UPDATE (6/10/11): The Human Rights Campaign has refused Tracy Morgan’s apology. Fred Sainz, HRC vice president for communications says, “Tracy Morgan exercised extremely poor judgment and he did the right thing by apologizing. But that’s just not enough. He’s a role model and Morgan now has a responsibility to make amends for his horribly hurtful and dangerous ‘comedy’ routine. He also needs to go further than his apology and correct the record: no one should feel ashamed because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and they should definitely not become a victim of violence. Words have consequences and Morgan should be held to a higher standard. Until he does something meaningful, his brand will remain tarnished.”
—–
Tracy Morgan has just issued an apology for a routine in which he said he would stab his hypothetical gay son if he whined about being bullied among other anti-gay things. Do you accept? Let’s hear him out:
“I want to apologize to my fans and the gay & lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville. I’m not a hateful person and don’t condone any kind of violence against others. While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context.”
His publicist issued an apology to GLAAD after both GLAAD and the HRC issued statements asking the comedian to speak out against his own words:
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.
“Tracy Morgan’s management needs to investigate these allegations and should they prove true, we call on him to remove these violently anti-gay remarks from his show and send a strong message that anti-gay violence is not something to joke about,” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios.
From the HRC:
“Hateful remarks that mock youth suicides and the very real emotional and sometimes physical bullying LGBT kids face on a daily basis have no place in a comedy routine,” said HRC Vice President of Communications, Fred Sainz. “I’m shocked that Tracy Morgan would find humor in so viciously attacking our youth. If these allegations are true, Tracy Morgan must immediately accept responsibility and apologize. His employer, NBC Universal, also must come forward and condemn these atrocious comments.”
It’s telling that Tracy Jordan’s publicist Nicole Chabot originally told queer publications like Unicorn Booty and Instinct, “There is no comment, thank you for your inquiry.” They wouldn’t apologize until GLAAD came after them and the entire internet erupted with the story of his anti-gay rant.
Jeff Evans
ABSOLUTELY NOT !!! HE SHOULD BE FIRED FROM NBC AND 30 ROCK. HE WENT WAY TO FAR. AND HE MEANT ALL HE SAID
K in VA
No. I think he apologized for hurting his career, not for every one of the terribly vile things he said. Given the accounts of all he said, this is a man with deep and sincere homophobic views. I hope Tina Fey keeps that in mind.
valentine ghost
Hmm, no. This isn’t new behavior, and he’s only apologizing because this time more people spoke up against him. Good bye, Mr. Morgan. Enjoy your time in Don’t-Give-A-Fuckistan with Sarah Palin and Ted Nugent.
SteveC
He meant every word.
Apology NOT accepted.
He needs to be fired from 30 Rock and NBC.
spider_orchid
Nope. Dead to me. DEAD.
JordanMeehan
Absolutely not. You don’t just spew out hate speech against the LGBT community and think a half-baked, meaningless apology will make things better. We’re not a community that will be kicked around.
Meowzer
He apologized only because he was called out about it, not because he thought it was wrong. He’s had homophobic tendencies for a while now.
Kiss your career goodbye. Tracy Morgan (isn’t that a queer name to give your son) and 30 Rock can suck my c**k!
Sam
Just another dumb ass person getting to much money for being a non talent jerk off he can take his apology and sit on it.
NYCNYC
He’s not sorry, he’s sorry he was called out. Violence against anybody, regardless of sexual orientation has no place even in comedy. I WAS a fan. He’s dead to me.
Abel
How would he feel if he were subjected to a bunch of old-fashioned racist slurs and KKK jokes from a white comedian? I hope his career is adversely affected – it will serve him right if it is.
dancobbbb
Consider the Source! And consider his audience. Low-lifes, primitives and generally people with very low IQ value. I’ve surfed Comedy Central and seen him a couple of times.
I have yet to hear the first funny thing come out of his mouth. For some people a
slew of cuss words is just hilarious. I guess there’s a performer marketed for every demographic along the IQ scale. This guy is clearly the hot performer for extreme simpletons and neandrathals.
Pete n SFO
I hadn’t realized the event was in Tenn. Somehow that makes it even worse b/c he likely thought he was in ‘safe’ territory.
He’s independent from NBC, but they had to have known they were providing cover for his idiocy.
I’ll be skipping, 30 Rock.
ChrisC
No. He’s a homophobic piece of shit. He meant everything that he said as the person who first reported the story on their Facebook said that he wasn’t saying it in a comedic context. I only hope that 30 Rock fires him.
Adam
Not accepted. Although I admit if a publication called “Unicorn Booty” had asked me any question whatsoever, I might be tempted to say “No comment” out of sheer ignorance… 😉
robert in NYC
These bigots only apologize when the heat is on them and it’s not as if he voluntarily issued an apology out of the goodness of his heart without being prompted, probably by his agent after GLAAD lit a fire under her. I’m not convinced of his apology, too convenient in this context, not genuine.
Camys
I don´t take apologies from him or any other public figure that spews out homophobic slurs. If you said it, it´s because you feel it. If people do humor with something, it´s because they believe it´s humorous, so Tracy Morgan honestly considers bullying and hate speech to be funny matters.
How does it feel to stab your career to death, Mr. Morgan?
Kirk212
He needs to be fired immediately! Just substitute gay with black and that would not be acceptable to a network. This is not acceptable and a simple apology will not due. Pretty ironic comments coming from a man with a girl’s name and likely on the DL!
IAbuseGays
If he were a 25 year old good looking white dude, half these posts would be defending and or trying to explain away his actions.
I am not defending this dude. I am questioning whether many of the gay blogs even realize the double standards.
Chuck
This is very similar to Dr. Laura and Imus controversies, except what Morgan said was WORSE. If he is not fired, then there is a clear double standard against the LGBT community when it comes to this kind of hate speech. The fact that several posters have noted that his audience is lowbrow makes it worse because he is engendering a very specific mindset to a group of people most susceptible to these kinds of ideas which are always the seed to future violence and anti-gay laws.
asa1973
Not accepted. Please. Even the most dry-humored among us recognize that what he said was devoid of humor. Fire him 30 Rock. Please!!! I don’t want to have to boycott you, Tina Fey. Plus…there are just way too many black comedians who are actually FUNNY and who are friends of or part of the GLBT community. Hint: Wanda Sykes…
frankj
This was not a comedy routine it was hate speech pure and simple
there is not one damn thing funny about it. Mr. Morgan needs to
find out whats really bothering him and address that issue
leave the homphobia backstage.
atchm005
@IAbuseGays: I disagree with you, Daniel Tosh, for example, makes fun of gays all the time (and many people assume he’s gay anyway) but he doesn’t go from something in jest to something hateful. I’m sure if anybody would make a lynching joke, there would be even more backlash even though that doesn’t really happen anymore.
timncguy
Several years ago Michael Richards, of Seinfeld fame, apologized for his racially bigoted stand-up routine rant. He issued his apology in person and not as a feeble statement through a publicist. His career still went in the toilet and that is where Morgan’s career should go now too.
What did he actually apologize for here? Just the violence? What about all the statements he has made through the years that being gay is a choice? Did he apologize for that?
Big FAIL with this statement through a publicist.
Scott Rose
[email protected] To NBC Corporate Headquarters:
Please know that “comedian” Tracy Morgan’s two-line non-apology for a malicious anti-gay tirade he unleashed during a show in Tennessee has only served further to alarm the LGBT community nationwide of the danger that Tracy Morgan presents to LGBTers’ psychological and physical well-being nationwide.
“I was only joking” is one of the anti-gay bully’s oldest and lamest tricks. We do not accept having Tracy Morgan deploy that lame trick on us.
For reference, below you will find an e-mail thread including Nicole Chabot’s e-mail containing Tracy Morgan’s fraudulent “apology.”
This was far from being the first time that Tracy Morgan has communicated with malice aforethought towards the LGBT community.
The attitudes he has been for years conveying are manifested in such acts of brutality as the savage beating of the transgender Chrissy Lee Polis in a Maryland McDonald’s, caught on video and still widely available on the internet.
In his fake and unacceptable non-apology, Tracy Morgan said that he is an “equal opportunity jokester.” That is a fraudulent statement. In his recent act in Tennessee, he said that if his son were conspicuously gay, he would take out a knife and stab him until he was dead. Morgan is not about to say that if his son were conspicuously black, he would take out a knife and stab him until he was dead. The “equal opportunity jokester” claim that Morgan makes is not acceptable.
There are many things that Morgan could at this time be doing to make amends for his lengthy history of gay bashing. For example, he could be fronting the seed money and undertaking a fund-raising campaign for an NYC safe home for homeless LGBT youth. About half of all homeless youth in NYC are gay. Most often, they get thrown out of their homes with nothing to eat and no health care, because their parents are vicious anti-gay bigots.
Morgan also could be campaigning relentlessly over the next few days for New York State Senate passage of the marriage equality bill. The State Senate session end on June 20.
Morgan could also record a video, apologizing for all of his past anti-gay bigotry and urging people consistently to treat LGBTers with respect.
He is doing none of these things, we have duly noted. His fake non-apology is as though he had sneezed and believed he only needed to tell himself Gesundheit to make the problem go away for him and for NBC.
