Tracy Morgan issues statement about anti-gay rant

Tracy Morgan, March 26, 2011, in New York.

/ Getty

(CBS) Tracy Morgan has issued an apology - of sorts - through a representative for his homophobic rant last week during a stand-up performance in Nashville, Tenn. 

"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," the statement  read. " 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."

Pictures: Tracy Morgan

Audience member Kevin Rogers wrote a lengthy Facebook note called "WHY I NO LONGER 'LIKE' Tracy Morgan - A MUST READ." In that note, he described comments made about gay men and women in which Morgan said gays needed to quit whining about bullying and that being gay is a choice.

Perhaps the most inflammatory thing Morgan said concerned his son. From Rogers' note,

"[Morgan] 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."

The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement which reads in part, "Hateful remarks that mock youth suicides and the very real emotional and sometimes physical bullying LGBT kids face on a daily basis have no place in a comedy routine."

The HRC said Morgan's employer, NBC Universal, also must "condemn these atrocious comments."

NBC has not yet responded to our request for comment.

In a statement, Jarrett Barrios, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said NBC had taken "an important first step by condemning anti-gay violence" but urged the network to "push Morgan to tell his fans that such violence is not only not funny, but unacceptable."

Read our original report here.

[netjunkie1]

Why do some **** act like girlie muffins?
Does one have to act "Liberace" to expose their sexuality?
I don't think so....As for Mr Morgan....If you don't like what he's saying, leave.
I bet if they want to be in the military, that little muffin attitude will only get them in the stockade.
I'm only asking since there is choice in the way one expresses themselves.
Homosexuals claim there is no choice...they are born ****.
P.S. if you think my words are offensive....see a doctor for being too sensitive...since the black man can say ******, and the **** can say ****, it's a free world....

[netjunkie1]

Read Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain....the unedited version.

[mikal60707]

Further, as a black man he should have had the sensibility and common sense to know that you DON'T joke about STABBING your GAY Son. What an absolute ignorant at humor that is sick and really not something you can simply apologize for to preserve your celebrity status. Compared to Mr. Weiner this man represents someone who without a doubt should be removed ipso facto from the field of entertainment.

[mikal60707]

This man should be removed from public entertainment no apologies no debate. There is pure stupidity, pure homophobia and pure stereotypical ignorance. There is ABSOLUTELy NOTHING humorous about STABBING your Gay son!!!!!

[tafhdyd]

Who the hell is Tracy Morgan?

[bulldog1309]

RU kidding me? First they **** and moan about equal rights..well, in comedy, no-one is immune. Everyone has certain stereotypes that cant be shed. Black people listen to RAP, Country people drive trucks, and wear cowboy boots, White people (cant really put a finger on one) Mexicans wash dishes, and work farms, and yes! some gay men talk funny, and act very feminen. Is that racist? Hateful? everyone needs to calm down! Jeez!

[bud28dy]

I think the part that was objectionable was his statement that he would stab his son if he were gay. Get it now moron? Or is that just another sterotype?

[myth1958]

Oops. Mr Morgan has fallen on his own sword - hoist by his own petard. These remarks will haunt him forever, as they ought to. Intolerance toward that demographic is as ugly as racism, sexism. Let's us see Tracy do a sort of 'reparation' toward the community he's disparaged: work in a gay counseling center, or speak to a mixed high-school crowd about ending bullying toward gays and lesbians. Then we'd see if he is sincere.

[thoughtxchange2]

I think it crosses the line when you state you want to kill someone. Period.

[saturn05]

For the bible thumpers here, get a life. Your bible is a book based on faith not fact. For those others who think it is okay to bash anyone for a few laughs, you too need to get a life. It just isn't pc to stop the bashing of gays, it is the right thing to do. No group of people should be the butt of jokes. It is the moronic few or many that find hateful commentary okay.

[judderwocky]

@Socialization... we have enough martyrs in the world. get to the back of the line.

[ssporleder]

He is not funny, but, gays always seem to get their knickers much more in a twist because they are offended by so-called comedians and their so-called humor.

But what about the cheap shots that these "comics" take at those who have STD's, deforming diseases, small people, physically disabled people, etc?

STD's do not always mean someone is loose or reckless or "deserves" the disease.

They have good reason to raise the riot act but stay within themselves.

PC is such a bane on our society and brings out more whiners that we had 30 years ago and it is pathetic.

Sadly, too many "comics" make their money and laughs with crude remarks.

They can take shots at people for what they DO, not for who or what they ARE.

[James93x]

Tracy leads an avidly gay life style.