Gay plus-size model Michael McCauley is finally addressing those racist social media posts of his that resurfaced on Twitter just as he was being profiled in Abercrombie & Fitch’s new ad campaign about inclusiveness.
Quick backstory: Queerty ran an interview with McCauley last weekend, during which he touted the importance of diverse representation. Shortly after the interview published, a number of racist social media posts written by McCauley began recirculating on social media.
In one of the posts, McCauley blasted members of Black Lives Matter, calling them “a group of extremists.” In another, he bemoaned the activist group for blocking the streets and making him late for a meeting. And in another, he took aim at Jada Pinkett Smith for her stance on #OscarsSoWhite then complained that the Grammys don’t nominate enough white artists.
Queerty reached out to McCauley for a comment, but he never responded. Then yesterday, he took to Twitter to address the controversy.
“I want to address the comments that were recently brought to light from several years ago,” he wrote. “They were not intended to be hurtful. I realize how insensitive they are and I’m sorry for the harm they’ve cause. Thank you.”
— Michael McCauley (@themikemccauley) March 17, 2020
He also shared the post on Instagram, though he deactivated the comments.
Not very many people have been impressed with McCauley’s apology, however.
Your half-assed instagram story apology doesn’t cover this video, though 🥴 pic.twitter.com/YrfZveuW90
— kyle 🌤💐 (@nowlifesadream) March 18, 2020
let me help you: address the comments directly, call them what they were. they were racist, dont brush them off as just “insensitive”. And address the community you attacked, you attacked the black community so they should be addressed specifically in your apology.
— Thot of Amegakure (@Accidentalthot) March 17, 2020
Thank god this boilerplate “apology” is evergreen. You can use it for the next time you’re called out as a racist.
— Andrew Wortman (@AndrewWortman) March 17, 2020
Omg everything is better now thanks
— 🏴 ʙᴀᴄᴏɴ ʙᴜʟʟʏ 🇪🇺 (@PowerBoar) March 18, 2020
This was very very half assed
— Kyle Ord (@TheRealKyleOrd) March 18, 2020
Queerty still hasn’t heard back from McCauley since we reached out earlier this week. So, Michael, if you’re reading, we’d love to hear from you.
Related: OP-ED: Here’s what we can learn from gay plus-size model Michael McCauley’s racist posts
Update: McCauley posted a video addressing the comments on Instagram —
Cam
““I want to address the comments that were recently brought to light from several years ago,” he wrote. “They were not intended to be hurtful. ”
____________________
So calling people extremists and mocking then wasn’t intended to be hurtful? He would have been better off just admitting the whole thing rather than trying the whole “I’m sorry that you were offended” crap.
Catholicslutbox
He’s gross and fat. I don’t care if I offend him.
So gross.
So fat.
No thanks.
Chrisk
Did you even watch the video cam? He’s practically falling all over himself to apologize which he doesn’t even need to do.
The only hate that I see of is coming from you and some of the other commenters.
Cam
@Chrisk
Actually my post was on the original article and referred to his first response to it, not the one he got after the backlash.
Gary Q VV
@Catholicslutbox – your mind and attitude is pathetic. Calling him “fat and gross?”, what in hell is wrong with you? Immature people speak of others in your fashion, grow up and join the world of the adults.
gymmuscleboy
@Cam If somebody wants to criticise a political movement for being extreme, that is their prerogative. Offence has nothing to do with it.
truckproductions
He’s a terrible human being. Anyone who knows him knows it’s true. he will never be reflective in any way. His ego is too big.
Hussain-TheCanadian
Do you know him? Your post reeks of gossip and I want to know more!!
frapachino
Nothing he said was racist! BLM is a terrorist and racist organization, being black doesn’t give one immunity from criticism!
curiobi
No it is not. Please educate yourself on how and where the movement started by black Lesbian women against police brutality in their community before you embarrass yourself posting bigoted garbage like this.