The problem is not going to “just go away.” NBC will be held accountable for promoting a gay-bashing ignoramus who encourages psychological and physical violence against the LGBT community nationwide.
Scott Rose
Martha
I like Tracy Morgan. This is somethin I would expect him to say. He’s raunchy. Thats his shtick. And I LOVE 30 rock. Even though I dont support what he said, im still watching 30 Rock.
christopher di spirito
I cruised YouTube for an actual clip of the rant and YouTube is wiped clean.
Apparently, Tracy Morgan is being protected. Why? Because he’s black? A comic? On 30 Rock?
I think the coverup is as intriguing as the rant itself.
Scott Rose
@IAbuseGays: I think you should go back and look at the history of Eminem’s gay bashing and the LGBT media’s reaction to it.
IAbuseGays
@atchm005: My comment is less about what is being said, but the reaction of the gay white community to race and class of those who is saying it even as they pretend its about the homophobia. Its like the dude who as a response to the perception that blacks led to passage of Prop 8 responded by calling blacks niggers. I am sure some part of this is about what this actor said. But, I have seen too many instances here and on other gay white sites where there is a quickness to forgive gay whites who are passing anti-gay policies or to gloss ovr the comments of gay white bigots such as the football player from I believe USC. I remember several comments about “how good looking he is. Etc. I have no problem denounce bigotry. But one of my rules these days is to start calling out the double standards and pointing them out where i see them arising. I want to see this same level of vitrol to others. If not, then I am going to question why that is the case and keep bringing it up as a problem.
IAbuseGays
@timncguy: If it had happened when he was on Seinfeld, you might actually have a point. Since it happened when his career was already in decline, one has to wonder how the analogy works.
timncguy
@christopher di spirito: I don’t think anyone has said that there ever was a video of the performance.
IAbuseGays
@Scott Rose: (a) That’s why I say race and/or class. That was an example of poor white trash rather than middle class or powerful and white. The fact he was also a rapper certainly did not hurt in terms of being against him. (b) The reaction was somewhat mixed even for him. With some quarters describing him as an artist. Despite what people here think there are examples of racial elements to comic performances that never the less does not end in firing the creative talent. Ted Danson doing the black face comes to mind.
Also take note of how much people claim to know bout this person. Not just that this incident happened, but what he secretly feels and its well known etc. Its a bit much.
timncguy
@IAbuseGays: go look at all the mainstream attention Michael Richards incident got at the time. Let’s just see if this incident with Morgan gets ANY mainstream attention at all. Michael Richards went on one of the late night talk shows to personally apologize for his tirade. He didn’t issue some statement through a publicist. But, if you don’t like the analogy to Michael Richards, how about we compare it to Mel Gibson’s tirade and his career path into the toilet that followed.
Jackson
So there is no question on CA Prop 8. It passed due to the unusually large Hispanic and African American voter turnout and exit polling and post election polling supprts this. That is a fact that cannot be disputed.
Jeffree
Bye-bye, Loser: Tracy Morgan’s standup comedy career was stalling out UNTIL he got onto 30 Rock. He was coasting from his SNL days long ago, and until Tina Fey tapped him for the show, he wasn’t on the comedy radar.
I hope Fey & the producers of the show show him the door SOON. He needs to be held accountable for his actions. 30Rock won’t suffer without him.
Advocating violence to LBGT people isn’t funny. Saying you’d take a knife to your own offspring for being gay is funny in NO context. That’s not comedy, it’s incitement to violence.
And his publicist, Nicole Chabrol, should start learning a new trade too.
iDavid
That was not an apology. That was a sales appeal to buy tickets to his next dreary stand up. I don’t even know this guy, now that I do Im tossing him to the lions.
IAbuseGays
@timncguy: And Mel Gibson who had multiple tirades? How do you explain away him? The problem here again with your analogy by the way is that you claimed that Richards career went into decline. Now, you are changing that argument to debate how Richards apologized. I am not sure how that is relevant to your first claim. Nor do I think you can explain why someone like Mel Gibson can say shit repeatedly if your argument about career is true. Hollywood is an industry that accepts child rapists (forgetting the directors name who fled the country) so long as they are popular. My point here being your vision of reality about hollywood favors something that does not exist.
IAbuseGays
@Jackson: Thanks for illustrating my point. There is a vast amount of analysis of the stats regarding prop 8, and yet, you persist in making this about blacks and latinos. I could not do anymore by myself to prove how many of you paint everything, even when given data to refute your position, through the lens of race. You use homophobia, or claims of concern over, as an excuse to cover up that issue. As I said, if there were not all these continuing glaring double standards, that would be one thing. But again and again in different situations that comes up, when someone looks at the reactions in comparison to each other- the racial element is clearly there. I am not going to rehash prop8. Nate Silver and others have already done so. yet you persist in believing what you want to believe, and then in other cases, when the racial outcomes, such as DC are the opposite, you persist in claiming that your one size fit all view of race is still true. That all blacks hate gays. Thus, you search for ways to prove it. Some blacks do hate gays. So do some whites. Yet you don’t look at the whites in the same way. You never will.
Vinci S.
towleroad deleted anything resembling dissent on its Tracey Morgan thread. Strange. I never thought that it would employ censorship. But, I guess if you’re not a sheep following the heard bleeting the same sounds, your voice is worthless. Never had that experience there before. Anyone else?
Caliban
@timncguy: Yes, OF COURSE! The ONLY reason “white gay people” are upset (as if only white gays are upset) by Tracy Morgan saying that being gay is a choice and that we’re “mistakes” god wouldn’t make (both claims we fight daily from WHITE evangelical Christians and Republicans), that being gay is something the media causes, that bullied gay youth are “whiners,” and if that he had a sissy gay son he’d stab him, the ONLY reason we’re upset is because he’s BLACK!
How VERY effing convenient! Heaven forbid he actually take responsibility for what comes out of his mouth or be held accountable for it! Poor innocent little Tracy Morgan is blameless in all this, obviously. No matter what Tracy Morgan or any other black person says or does, any complaint about it is just yet another example of the WHITE MAN holding black people down! I mean that IS what you’re saying, right? No responsibility, no consequences, no shame, no guilt. Now who’s being a whiner?
IAbuseGays
Follow up point: My comments above are not a defense of Morgan’s comments. I would just like a little more frankness about why so much animousity is being thrown in his direction versus say the split voiced one can find with say a Ken Mehlman or the USC football player or who the gay main stream finds appealing in some way. By the same token, when say a black rapper comes out in suppor tof gay rights he or she is also attacked.
Camys
@IAbuseGays: First and foremost, by looking at your username I can see you´re a troll.
Secondly, if you think no white person ever gets bashed for being homophobic, you´ve never read Queerty, you´ve never seen Glaad posts, man, you´ve never lived in this planet.
Racism exists among gay people? Yes, it does, unfortunately. But to say that everytime gays call out on black people for homophobia they´re secretly showing off their racism is absurd and idiotic. If Tracy Morgan was white and being racist the backlash would be hundred times bigger.
Besides, in my honest and individual opinion, being a mixed race lesbian girl, seeing a black man spewing hate speech is actually worse than seeing a white man being homophobic, ´cause a black man knows first-hand how prejudice hurts.
Caliban
Oops. That was not directed at timncguy, but IAbuseGays. You’re absolutely correct. You do abuse us by expecting us to accept that moronic accusation for our upset at Tracy Morgan’s offensive words in his “comedy routine.”
alan brickman
Since when did HRC suddenly become relevant?? Tracy Morgan is an assclown…just accept it and move on….
IAbuseGays
@Caliban: Except the proper comparison, which you ignore, is how often does a white celebrity say something like the USC football player who you find attractive (collective you, not you personally) only to have a split in comments? How often is a black celebrity who supports gay rights such as Monique featurd? why are some worried about how Charles barkley talks when it comes to his stauch support of gay rights? Do you separate out white evangelicals as “WHITE” evangelicals? Why is it thatyou focus on race when you find out black Christians (who are evangelicals too) also act the same way as white ones do? Those are the relevant questions that you will never answer.
I agree Morgan should be responsible for his words, actions and thoughts. So should you.
IAbuseGays
@Camys: While I am at discussing coverage, why would people attack a black rapper who wants to say something positive about gay rights by questioning his motives as recently happened? and on and on and on. I am using this moment to illustrate a point. When I see a white one as a counter part of the doubles tanard, I will mention it there too.
Nat
@Vinci S.:
What are you talking about? Aloo’s ridiculous – and patently offensive – apologetic is still there, as is Mumford’s and the scant few others who were defending this vile homophobia. I’m not saying Andy’s never deleted comments people have made, but implying that he is silencing apologetics is incorrect.
timncguy
@IAbuseGays: I’m not sure you understand what I’m saying at all. I’m saying I want Tracy Morgan held to the same standard as Mel Gibson and Michael Richards were. I’m not changing my argument about Richards. His career was ENDED due to this incident. No, you’re right, he wasn’t still on top. But, he was still performing stand-up routines at the time. And, the reaction to his tirade forced him to retire from stand-up. Google it. It’s right there. The reason I ADDED to the discussion about how Richards apologized was to compare it to the way Morgan has apologized. Richards put much more effort into his apology and it still didn’t earn him any acceptance.
