Robert Ortiz, the gay, Trump-supporting Lyft passenger caught delivering a racist 16-minute tirade against a black driver who refused to play his music in the car, has now appeared on a news program to tell everyone he was reeeeaaaally drunk the night of that incident and he’s totally not racist even though he called his driver a n*gger.
You may recall that in the video that went viral last week, Brooklyn Lyft driver Shawn Pepas Lettman recorded Ortiz screaming to the cops on the phone while obnoxiously proclaiming his support of Trump. Ortiz, gay himself, called Lettman a f*ggot and threatened to have him fired for refusing to refund his $8.01 ride.
Related: ‘I am sorry’: Owner of NYC gay bar Monster apologizes for racist debacle
After Letterman uploaded the video of Ortiz online, it quickly went viral, leading to Ortiz being fired from his job at a local urgent health care clinic.
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Ortiz told WPIX 11 video: “At the end of the day, my actions were unjustifiable. There’s nothing that I can say behind that to say ‘But this.’ I was drinking. A lot of the stuff that I said I didn’t even remember until the next day.”
He continued, “That’s not how I was raised to treat people. I grew up in the projects, so I just wanna make sure that people understand that I’m not racist. I’m Puerto Rican, I’m from the Bronx, I’m gay. Like, we know discrimination. You smell it in the air. You just know when someone’s uncomfortable with you.”
Ortiz says he has received countless threats and hateful messages since the video went viral. And while that’s never okay, it’s important to point out that you can be a person of color and still do racist things.
“I just want to go on with my life. I’m not racist, my actions were completely wrong. I wouldn’t want anyone to speak to the way that I spoke to [Lettman]…
The only thing that I can say is that I’m sorry.”
misterjack
Moron.
Wicked Dickie
I’m betting his Scruff profile says “no blacks”. Latinos, please come get your boy.
WayDifferent
And that’s his perogative.
RU486
We don’t want him. The white Trump supporters can have his ass.
Lacuevaman
fool
jblake62
He apologized.. None of us are perfect 100 % of the time. I hope he learns, gains the wisdom,, and does what it takes to take care of himself. I hope he does the the work to help in any similar situation if it happens. No shame, no blame, but prayers for all party’s involved.
Wicked Dickie
True, none of us are 100% perfect, however, how many of us leave a club drunk, gets into a Lyft and proceeds to hurl racial slur at the driver who is trying to get you home safely? Cause you know, nothing says you want acceptance by society by being a minority (gay) and hurling racial slurs at another minority (black).
James
He’s a log cabin republican…… no friend of gays……. voted for trump nazi hate…….. who cares about him, he’s a creep drunk or sober.
WayDifferent
Yeah right, just like White guys that aren’t sexually attracted to black men or Indians aren’t “racist” either. Lol. :/
Vince
Wow. For someone who was suppedstly drunk he acted very coherent.
Hussain-TheCanadian
The apology should be made to Shaun, I hope he reaches out to him and apologize, on camera.
Kangol
He also posted a crappy apology on YouTube that is full of qualifications and snide backhanded comments about the driver Shawn Pepas Lettman. It shows how insincere he initially was about what he’d done. His main concern is that he’s now out of a job and radioactive in NYC. Who would hire this jerk? Also, he needs to look deeply in the mirror; as a Puerto Rican with evident African ancestry and as a gay man, he really is the last person who should be spewing anti-Black racist and homophobic epithets. Maybe the consequences will help him truly make a personal change. Meanwhile, the driver he insulted is now trying to help Ortiz!
Terrycloth
He says I’m not racist alot…being from the projects has nothing to do with it…he says hes gay too..oh so that’s ok to hate on your brother ? He’ll understand…if you walked home with that mouth and temper you may have been beaten .you call a driver. Be nice enjoy your safe ride..the driver expects the same
Xzamilloh
Put in your application to the #WalkAway guy… I’m sure he’ll give you work appearing on various conservative outlets as a former liberal who got fed up with the “intolerant left”
Polaro
Really drunk people say and do really stupid stuff. Same goes for drugs. As far as all the really harsh judgment from the arm-chair choir boys here, I can only advise you look in the mirror too.
Kangol
Do you spew racist and anti-gay BS when you’re drunk? At people who’re doing their jobs and not bothering you?
Polaro
Once I said some mean stuff to my boyfriend when I was drunk that I regret. It is a behavior I instantly changed. Does that help? Have you been an ass when you were drunk? Just didn’t get caught on video?
He apologized for being a stupid drunk. He was a complete azzhat. No question. I have good friends who have been complete nightmares when they get too drunk, but are great sober. Not sure he should be fired for it. Not sure most of you haven’t misbehaved drunk. There. Do you get it? Dumb it down enough for you?
bootyboy
“You can smell it in the air.”
Well, it must have been a few years since the last time he smelt others’ discomfort cause he still voted for trump.
Miss me with that beulchit
theafricanwiththemouth
Whatever.
Just whatever with this dude. I hope he finds a proper way to support his family, but dayum i really don’t care much for nasty folks like this. Even his apologies are still kinda snarky.
Craig
People who are not racist do not have to tell people they are not racist.
James
He is a creep. End of story.
inbama
I just hope there’s no footage round of me almost passed out being dragged out of The Anvil and stuffed into a cab in the 90s.
Patsy Stoned 75
Apologizing becomes a necessity, once the consequences start piling up.
Notice they always say they weren’t raised that way? Punk.
feejack412
He is sorry he got caught that is all……
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
He is definitely a dumbass. Don’t think there is anyone here who didn’t do something they regretted while under the influence. ..
And again as a service provider, one usually ALWAYS strives to provide service for a customer in hopes of getting a large a tip as possible. Changing or turning on the radio is not a big ask. And there are countless documented incidents of Uber or Lyft drivers exhibiting homophobic behavior towards Gay passengers.
The driver must have known he picked them up at a Gay club. So please stop commending the driver for just sitting there. There is a great possibly this whole incident was rooted in homophobia, bigotry, and hatred….