Tracy Morgan joined with GLAAD in Nashville, Tenn. to apologize for comments he made in a standup act where he cracked famous jokes such as, "I will stab my son in the head if he is gay." Video of the apology is as straight-faced as you'd expect, and therefore the footage is cinematic in a grim, '70s way.
Short video, but I'm most interested in the section where, after Morgan apologizes, he says, "I don't really see gay or straight; I just see human beings now," and follows with, "I use stand-up to heal people, and not hurt people, and I hurt people with this. So with the bottom of my heart I apologize to everyone who I offended with this."
Not to drag out this imbroglio any longer, but shouldn't the point be that he does "see" gay people now? Personally, I was never concerned that Tracy Morgan couldn't classify gay people as human beings; the issue is whether he understands there are specific and pervasive threats to the gay community, and when you spew homophobic vitriol at a comedy show where an audience responds with hoots and hollers, there's a chance you expect to be interpreted literally.
Mind you, I don't think any comic should have to apologize for anything he says onstage -- but if Morgan's going to join with GLAAD, recant, and sit across from the man who wrote up his rant on Facebook in the first place, I'd think he'd want to establish an understanding of the real-life ramifications of such a violent monologue, not just recognition that gay people, too, are organisms.
ยท Tracy Morgan apologizes for homophobic remarks in Nasvhille [Deadline]