not racist if its said about all black people, versus making the same sort of blanket unfounded statement against all white people.
There are a lot more. These are all off top my head.
As for the topic at hand, whether his performance was wht he thought, or what he was performing, does not change the fact it was a homophobic performance (I believe it was just a bad performance). I wish he would let it die. But I say all of that, I do realize the people most “angry” over this are just using this as the excuse de jour to rant against the evil brown people.
CBRad
@Interesting: I disagree. This is the blog that screamed that the Duke lacrosse guys raped that poor mother because all white straight athletes are racists and homophobes. Same for Towleroad. This is also the blog that virtually said Don Imus desrved getting cancer because he’d made that “nappy headed hoes” statement (even though Imus had always run a camp for kids of all races with cancer, and is pro-gay marriage). All gay blogs are basically politically-correct, which means pro-minority and anti-white-male.
CBRad
@Interesting: So we see gay blogs 100 percent differently on their positions on race. I believe I’m correct, and…I guess you do too. Maybe it’s just another example of what Anais Nin said, “We don’t see things as they are, we see things as WE are.”
pedro
@CBRad: My dad loves Don Imus, I used to listen to his show as a teenager, I don’t think he should have been fired, that was blown out of proportion…But 2 wrongs don’t make a right. Sometimes we should just move on and forgive. Al sharpton et al often use blacks for their own purposes…very sad…
Secondly, concerning Shannon…maybe she thinks it’s true that ALL BLACKS are homophobes?…Okay…well that’s certainly an opinion…Anyhow, my boyfriend is black/creole (met at St. Thomas Aquinas college), did extemely well on his MCATs, waiting to go to medical school… attended the American (boarding) School in Southern Switzerland (never even heard of the place before!) Speaks French, (I’m teaching him Spanish). His parents are incredibly progressive Catholics (unlike my more conservative but loving parents), (both his parents are doctors, so was his grandfather…and his great-grand father! shocking I know!), his two older sisters are wonderful women…They are all extremely proper in their speech and mannerisms (yes they are very, very bougie! had never heard this word until his sister explained it to me, lol)…The first time I went over to their home in New Orleans (yes, not all of New Orleans is a dump), I was afraid to sit down, I might dirty their freaking sofa…My point is that generalizations are never right…If you have proper statistics state those, but to say that ALL people in any ethnic group is this or that is pure bigotry…even if you’re a member of that group.
Interesting
No, I believe that you need to think you are correct. I have no idea whether the greater white gay community thinks like what the gay white media acts like. Unlike you, I am not pretending to know anything other than what is being presented in the media. You seem to think you know what others think.
Interesting
I should add that one thing I can extrapolate is that white gays were raised by the rest of the white community (straight generally) in general so they will bring the same baggage with them on average. Key part: on average. So, I can reasonably speculate that the white gay media is representative of those same tendencies. Key word tendencies. Not all since I believe that no group is monolithic.
CBRad
@pedro: Well, this blog said he pretty much deserved getting cancer for that, and the Imus thing backs up my point of view that gay blogs are still trying to push the fantasy that it’s all minorities against white-straight-males. Otherwise, did Shannon say ALL blacks are homophobic or just that there’s a higher percentage or degree of homophobia in the black population?
CBRad
@pedro: BTW : That boyfriend of yours (actually that whole family) could be seen as rather self-hating. He speaks English, French..learning Spanish..School in Switzerland? Swahili, or school in a country “of color”, wasn’t good enough?
pedro
@CBRad: His family has been speaking some version of French for generations, that IS his heritage! Stop stereotyping black people. Who would say that because he went to school in Switzerland that he’s self-hating? That person would simply be an ignorant fool! Not all black people come from poor backgrounds or live in the ghetto. My boyfriend has nothing to apologize for! Nor would he, since he has a great sense of self-confidence. People are always voicing their surprise at his background as if he’s defying his genetics or something (the same happens to me, surprise my family didn’t just cross the Rio Grande, but have been here for more than two and a half centuries)…but then people are ignorant sometimes… Why is it that only minorities get put in these little boxes? Nobody says anything when whites want to, say, go live in Asia and learn mandarin, are they self-hating? I’m sure Swahili is a fine language…but him not learning it says absolutely zero about his sense of ethnic identity…It just means his boyfriend is not West African.
