Just because Mark Cuban recently said that he thinks the NBA will soon have an openly gay basketball player, doesn’t mean he’s above making a stupid gay joke.
Per the Boston Phoenix—and a thoughtful piece on Yahoo! Sports—Cuban, the gazillionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks, did just that during a live ESPN podcast with Grantland.com editor-in-chief Bill Simmons, who is straight.
When talk between the two men turned to the sports world’s famous “Kiss Cam,” Simmons said, “I like the Kiss Cam.”
Cuban eloquently retorted “That’s because you and your boyfriend are always on it.”
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Woah, witty!
But when the podcast for The B.S. Report was later uploaded, Cuban’s comment had been snipped. It’s not clear whether ESPN was trying to protect Cuban’s image or if Cuban had asked that the remark be cut.
Friday afternoon Cuban tweeted “Am I a Homophobe?” and included a link to a blog post he wrote explaining that he was “just trying to be funny.”
What do you think, sports fans? Was Cuban just taking an immature jab at a colleague or was his censored comment proof he’s a serious homophobe? Take a shot in the comments.
Image via Danny Bollinger.
Jeff R
I don’t think it’s fair to say his blog post says he was “just trying to be funny.” It does contain those words, but the post as a whole is not very defensive. He says he’s learned a lesson and that he is always trying “to be a better version of me.”
Our movement basically consists of millions of little “teaching moments.” When someone is willing to admit and discuss one publicly and in detail like this, I think it helps more than it hurts.
The Real Mike in Asheville
Oh for fuck’s sake, can’t we just a lame joke be just that, lame?
There wasn’t anything derogatory about “the gays” and there wasn’t anything derogatory said about Simmons that IF he had a boyfriend, that that was wrong.
Lighten up guys, Mark Cuban is not an enemy, that is Tony Perkins, Maggie Gallagher, Porno Pete, the Poop, et al.
Huh ...
@The Real Mike in Asheville: Yeah. Total non-story.
Jawsch
I don’t see why it’s a big deal. I’m all for offensive jokes, if you can’t laugh at yourself, or others, then you take life too seriously.
But this joke isn’t offensive in any manner, it’s just lame. Kinda like how I still use “Your Mom” jokes. 😛 I’m just doing it to be stupid and/or stupid-funny.
Dashrop
I’m gay and think it’s just a silly tease… Besides my first bf and I always tried to be “caught” smooching on the kiss cam at the Slc hockey team games back around 95! So close… But they seemed to move it just in time on a few occasions lol.
Steve
He’s a homophobe because he suggested that his colleague was gay without making an kind of derogatory remark about LGBT people?
Must be a slow news period. How’s that Prop 8 lawsuit thing going?
The Realist
Cuban? Not a homophobe. Corny and lame? Sure. Ally? Definitely.
AxelDC
That was hardly worth the hysteria.
Curtis
I seriously doubt he writes his own tweets, (or blogs).
Robert in NYC
I don’t fine it offensive at all, sometimes we have to learn to laugh at ourselves and lighten up just a little. It was hardly derogatory.
Ben
Wow. I can’t believe someone at queerty concluded this was worth reporting.
What the guy said was the most mildest, lamest, non-sexuality joke ever.
Seriously… He made a joke “you kiss a lot,” and gay people are supposed to be offended? What the fuck for?
wait what
I’d go on the kiss cam with Mark Cuban.
orpheus_lost
Anyone who takes offense at a comment like this is just looking to be offended.
Dave
I’m sure GLAAD will say something about him with their ultra PC censorship!
Mark
Give me a break. Where is the homophobia in this? In fact, I think it almost shows anti-homophobia when you can joke about to another guy about him kissing on another guy all the time.
JAW
I find many more slurs on Modern Family… but we are supposed to like that… they make gay men look like fools
the other Greg
@wait what: Agree, the only way Mark can make this up to us is to kiss a guy on the kiss cam!
Lon
I agree that Mark Cuban is an ally, not a homophobe. Is his humor a bit tasteless? Sure.
Is this article pointless? Definitely.