Tracy Morgan is a perplexing man.
In the past, he has made anti-gay comments in his comedy routines and his latest tirade at a Tennessee show only confirmed what many people secretly thought - he had no love for the gays. His trite apology by his publicist was also dismissed as nothing more than a PR stunt to cover his comments. So in an unusual but pleasant move, Morgan has further elaborated on his apology and even pledging to go so far as to publicly protest the Tennessee "Don't say gay bill" and to speak with gay youth groups. In a recent statement to the press, Morgan stated:
"I guess the reason I am successful is because I am so unfiltered. And sometimes as a result I say really stupid shit. The truth is if I had a gay son, I would love him just as much as if he was straight....I might have to try to love even more because I know of the difficulty that he would have in society. Of all the sicknesses, there is probably none more abusive than homophobia. My heart is committed to giving everyone the same rights that I deserve for myself. I don't care if you love the same sex as long as you have the ability to love someone. Also, you should have the right no matter who you are to protect and serve our country. I am deeply sorry for the comments I made. What I most sad about is the comments I made about kids and bullying. I would never want any young person to think that I wasn't on their side and if any young person thinks they can bully a young gay kid, come see me at 30 Rock. On the corner, I would be happy to meet you. Or Brooklyn, if you can't make it into Manhattan. When all of this set in, I realized how hurtful my words were. Not asking anyone to feel sorry for me or pity me, but I definitely don't want or need people to defend me. In my heart, I know that the words I used are indefensible. I appreciate the love from my friends and fans, but I was wrong. Period. Now, I just gotta think of some funny shit, not some shit that gets me knocked upside my head."
Well, that statement is certainly different than the canned apology his publicist produced. Is it real and from the heart? Time will tell. But if he puts his actions where his words are, then it is definitely a step in the right direction. I applaud his attempt to make it right!