CBRad
@pedro: Right. Then stop calling Shannon self-hating! That’s just as ridiculous.
CBRad
@pedro: And Shannon survived all that therapy her church threw her into, with no family defending her. Bet your bf didn’t have to go through that. Yet you criticize HER opinions, when you’re with someone who had such a coddled background??
pedro
@CBRad: She is self-hating, even bringing up black statistics on every post about a black person is an indication of that…Why can’t that person just stand on their own? Why is it not enough to just castigate that person as an individual and move on? I have noticed that many of the same people who constantly harp that minorities should think of themselves as individual Americans and not members of specific ethnic groups, are often the same people to turn around and when critizing a single minority, make certain to bring up their ethnicity and certain negative statistics…Why is it not enough to say that Tracy Morgan is a homophobe, why do you need to add anything to that? Or why was it necessary for some people to speak of Asians disparagingly when that ONE guy committed the horrible murder of his partner and kid…Why is it not enough to say that he was a bad person for doing what he did…People need to be aware of their prejudicial attitudes…including Shannon!
CBRad
@pedro: Well, she sees it differently. She’d see your bfs comfortable family as self-hating for taking on a religion initially imposed on them by white Europeans. And what’s wrong with bringing up statistics to add weight to her opinions? I’d say her opinions merit more than those of people from rich backgrounds who always had it easy.
pedro
@CBRad: Umm…are you into class warfare now? What does rich and poor have to do with anything?
CBRad
@pedro: And notice you’ll never say one word of criticism anytime people criticize whites, Jews, Irish, Israelis, Texans, Catholics, or Mormons. But I guess those are the proper gay “targets”, it’s okay to put them in little boxes and make sweeping generalizations (which you’ll call truth).
CBRad
@pedro: Just answer the questions. And no one has told me if Shannon ever said ALL black people are homophobic or just “more” (comparatively).
pedro
First of all I’m Catholic, as is my whole family…I have critcized people for over-generalizing all Catholics as bigots…Secondly, the same would go for all other ethnic and religious groups…I believe people should stand on their own merits or faults…Though Europeans who trash Americans are my big petpeeve…They need to get a life! I do agree that Jews unfortunately get the minority treatment sometimes, and anti-semites do come out the woodwork, when ONE Jew makes a mistake…But certainly they do not get it as bad as other minorities of color do. I don’t know much about Mormons but I’m sure that there are some good ones…Texans…Irish…that’s kinda news to me…
pedro
@CBRad: Go look at other posts and see for yourself…Go to the one on Latifah, Shannon’s words speak for themselves…
CBRad
@pedro: Personally, I think you have some nerve criticizing someone like Shannon who went through what she did and survived on her own and has experienced just as much life and varied people as anyone (probably a much greater swathe of African-Americans than us), and think that her views can be dismissed because you know one (probably cool, but moneyed and comfy) AA family.
CBRad
@pedro: You claim to be Catholic yet you’re on a blog that absolutely despises you for it (only French Catholics are acceptible in the gay ghetto, as good as Protestants), with a heavy campaign against the Church…….maybe you’re the self-hating one.
pedro
@shannon: Umm…get a grip, I don’t hate white people, it may be cliche to say, but I have many white friends…We use the term “minority” in the context of U.S. population statistics, where whites are the majority…Ironically my mom is Argentinian, her parents fled Franco’s Spain…that’s a country in Europe in case you are unaware…When she came to the U.S., she went from being white/european to being a member of a minority, because she happens to speak Spanish as her first language….People are very funny!
CBRad
@pedro: She knows where Spain is. She’s quite well-studied in history. She can probably rattle off the countries in Africa, both former and current names.
pedro
@CBRad: Well, I don’t live in the gay ghetto…so who cares.
pedro
@CBRad: Is that the real shannon…Or just some fool looking for attention?