Morgan’s tirade also compares to Mel Gibson. Yes, Gibson had multiple tirades. So has Tracy Morgan. There were complaints about a performance of his at Carnegie Hall a couple of years ago. Again, google it. It’s right there.
If Morgan gets out of this with his career in tact, the only difference will be because his target was gay, while the targets of Richards and Gibson were blacks and Jews. Pay close attention here I’m not talking about the race or orientation of the perpetrator, I’m talking about the race and/or orientation of the targets of the abuse. It seems when the group attacked is black or Jewish, the consequences are more severe than for those who attack gays.
Finally, please don’t lump me in with others you are ranting against. I have not forgiven Ken Mehlman or the football player. I don’t give guys a pass if they are “cute”. I ranted against Michael Richards and Mel Gibson as much as I am ranting against Tracy Morgan.
Camys
@IAbuseGays: I´m not sure who you´re talking about (haven´t seen the news), but I´d take with a grain of salt any (allegedly) straight person that throws out words of support for LGBT people without actually doing something to support them, like charity work and all. Nowadays it´s become “fashionable” and “marketing positive” to be for LGBT people, so I think LGBT people SHOULD be careful to accept the support of people who may or may not really like you, and may or may not just be cashing in on the campaign.
I do understand the critic on double standards, ´cause it should be fought, but you seem to be making an effort to defend Tracy Morgan, for someone who´s supposedly not defending Tracy Morgan. What he said is hugely offensive, a real assholish move. It´s bad enough when people say we shouldn´t get married or that we choose to be gay, but he, unmistakenly, defended violence against gay people. This is not about race. It´s about a man saying gay people should be stabbed to death. The message is astoundingly horrible. I wouldn´t care if he was Na´vi, for crying out loud.
Camys
@timncguy: Also, complementing what you said, I find it a very homophobic statement to say gay guys will allow a man to say anything ´cause he´s “cute”. Probably because IAbuseGays think gay men only think about sex.
Or maybe IAbuseGays have double standards when it comes to ugly and good looking people. =P
Vinci S.
@ Nat
There are several that are missing from the thread … aloo’s, Eddie Mumford’s two comments, two other posts left by gay black men and the comment I’d rather not see about ‘what every came from Africa?’ If you can see all of those, then, I either need to get my eyes checked or my computer is f*cking with me.
no thanks
Iabusegays:
So your whole argument is based on racism within the gay community? Here, let me help you:
1. Yes, mainstream gay media is racist and white men are most important to them.
2. African American culture is institutionally homophobic to a fault.
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
But right now, we’re just talking about what this particular African American comic said onstage, which was completely directive, purposeful, and fully meant in the moment when he said it.
So, feel free to throw around all the stats and examples you want about white male supremacy in gay media; it still does nothing to defend Tracy Morgan’s actions.
Vinci S.
@ Oh, and the comment I originally left that I had to repost.
Caliban
@IAbuseGays: Don’t tell me what I will and won’t answer. Do I NOTICE when the evangelical saying something is black or white? As I am not blind, of course I notice. Is it somehow worse or better according to their color? No. Am I sometimes MORE disappointed when a black person says hateful things because I feel that with a history of prejudice and oppression such as they have faced they should know better? Sometimes. Do I get tired of hearing accusations about white gay male racism? You bet your ass I do! It’s somehow white gay people’s fault that the black church and the music and entertainment industries are so damn homophobic? Nobody but the black community can do anything to change that. God knows if anyone BUT the black community dares to say a WORD against a black person’s homophobic, in this case Tracy Morgan, then the cries of “RACIST!” start flying fast and furious. And I’m sick of it. Own your shit, and that includes Tracy Morgan AND you.
You know who I really HATE in the world? Crazy cracker-ass homophobes of ANY color who use an ancient “holy” book to defend their BS and attempt to impose it on civil law. That includes Herman Cain or Michelle Bachmann, or any other politician, entertainer, or man on the street who opens their mouth and says “Well the BIBLE says…” F#@k them, one and all. They are ALL hypocrites and I don’t give a damn what color their skin is. Nobody’s skin color is an excuse for hate, incoming OR outgoing.
TheRealAdam
@Camys: @Caliban: IAbuseGays is a clown. Just ignore it. It turns everything into a race issue because it has a race complex and hates white gays. It cannot be reasoned with.
christopher di spirito
TMZ has the transcript. It goes like this.
The genius Tracy Morgan on why people are gay: “Gay is something that kids learn from the media and programming.”
It gets better.
Tracy Morgan on the possibility of having a gay son: “He better talk to me like a man and not in a gay voice or I’ll pull out a knife and stab that little nigger to death.”
And there’s this.
“I don’t fucking care if I piss off some gays, because if they can take a fucking dick up their ass — they can take a fucking joke.”
SOURCE: http://www.tmz.com/2011/06/10/tracy-morgan-homophobic-act-rant-comedy-gay-threats-kill-son-30-rock/
NBC had better fire his stupid ass or prepare for a boycott.
Scott Rose
@IAbuseGays: You have now made serial off-topic comments that have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Your allegation that Morgan is being critized more heavily than would be a white person who made the same gay-bashing remarks is utter bullshit.
christopher di spirito
@timncguy: They don’t need to “say” it. The YouTube video files of the performance were posted and then removed for “Copyright Infringement.”
Bobby Christina Crawford
Fuck him and anyone that employees this shitwad including Tina Fey who was just awarded a GLAAD award NOT for any fucking work for the gay community but for making herself available to accept the award so they could have her at the freaking ceremony.
GLAAD-The Ultimate Star Fucker.
TheRealAdam
@christopher di spirito: Thanks, Chris. Here is a link to a CNN report with more quotes and an interview from a witness:
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2011/06/10/exp.nr.tracy.morgan.remarks.cnn.html
ZT
Vinci : Towleroad is run by that dishonest rat Andrew Towle. It’s just his personal blog. That’s why. Even better was when they just made up a story that Michael Phelps had run over somebody.
Tony
I want to see how NBC reacts. I suspect they’ll try and wait it out see if it blows over. We need to let NBC know we won’t be forgetting this. NBC is in a very poor ratings position. They can’t afford to lose viewers from 30 Rock. Hold NBC’s feet to the fire.
Benjamin Phillips
As far as the wider media is concerned, I’d be very surprised if this controversy lasts longer than the weekend. They will spend the next 48 hours reading all of Sarah Palin’s emails.
Vinci S.
@ZT. I realized after I placed my final post on towleroad that, yes, it is his personal blog and he has a right to post whatever he wants and edit it accordingly. He has an agenda he wants to pursue, apparently, at all costs. He also doesn’t have an official policy on commenting, so it’s not like he is in violation of any guidelines he’s promised. I was just shocked, that’s all. I was so used to visitng and posting on that site, as it was my “go to” site for relevant gay news, that I lost site of the fact that even legitimate comments were subject to his discretion. I felt what I had to say was thoughtful and true as well as some of the other posts that were deleted. It was a very sobering experience … being marginalized by one of your own. I find it representative of a troubling aspect in the greater gay community: You must tow the line or be left behind.
I still believe his site is an invaluable tool; I will just not be visiting it anymore. I don’t about him being a “dishonest rat.” That seems like a rather harsh term and I can’t find any towleroad articles on Michael Phelps hitting anyone. Can you provide a link?
ZT
Vinci : Okay, man. You don’t have to agree with me about towle but I’ve known about him for a long time and he falls into the “rat” category for me. I don’t have a link to the article about Phelps. Maybe he eventually deleted it to avoid a lawsuit. Yet he’ll leave up posts where posters are calling for death and mutilation of of those accused of hate crimes (even when the individuals are later cleared). And, yes, he has all his personal agendas against people he just personally doesn’t like and is jealous of. Typical Manhattan gay-ghetto mentality. But, most important of all, like you say, he’s just one person with one blog (it’s not the site of some greater gay entity). People have to realize that. He has a right to do with it as he wants.
Vinci S.
ZT >> “calling for death … ” That is what I come to expect from a blog like Joe. My. God. I gave Towleroad way too much credit, thinking it wasn’t anywhere near that level. I was wrong. “Typical Manhattan gay-ghetoo mentality”: I’ve always heard about it, never had my own experience with it (as small as it was) until now. Unfortunately, I have to add it to a long list of gay-focused blogs which have an “*” besides its “tolerance.” Funny that there are only a few letters separating “towleroad” and “tolerance,” yet they are nowhere near being alike.
jason
Tracy Morgan’s attitude to gays is quite common within black culture. Black culture is an exceedingly homophobic culture in which male homosexuality in particular is despised. Keep in mind that blacks are just as capable of prejudice as anybody else. From the viewpoint of social evolution, they haven’t really learnt from their own struggles for civil rights in the face of prejudice.
You only have to look at how black music is marketed to the masses. The black men all sing about picking up chicks and screwing them, the black women all sing about “my man” and pleasing him. It’s an exceptionally stereotypical, heteronormative and patriarchal culture in which anything that strays from the norm is not welcome.
It makes you wonder as to whether we should have marched alongside them in the 1960’s.
