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Actress Debra Messing has deleted a tweet about Donald Trump and apologized after it prompted accusations of homophobia against her.
The Will & Grace star campaigned tirelessly for Joe Biden to win the election and has been outspoken in her criticism of President Trump over the past four years.
Last week, the World Health Organization’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a tweet highlighting Germany’s Angela Merkel’s actions to fight coronavirus in the country. Messing retweeted that tweet, contrasting Merkel with Trump.
“AMERICA. THIS is a LEADER,” she wrote in the now-deleted Tweet. “@realDonaldTrump, you are weak, scared, stupid, inept, negligent, vindictive, narcissistic, criminal.
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“I hope you live a long life in prison where you become the most popular boyfriend to the all inmates.”
The tweet did not go down well with everyone. Some branded it homophobic, while others said she shouldn’t wish sexual assault upon anyone.
“Love you Deb but please don’t bring gay sex into the equation as something derogatory,” said one.
Love you Deb but please don’t bring gay sex into the equation as something derogatory.
— jeffie zitofsky (@jeffyz) December 10, 2020
Wow, you’re quite the #homophobe
You just put a lot of gay youth at risk. Thanks for that.
— Balem Hendricks (@OracleOfFreedom) December 12, 2020
Yesterday, right-wing news site the Daily Wire (yes, the same site that has Ben Shapiro as an editor) ran a story on Messing being accused of homophobia. This prompted the actress to issue an apology.
“I’d like to say I have been an LGBTQIA ally for decades, and I was in no way referencing LGBTQI/queer love/sexuality,” she said. “It is not my proudest moment, but 45 has victimized 100s of millions of ppl; I had wished the tables turned on him. I apologize for the offensive way I did it.”
I’d like to say I have been an LGBTQIA ally for decades, and I was in no way referencing LGBTQI/queer love/sexuality. It is not my proudest moment, but 45 has victimized 100s of millions of ppl; I had wished the tables turned on him. I apologize for the offensive way I did it. https://t.co/Q6SLIo9DWc
— Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) December 14, 2020
Related: Debra Messing opens up about how the new “Will & Grace” became reality
Others were quick to come to Messing’s defense.
“Debra, there’s absolutely no need for you to apologize. You’ve been a truly amazing ally of the LGBTQ+ community for as long as I can remember. Love you, and welcome your support in our ongoing battle for equality for all!!”
Debra, there’s absolutely no need for you to apologize. You’ve been a truly amazing ally of the LGBTQ+ community for as long as I can remember. Love you, and welcome your support in our ongoing battle for equality for all!! ❤️ 🌈 💖
— Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) December 15, 2020
I think many ppl want karma to pay him a visit. I understand how the words said can be seen as offensive though. Knowing the great taste my uncle has, most gay men wouldn’t touch the orange turd with a ten foot pole. 🤢🤮
— Shades3130 (@searay6672) December 15, 2020
It’s possible to be a persuasive ally of lgbt rights, yet also instinctively perpetuate the idea that being penetrated is a humiliating & emasculating punishment, the subject of endless jeering and bullying and a notion directly responsible for countless acts of violent hazing.
— Cascadian (@CascadiaForever) December 15, 2020
No apology necessary for me, personally. The “Will & Grace” effect started making waves and gave me the courage to come out in high school in middle Tennessee in 2001. You’re a trailblazer who made some of our lives possible as they are. Apology demanders, learn your history!!!
— Keith Smith (@SpecialK1984) December 14, 2020
Honestly, I’m pretty sure it was an innocent figure of speech. Let’s just say, Trump is getting a taste of his own medicine, at least you are apologizing but can we say the same for Trump. I wouldn’t waste an apology, what Trump is continuing doing is way worse.
— Vampireknight (@vampireknight) December 15, 2020
As a gay man, I don’t find your comments homophobic at all. I’ve made similar comments myself regarding Trump. The only difference being his cellmate would be a 400lbs hairy dude named Bubba.
— christopher (@CKTfurs) December 15, 2020
Fellow actor and LGBTQ advocate George Takei also came to Messing’s defense, simply saying he’d thought her tweet hilarious.
I thought it was hilarious!
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) December 15, 2020
Related: ‘Will & Grace’ co-creators finally address rumors of testy on-set feud
Roy Ajax
This broad is a whack job.
Cam
Awww, the right wing troll account can’t even hide it’s sexism long enough to keep it’s fake narative going.
ShiningSex
Trump is the whack job. She was saying what many want to happen.
nunya
Wishing ill on anyone reveals more about the wisher than the subject of the wish. Grow up Deb.
Bromancer7
Shush, child. The adults are talking.
Kieran
Scratch many of these emotionally disturbed liberals and you’ll find a deranged homophobe. Debra, you’re a hot mess.
