The “Gene Shalit crapping all over Brokeback Mountain Saga” seems to have finally reached an end. Taking a cue from his own gay son, Shalit has taken pen to paper and written GLAAD a letter. But this time he’s apologizing for branding Brokeback Mountain’s Jack Twist a whore, um, we mean “sexual predator.”
In describing the behavior of “Jack” I used words (“sexual predator”) that I now discover have angered, agitated, and hurt many people. I did not intend to use a word that many in the gay community consider incendiary. Baron Lytton wrote in 1839 that “the pen is mightier than the sword,” and this matter proves again how hurtful words can be. I very much regret using them.
Let’s hope this is truly the end to a story that’s seen much more ink than anyone ever expected it to get. But after all of this, Shalit himself might actually end up benefiting from all of the hoopla. It’ll surely be an interesting addition to the obligatory Gene Shalit autobiography. And nothing sells books better than a little drama.
GLAAD Applauds Shalit’s Response [GLAAD]