ZT
Vinci : Re. the blogs : There I have to disagree. I don’t agree with everything that Joe Jervis writes, nor his attitudes about things, but he accurately reports. I still find him a basically honest person and his posters not as vicious-minded. From the times I’ve visited there anyway. Believe me, though, the gay-ghetto mentality runs strong in NYC (where I live) and San Francisco and West Hollywood. Maybe a few other places. In reality, throughout history, those who preferred their own sex have ranged from Allen Ginsberg to Ernst Roehm, and from Hans Christian Anderson to Leopold and Loeb. The gay ghetto Towles allow no room for the variations that make us human. You have to be one type, and follow the rules : hate Republicans, hate Catholics, hate Christianity, hate Texas, hate the South, hate Irish-Americans (to be a classy anglophile), hate New Jersey, love Lady Gaga, Glee, and Baby Jane, hate Israel, love the Palestinians, hate white straight athletes, etc. Do not veer from any of that….or else (you don’t get invited to gay-gay parties!!) Not to criticize those who might agree with any of those viewpoints, but they insist you must do so automatically. That is what the towle is. And who the f–k is he? He was a stupid visiting bartender til he started a blog. My overall point and advice to you: don’t let anybdy try to force you into a box. You seem cool, so come to your own conclusions about life as a proud man who just happens to prefer other men.
Erk
He should be fired… In the years that he is unemployed, he can try to repair his life.
Roman
I’m sick of this hostility and hatred killing our GLBT youth – he should be fired at the very least from 30 Rock.
IAbuseGays
@timncguy: Accept people don’t hold blacks to Mel Gibson’s standard. If they did, Mel Gibson would have been in trouble after the first comment like Morgan now is. Your saying you want the same standard and using inapplicable examples like Richards who didn’t have a career before the incident does not convince me that you mean what you say.
IAbuseGays
@Caliban: I can’t respond to irrational people. My comments are about the general trends that one sees in this situation and you respond by personalizing it to you. I stopped reading after the first statement. You may have went ont to say something more but as it is you don’t really seem to care that this all fits a bigger pattern. Black guy does something wrong- its the worst ever. He needs to be fired. Mel Gibson does it repeatedly he still is being courted for projects. White evangelicals do something. You (the plural you) never referene race. Black evangelcials do something. All blacks believe it. You can pretend , the singular you, that this is not the norm, but the next time I see you in a space like this on queerty chiming in over something about black churches and all blacks or evangelicals etc. I will call you on it.
IAbuseGays
@Scott Rose: I have made a series of comments about how this fits a pattern. Of course, if you don’t want to admit to your issues in this regard, I can see why you think this is unrelated to that pattern. My allegation is that when ever a black person does something wrong it is the worst thing ever. This is shown repeatedly at white sites such as this one. Whenever a white person does something wrong, we get a balance of comments, some claiming we should understand them, some now. And certainly not we do not see comments slip out about Prop 8 in California as one of the people along the thread has already done. BUt hey, do I expect you to admit any of this? No. ITs to be expected.
IAbuseGays
@Scott Rose: Exhibit A: Jason’s comment about “black culture.” But hey, this is just me being off topic rather than digging into why the outrage is so much higher for when a black person says something offensive rather than a white one.
IAbuseGays
@Caliban: And you definitely should take your advice from Adam Real who basically along with Jason is one of the racists who post at this blog under multiple screen names.
Robbie K
Tracy who?
TheRealAdam
@jason: “It makes you wonder as to whether we should have marched alongside them in the 1960?s.”
For black gays, I doubt it was a difficult choice for them to make to align themselves with other blacks and march with black people. Especially since today, they pretty much still do the same thing.
jason
Color is irrelevant to the issue of homophobia. The only reason I used the word “black” is because Tracy Morgan himself uses his color to market himself.
IAbuseGays
@jason: Well at least you aren’t a complete idiot. You read enough of the comments to realize how to reshape your comment to make it seem like you aren’t a bigot. THe problem is your first comment pretty much sums up who you are. I prefer that comment because unlike the other players of double standards, yours was at least honest for where it was coming from. Now, you are just b.s.ing.
Kev C
I’ll accept his apology after he films himself recieving anal sex from a man. And post it on the web because Lol. Comedy should be funny and make people laugh.
iDavid
@IAbuseGays
I don’t agree we pick and choose who we censure based on race and class. Ted Haggart, Mr Toilet tapper President Obama even. Tracy Morgan just happened to make several statements over several hours together. Any white guy comic ie jerry seinfeld, would be burned at the stake like anyone else. Tracy morgan took it to the extreme, and yeah he will be extremely punished, as anyone should be. I never saw eddie long get roasted any more than ted haggard. In fact eddie long got much less air time. And eddie long’s crime is 10x worse. I think the playing field is pretty level Regarding class and race When it comes to bigotry.
IAbuseGays
@iDavid: I have given examples of how collective you do in fact pick and choose. A rebuttal is not to make up a scenario, claim it would not happen in that scenario, and to think you have done something more than make an assertion. An argument is where you back up your claims. It is also not convincing to rebutt by changing the subject to Eddie Long- what has that got to do with the issue that I am raising.
I have no problem saying that Morgan was over the top and likely (only because he’s a comic and I don’t know if this was intended as a bit since his shtick is to play the idiot) a homophobic one. The reason why the idiot playing part is important is the same way its important when watching Sascha Cohen play borat or if you prefer Bruno. However even if he was tryin gto be funny- he wasn’t and what he was saying was bigoted. Then again no one is talking of ending Bill Maher’s career for some of the over the top shit things he’s said.
Nor does it explain the attempts by a sizeable number to understand Melhman one of the arhitects of legislation against gays. Nor does it explain equating of the fact that blacks are evangelicals with their being black while the fact whites are evangelicals with their being evangelcials. Nor does it explain that despite polling expert analysis people still randomly mention Prop 8 as proof. When given counter examples like DC they say proves nothing.
When a black comic says something about race being less of an issue than being gay they seize on that despite contra evidence despite readily available evidence on racism in the US?
What I just did there was provide multiple examples to illustrate my point rather than simply assert a conclusion without backing it up. I would like to see the same from you
GetOverIt
The response here just highlights a growing problem here in the U.S. Namely, if you go through life looking for things that offend you, you will find plenty that will. You folks need to take a pill. If I was him I wouldn’t apologize at all. Why should he, he’s a comedian..so it’s OK for gays to make fun of religion but gays themselves are untouchable..give me a break. It’s stuff like this that makes people not want to support you.
Mk_Ultra_Again
@GetOverIt:
No. That wasn’t a joke. It was a rant. A very hateful rant. We don’t want your support if it comes with strings attached, like taking “Your lives are illegitimate, your spreading gay propaganda through media, it needs to be stopped, I would stab my gay kid” as a joke. Are you kidding my with this shit? This is the exact reason we make fun of religion. People like you. You know, religious people are morons. They should be demonized but only after public humiliation. They really are underdeveloped and unworthy humans. Ohh, did I offend you? It was a joke. Can’t you take a joke? How do you expect people to support religion if you can’t even take a joke?
Gia
BOYCOTT TRACY MORGAN, NBC, 30 ROCK AND ALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT EMPLOY HOMOPHOBIC HATE SPEWING AND IGNORANT PEOPLE.
People! This is in no way acceptable. Anyone who continues to support Tracy Morgan will offend me as they are siding with hate and horrible crimes against gay people.
Let’s see what Tina Fey and NBC and Oprah and all of the Tracy Morgan supporters do now. What will matter more… money in their pockets or speaking out for gay people (especially the children) everywhere. And shame on all those people in that theater who laughed and applauded and stayed in the theater. I’m proud to be a Canadian. We support all people and it’s not just talk. DON’T LET THE BUGGERS GET YOU DOWN. Happy Pride Everyone.
AcutepBos
So… Coulter *doesn’t* say she’ll say what we all thought we would when asked what she’d do faced with a gay child. Morgan *does*… and both lose, UNDERSTANDABLY! (Though wouldn’t it be a more interesting proposition if Morgan received a donated kidney from an LGBT member?)
Y’all are arguing about Morgan’s apology being enough, or on the confusingly, over the hatefulness of the comments in general. I didn’t read anyone commenting on the two-faced response of the HRC, and isn’t *THAT* what Queerty’s all about?!?
Tracy “did the right thing by apologizing but that’s not enough”??? Why aren’t they using that same logic chain towards Target or Best Buy? These are actual organizations donating actual money to interests in direct opposition to the freedoms we seek!
And in case anyone doubts my resolve, I’ve managed over a year now without cheap household goods, tech goods, greeting cards and general crap at good prices… I can last next year without 30 Rock and Tracy Morgan. My DVR is already re-programmed.
Vinci S.
ZT >> Sorry for the confusion, ZT, but I wasn’t speaking of Joe Jervis so much as I was his commenters. We may have had different experiences with his site, you and I. I went on his site periodically for a few weeks back in April or so, and, I’m sorry, there were a multitude of comments that disgusted me. It saddened me and I never want to go back to that site.
I am mainly disappointed in myself that I didn’t see everything you pointed out in your last post (all the rules you have to follow on Towleroad) all along. That it took being censored to wake up and see things for what they are. Thanks for the background on him; it helps me understand all this even more.