CBRad
@pedro: And the Argentinians I’ve associated with (when they weren’t in Aspen) were THE snobbiest, most class-conscious people I’ve ever met (and racist). And other South Americans, from varied countries, have told me the same. I know that’s not scientific, but can I generalize just a bit and say there might be a tendency toward that in Argentina?
CBRad
@pedro: A different one. A loon. I thought you were responding to “our” Shannon. Forget it.
pedro
@CBRad: The funny thing is Argentina is a majority white country, immigrants from Italy, Spain, Portugual, Germany….But because it’s in South America, many stupid Americans don’t think these people are white…As if their dna and ethnic heritage transmuted while they were crossing the Atlantic or something…As for Argentinians being racist…again with the generalizations…Yes, there are racist Argentinians, but in my experience there, as a half breed, I’ve never experienced any racism personally…Though I think it’s safe to say that Argentinians do consider themselves superior to other South Americans…I wouldn’t say it’s a race thing though…
CBRad
@pedro: I think Argentina is actually THE whitest country, percentage-wise. Anyway, again, if Shannon said ALL black people are homophobic I disagree with her. If she said there’s MORE homophobia in black communities compared to other communities then I agree with that. Just like I know the murder rate is higher in black communities than in others, but that doesn’t mean all black people are murderers. Your knowing an “admirable” family doesn’t negate any of that. But, whether I myself agree or disagree with Shannon is beside the point. She has a right to express her opinion, based on her own conclusions from her own (often harsh) life experiences. And, she can be disagreed with if you want, but I can’t see one single thing she’s ever said to make me see her as “self-hating” because of her race or anything else.
pedro
@CBRad: Well, we have to agree to disagree…chau mi amigo, me voy!
CBRad
@pedro: Okay. Now…stay off this site unless you want to keep supporting ferocious anti-Catholics.
Kev C
Tracy Morgan’s homophobia has hurt the careers of Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Louis CK and other friends. Talk about idiots.
Tackle
@CBRad: I see a pattern with you. @Shannon1981: pops up first on a post, and you follow. Relentlessly defending her.
On the Latifah post, #84, you stated that you DID NOT KNOW HER. If you don’t know her, how would you know that she even went to therapy. That the church threw her into it. And with no family defending her????? How do you know that everything she writes is 100% correct and she acatually experienced these things??? Were you there?
I think you do know @Shannon1984:
I can tell by your writing style, words and the way you are defending her that you are a lesbian woman. She spoke on another blog about a relationship she has been in for eight months. I believe you are this person.
No one who dosen’t know anyone personally will defend someone they way you have been doing on Queerty for @Shannon1981. And remember, you don’t know her. Eye roll……
@Interesting: And @Pedro: She had us there for a minute. But by her constant defense of Shannon1981, something in my gutt told me that something was up here. @Interesting: This will explaine why @CBRad stated something like( I don’t know if he is a racist) on the Lafifah post when you bought up the resendent racist. CBRad could have looked at his writings also. But chose not to.
You guys are wasting your time trying to get through to these two. Two peas in a pod. Cut from the same cloth. Thats’s why it my have felt you were talking to wall.
@CBRad: go ahead. Deny, deny, deny….
Shannon1981
@pedro: When did I say anything about Tracy Morgan’s race? You freaks are obsessed with me. You follow me from post to post attacking. Last I checked, that is stalking. I wasn’t even here; in fact, I JUST got out of work. What the hell is this?
Betcha you won’t breathe a word about my comments on the Pope, Tim Tebow, or anyone else. All of you, who have such an issue with me: LEAVE. ME. ALONE.
Shannon1981
@Tackle: My girlfriend doesn’t post here, you idiot.
Tackle
@Shannon: Sure she dosen’t. And your not a racial bigot towards Blacks. Yeah Right!
Shannon1981
@Tackle: Are you stalking me around the internet? I certainly don’t know who you are, but you sure as fuck know a hell of a lot about me and where I post and what I post, and are interested enough to remember it. You say I need therapy? You’re the one stalking a lesbian you like to throw personal attacks at from site to site. It’s fucking creepy. Stop.
