Queer As Joke?

For those who regularly follow this blog, you know how weary I am with the trend of public figure’s endless apologies following their “mistakes” in a variety of categories.

 
Today we have another “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone” apology slithering out of the mouth of 30 Rock and former SNL player Tracy Morgan concerning what reportedly was an extremely offensive, not-at-all-funny-tinged-with-suggested-violence rant against homosexuals during a performance in Nashville earlier this week.
 
According to a lengthy Facebook post by Kevin Rogers who attended the Morgan fiasco, the so-called comedian began the homophobic rant as he has in previous performances, denouncing homosexuality because it is, in his opinion, a “choice” and that, in essence, “God makes no mistakes” – so, according to Morgan, being gay isn’t a mistake, just a perverted decision by a perverted minority.
 
Roger’s post included:  

“He said 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.”

And this:

“He took time to visit the bulls*it of this bullying stuff and informed us that the gays needed to quit being pussies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying. He mentioned that gay was something kids learn from the media and programming, and that bullied kids should just bust some ass and beat those other little f*ckers that bully them, not whine about it. “

Tracy Morgan is African American; possibly a victim of discrimination, bullying, and primal hatred from people who are afraid of those who are not “like them” – whoever the “them” may be. Fingers are wagging in his direction for this very reason. How could he be so callous, bigoted, mean?

Commentators claim that he has crossed the line between comedy and outright calamity in his rant-filled insanity akin to when Seinfeld’s Michael Richards' used the N word in a less-than-humorous manner in one of his last stand-up acts. (BTW, where is he today? Ahem.)
 
Realizing that his career might go the way of Richards, the following apologia turned up a short while ago in The Huffington Post via Morgan’s PR rep:

“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.”
 
As with Congress on recess, TV personalities on hiatus have way too much time on their hands and tend to find themselves in trouble while flexing their talent muscles to remain in tip-top shape. Normally I’d suggest that most should take much-needed vacations, but Newt Gingrich’s summer getaway on a tony cruise ship didn’t help his image at all following the $500,000 Tiffany purchases expose. His staffers are now dashing away from his presidential campaign as if he had been bathing in Cristal Champagne (which, for all we know, is not an impossible thought).
 
Tracy, Tracy, Tracy. Good grief, man! I liked you. I really did. You can be cute and funny. And no, I don’t reject comedians who are crass or rude until they rip someone or any specific group in a less-than comedic satiric quip. It’s not lewd language that I find offensive. It is when “comedy” veers into a hate-filled rampage.
 
Do you believe Morgan’s apology is sincere or just another damage control filled with crocodile tears?

 
Editorial Note: I’m not unaware of the well-known “fact” that the African American culture places a serious stigma on homosexuality. However, it is equally unfair to assume that because Morgan is “Black” he is on the attack by following a supposed mindset of his entire race. There are just as many, if not more, peoples of NON-colour parading on stages in homophobic rages.