GetOverIt >> Thank you for the wise words. They were refreshing to see in this sea of vitriol. It makes me embarrassed for the gay community. Yes, no wonder Pro 8 eeked by. True victories are won by capturing the hearts and minds. But that lesson ain’t going to be learned anytime soon by the majority of marriage equality crusaders.
Vinci S.
MK Ultra >> “religious people are morons. They should be demonized but only after public humiliation.”
I’m an atheistic and that is the most blanket and ridiculous generalization I’ve heard today.
ewe
Fuck Tracy Morgan. He is a homophobic bigot and apologized ONLY because he got caught and it is not being swept under the carpet.
Zeus
He’s just angry because his stomach looks like he swallowed a few boulders!
think
Do you think Tracy Morgan is a Democratic or Republican voter?
IAbuseGays
@GetOverIt: I think what he said was offensive. I don’t know if he intended as such, but it was. And as for the problem of the US- if you think the biggest problem this country is facing right now is being PC- that’s a level of unreality that I can’t speak to. We are in the middle of a severe economic crisis, and this is the biggest issue for you? That we are too PC?
IAbuseGays
@AcutepBos: cool post.
Anonymous
I find this very depressing, because we are evolving into a society where everyone has to walk on eggshells..I think back to the old Married with Children episodes and they had a lot of gay jokes and parodies(Best episode was when Al Bundy and his friends got fancy hair styles and they were becoming effeminate..) I don’t reacll any outrage then, it was just funny. They made fun of minorities also….Obama and Congress might as well form a state censorship board…hello 1984..your 27 years late but better late than never….
Anonymous
@IAbuseGays:
That goes both ways if being too PC is not a big issue, then why is this Tracy Morgan story even a topic? Why is it on CNN right now if it’s not important?
If the economy is important than why was DADT pushed so much? That didn’t solve any economic problems. In fact it may have made it worst, the way I see it if gays couldn’t serve and the military was having a hard time recruiting and retaining people maybe they would have had to pull of of those pointless and illegal wars and stop throwing money in a blackhole.
Back to your point it does annoy me because I don’t believe in censorship, no one should have to walk on eggshells worrying about if they say the wrong pronoun,title,word etc and then have a anti-defamation organization going after their livelihood because they were offended *especially* after they apologized. Look at that incident a couple years back with Perez Hiltion and Miss California..she was asked a question and gave her honest opinion and even in the statement she said the states should decided and Perez Hilton then goes on misygnostic rant because he didn’t like the answer she gave..how is that tolerant? People will always have different views on things, the reason I even read this board is to see the other perspective, I do that with conservatives,religious boards, atheist boards,communist boards you name it.
—
We should value our enemies because they provide us with unique opportunities to practice patience, tolerance and forbearance. — Dalai Lama
Adman
@IAbuseGays: Just curious Iabusegays: “Follow up point: My comments above are not a defense of Morgan’s comments. I would just like a little more frankness about why so much animousity is being thrown in his direction versus say the split voiced one can find with say a Ken Mehlman or the USC football player or who the gay main stream finds appealing in some way”
When you point out the “gay mainstream” as being these lite and brite Goproud trolls who haunt our community and it’s every constructive action, are you mad there isn’t an equivalent in racial minority communities? Because if you are, I’ve got news for you. The numbers lay your bullshit bare, brother.
All communities who voted for prop 8 were overwhelmingly socially reactionary in their election choices. Some vote Dem mostly, some Repub, but they are ALL social reactionaries, ESPECIALLY Blacks and Latinos, especially on the abortion and LGBT intiatives, to the tune of 70% of the total electorate in these communities, vs 57% of whites and 52% of asians.
So the haters have a sure thing in your neighborhood, but you’re mad, or scared, or indignant, or some shit, because the 53% of white reactionary voters outnumber you in terms of the overall voting public? It’s understandable, but until you admit that “the whites” have been bearing the burden, and campaigning, while everybody else snipes, talks shit, obfuscates, and sides with the haters, then you’re a fucking coward.
Point blank. Go apologize in church or something, because those big sexy black and brown revolutionaries stole your mind and you forgot to show them where the off button for your mouth was. As it is, we have to listen to your apologetics and bullshit 24/7. Do you really think it’s something new? Like gay people hearing “nothing to see hear folks” are going to believe that shit? I’m starting to think you’re stupid too, or like the poster above said, just some troll from some shit blog, like the Root or some shit.
Anonymous
All other agendas or spin aside, the real story here has nothing to do with homosexuality, it has to do with free speech. If you are reading this, take a moment to relax, take a deep breath and try to keep an open mind while you read the next paragraph.
Can we as a society arbitrarily decide what a comedian can and can’t say during a comedic routine, especially if they are known to be controversial or prone to using stereotypes to get a laugh? Did Tracy Morgan step out of line? Perhaps, but then again who is to say for certain, except for Tracy. And that is where the heart of the matter lies. Attempting to stifle any free speech, whether perceived as being hurtful or otherwise is simply an attempt to try and regulate what someone is thinking or feeling. Good luck with that.
Conversely, there is no denying that homosexuality is inherently controversial. And unfortunately, it can be said that the very mention of it is offensive to a sizeable segment of the population, let alone seeing and hearing about it everywhere the last few decades. That being said, can you really have your cake and eat it too, without being a hypocrite? Think about it- how are these two “offensive” subjects any different to the person who is being “offended”? You see, this all centers on each individual’s sensibilities. The only thing that offends me is that very few people actually understand this.
Jeffree
@Anonymous: What offends me is your incomplete understanding of free speech.
No one is suggesting Mr. Jordan be arrested for his remarks. He will not be fined, unless that is in his contract. (think: NBA, NFL, etc.)
So here’s a suggestion. Go spout your meager thoughts on a thread where they’re on topic. Best wishes in 6th grade when they teach you about US law. As they say, “It gets better.”
robert in NYC
Anonymous, so you think its perfectly fine to use hate speech even if it incites killing of a minority, any minority? Free speech isn’t absolute in the U.S. You can’t shout an inoffensive word such as “fire” in a theater and you can’t issue a threat to kill a politician, otherwise you face prosecution. What Jordan said about stabbing his own child to death if he were gay is unacceptable. Its words like that which cause homophobes to go out and bash us. Think…Matthew Shepard! i don’t think African Americans or Jews would accept it lying down if the same hate speech were aimed at them and I’ve no doubt it would elicit public condemnation from politicians.
Kev C
@Anonymous: It’s shocking because here’s a successful comedian, and you’d think he’d be pretty happy with his life, but he holds a deep seated feelings towards gays. And it’s not a misunderstanding or a joke, or shocking for shocking sake, but how he actually feels. And how he thinks others feel, and to a large extent, he’s right, other homophobes have had the same ugly thoughts. And not just thoughts, but actions. And it’s not uncommon to see stories such as this one from last year:
http://unfinishedlivesblog.com/2010/08/12/new-yorker-murders-boy-toddler-for-acting-like-a-girl/
And it’s not about free speech, but social attitudes which produce harm. Tracy is free to express these feelings, and we have the right and obligation to condemn him.
alan brickman
Wow! So many comments on here!….And yet nobody physically marches for equal rights …….still…..
robert in NYC
Eddie Murphy made similar comments some years ago and also said he’d kick his wife down the stairs if any of his children were gay. This is the mindset among many African-Americans, especially the southern Baptists, identical to right wing white trash of the Phelps ilk which the GOP has NEVER condemned.
robert in NYC
I do, Alan! Some of us will be protesting an anti marriage equality group of religious clerics on June 14 here in NYC.
John
I’m sorry but I’m not that upset with much of what he said aside from the stabbing his child. And for now I’ll take his apology.
ousslander
@IAbuseGays: white trash, now that’s not racist
ousslander
they’ll forgive him as soon as he makes a a nice donation
Jeffree
@ousslander: HRC will need the following from Tracy Jordan before they forgive him:
1) Donation to HRC: (unmarked bills, delivered to Solmonese’s beachhouse)
2) Adoption of at least 3.5 LGBQQIA children
3) Pro-bono speeches at all HRC galas, and assistance with food prep, cloak room & dish removal services
4) HRC tattoo on left cheek, re-inked annually
5) Sworn promise to criticize GetEqual in all future standup comedy routines
iDavid
IabuseGays,
Thx for your response. Over the top w engagements but will catch up when time provides.
Queer Supremacist
Tracy Schvartzer Morgan should be taken out into the street and shot. And next time a “comedian” slurs my sexual orientation I WILL slur his race. The Bible is the origin of homophobia, as is “an eye for an eye.” I’m just playing by THEIR rules.
@ZT: You have to be one type, and follow the rules : hate Republicans, hate Catholics, hate Christianity, hate Texas, hate the South, hate Irish-Americans (to be a classy anglophile), hate New Jersey, love Lady Gaga, Glee, and Baby Jane, hate Israel, love the Palestinians, hate white straight athletes, etc. Do not veer from any of that….or else (you don’t get invited to gay-gay parties!!) Not to criticize those who might agree with any of those viewpoints, but they insist you must do so automatically.