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@Tackle: Uh … could it be that he knows all that because Shannon has said so herself? Read post # 34 in the Queen Latifah thread.
Shannon1981
@Tackle: LMAO. I met my girlfriend on connexion.org 8 months ago. She doesn’t post here,I assure you. Now, will you just leave me alone and stop stalking me around the net?
I don’t give a damn what you think of me, as you are obviously obsessed and a creep.
Shannon1981
@CBRad: Thanks for sticking up for me when I was being attacked when I wasn’t even here. Too bad I have a job and a life and can’t sit on Queerty all day with these people who obsess over words on a computer screen.
Tackle
@ Esculupio: correction. By that post, she would not know all about @Shannon1981. She would ONLY know what @Shannon1981 claims to have gone through.
Lance
@Cinesnatch: What you fail to see here is the time frame of the events – it all exploded and was directly addressed within a day. Ironically enough (as I just found out), his second apology was held at a press conference with GLAAD (only eleven days after his first apology, i.e. before Louis C.K.’s condescension).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG56TKa-fsE
No, Louis C.K. simply does not understand the situation and went as far as to say that Tracy’s comment may actually bring “relief” to some people by implying that there may be a time and place for them. Backlash has led to thousands of public figures to rectify their mistakes, and it has been shown time and time again to be a long-lasting deterrent. Whether it be a racist comment, a plain ignorant comment or a homophobic comment, there is never a need to sit down and have a one-on-one chat with the person in question to give a powerful example, as is evidently displayed in the above video.
Esculapio Mitiríades Torquemada de la Cueva
@Tackle: Well. Yeah. Isn’t that all we can know of people’s life histories on message boards? What they reveal about themselves through their posts?
And FWIW, I seriously doubt CBRad and Shannon know each other. If CBRad is actually a lesbian woman in a relationship with a woman in the South … then he (she?) has created a very elaborate ruse, and developed a very detailed internet persona as a gay man from New York, all for the sake of a very small payoff.
CBRad
@Tackle: Belleview is calling.
CBRad
@Shannon1981: You’re welcome, but it started to cross over into a personal pet peeve of mine. I can’t stand seeing people (anyone) attacked through such faulty logic.
Interesting
by the way, the reason I love quoting Derail For Dummies is that it so accurate predicts the arguments that come again and again by those seeking to deflect. Shannon’s opinion is to be defended and protected while CBRAd gets to call out others as insane if they question her issues with race. The perfect catch 22 in which the issues with race continue because to question them is illogical and insane.
Cinesnatch
@Lance: Sorry, Lance, but I didn’t fail to see the timeline of events and there isn’t anything that suggests I did. I would appreciate you not assuming so. The link you provide is the press conference comprised of statements by Rogers and Morgan. It wasn’t a dialogue. A dialogue would have been a GLAAD or HRC rep sitting down with Morgan, putting him on the spot and asking him where he was coming from. By him publicly exploring his mindset, he perhaps would have understood where he was coming from and how he might change the way he thought, as well as providing the opportunity for others to do the same. The apology was necessary, but it could have been taken forward an additional step. Does saying “I’m sorry” really mean someone has learned from their mistakes?
In the CK clip, CK first examines the nuance of Morgan’s “joke” specifying that Morgan wasn’t saying he would stab his son for being gay, but if he came out to him in a certain way. Now, you may say, “Well, it doesn’t matter.” But, it is an important distinction and it’s not all the same. It doesn’t excuse the severity of the stabbing aspect, but if you’re interested in where Morgan is coming from, it’s highly notable. If you’re not interested in understanding Morgan (and others like him) in hopes of perhaps changing their way of thinking, then it’s a distinction that doesn’t matter. But, simply saying homophobia is wrong without any interest in understanding the homophobe in order to change the way they think is like saying “Jail is enough of a deterrent for kids thinking about getting into gangs and criminal activity.” Is it really? Is jail our only answer? Or is finding out where a kid is coming from in order to address what’s missing to help them on a more constructive path? Sorry if you don’t like my example, but it’s all I can think of.
