@wwejoshmathews faggot
Michael Cole
MichaelCole
How is GLAAD’s new partnership with WWE — where the wrestling group promised to rid its organization of homophobic language and portrayals from here on out — going? Oh just wonderfully, if you discount the tweet WWE announcer Michael Cole (pictured, right) sent to colleague Josh Mathews: “faggot.”
In announcing their partnership, the WWE insisted it “takes this issue [homophobia] very seriously, and has already spoken with our talent about these incidents. We are taking steps and working with GLAAD to ensure that our fans know that WWE is against bullying or discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.” Apparently not every one of WWE’s staffers received the memo, though Cole certainly did after his tweet: he’s since deleted it.
WWE, wisely, is already on the defensive, saying in a statement: “WWE has alerted GLAAD to the situation and spoken to Michael Cole about his post. He has removed it and apologized for using hateful language. Michael will be included in the training session being done by GLAAD. WWE takes this very seriously and is against discrimination of any kind based on sexual orientation, gender, race, religion or other.”
Now let’s see what action GLAAD demands from WWE. To which I say, consider the same thought exercise I put forth earlier today: If Cole had tweeted “nigger,” would he still have a job?
How about we take this to the next level?
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I apologize to any and all who were offended by my tweet toward young Josh Mathews. It was obviously not meant the way it was taken.Michael Cole
MichaelCole
justiceontherocks
I love it: “It was obviously not meant the way it was taken.” How are we supposed to take calling someone your character has been feuding with a “faggot”? As a compliment? A love poem?
The old joke must be true: What has an IQ of 50 and 40 teeth? Answer: Front row at the wrestling.
hephaestion
@justiceontherocks: Amen. What a dumbfuck.
Jeffree
Lame apology: guy should have retracted the statement, apologized, and promised never to say that word again—anywhere.
There’s no other possible meaning for what he said, so let’s not pretend he meant something else.
Spike
Wonder what the word faggot means in the WWE.
Pretty much says it all with regard to alliances with GLADD.
Means jackshit!
Gregger
Why does anyone belief WWE? Their “sport” is BS, as is their founder.
Avenger
Why is the WWE making pacts with GLAAD anyway? It’s not gays watch wrestling. Is Lady Gaga gonna perform the Star Spangled Banner there or something? Please.
luke
i watch wrestling
DJ
Didn’t I call bullshit on their little packed? I believe I did. And I was right. Who’s dumb enough to believe that their going to start watching what they say? They don’t care. Honestly, I don’t take offense to it because I know that at least 30% of them are homos anyway.
The sane Francis
Well, this doesn’t mean the WWE has broken their pact, it means that there is a lot of homophobia within the WWE. The WWE breaking their pack with GLAAD would be making excuses for the anti-gay language, which they didn’t do, so that’s a start. The problem, at least for right now, doesn’t seem to be the organizers of WWE, but the overall culture of wrestling in general, which is EXTREMELY homophobic. So, it’s good that the WWE has made an effort to change this, but I definitely expect speed bumps along the way and a long-term process.
Sceth
@Avenger:
Two muscular men trying to pin each other definitively delights some of us.
gonzorino
u fags suck
The sane Francis
Gonzorino, you must feel like SUCH a man to go on a GAY website, just to insult (you failed) it’s visitors and commenters. You must think you’ve accomplished SO much, right?
P.S. If us fags “suck”, I wonder what that makes you? Yeah. Bye bye douchebag, go back to watching 2 half-naked sweaty men roll around and touching each other.
Kat
“WWE takes this very seriously and is against discrimination of any kind based on sexual orientation, gender, race, religion or other.”
That’s the biggest joke I have ever heard! As someone who used to watch wrestling for several years, I can confidently say that they do nothing but discriminate! Women and gays are definitely made to feel inferior. It’s not even a question!
ewe
He should be FIRED immediately. It is unprofessional and not to be tolerated in the workplace. He must be made an example.
ewe
@gonzorino: u fags suck
We are not discussing your sexual fantasies right now.
Trent
fag crybabies
DAB
I am equally offended by the fact that the writer of this article would assume that if the word “nigger” was used it would have made a difference in WWE’s reaction. Please…either word is derogatory.
CockyRock
Seems we’re being a little too over-sensitive to the word “faggot.” I know it’s derogatory, but can’t we grow some semblance of a spine and take the high road by laughing in the face of prejudiced language? Nothing hurts a name-calling more that his attacks being ignored.
Or, we could just jump up and down like teenage girls screaming about the injustices of being called a bad word. Our choice.
DJ
@gonzorino: lls why are you here? You’re throwing around the word fag on a gay blog with a bunch of gay men thinking it’s going to hurt somebody? It’s not. You’re out numbered here. Go get a life, please.
Love, The “fag” community
Joey O'H
Bullshit! He said it the way it was taken. It’s too damn easy for any of these assholes to scream “faggot” and later apologize for it and say asinine things like, it wasn’t meant that way. Oh really? Then how was it supposed to be taken? Faggot is a negative term and there is no other way to take it other than that.
CHEEKIEY
@gonzorino: I’m sure you suck cock, or you wouldn’t be on this site
Alex
@DAB: You are way off base. I guaran-damn-tee you that if the word nigger had been used, there would be a huge uproar and his ass would have been out in the cold. Some forms of discrimination are much less socially acceptable than others.
SkeeterVT
Michael Cole’s on-air persona in recent weeks has degenerated from a play-by-play announcer to a total jerk. But that’s by design, as his personality transformation — like those of the WWE wrestlers he covers — are scripted well in advance.
It’s known in the “sports entertainment” industry — which the WWE and its rival TNA Wrestling are part of — as “character development.”
But not only did Cole call his broadcast partner Josh Matthews a “faggot” in his tweet, he called him that on last Friday’s broadcast of “SmackDown!” The homophobic F-word got bleeped out, but viewers who can lip-read could clearly make out what Cole said.
What I found outrageous was Matthews’ lack of any reaction to Cole’s blast. I expected Matthews to stand up and shoot back, “Who the hell are you calling a faggot?”
Yet this is the same Michael Cole who less than a decade ago was the butt of The Rock’s stinging put-downs that often were of the “challenge to his manhood” variety.
So what gives, Cole?
jeff
All of this seems like progress. There was a day not so long ago when groups like the WWE wouldn’t have apologized and certainly wouldn’t have sought help from a gay rights group. I can’t get over the number of people who sit around and complain about our LGBT groups. Since when is the circular firing squad gonna get us anywhere.
justiceontherocks
@jeff: If the “leaders” at HRC will go for a circular firing squad I’ll pay for the ammo.
ewe
@Trent: wipe up your shit and get out.