Cam
If Messing was ACTUALLY homophobic, you would be defending her. So nice try bigot.
ShiningSex
Kieran and Cam, it was NOT a homophobic statement. It was also “called out” by an idiot republican. Get over it. It sounds like you’re saying gays only have sex in prison. It was a joke and something most people would hope would happen to the orange maggot. Move on queens.
Cam
@ShiningSex
I was defending Messing, read the comment next time.
Cam
Adorable that the same right wing troll account brought out 3 different screenames all to attack Messing.
The facts are, a right wing homophobic media outlet tried to clutch it’s pearls and pretend to be offended by Messing’s statement. The Daily Wire has been pushing homophobia for years and Messing’s been an ally, so I will make my own decisions and not have them tell me what’s offensive. Messing is fine.
Roy Ajax
You’re insane. It’s the liberal media outlets that are reporting on this, and calling it homophobic, far more than the right. And you are advocating making up your own mind, but attack anyone who doesn’t agree with you.
jsmu
More idiot trollery from ‘Cam’–quelle surprise.
MESSing is indeed a hot mess, an utterly talent FREE excuse for an ‘actress,’ and given the stupidity of her attempts to portray anything but herself onscreen the stupidity here is not surprising. It is only surprising that such a self-satisfied bastion of PC would make such a stupid slip on social media.
Cam
LOL!!!
I knew this comment would bring out at least ONE of your screenames to clutch your pearls. And you, the troll gift that keeps on giving, brought out two. LOL!!
Wow, you are SO bad at this.
Liquid Silver
It was certainly a bit of a thoughtless act and…let’s just call it surprise sex…jokes are never funny (make one in a room full of women some time).
However, Messing isn’t exactly somebody with a history of being anything other than a near-perfect ally, so it sounds like a momentary stupid slip. Forgivable, and a learning moment. So please, Debra, learn something here…but move on.
trsxyz
Kind of clumsy, kind of crude… And when Twitter is at your fingertips, and you are in the middle of an emotional moment, these things happen (Quite frequently actually…). Agree that this is forgivable and we should move on.
Caine
OMG why are we entertaining the drivels of these right wing losers AS IF they would know something is homophobic. love debra – I think Cheeto and Cheeto Jr will do great in prison!
MHaumesser
I’ve been saying for the last couple years it will be great to see Trump in jail surrounded by a bunch of big black men and Latino men all unzipping! So what she said funny as all get out! Grow a damn funny bone people!
Dymension
OK, what’s the problem again? This is supposed to be homophobic? People need to get off of twitter (yes, lower case) and procure a life.
Jon in Canada
Oh dear sweet fake lord baby jeebus, are you serious?
Honestly, if this is the worst transgression people can come up with to feel offended by Ms. Messing, then I dare say those who think this way should consider self-abortion, not joking. It was clearly an off the cuff comment, hardly deserving of the castigation and tut-tutting of the perpetually offended woke class who, strangely enough, have not a clue as to what perspective is. See kids, perspective is something you should consider before flying off the handle like a Drag Queen who just lost a nail. Also, it’s not as if we in our own community have not, on occasion, gone there. So please, kindly remove the vapid, ever so offended stick out of your asses and get a grip, grow up and get over yourselves. Seriously, it’s embarrassing.
G R
Can we just talk about those lips and her new face?!
ShiningSex
She still looks better than Madonna, Lady Gaga, etc. etc.
HankHarris
I’ve used the ‘I hope they have an overly friendly cellmate’ a lot – and never meant it as gay. Anal sex isn’t exclusively gay, so this isn’t homophobic.
ShiningSex
that was NOT homophobic. I’d say the same thing. People need to stop calling sh*t homophobic that isn’t. Plus calling it homophobic was said by a republican.
Leash
I mean yeah I get why it rubs people the wrong way, but I don’t really feel adressed here? She is basically saying she wants him to get raped in prison, which I agree even though I doubt anyone would touch that, not even as a hate f*ck. It is maybe unsensitive to rape victimes, but rape and gay sex = difference.
Anyway, we all say distasteful stuff when we’re mad, she obviously was, poor choice of words, she apologized, lets move on.
Cam
A bigoted right wing media outlet attacks and LGBTQ ally and the right wing trolls back them up, and some people hyperventilate and try to find someway that what Messing said might be homophobic.
It wasn’t, she’s an ally, and let’s not take our leads on who to question from a right wing bigoted media outlet that hates us.
Aaron
I’m not offended by what she said.
okiloki
Really much ado about nothing. People on Twitter get offended/fake offended over anything.
cuteguy
I don’t believe this was homophobic at all. She’s frustrated at the last four years of this tyranny and was just making a strong point. The illiberals have to stop being so pc. Get a sense of humor. And for the record, I’m a liberal and can distinguish bc hyperbole and grotesque