And Queerty is different because…
Let’s see, I:
—Hate some Republicans, but hate almost ALL Democrats
—hate Catholics
—hate Christianity
—don’t hate Texas, just some of the people in it
—don’t hate the South, just the white trash (grew up there)
—don’t hate Irish-Americans (my BF is half-Irish),
—don’t hate New Jersey (have friends from there)
—don’t like Lady Gaga
—hate Glee with a passion
—love Baby Jane (if you mean the 1962 Davis/Crawford film)
—love Israel and will defend her to the death as I would the USA or any of her other allies
—hate Palestinians, all other Middle Eastern nations, and Islam
—would like str8 white athletes if I was single and could get them drunk enough…
It’s interesting that in your experience with these types, paradoxically, heterophobia is uncommon.
I think gays are superior to breeders, but not all gays are good people.
@Camys: Besides, in my honest and individual opinion, being a mixed race lesbian girl, seeing a black man spewing hate speech is actually worse than seeing a white man being homophobic, ´cause a black man knows first-hand how prejudice hurts.
Norman Lear didn’t create The Jeffersons, a 1970s sitcom about a black bigot, in a vacuum.
@Abel: How would he feel if he were subjected to a bunch of old-fashioned racist slurs and KKK jokes from a white comedian?
Maybe the KKK had a good idea with this whole lynching business. Except instead of black people we should do it to homophobes. It’s time to start the GayKK. Unlike the KKK, gays of all religions, races, and nationalities would be welcome. We would go around dragging homophobes out of their houses, whipping them, burning pink triangles on their lawn, and hanging them from trees.
Brian
I think his apology was sincere. From what I’ve seen of Tracey Morgan over the years, he doesn’t present himself has being a danger to others. He’s more self-destructive than outwardly malicious. His comments were very disturbing and I think he was trying to make light of current events but i would agree that he ultimately failed. However, I think most you guys guys are being hyperbolic in refusing to accept that his apology is sincere and that he is out to bring harm to the gay community. It really doesn’t make since for Tracey Morgan to want that. He has played gay characters way too much to be so bothered by homosexuality.
But, I do agree with one thing that he said, gay kids should fight back more. The gay community should be more will to protect themselves from physical harm rather than cowering when some homophobe goes on the attack. You might shock yourselves with how strong you really are!
alan Balehead
Tracy Morgan is more hateful of himself than others…most comedians do this…nice to see politicians get a get out of jail card constantly on these issues….more hyprocrisy and less marching…how nice…
Jackie
It’s sad that this happen but Im not surprise black people have this kind of hate In them it comes from the god they believe In.
VictorG
Thank you HRC. Tracy Morgan’s apology and Tina Fey and Bob Greenblatt’s responses are NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Can you imagine if Neil Patrick Harris made the same kind of “jokes” about people of color? CBS would fire him immediately from How I Met Your Mother. But not NBC, which has a history of keeping actors in the closet, specifically David Hyde Pierce and Sean Hayes whose contracts with NBC for Frasier and Will and Grace allegedly prevented them from openly discussing their sexual orientation. The virulent homophobia in the entertainment industry and the African American community needs to be addressed. Meanwhile, NBC and 30 Rock should fire Tracy Morgan.
IAbuseGays
@iDavid: I look forward to it.
@Anonymous: The same reason that a lot of pop culture thins are a topic. Why are people into any aspect of pop culture? Last week it was who was on The Voice, next week it may be some starlet didn’t have on panties. The reason why is that is American pop culture. We like the spectacle. This is a spectacle. That spectacle, however, is a distraction. Not what’s important. Nor does it come down to one thing
.@Adman: Except my examples aren’t just one. They are many. That’s sort of the problem with what you and others are doing here. You take one example or another but then ignore I am discussing what I see as a pattern. I can provide a longer list than what I was able to think of off top my head. Part of the reason I haven’t is the hositility here tells me that digging deeper would be a waste of time. A practical example is your use of stats which has been discussed at length to be flawed by people like Nate Silver, who writes for the Ny Times on polling data and covers gay issues.
Moreover, he’s the typical selective reporting that folks in the gay mainstream like to do to confirm their bias. You mention Prop 8,but ignore DC. You mention how blacks do not support you,but ignore that you have not spent the last 30 years in out reach to them like you have white middel class voters (if the outreach does not matter- then why are all the ads designed to reach white middle class voters?). When a rapper says he supports gay rights as recently happened, several questioned his motives for doing so. “It must be a publicity stunt.” Because when Lady Gaga does it- its not. The list goes on and on. When Charles Barkley supports gay rights- he’s using Ebonics. When discussing states where there is no black population- such as WY or OK or ID etc, no one here or elsewhere in the gay mainstream discusses it as “White voters are against us.” Indeed, Russians are for the most part White. No one points out there must be something to European culture that produces such bigotry.
I have no problem using the correct level of denouncing Morgan as having made a mistake and using poor judgment in his comic routine. But the way that a lack of context is provided for his statements , especially with a comic known for saying shocking things, is a red flag to me. On SNL he called Tina Fey a bitch as a come back to her routine about politics. The guy who broke the story I believe stated that he knew that the act was un PC or something like that I believe. That’s the context. it doesn’t excuse it. But people have taken that context of which he should be criticized and made up a new one where he’s really threatening his children or where he’s murderous. Etc. Where is all of this context change coming from? Why the hyperbole in a situation that’s already bad on it own? His actions are bad without the need to be drama queens about it. That again pings my “hmm, what’s this about” detector.
When they fired Washington on Grey’s Anatomy- I thought that was the right decision because he was expousing his personal beliefs and attacking another gay person directly. That was the context. Here we are discussing a comic act- and I looka t it as such. He should have apologized for doing a bit that was dangerous as far as our society, but I understand that we don’t know how he thinks in reality since comics do this sort of thining all the time. I don’t expect anyone here to admit to what I am saying. The worst offenders like Jason are out and out bigots. But, the soft bigotry where people are using expectations about races, etc are what I am trying to get at when it matters- when its coming into play.
A good example is where people claim that this would not have happened to any other group or class other than gays. And that specifically blacks are able tog et away with this sort of thing. Except of course Washington was fired because of it. Or that if someone says something about another group that will not be ignored- except in the cases like when Polansk raped a girl, or the multiple times that Gibson said something before anything was ever done (with him it was several events), etc. But hey hold on to those beliefs that the outrage is real. Pretend that the hyperbole that distorts the facts here are not hyperbole.
@ousslander: White trash is how others view them. Just as nigger is how others view me. Again, this inability to discuss context peeks into the situation. White trash is how the gay community sees class. That’s why lower class whites are not included in the discussion any more than blacks are. We were discussing Eminem. HEre’s what I wrote about why they reacted to him as they did:
“(a) That’s why I say race and/or class. That was an example of poor white trash rather than middle class or powerful and white. The fact he was also a rapper certainly did not hurt in terms of being against him. ”
In other words. I was discussing their perception. Not mind. If youhad followed the conversation that was clear. But hey, youcan pretend and take words out of context. It whats you and others have been do.
CHEEKIEY
He Meant what he said and we all know that. Same back tracking shit they all do. For those who do watch it’s Time to STOP watching 30 rock….
IAbuseGays
@CHEEKIEY: < Exhibit A. How do you know that he meant what he said in a comic routine? When Cohen plays Borat – does he really mean what he's saying. When Morgan called his good friend Fey a "bitch" several years back in a skit on SNL, did he mean that too? Same question as before- why the hyperbole? Why the need to distort an already bad situation to make it worse? How can you possibly know what you claim to know under the factual circumstances. You have a historyof him being violent against gays to rely on? You have seem him involved in gay hate groups in his personal life? What exactly allows you to make such a statement based on a bad comedy act that crossed the lines? Like I said, when Washington was fired- that made sense to me. He was pushing his personal views, and despite statement by Melissa Etheridge that tried to defend him- I felt he had crossed a real line that required a price. Here we are discussing the second hand views of a comedy routine, and that has turned from discussing how the comic act was bad because the act was bigoted to saying that must mean that Morgan is murderous and he meant everything he said. Except tha tmakes no sense. He was in the middle of a act. Do you really believe that people who perform are showign you their real personalities?
IAbuseGays
Follow up point: And if you don’t think comic acts are representative of what the comic actually is in personal life, then why do you think that here? That’s the question I was left asking myself about some of the over the topness yesterday. His act is bad without having to pretend to know if this represents his real views or not.
Jeffree
PFLAG has issued a very strongly worded statement regarding Mr. Jordan’s remarks. I can’t locate the original statement now, so if someone could find the statement & post or link it, I think that would help get the conversation back on topic…..and allow IAbuseHomos a chance to rest his weary fingers.
Kev C
We already know how the responsible, mainstream, corporate media people will respond:
tsk tsk
this is unacceptable
smh
tsk tsk
… tsk
IAbuseGays
@Jeffree: The PFLAG statement comes up in a Google search. It is the first result. On the first page.
You read like a catty bar queen. You probably know where the results are, but you want to change the subject. I am going to talk about the racial aspect of this because it is relevant.
If you aren’t interested in that, then you don’t need to respond to comments that I am making to those who raise issues about what I have said.
I have seen three statements by you complaining that I am preventing you and others from discussing this. How exactly? Because I don’t accept the way in which you are discussing it?
You befriend one of the guys who states above that this is representative of the Black community even as you claim this is not about race. You act in the way that I describe even as you claim not to be.
Don’t worry about my fingers. They are no more weary than yours, the rest of the mob and your sock puppets.
