Tracy Morgan, who portrays the lovably clueless, self-deprecating comic Tracy Jordan on NBC’s “30 Rock,” let loose with an astonishingly homophobic rant during a June 3 appearance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, according to Kevin Rogers, who attended the show and posted an account on his Facebook page.
Rogers wrote that the outburst included the warning that “if his son that was gay he better come home and talk to him like a man and not [he mimicked a gay, high pitched voice] or he would pull out a knife and stab that little N (one word I refuse to use) to death.”
In a statement issued June 10 by his publicity outfit, PMK BNC, Morgan said, “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. 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.”
According to Rogers –– who told CNN he had to first come out to his mother before posting his Facebook account –– Morgan said “all this gay shit was crazy” and that Lady Gaga’s song “Born This Way” is “bullshit, gay is a choice, and the reason he knows this is exactly because ‘God don't make no mistakes.’”
Rogers related that Morgan, a veteran of "Saturday Night Live," alleged that any woman who identifies as lesbian is just “pretending because she hates a fucking man.”
Continuing his line of commentary on whether homosexual orientation is a choice, Rogers reported, Morgan said “gay was something kids learn from the media and programming, and that bullied kids should just bust some ass and beat those other little fuckers that bully them, not whine about it.”
Morgan also criticized President Barack Obama, saying he “needed to man up and quit being all down with this just because he has a wife and two daughters.”
Rogers reported that the rant spurred a “thunderous cheer and ‘You go Tracys’” from the Nashville crowd.
No doubt anticipating a possible response from the LGBT community and other non-homophobic elements of society, Morgan said, according to Rogers, “he didn't fucking care if he pissed off some gays, because if they can take a fucking dick up their ass... they can take a fucking joke.”
In a written statement, Fred Sainz, the communications vice president at the Human Rights Campaign, said Morgan “needs to go further than his apology and correct the record: no one should feel ashamed because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and they should definitely not become a victim of violence. Words have consequences and Morgan should be held to a higher standard. Until he does something meaningful, his brand will remain tarnished.”
Jarrett Barrios, the president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), called on the comedian “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.”
A GLAAD representative, Rich Ferraro, said the group "is asking that Morgan meet with families who have lost children to anti-LGBT violence and LGBT youth who have been rejected by their families."
Carl Siciliano, the executive director of the Ali Forney Center, which provides housing and social services to LGBT homeless youth in New York, issued a statement saying, "We appreciate Tracy Morgan’s apology, but wish to invite him to meet with some of our young people who have endured violence and rejection from their families for being LGBT, so that he can better understand the human suffering caused by those who promote homophobia against youths.”
According to GLAAD, Tina Fey, the creator and star of “30 Rock,” released a statement saying, "The violent imagery of Tracy's rant was disturbing to me at a time when homophobic hate crimes continue to be a life-threatening issue for the GLBT community. It also doesn't line up with the Tracy Morgan I know, who is not a hateful man and is generally much too sleepy and self-centered to ever hurt another person. I hope for his sake that Tracy's apology will be accepted as sincere by his gay and lesbian co-workers at '30 Rock', without whom Tracy would not have lines to say, clothes to wear, sets to stand on, scene partners to act with, or a printed-out paycheck from accounting to put in his pocket."
One of those gay co-workers is Cheyenne Jackson, who has a recurring role on the series. Jackson’s press representative said the actor, who has been active in the fight for marriage equality in New York, had no comment on the matter.
GLAAD also quoted NBC chairman saying, "Tracy’s comments reflect negatively on both '30 Rock' and NBC –– two very all-inclusive and diverse organizations –– and we have made it clear to him that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated."
Morgan’s publicist did not respond to emailed questions regarding whether he supported civil rights and hate crimes protections for the LGBT community, whether he was prepared to do any public service on behalf of LGBT youth at risk for bullying and suicide, and whether he would personally apologize to Jackson.
The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the Ryman Auditorium issued a statement saying it "regrets that people were offended by statements made by Tracy Morgan during his June 3 appearance. The Ryman does not control the content presented by people appearing on its stage, nor does it endorse any of the views of, or statements made by, such persons.”
Rogers wrote that the outburst included the warning that “if his son that was gay he better come home and talk to him like a man and not [he mimicked a gay, high pitched voice] or he would pull out a knife and stab that little N (one word I refuse to use) to death.”
In a statement issued June 10 by his publicity outfit, PMK BNC, Morgan said, “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. 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.”
According to Rogers –– who told CNN he had to first come out to his mother before posting his Facebook account –– Morgan said “all this gay shit was crazy” and that Lady Gaga’s song “Born This Way” is “bullshit, gay is a choice, and the reason he knows this is exactly because ‘God don't make no mistakes.’”
Rogers related that Morgan, a veteran of "Saturday Night Live," alleged that any woman who identifies as lesbian is just “pretending because she hates a fucking man.”
Continuing his line of commentary on whether homosexual orientation is a choice, Rogers reported, Morgan said “gay was something kids learn from the media and programming, and that bullied kids should just bust some ass and beat those other little fuckers that bully them, not whine about it.”
Morgan also criticized President Barack Obama, saying he “needed to man up and quit being all down with this just because he has a wife and two daughters.”
Rogers reported that the rant spurred a “thunderous cheer and ‘You go Tracys’” from the Nashville crowd.
No doubt anticipating a possible response from the LGBT community and other non-homophobic elements of society, Morgan said, according to Rogers, “he didn't fucking care if he pissed off some gays, because if they can take a fucking dick up their ass... they can take a fucking joke.”
In a written statement, Fred Sainz, the communications vice president at the Human Rights Campaign, said Morgan “needs to go further than his apology and correct the record: no one should feel ashamed because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and they should definitely not become a victim of violence. Words have consequences and Morgan should be held to a higher standard. Until he does something meaningful, his brand will remain tarnished.”
A GLAAD representative, Rich Ferraro, said the group "is asking that Morgan meet with families who have lost children to anti-LGBT violence and LGBT youth who have been rejected by their families."
Carl Siciliano, the executive director of the Ali Forney Center, which provides housing and social services to LGBT homeless youth in New York, issued a statement saying, "We appreciate Tracy Morgan’s apology, but wish to invite him to meet with some of our young people who have endured violence and rejection from their families for being LGBT, so that he can better understand the human suffering caused by those who promote homophobia against youths.”
According to GLAAD, Tina Fey, the creator and star of “30 Rock,” released a statement saying, "The violent imagery of Tracy's rant was disturbing to me at a time when homophobic hate crimes continue to be a life-threatening issue for the GLBT community. It also doesn't line up with the Tracy Morgan I know, who is not a hateful man and is generally much too sleepy and self-centered to ever hurt another person. I hope for his sake that Tracy's apology will be accepted as sincere by his gay and lesbian co-workers at '30 Rock', without whom Tracy would not have lines to say, clothes to wear, sets to stand on, scene partners to act with, or a printed-out paycheck from accounting to put in his pocket."
GLAAD also quoted NBC chairman saying, "Tracy’s comments reflect negatively on both '30 Rock' and NBC –– two very all-inclusive and diverse organizations –– and we have made it clear to him that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated."
Morgan’s publicist did not respond to emailed questions regarding whether he supported civil rights and hate crimes protections for the LGBT community, whether he was prepared to do any public service on behalf of LGBT youth at risk for bullying and suicide, and whether he would personally apologize to Jackson.
The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the Ryman Auditorium issued a statement saying it "regrets that people were offended by statements made by Tracy Morgan during his June 3 appearance. The Ryman does not control the content presented by people appearing on its stage, nor does it endorse any of the views of, or statements made by, such persons.”
