Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert is literally putting his money where his mouth is after using a gay slur during a news conference this Saturday. The basketball star, responding to a question about some close man-on-man contact with Lebron James during Saturday’s game, was forced by the NBA to cough up $75,000 after using the phrase “no homo.”
NBA commissioner David Stern was quick to condemn the “inappropriate and vulgar” language, telling ESPN that it’s “necessary” to penalize homophobia following the increased visibility of LGBT athletes in American sports.
Hibbert was also quick to issue an apology in a statement released by the Pacers Sunday morning:
“I am apologizing for insensitive remarks made during the postgame press conference after our victory over Miami Saturday night. They were disrespectful and offensive and not a reflection of my personal views. I used a slang term that is not appropriate in any setting, private or public, and the language I used definitely has no place in a public forum, especially over live television. I apologize to those who I have offended, to our fans and to the Pacers’ organization.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Athlete Ally, the celebrity-driven organization combating homophobia in sports, issued a statement that more or less accepts the apology:
“We are confident that NBA will do its part to rectify the issue to the extent it can, comprehensively educate Hibbert, who seems genuinely apologetic, and make sure that these kinds of comments are soon a thing of the past.”
Do you think Hibbert sounds genuinely apologetic?
RomanHans
Actually, an ESPN journalist *defended* Mr. Hibbert’s use of “no homo.” It’s simultaneously incomprensible and offensive:
http://worldclassstupid.blogspot.com/2013/06/important-to-recognize-he-had-no-mal.html
decampbell
I’m still not sure how Hibbert could claim the comments were “not a reflection of my personal views.” No one was feeding him lines. he wasn’t reading a script.
You said them Mr. Hibbert; Who’s views might they be?
Taliaferro
He may or may not be truly sorry. I suspect there is a lot of education to do for him and others. I know it’s been well established and said before, but those truly secure in their sexuality don’t need to attack others for theirs.
Meowzer
Sounds like your typical “I’m sorry I got caught and now my PR person is telling me to apologize” apology. If the word is not a reflection of his personal views, how did it slip so easily out of his mouth?
Whup-Ass Master
Well I think this is nonsense. Anyone who’s offended by a basketball player using the world “homo” is a wee bit hypersensitive. Seriously? These forced apologies are boilerplates, sincere insofar as whoever’s forced to recite them is sorry they’re being forced to recite them. This apology-released-through-a-publicist meme is tiresome. I’d like the guy better if he just said “I’m sorry you homos are so easily offended.” It would be honest and he would be right.
hyhybt
The apology is at least as sincere as “no homo” is offensive.
It’s the sort of thing a person could say with no animus whatsoever and without realizing so many would be offended, and the apology given reflects that.
man5996853
@Whup-Ass Master…why don’t you learn how to read and, perhaps, study the difference between the slang of homo and “NO HOMO” Big fucking difference.