When you go to a doctor, do you go to see him/her to treat the symptoms or the illness?
Or war. Do you just wage war on a country? Or do you get a lay of the land, find out what drives the enemy and figure out what arsenal is necessary for success? Again, sorry if you don’t like my example.
Homophobia is slowly falling by the wayside as time goes on. That’s great. The younger generations are more open-minded and accepting and help facilitate progress. And there are others, especially of older and more rural demographics, who are never going to change. And then you have people who are homophobes simply because they don’t know any better and haven’t had the right exposure or a limited upbringing.
CK went on about the male role in society and how Morgan understood it to be or where might it come from (or how it was passed on to him by his father and the men his life and culture) and how it ran contrary to what limited understanding he had of effeminate gay men. CK goes on to say how he has had the privilege (which many don’t) of being exposed to gays his entire life, especially currently with gay dads who have children at his child’s school.
What CK was suggesting was something that never would have occurred to Morgan to talk about, because he simply doesn’t have the tools to know how to handle himself. If he did, he would have never had that “joke” in his routine to begin with. You and I, as well as most gays, and plenty of straights, did not find the joke funny. The “relief” you quote is about the people in the audience who found the joke funny (i.e. people who are uncomfortable around effeminate gay men). He wasn’t giving them “a time and a place,” EVER! CK said, and I paraphrase, the “joke” was about a father not knowing what to do with an effeminate gay son, because he has no frame of reference. Morgan went on to “blast through the joke” which “brings everybody a huge relief.”
It’s easy to misinterpret CK’s use of the word “everybody.” As he’s talking, he oscillates between Morgan’s joke and telling jokes in general. At one point he says, because that’s what you do, you blast through a joke. He’s talking about the art of telling a joke, how you fully commit to it and see it to the very end. As a comedian, the expectation and hope is that everyone is laughing and there is a sense of relief. Obviously, there wasn’t a lot of laughter and a sense of relief for many in the audience who heard Morgan’s “Joke.” But, again, he’s talking about the art and process of telling a joke in the general sense. By taking CK’s words literally and ignoring that he’s talking about two different things simultaneously leaves him open for misinterpretation.
He was right. The apologies had a minute effect. Had GLAAD or the HRC took the reigns and turned it into a dialogue in the national spotlight where they sat down with Morgan and discussed with him where he was coming from in order to have a mindset that would think that “joke” was funny, more could have been gotten out of the situation. Other people would have seen themselves in Morgan and question why they think the way they do. Instead, he apologized a couple of times. Great. You can put it all on Morgan and say it was his responsibility, period. Or you could look at the situation and go, okay, here is a guy who is clueless and needs a little help figuring out why he thinks the way he does. He wasn’t going to do it on his own. And GLAAD and HRC had an opportunity to take his hand and show him (and others). They didn’t HAVE to. But, they had an opportunity and they missed it. That’s all CK was saying. And I agree with him and you don’t. Fine, let’s just agree to disagree.
“Backlash has led to thousands of public figures to rectify their mistakes, and it has been shown time and time again to be a long-lasting deterrent. Whether it be a racist comment, a plain ignorant comment or a homophobic comment, there is never a need to sit down and have a one-on-one chat with the person in question to give a powerful example, as is evidently displayed in the above video.” Thousands? Can you give twenty quick examples? All I can think of is Eminem and Michael Richards. And how well did those go?
What CK had to say was thoughtful and intelligent. He’s talking about getting everything out in the open and talking about things, having a dialogue. I don’t find that condescending at all, rather enlightening and I wish more straight (and gay) people thought like him. “Talking is always good.” All we got was, Gays: “Tracy Morgan is evil’; Morgan: I’m sorry.
Mazel!
CBRad
@Interesting: I called him insane because he now thinks Shannon and I are the same person (or, at least, a lesbian pair in cahoots), not because of any of his criticsm of Shannon’s views.
Interesting
@CBRad: He was speculating on the oddness of your defense of her, which is indeed strange if one doesn’t understand what role she serves in conversations here.
