Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
I've heard accusations like this about his act before, but the details were sketchier. It's just a contradiction in me, I guess, but I still think he's funny. I guess he's my personal Eminmen. If it turns out his stand-up persona is "just a character" that makes it okay, right?
Updated On: 6/9/11 at 04:39 PM
Wow. I think he took it too far. That isn't even remotely funny.
Yeah . . . no.
Louie CK can do fifteen minutes on the word "f*ggot" and it's hysterical--and never feels remotely hate-filled. I can't say the same about the Morgan stuff.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
The weird thing is he lifted his punchline/justification directly from the odious Damon Wayans's stand up act.
Look, I get making fun of gays in a comedic act (ie Lisa Lampanelli who I find hilarious) but there were definite lines crossed in that act. "The gays needed to quit being pussies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying." - That really just pushed it over the edge and makes me feel like he went from trying to be funny (if that was even his intent to begin with, which it doesn't sound like it was) to being a real bigot. Talking about stabbing his son if he turned out to be gay is beyond any measure of good taste and truly disgusting.
I'm not one to usually "boycott" something but I sadly will no longer have any interest in watching 30 ROCK with him on it.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
Here's an older thread where this game up before, but what he said back then was a lot more innocuous. (Rereading that thread, I guess Eminmen is always my go to for inexplicable celebration of homophobia)
Tracy Morgan calls being gay 'a choice'
Updated On: 6/9/11 at 05:03 PM
Well, I also wonder if he was trying to play to his Audience. He was in Nashville. I wonder if he would play the same set to a different demographic.
Exactly what demographic finds killing your children funny?
There is an attitude in parts of the South that having a gay child, especially male, is probably the worst thing that can happen to a person. Some people would probably prefer to have a serial killer. Hell, Tennessee just passed that damn Don't Say Gay law. I am not defending him at all, just wondering if region had anything to do with it.
I'm from the South and yes there is definitely an attitude like that among a lot of people. But in my experience those types of people who feel that way generally wouldn't go to a Tracy Morgan show. If you know what I mean.
I do get what you mean, because I am from Tennessee, but don't you think that the attitude is just as strong, if not stronger among Southern black men? I am being very general about haters, of course. I don't for a moment mean ALL or even most black men. I know a redneck comic like Larry The Cable Guy tells tons of offensive gay jokes and justifies it by his audience attitude.
I wasn't there...so...
But is it even remotely possible that this is some sort of Andy Kaufman-esque stunt?
And if he's using the justification that he's tailoring his act to his audience is even more odious.
http://talkaboutequality.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/comedian-tracy-morgans-anti-gay-tirade/
http://www.metroweekly.com/news/last_word/2010/02/tracy-morgans-uneven-comedy-no.html
Updated On: 6/9/11 at 05:41 PM
They are asking Tina Fey to comment.
He's doing the same strong material he's been doing for years. His comedy is not the same as what's written for him on SNL and 30 Rock and people are expecting something different. It's understandable people are offended but it's not news to me. That said, most comics that speak about him know it's yet another character and love the "real" him.
Never thought he was the least bit funny. IMO he comes off like an uneducated ignoramus who just got lucky.
The fact that he's a different person off-stage makes it even worse. He's using homophobia and hate as a character to make money. It makes him even more disgusting.
Broadway Star Joined: 10/15/08
I am not defending him at all, just wondering if religion had anything to do with it.
fixed.
and jordan, western monotheistic cultures celebrate abraham, who was going to sacrifice his son because he heard voices in his head commanding him to do it. which i say is worse than making humor of it.
Updated On: 6/10/11 at 12:18 PM
Unfortunately, this does not surprise me in the least. But then, I never found Tracy Morgan funny. He has always been my least favorite member of the 30 Rock cast and I find his schtick monotonous, stalling the pace of the timing and direction.
I don't find anything funny about wanting to stab your own child.
Would it have been just as funny if a gay comic started telling race jokes during a standup routine?
Updated On: 6/10/11 at 12:49 PM
Alec Baldwin tweeted, "Oh that Tracy."
Would it have been just as funny if a gay comic starting telling race jokes during a standup routine?
Sorry, but that's such a white person thing to say. There are black gay men too, and comments like this present this weird binary that makes it sound like all black people are straight, and all gay people are white. Neither rant is acceptable, and if your point is that the gay person would be attacked more than Morgan, I don't think that's necessarily true. Morgan is clearly in the wrong here, and it has nothing to do with his race, and everything to do with the fact he decided to use homophobia as a source of humor, and like JerseyGirl said, he basically used it to make money for himself which is a real shame.
His apology is pretty weak I have to say. Not sure if a statement is enough when you make those kinds of comments...this sucks, I think he's incredibly hilarious on 30 ROCK.
Now, he is apologizing...you know, I love when you make a mistake an have the honesty to apologize in your private life.
But public apologies are never too sincere and this is one of the things that once you said them, you can't take it back or apologize for them. Sorry my ass, you are just afraid you can't keep your A-list Hollywood lifestyle anymore and will lose your gig, that's why you say you're sorry!
If he didn't think these things for real he'd never EVER say the,.
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