It is ridiculous to call the movement terrorism. Do you even understand how racist and offensive and hurtful you are being, or is that the point you just want attention?
jonasalden
There are NOT a terrorist organization, but one formed of reaction to extreme circumstances. Although I personally believe they chose the worst poster boy of all time (Michael Brown), that does not negate the message of their organization. Terrorist and racist? I think a review of terms in necessary on your part. As for the Abercrombie model’s apology, it’s typical of what you see today. Sorry/not sorry. And that’s because we live in a climate in which people are so self-involved that they see little value in checking themselves for hypocrisy, incivility, insensitivity, etc. I can’t speak for other countries, although I live abroad, but he’s what I’ve come to see as the “Basic-ass American”. They are as common as ever, from the Real Housewives to the White House. And the rest of the populace seems to take their cues.
jonasalden
Unlike “Curiobi”, I don’t think you’re being hurtful (not to me anyway) at all because your comment tells me a few things about you: that you’ve not taken the time to inform yourself about the circumstances that led to the founding of Black Lives Matter (although I’ve got my own questions about it, particularly the choice of Michael Brown as its poster boy) and that because you didn’t BEFORE SPOUTING OFF, this is most likely a pattern for you and you don’t have a mind of your own but just regurgitate what you’ve heard. I cannot bring myself to feel anything for what people like that (YOU, in this case) say. We’ve got a lot of people like you in this country, which doesn’t recommend us well on the world stage or equip us intellectually to solve our domestic problems. Like the subject of this article (the plus-size Abercrombie guy), you’re a lethal combination of arrogant and stupid.
Cam
@frapachino
Except Neo Nazis have killed multiple people recently, NRA supporters have killed large numbers of school kids, and racist police officers have killed many back people by using inappropriate force during arrests.
Black Lives Matter hasn’t killed anybody. But I understand why a right wing, anti-LGBT troll would also hate it that minorities are speaking up about poor treatment. Your only goal is to support the bigots and racists.
sonic_source
Buddy, you are waaaaay behind the curve here. Even President Trump agrees that the justice system is far harsher on blacks and Latinos that it is on whites. If DONALD TRUMP–of all people–is more progressive than you, perhaps you need to rethink your stance.
Jared MacBride
Why does anyone care? The only people who give a damn what he thinks are on this website.
charlie_jackpot
Trash
SportGuy
Lmao, this fat disgusting racist pig is a pathetic pile of trash. Take your lame apology and shove it. Go eat some more pies pig.
GC
I listened to his apology on Instragram. His apology seemed heart felt and it sounds like he has changed his views since those posts. We need to continue to encourage people to change their hate filled views.
jonasalden
His apology does not sound heart-felt. It sounds desperate to salvage what he thinks is at risk. His cushy (no pun intended) but limited gig with Abercrombie. We do need to encourage people to recognize their hate-filled views, but we do NOT need to pat them on the back for doing damage control for their own selfish purposes. Why is it that people are quick to accept the apology of guys like this, but want to cancel people who say bad things IN RESPONSE TO the culture that bred this guy? NO.
enlightenone
…And we need people like you not to be so gullible, naive and/or ignorant. Let me guess; you think he’s “hot?”
seaguy
So any criticism of BLM is now branded racism? That’s total BS. Calling them extremist wasn’t racist, nor was criticizing them for tying up traffic. It was free speech! This seems like a ploy by BLM to silence its critics.
jonasalden
Then he shouldn’t have apologized and stuck to his guns, with you by his side cheering him on. That’s the part that really bothers me; the fake, sorry-ass insincere apology with the shaky voice and jiggling leg. Second was his TONE in the offending video, not what he actually said (i.e., the words). His energy was so dickish and foul
jonasalden
I SERIOUSLY doubt Black Lives Matter is trolling Queerty! Try again.
TruthBeKnown
Why should I care what the fat man thinks or writes? Just because he’s a model? PLEASE!
sonic_source
I know, right? That THING is a “model”?!?! The bar has obviously been lowered since the fabulous Ms. Linda Evangelista left the modeling business.
Aromaeus
Is the new thing for white people being caught racist to blame it on drugs? I swear anytime something like this happens that is there go to. I have a coworker who does a lot of drugs and he’s never gone on racist tirades while under the influence. That being said a gay plus-sized male model being a racist is like peak White Gay.
jonasalden
I must say, you’ve got a point. But even worse is that he knew it would resonate, which means WE’RE the problem, not him. The idea that he instinctive knew it would get him out of hot water tells even the inhabitants of Mars all they need to know about how shitty we are as a culture, collectively at least.
Cam
If it was drugs, then did he just admit to driving under the influence since one of the posts was done from his car?
Kangol2
It worked for pansexual Charlie Sheen, so I guess they’re all going to run with it now.
Dick Mayhem
Yes, his comments were racist.