When I am faced with really strange behavior, I try to figure out there must be some sane reason for it such as people knowing each other too.
What he did not consider is that she’s a useful fool/idiot for you. “Not all Black people think the way the rest of you ‘militant’ blacks think” being her function. Somehow her damaged analysis of race is supposed to be given the same weight as multiple other people of color who give you a much different perspective.
So, it doesn’t matter that you don’t personally know her in your obsessive defense of her. She’s useful.
I await you calling me insane too for trying to figure out why the strange obessive defense in which you both engage in personal attacks against others and use assertions.
Interesting
Let me repeat: Shannon’s views on race are those of a person who is really screwed up about the subject. So, when everyone just says “its all opinion.” Sure, in the same way that the KKK’s views are just opinion, or any other person who says screwed up things. The question is- is it an assertion that can be FACTUALLY tested. The answer here is yes. Shannon’s statements are factually false. She’s entitled to babble as she wants out of complete ignorant. It is still right, however, to point out that’s exactly what she’s doing.
Interesting
@Cinesnatch: I think the main problem with Morgan is that his entire shtick as a comic is to play the village idiot saying stupid shit. to some people that’s funny, but it tends to land him exactly where he finds himself on the gay rights issue. I followed him a bit after the incident. he says a lot of stupid, offensive things, not just about gays, but other groups too. Its not that offensive things can’t be funny. Its that it reminds me of Def Comedy Jam where the “humor” was saying a bunch of curse words, and we were supposed to laugh, yeah’ funny ha ha ha, he said fuck and shit together.” The problem is that there’s not much thought about the actual humor to me there. Its not the Redd Foxx or Richard Pryor “i thought out these stories that are just messed up” funny or the Borat “these people really do exist funny” It just comes across, whatever his intent, as “tracy’s a village idiot” he plays the same role on 30 Rock, which I also don’t find that funny.
Cinesnatch
@Interesting: Thanks for the response. They don’t make them like they used to (Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, etc.). I’ve never seen Morgan on stage; I can’t imagine I’m missing anything. However, I find 30 Rock brilliant and they make great use out of all of their characters.
Interesting
@Cinesnatch: well, comedy is definitely subjective, so I can’t fault you for having different taste. Many people did find Def Comedy Jam funny. My humor tends toward Borat, the UK version of Shameless, a play like by Joe Orton.
Shannon1981
I still don’t undeerstand the obsession with me when I was clearly not here. I don”t even know what happened. Jesez, give it a rest @Interesting and @Tackle. For real. I don’t agree with you, you don’t agree with me. B ut I assure tou !@Cbrad is NOT my gf. My gf HATES gay b logs. I am beginning to see why..
Cinesnatch
@Interesting: Loved Borat. But, then, again, I loved Bruno. Haven’t seen a Joe Orton play since college. Haven’t seen any version of Shameless. I still watch SNL, even though most of it is crap, but I do think Kristen Wiig is a genius. I liked the first episode of the new AbFab. Love (most of) Modern Family.
Interesting
@Cinesnatch: I only like SNL when they have someone raunchy on, or a political impression that’s dead on, but that’s rare, and I can catch it clips on Youtube. I didn’t see Bruno. Just felt nothing watching the clips. May be I should try it out?
If its SNL, I like this
http://www.popeater.com/2010/05/14/best-SNL-alec-baldwin-sketches-videos/
love double entendres
Abfab- I am afraid to watch. I loved it when it came out before. So I am afraid that something I loved will be lost if I watch it now, and its not as good.
Modern Family has lost some of its luster for me this year. I can’t quite figure out why. I still like it. Just not as much.
Cinesnatch
@Interesting: Alec Baldwin is shrewdly funny. So glad Tina Fey was able to help bring him to national attention again. His SNL hosting this season was decent. The only other episode that was as good as it (perhaps better), was Emma Stone’s second time as host.
I agree with you about Modern Family. It’s been hit/miss this season. I have to say that Phil has been the MVP this season.
