Comedian Tracy Morgan in Hot water over Homophobic jokes, Apologises

[Kairi]

30 Rock actor Tracy Morgan has issued an apology to fans and the gay and lesbian community for an anti-gay rant during his weekend gig at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium that has landed him in hot water.

“I want to apologize to my fans and the gay & lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville. I’m not a hateful person and don’t condone any kind of violence against others,†Morgan said in a statement. “While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context.â€

Nashville native Kevin Rogers, whose detailed account of the event on Facebook first grabbed media attention, spoke with EW earlier today and said he had gone to the show expecting a night of comedy, but left feeling “like the butt of the joke†after the 30 Rock actor launched into his tirade. â€I can take a joke, but I absolutely did not expect a rant like this in the middle of a comedy act,†Rogers told EW via phone.

According to Rogers’ account, Morgan informed the audience “that the gays needed to quit being p—ies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying†and that “if his son that was gay he better come home and talk to him like a man…or he would pull out a knife and stab that little [n-----] to death.â€

Rogers says before the rant, Morgan’s humor (specifically his comments about enjoying when women choke during oral sex) had proved too much for many audience members. But once Morgan launched into his anti-gay comments, more began to leave. Rogers said he stayed for the entire show. “I had to fight myself. I don’t really give in easily and I thought…if I stand up and leave, he wins. It shows him, ‘Hey, I got to you.’ He didn’t get to me. I wasn’t angry; I was just disappointed.I thought he was more intelligent than that,†he says.

GLAAD released a statement today calling for Morgan’s management to “investigate these allegations and should they prove true, we call on him to remove these violently anti-gay remarks from his show and send a strong message that anti-gay violence is not something to joke about.†Hours later, Morgan issued his apology.

A rep for Morgan’s 30 Rock boss, Tina Fey, a well known LGBT advocate, has not responded to a request for comment.

 

[Kairi]

Wanda Sykes Takes On Chris Rock, Roland Martin Over Tracy Morgan

by David Badash

Wanda Sykes, an African-​American, a comedian, a married lesbian with twins, and a proud recipient of a GLAAD 2010 award, takes on Chris Rock and Roland Martin over their support of Tracy Morgan’s anti-​gay, hate-​filled rant.

Chris Rock seemed to be, indirectly, suggesting there were or could be laws against Tract Morgan’s right to free speech, which there aren’t. Morgan had the legal right to say what he did, just as the millions who stand against him, including Sykes, have the right to condemn his speech, and even to classify it as hate speech, which, as the Westboro Baptist Church (aka, “God Hates ***s,”) proved in the supreme Court earlier this year, is still protected by our Constitution.Wanda Sykes response was simple and elegant, and she opted to not mention Chris Rock by name.

“Ok, piss’d reading, “I don’t want 2 live n a world where Tracy can’t say…” I Do! U Keep the world, just break me off an evolved country,” Sykes tweeted Friday night.


- From a post in The New Civil Rights Movement, June 11

 

[Kairi]

Tracy Morgan Reveals His Father Died Of AIDS -- Admits ‘I was Bullied At School’


Posted on Jun 13, 2011 @ 03:55PM

WENN

By Radar Staff

Repentant comedian, Tracy Morgan is continuing in his attempt to make amends for his shocking homophobic rant on Friday during a comedy routine in Nashville, TN.
The 30 Rock star spoke with GLAAD on Monday to announce several steps he will be taking to redeem himself, and also confessed that he was a victim of bullying himself as a child.

"I know how bad bullying can hurt,” Morgan said. “I was bullied when I was a kid. I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it. I never want to use my comedy to hurt anyone. My family knew what it was like to feel different. My brother was disabled and I lost my father to AIDS in 1987.
“My dad wasn't gay but I also learned about homophobia then because of how people treated people who were sick with that. Parents should support and love their kids no matter what. Gay people deserve the same right to be happy in this country as everyone else.

“Our laws should support that. I hope that my fans gay, straight, whatever forgive and I hope my family forgives me for this."
Morgan announced that he will be meeting this week with LGBT teens who were shunned or left homeless by their parents as well as parents who lost their children to anti-LGBT hate crimes.

Then next week Morgan will return to Tennessee with GLAAD and hip hop mogul, Russell Simmons, to meet with those offended by his remarks and make a public statement about how he supports LGBT people.
Simmons, a longtime friend of Tracy’s told GLAAD: “In the years that I have known Tracy, I’ve only ever known him to want to make people happy. This experience might be a blessing. The amount of pain he caused has resulted in a new sensitivity for him that he can now use to bridge communities.

“I’m proud to be a straight American who spends time advocating for the LGBT community and for marriage equality. I’m happy to have another ally in Tracy. People like Tracy Morgan need to speak out against homophobia and I hope more leaders within the black community and everywhere speak out in support for marriage equality like he has.”
In addition, Tracy has announced that he will film a PSA as part of GLAAD’s upcoming ‘Amplify Your Voice’ PSA campaign.

"By not only apologizing, but sending a message of support for gay and transgender people, Tracy will help many realize that no one should be treated differently or subjected to violence,” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios. “It is so important that Americans hear from allies like him as well as gay and transgender youth shunned by their families and parents who have lost their only children to anti-gay violence. We look forward to working with him on spreading this message to Americans."

 

[Kairi]

On second thought, Chris Rock does want to live in a world where Tracy Morgan can’t say hugely offensive things.
Rock backed off his Tweet supporting the embattled 30 Rock star after he apparently read what Morgan actually said.
Tweeted Rock: “Tracy morgan is a tad off we all know that so when tracy says something i usually don’t take it anymore serious than i would a statement from gary busey or flavor flav. when i first heard the statement i thought it was offensive but it also reminded me of my father saying ill kill you if you ever bring home a white girl but after reading everything tracy said. wow i get it that s— wasn’t called for and i don’t support it at all. now can i please go to the tony awards without getting my ass kicked.”
The day before, Rock had tweeted: “I dont know about you, but I dont want to live in world where Tracy Morgan cant say foul inappropriate s—.” Morgan’s openly gay 30 Rock costar Cheyenne Jackson was more blunt:
“I am disgusted and appalled by Tracy Morgan’s homophobic rant,” Jackson told The Advocate. “The devastating repercussions of hate-filled language manifest in very real ways for today’s LGBTQ youth. I’ve known Tracy for two years, spent many long hours with him on set, and I want to believe that this behavior is not at the core of who he is. I’m incredibly disappointed by his actions, and hope that his apology is sincere.”
Some are continuing to support Morgan, however. CNN pundit Roland S. Martin blogged:
“Why is comedian and “30 Rock” star Tracy Morgan issuing a mea culpa for saying nasty, vicious and vile things during a stand-up routine? Isn’t that par for the course of a comedian? … There isn’t enough space on the Internet to chronicle the number of times a comedian has said nasty and vile things. Some of it leading the audience to fall out laughing or sometimes, or as in the case of Morgan, walk out in protest … Oh yes, you’ll say, “But Roland, you criticized Michael Richards for using the N-word.” Sure did. What’s the difference? I said then and now that Richards directly attacked an audience member and his use of the N-word had nothing to do with his routine. If it was in the context of a routine, it would not have been received the same.”