Yes, when he speaks out about it on social media, everyone has on opportunity to pile on.
No, there is no need to criticise his body shape when the conversation is about racism. You are just acting in an equally misguided way.
No, not everyone needs to accept a verbal apology.
Yes, this has been blown way out of proportion. And Queerty turning a large size model into a social pioneer helped create an illusion of importance regarding the model’s viewpoint.
jonasalden
and I just noticed something that answered my earlier question of why this story is on Queerty. He’s gay, and I now cannot believe I missed that detail in the headline. So THAT’S why we care? Because we think White gays cannot be racist? That CERTAINLY can’t be it! Well for one thing, he didn’t say anything many straight non-Black (and probably a few Stacey Dashes too) don’t say on the daily. And for another (I know I already said this): His arrogant energy in the original video, and his crybaby apology is what did him in with me.
Kieran
Are you now or have you ever been insensitive? The Thought Police are coming for you.
This PC BS will only guarantee the re-election of President Trump.
Cam
It’s so adorable when right wingers try to hide the word “Racism” behind phrases like “PC BS” or “Insensitive”.
Look how enraged they get when they can’t be publicly racist anymore.
Kangol2
Fräulein Kieran, you can hope, pray, wish, cajole, and scream into the dark night your desire for Drumpf to be reelected, but the impeached Tangerine Turdbrain has screwed up this Covid-19 crisis so badly, and keeps screwing it up, that it will take every spell in the book and Russia working quadruple-time to get him back into office. I guess you missed it, but in addition to his antechamber to hell Mar-a-Lago being a giant Petri dish, he can’t tell the truth long enough to stop crashing the Dow and other market indexes. The US and global economies are cratering. He can’t blame that on China! The Great Depression 2.0 is on its way, thanks to his continuing ineptitude, so if you think voters were mad in 2016, just wait till November!
sonic_source
They never apologize until they get caught. Sorry, chubs, but I don’t buy it. If you were truly sorry, you’d have apologized at the time, not four years later.
toddlicious
First of all, never heard of him. How’s he a model? I’m a big guy too but, I’m confused as to who cares about his fake ass, forced, trying to cry apology. Blaming it on drugs. Puh-leez! Oh, and btw, Michael McCauley who???
Thad
Just start walking the walk. I’ll be watching.
Kangol2
He might have had his moment in the sun, since Abercrombie is now in dire straits and needed to change course after their long Aryanist buff twink fantasy ceased drawing customers, but he blew it, because he was revealed to be what he really is, a very unappealing, racist jack@ss. & no drugs or alcohol will make you say things that aren’t truly inside. There are tons of other non-racist, plus-sized White gay male models, so Abercrombie should send out a few scouts, and they’ll surely find quite a few. That is, after we’re past this national and international Trump-Covid19 nightmare!
SportGuy
Lmao, nice try pig. You can pretend your a model but your not, your a fat gross racist that got busted. Go eat some more deep fried Twinkies and circle jerk with your other racist pieces of trash.
theafricanwiththemouth
With all that’s been dug up from his past, i don’t think i can ever genuinely like this guy. His comments (on video and writing) had this “ignorantly racist” vibe to it that just feels so uncomfortable and annoying to watch or read.
But please, the fat shaming and name calling? Yeah, shove that right back where it came from and stop being another kind of a**hole y’all.
boymikefl
I live in Baltimore City & ALL murders are young black men shooting young black men in the head. This is a crisis and the black community blaming whites for this is getting tired. Focus on the problems in YOUR community and then all will get along. Blaming others, it will never get fixed. FOCUS on the bad people. Raise your children with love, morals and rules. I’m sick of it! When will it end???
NS@nity080869
So as a gay man who has dated black men, I have received more hate and racism and crap from the families of my boyfriends than actual homophobic persons. Straight Blacks have less tolerance for gays or anyone in the LGBTQ+ communities. If a gay.man says something derogatory towards blacks I feel it’s somewhat justified. #SorryNotSorry. Call me racist if it makes you feel better but I’m.sure the open minded black friends and men I date will tell you to stfu. Many African American people love God more than gay and in my head, those people are the same as Trump loving racist redneck. Should I be treated like dirt for criticism of how they treat me? Or should I just let them vote against my rights like legalized marriage, or whateva and love them because they are marginalized while they trample my rights? In that case #GayLivesMatter more to me than #BLM