Tracy Morgan Apologizes for Gay Jokes, but Is It Enough?

Human Rights Campaign exhorts 30 Rock actor to do more after he admits a recent stand-up performance crossed the line

By Marc Malkin Jun 10, 2011 5:55 PMTags
Tracy MorganSara De Boer/startraksphoto.com

Tracy Morgan is sorry.

At least that's what he's claiming this morning after it was revealed that he went on an antigay rant during a stand-up performance last Friday in Nashville.

But at least one national gay rights group wants the 30 Rock actor to do more...

"Tracy Morgan exercised extremely poor judgment and he did the right thing by apologizing," the Human Rights Campaign's Fred Sainz said in a statement. "But that's just not enough.

"He's a role model and Morgan now has a responsibility to make amends for his horribly hurtful and dangerous 'comedy' routine. He also 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."

Kevin Rogers, an audience member during Morgan's June 3 show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, noted on his Facebook page (in an entry titled "Why I No Longer 'Like' Tracy Morgan: A Must Read") that about 10-15 people walked out after Morgan began spewing all sorts of antigay rhetoric, arguing that homosexuality is a choice because "God don't make mistakes."

Morgan also railed on the anti-bullying movement, said Rogers: "He took time to visit the bulls--t of this bullying stuff and informed us that the gays needed to quit being p--sies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying."

Morgan apparently realized his comedy would offend because, Rogers wrote, "Tracy then said he didn't f--king care if he pissed off some gays, because if they can take a f---ing d--k up their a--... they can take a f---ing joke."

After Rogers' Facebook post swept through the Internet this morning, Morgan quickly said he was sorry. "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," he said in a statement. "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."

Do you believe Morgan is sorry or do you think he's simply in spin control? Would he have apologized if he had never been called out for the offending material? Sound off below.

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