Benjamin
This will be totally over in the eyes of the media by Monday, Tuesday at the latest. I expect the news media will all be discussing Anthony Weiner’s dong again in full force by then, if not sooner. Nothing will come of any of this, other than a lot of lost gay fans for Tracy Morgan. Nobody is getting fired. No endorsement deals will vanish. This will hang over Tracy Morgan’s head, and will remain a permanent part of his legacy to be sure, but that is about all. The difference between this and something like what Michael Richards did is that for us this kind of speech is largely supported and condoned by large parts of the culture. Nobody cares enough for this to go any farther than that. I know it’s bogus, but it’s true.
IAbuseGays
@Benjamin: The same coould be said for any number of things that Hollywood does regarding its stars. Hence the examples of Mel Gibson’s multiple tirades and Roman Polanski’s raping a girl that was as of 2010 defended by a lot o Hollywood. This is how the industry works.
Nat
@IAbuseGays:
Umm… no.
Polanski is one thing – and a black eye to all those who defended him and should know better. But Gibson’s pariah status has been growing since Passion came out. He was never that well-liked, but he generally made money for studios, and many of his most prominent producers were steadfast conservatives themselves.
But between Passion, the anti-Semitic rant, and his threats against his girlfriend, his star has faded fast. Notice how there was no swirling controversy, no one rushing to his defense after being booted from Hangover? His prospects have dried up. He has more than enough money to self-finance another movie himself, but good luck finding a major distributor.
IAbuseGays
@Nat: (a) I choose Polanski (because his actions went beyond speech) and Gibson (because his actions were actually multiple incidents) to try to draw people back to reality- that in fact bad behavior by stars is tolerated in Hollywood, and it has nothing to do with (i) defending black people as some claim or (ii) that gay people are more hated per se. (b) I also choose it as a test to push against the heat of the moment hyperbole and to ask why the hyperbole is happening considering prior incidents. (c) The other thing that differs is that Morgan was in fact engaged in an act- a stupid homophobic one, but an act, while the other two were engaged in something very real and very concrete or their own views. This is why I indicated that Washington should have been fired, but I am not sure that makes sense here. And tried to get people to ultimately question why they are being so extreme here. I have looked up several sites now while I do my business research- Joe My God and Towleroad especially- there are a lot of race related comments along the lines of “blacks should know better” or “this is what blacks are like” (see Jason’s comment, the defense by Adam Real and also Jefree chiming in to support them) I have seen this pattern before. So Iw anted to return the conversation back to rationality by going to non related stories that illustrate this is Hollywood. Its how it operate. To try to contextualize Morgan’s act in Hollywood, and in the reactions in the past to bigots (or bigotted coments) etc. To simply say black people get off (which the Washginton example rebutts) or that its about gays (which the other examples rebutt) was meant to have that impact.
Going back to your point about Gibson- yes, after multiple multiple incidents of which there was no doubt that it was gibson’s personal beliefs rather than a comic act- he finally is being treated as a pariah. Just like wife beater , sorry, the guy from Two and Half men, was finally fired , not because he was a wife beater, but because he was harming the show and their money making. But agian- this was multiple incidents in the making.
There are really a lot of complicated issues here. Trying to suss that out in the middle of a mob is hard. Ultimately, the question is why were these people given multiple chances by the public for statements that were their statements rather than attributable to some kind of performance they were doing?
Queer Supremacist - I Abuse Breeders
@Jackie: What kind of people worship the god of their ancestors’ enslavers? That’s like Jews worshipping Egyptian sun gods.
Christianity is a white supremacist cult that is complicit in the destruction of the black community. It is Christianity that teaches blacks to hate gays just like it teaches whites to do so.
Tracy Morgan should be lynched. That’s right, lynched. I want to see him taken out into the middle of West Hollywood, whipped, beaten, and hanged.
Sharon Falconer
@Jeff Evans:
TM can take his ghost written fake-ass “apology” and shove it up his whole ass.
Jeffree
@IAbuseGays: I have never defended Jason’s remarks. I have been on this site much longer than you (unless you used to use a different name) & have called him out on his racism, misogyny, transphobia & lack of logic on *many* occasions.
When you change your screen-ID to something that doesn’t glorify bullkying and abuse, your words may be taken more seriously. You are obviously a thoughtful person about some issues, but promoting abuse of “Gays” is not something you can logically do while criticizing (rightly) Mr. Jordan’s remarks on LGBT people.
Jeffree
Back to the subject at hand: Tracy Morgan’s remarks on LGBT people were performed on his own time, as a stand up, in a setting away from his show (where he is a comedic actor, not a stand up). The decision on whether NBC can / will fire or suspend him depends on his contract, the contents of which haven’t been made public.
Comedians [most] will defend his freedom to say whatever he likes, even if they think he failed as a comic (by not being funny or insightfu) and a human being (by promoting homophobic ideas.]
It may take a few days or weeks or longer for NBC to make their move. Jordan is currently filming a movie & the show is on hiatus until Fall.
The public has some bearing on what happens to his career as well. If enough people boycott 30 Rock, if enough advertisers bail, the show may be cancelled. Any escape clause in his contract may be invoked.
As a stand up performer, his future rests on two things: a) are venues willing to book him and b) will audiences be willing to go see him.
Meanwhile, his words have provoked a flurry of people condemning his words (and his apology), people willing to defend his right to “free speech” and others who actually agree with him (check the CNN blogs, for example, or HuffPo.)
I personally won’t be watching the show if he returns, but that’s based on *my* personal ethics as a creator/performer/coñsumer of comedy and as a gay male. When someone of his stature uses his platform to promote homophobia, violence & child abuse, I won’t take part in the applause or flimsy excuses.
IAbuseGays
@Jeffree: On the other thread, you are defending Adam who is actually talking about the comments I made regarding people like Jason. And jason is hardly unique if one wants to poke one’s head up to look beyond oneself.
IAbuseGays
@Jeffree: And I am not going to change my screen name, because it is inside joke . I am also not goign to change it to confirm to your sort of lowest common denominator behavior. If you don’t like what I say and don’t want to read it, then don’t.No one is forcing you to. but this passive agressive whining because I am making points about racist and racial issues in your midst is a bit much. Equality is a human right. Not just a gay one. So when you let bigots like that flourish, you come off looking like someone who is just in it for yourselves.
IAbuseMyself
@IAbuseGays: Hell yeah we’re just in it for ourselves since blacks have all their rights and gays don’t. Nobody cares what your useless black ass has to say lol. You’re basically talking to yourself all up and down these posts. Why don’t you get a life, darky? And take this gorilla Tracy Morgan with you!
Josh6852
Tracy Morgan has three boys, this is what he said last Friday to a packed TN audience…“ If my son told me he was gay (high pitched voice), I would take a knife and stab him in the chest” EVERYONE (Tina Fey-NBC-Comedians-Athletes….etc) needs to read and take action against the vicious hate that Mr. Tracy Morgan (30 Rock- SNL) said in his (rally for violence against the LGBT community- FOX can take a day off) questionable comedy act on June 3, 2011…..NO NO NO apology accepted….20 yrs in entertainment working side by side with many gay parents and people with gay children and potraying us in offensive skits on SNL….. NO surprise you would sperminate your flock of uneducated bible belt bullies in TN of all places ( Where two bills recently passed 1) you can be fired from your job for being gay 2) you cant use the word gay in schools….look it up) I can take a joke- Im ALL for free speech- not hate speech…..Now it’s time for the gay community and supporters of equal rights for ALL to raise your voices and be heard…..
IAbuseGays
@IAbuseMyself: Well, there you go. As I said in the other thread on this subject, if I wasn’t sure some of you are just online nutjobs, this confirms it. Thanks. I will eave you and your multiple sock puppets to argue with each other.
Josh6852
YOU DIDN’T CHOOSE TO BE GAY- THEY DIDN’T CHOOSE TO BE STRAIGHT-WE WERE ALL BORN THIS WAY–NO MORE STUPID F@@KING QUESTIONS OR BIGOTED STATEMENTS- IGNORANT BIGOTS NEED TO SHUT THE F@@K UP AND SIT THE F@@K DOWN- IT’S OUR TURN TO SPEAK UP-STOP USING GOD TO DEFEND HATE SPEECH AND PURE IGNORANCE FROM GENERATIONS OF INBREEDING AND LIES SPEWED BY GROUPS OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS (false prophets of god)..HOW MANY GAY CHILDREN DOES GOD HAVE TO MAKE BEFORE YOU REALIZE HE WANTS THEM AROUND???
IAbuseGays
@Josh6852: You mean members like this one, “. Why don’t you get a life, darky?”
Josh6852
We as a community pushing equal rights for ALL need to make our voices heard NOW and encourage celebrities and politicians through TWITTER- FACEBOOK- EMAIL-…ETC. that they need to speak up when its not convenient to advance their careers…You accept our hard earned money and go to our award shows and preach tolerance and standing up to bullies..Time to STAND UNITED in the fight for Equal Rights…. Tina Fey and 30 rock have received many awards from GLAAD..NO MORE LIP SERVICE- ACTION NOW…You use free speech Mr. Morgan as a front to spew hate…. Now its time to pay the piper…..I speak up for the thousands of GLBT kids who have no voice.. kids that don’t even have parents that love them enough to let them live at home… church leaders telling 8 yr old kids they’re going to hell to their face…When family, friends, church leaders and your community abandons you all based on nothing you can control because your same sex attraction is natural, SUICIDE MIGHT SEEM LIKE THE ONLY OPTION…ITS NOT KIDS…IT GETS BETTER…IT IS BETTER…. WORDS HURT….. WORDS KILL!!!!
