On 30 Rock, Tracy Morgan plays Tracy Jordan, an actor prone to outrageous behavior that often gets him in trouble. Well, his offscreen behavior isn't much different. Morgan has come under fire for an "anti-gay rant" he made at a comedy club in Nashville last week, when he said that if his son was gay, "he would pull out a knife and stab that little n***er to death. Morgan also said that "gays needed to quit being pussies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying." On Friday, Morgan issued an apology, saying, "I'm not a hateful person and don't condone any kind of violence against others." Is his apology enough?
No, it's insufficient: Morgan "needs to go further than his apology and correct the record," says Fred Sainz of the Humans Rights Commission, in a statement quoted by the Los Angeles Times. "No one should feel ashamed because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and they should definitely not become a victim of violence." A mere apology is not enough. Morgan needs to do something meaningful to "make amends for his horribly hurtful and dangerous 'comedy' routine."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.