I understand your hesitation about AbFab. There are only three new episodes. The first was good, because there had been so much time since the last edition, that they had a lot of new developments in the world to work off of. The second one wasn’t anything special, but Bubble was hilarious (and I don’t normally care for her).
As far as Bruno, most people hated it, even the ones who loved Bruno. It’s definitely sick and twisted and over-the-top. It wasn’t as good as Borat, but it had me laughing. But, I’m one of the few, so take that with a grain of salt.
Interesting
@Cinesnatch: Thanks for the interesting conversation. That’s rare on here. I don’t need to agree with someone, but its nice when I can see where they are coming from. I get what you are saying. I will will not see AbFab based on what you are saying. I may rent Bruno. Worst outcome: I turn it out. It wouldn’t be the first time I have either turned off a DVD or walked out on a movie.
Tackle
@Esculapio: Yes that’s all we can go by for someone we don’t really know is what they post on boards. That’s why I find it odd and foolish for someone who stated that they did not know someone to obsessively and diligently defend an on-line stranger. After all, they would not know this persons inner feelings, emotions and thoughts. And they would not know everything they wrote or blogged about to warrent such disagreements.
Acatually it’s not a very elaborte ruse. It’s very simple. People lie on the internet all the time. As you know about age,height,background etc. On a post with the
titled: Typoid Mary, about the guy deliberately passing on his HIV. A poster used his name,(he said was real) and he claimed to be a Psych doctor. Well another post checked his name, And found that no one in the U.S. had that name (his last) And no with his name attended the school he said he attended.
On-line we are bound to run into unstable people. And some who like to have fun with different personas. @CBRad: stated that she does not like to see people picked on. That’s her “Pet Peeve”. If thats the case, then stick up for others on here who are being picked
on. Why JUST @Shannon1981 ?? (Ironically @Shannon1981 stated on the Latifah post#53, at
the end, “I think I’m kinda “rad”. CBRad… Hummmm
And if @CBRad is using her as a tool and had a racial agenda, she would aline herself with other racist here on Queerty. There is no shortage of them. Why just @Shannon1981 ??
Which brings me to my last point: you mentioned doing this for just a small pay off: Well if it’s someone you know and care about, it wouldn’t be small but big. It would be personal. We want to defend and and protect those we care about. And because this person @CBRad: comes off in a very soft motherly tone in her writings. Very protective. With compassion and sympathy for Shannon1981. I stand by that this is a women and they have a personal connection.
Tackle
@Esculapio: BTW, I love what you wrote on the Latifah post about all of us having blind spots. So true. It’s part of being human and imperfect.
Jess b
Honestly, Tracy said some really awful things. Even so, I still love 30 rock, and I’m going to keep watching it. His bad behavior doesn’t change my opinion about a funny, well written comedy. Furthermore, I truly think that he’s sorry, and hell, I forgive him. That doesn’t mean that what he said was right or okay in the slightest, but rather that I’ve chosen to move on.
Lance
@Cinesnatch: Could you please attempt so summarize your points? Verbose is really unnecessary and concise ideas are always crucial.
What I managed to grab:
“Dialogue would have been a good idea”
I do not contend this, of course not. It may have in fact shown another side or revealed what may have caused Morgan to spew those words. What I am discussing is this other man’s condescension – his willingness to criticize the actions of every gay person when he is as detached from this “community” as he can be. This is not the first or last highly publicized case of a person using hateful words (basically every rapper, Michael Richards, etc…). In the case of Richards, he was actually the one who handled the entire apology process. He saw after people’s reactions that he had done something awful and he needed to show his face and give clear apologies; he had the responsibility. All it took was for him to see that his speech was not accepted.
What this shows is yet again comedians backing each other up. This has been going on for decades and it always has the underlying theme of “it shouldn’t be that offensive” or “you overreacted” or “you should have handled this the way I see it, even though I am not really going to do anything”. You are no one to say how people should react in the face of hate speech, even less so if you are not even part of the targeted group. Even if your comment suddenly gained any validity, why not act? If you can flap your mouth then you can very well pick up a phone and call your contacts.
We are not born with the burden to educate bigotry, I’m afraid to say.