Josh6852
Tina Fey your half as@ed apology sucked… Tina fey says “ Tracy is to sleepy to cause anyone harm” What does that mean Tina? Mr. Morgan is FINISHED in my book. Don’t go down with the ship Tina. You hired Tracy knowing that his stand up is very homophobic. Now pay the price. This is the core of Tracy’s beliefs…..Believe what you want Tracy…. Say what you want Tracy….. Now pay the f@@king price you piece of sh@t….You would think growing up being black you might be a more thoughtful person when it comes to the LGBT issues and working with them for over 20 Years…. WRONG……TIME TO HOLD OUR POLITICIANS AND CELEBRITIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE THINGS THEY SAY OR DON’T SAY IN REGARDS TO LGBT ISSUES FROM NOW ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nat
@IAbuseGays:
As if that wasn’t you or another apologist trolling to make everyone objecting to Morgan into racists.
IAbuseGays
@Nat: @Nat: Nat as I said, at least you are no longer pretending. Above someone just referred to me as Darky. Does that bother you? No. The fact I am pointing out that you have racists here is what bothers you.
IAbuseGays
@Nat: Oh, and by the way, I also I guess responsible for Jason’s racist tirades. Or how about the ones over at Towleroad and Joe My god? People like you are pathetic.
TheRealAdam
@Nat: You’re probably right about that. Since he is clearly off his block, it doesn’t surprise that he would do such a thing.
Marvin
Boycott 30 Rock unless Morgan is no longer on it!
IAbuseGays
@TheRealAdam: @Nat: If you are real person Nat, I would advise you to read some of the comments throughout the site by TheReal Adam. He’s whatyou are defending here.
Adman
@IAbuseGays: “I also I guess responsible for Jason’s racist tirades.”
You invited dialog with him, and he went on a tireade. Why did you provoke a troll, if you didn’t want to hear it out?
“Or how about the ones over at Towleroad and Joe My god?”
Well, I was just over at both of those sites, and they were overrun with people like you, informing “you people”, (we LGBT’s, in case anyone is lost in the transparently irrelevant self important bullshit from the AA community regarding Tracy Morgan) how we all make choices, suck it up nasty fag men, bigotry, bigotry, yadda yadda, self righteous hate, sounds like a klan rally. go there and read it for yourself. If you can be bothered to take a little time out from your threadjacking-attention whoring. unless you can’t back up anything you say. Which is, as we both know, the truth.
“People like you are pathetic”
Takes one to know one, beggar. Go back to your up with straight people blog, your arguments come from a set of moribund concepts that do more harm than good, you’re just to greedy to see it.
Dr. Dick
Does it not bother anyone that we’re calling people “darky” and “gorilla” on here? It’s werid to me how people claim to be anti-hate, but let it slide from their compatriots as if it’s “pay-back”. It’s petty, and makes us look like hypocrites in the end.
@IAbuseMyself: Using racial epithets to get a point across doesn’t work when the point is about “Words Going Too Far”.
Ewe in another version of this thread casually said nigger, and here you’re callin I Abuse Gays a darky?!? I mean, the guy may be really bloody annoying, but now, you’ve lost any validity your argument had, cuz nbow you’re just name callin like the heteros.
Shannon1981
I don’t accept it either. Because I don’t think he means it.
IAbuseGays
@Dr. Dick: It is interesting your comment is more worried about how “darky” and “nigger” comments looks than about what it says about the racism.
I suppose if they had quietly continued to pretend they didn’t care about race, that would have been better for the the polite presentation that everyone is equally simply outraged over homophobia rather than some part of this arising out of race.
If it makes you feel any better, Jason above tries to switch off the overt racism (he would not march with us blacks in the 60s) by towing the line you want towed. I think he will be smart enough next time to go covert so that anyone who suspects race will be told its their imagination.
Shannon1981
The race trolling on here is out of control.
Allen D.
Hey HRC — why don’t you go fuck yourselves? I LOVE hearing about the outrageous salaries that you pay your executives. I’ve met all your local douchebags and your entire mission statement is a fucking joke. Not a SINGLE PERSON is in it for the right reasons. It’s all about prestige and getting laid. You’re a fucking joke.
Your non-forgiveness of Mr. Morgan strengthens the resolve of mine. FUCK YOU.
Allen D.
I guess I could’ve simplified my statement as:
“Hey HRC – Who gives a FUCK what you have to say???”
James P. P.
I have to say two things: 1. The HRC is out of tough with reality.
2. Tracy is out of touch with reality.
As a person who loves laughter and often says the most horrible, outrageous things (even was banned from Grindr based off JOKES), I looked at what Tracy said from every possible angle – character driven or otherwise.
I am not too disturbed about anything he said as a gay male. I am VERY disturbed about everything he said as a HUMAN BEING. Much of his rant was presented in a way that makes me forget most of the “gay issue” at play and worry about humanity as a whole. To me, there are times where humanity issues trump the issues of the individual groups – my opinion is that this is one of those times. Tracy needs bigger therapy than just “tolerance to gays”… he needs therapy to deal with HUMANITY.
This is why I feel the HRC is out of touch. They always play the Nellie Oleson of our community when the HRC needs to join hands with other humanitarian groups such as those against domestic abuse, suicide support organizations, etc.
that is just my perspective on the matter.
James P. P.
And I’m apparently not in touch with proofreading. Sorry.
tough = touch
IAbuseGays
IAbuseMyself: Fuck you, you filthy cracker.
Racist gay white men deserve to get AIDS for what they’ve done to black people. I think they don’t use condoms just so they can try to infect as many black men as possible. Blacks cannot be racist or bigoted. Hating gay white men is simply a response to racism and bigotry that they, and they alone, are responsible fore. I laugh when I hear about a gay white man getting HIV from not using a condom.
ewe
@IAbuseGays: You laugh because you are full of nothing but fear. I laugh because you are a true example of a perfect asshole. Interpret that any way you want you uninformed bigoted homophobic slug.
Jeffree
Promoting abuse of gay people and claiming it’s an “in joke” is wrong & destructive. We should denounce it.
I’m speaking not only about Tracy Morgan, but the entity calling himself “IAbuseGays.”
Going on a Jewish blog with a ‘nym “IAbuseJews” wouldn’t be tolerated. “IAbuseBlacks” would be rightly condemned as racism. Why do we allow this kind of screen-name here?
It’s not funny, & it’s destructive. It smells of troll & desperation.
IAbuseGays
@IAbuseGays: I think this is amusing. So, now the nut jobs are using my screen name to try to claim that i would use the word “Cracker.” I mean- what decade are we in? The 1970s? Who even uses cracker anymore. Wow, you people are sick.
IAbuseGays
@Jeffree: Not that it matters, since I suspect you are a sock puppet, including the one who is writing shit like cracker and darky, let me just say that Iabusegays is actually about having sex with men. Not about violence. Its meant to be reflective of some of the t-shirts I see like “I am not gay, but my boyfriend is” that I think are kind of cool. But, what’s the point, you are nuts. Next you will tell me how it doesn’t matter and blah,b lah blah.
Jeffree
@IAbuseGays: You have no moral authority speaking about homophobia as long as you promote abuse.
I have no sockpuppet. Your suspicions are based on the festering, hate-filled well that is your psyche. Get some help.
Adman
@IAbuseGays: You’re devlolution into a paranoid argument is so fitting for you. You came here with bad intentions, so you assume everyone else did too. Thanks for staying, enjoyed having you here in the Gay community, come back and stink up the place again real soon now, OK? BTW, Jefree posts here regularly, nobody I am aware of has ever noticed any troll like behavior from this user, but thanks for that input too. Maybe you belong at the kids table or on a leash or something? The fact that we can’t have anything nice since folks like you exist is the real problem more than the Tracy Morgans’ of the world. How’s that for the truth?
Camys
@IAbuseGays LOL you´re funny, keep trolling!
TheRealAdam
@Jeffree: He’s accusing you of the same thing he’s guilty of. I already called the little shit out for posting under different names, and so he tries to accuse others of doing the same thing.
CHYKOLAETHAI
@IAbuseGays: The more i read ur post, the more i like what u have to say you are spot on.
paul
what a Homophobic Creep! His comments are shameful, id expect more for a 15 year old kid let alone a mature man.. what an ass..
IAbuseGays
@CHYKOLAETHAI: Thanks. i thinkt here are like 5 or 6 sock puppets here who come into say the same shit. The reason I suspect as much because it doesn’t really matter what i say, they still say retarded shit. Take for example my screen name- its mean to be a joke about being a gay men and how straights view us to make fun of them for their absurdity. Like I said, the t-shirt that says I am not gay , but my boyfriend is. And yet one of the socket puppets keeps claiming in the same irrational way as the other sock puppets that there is something worng with the name. At some point, you just got to leave crazy people alone. Hence why I am not responding to their craziness on this thread anymore.