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Leno Apologizes for "Dumb" Gay Remark to Phillippe
Ryan Phillippe and Jay Leno by Dave Bjerke/NBC
Following criticism from GLAAD, gay activists and others, Jay Leno apologized Tuesday for questionable remarks he made to Ryan Phillippe during a recent Tonight Show interview.
During Phillippe's appearance, Leno brought up the actor's first role, which was as a gay teen on One Life to Live, and then asked him to give his "gayest look." A visibly uncomfortable Phillippe declined the request, saying, "That is so something I don't want to do," and pretended to walk off the stage.
Leno has since come under fire for it, but acknowledged the inappropriateness and apologized. "In talking about Ryan's first role, I realize that what I said came out wrong," he said in a statement. "I certainly didn't mean any malice. I agree it was a dumb thing to say, and I apologize."
In response to Leno's mea culpa, playwright Jeff Whitty — one of the first to call out Leno for his derogatory comments — says on his website that he buys the host's apology. The question is, do you? (The full segment is available here.) — Anna Dimond
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Apr 1, 2008 7:18 PM
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All the uproar because Leno asked Ryan to give his "gayest look"??
GLAAD and Jeff Whitty need to focus on the real offenders in this country and stop getting all huffy over nothing.
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Apr 1, 2008 7:34 PM
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I need to preface my comments with some context. I used to think Leno was hilarious when he would show up on Late Night with David Letterman and do his "What's My Beef?" segments. When he STOLE (yes!!!) The Tonight Show gig from Letterman, I put him on my $#!T list! I have not watched a Leno program since.
As much as I have grown to despise Leno for his sycophantic behavior, I DO think his apology is sincere, and I have to say he IS treading into murky waters here. Murky in HIS favor, in my opinion.
Whether something is "gay" or not HAS become a part of the vernacular. For better or (in my opinion) worse, the gay community opened the door, by accepting all the gags spewed into the mainstream on the (Amos'n'Andy-like IMO) Will And Grace and with shows entitled "Queer Eye" et al. You can't have it both ways? Is it okay that Quentin Tarantino writes the N-word into his scripts? How about Spike Lee? Where is the line, and how are we supposed to know when it's OKAY to cross it?
Just because Leno isn't gay, he's to be vilified for saying something that Scott Thompson could get away with saying? Where is the line? You can't set it arbitrarily. Leno has some pressure on him to be hip-cool-funny, because despite his catbird-seat-slot, he's really NOT as funny as Conan or Dave anymore (at least, not with his current staff of writers). He NEEDS to push the envelope a bit more. Can you REALLY blame him?
GLAAD really needs to take a closer look at the context of WHO is saying questonnable remarks. Do they really think Leno is anti-gay? I'm always looking for reasons to slam him, yet even I can't accuse him of that! Middle-of-the-road-copout-blandness, YES!!! I accuse him of that!!! But anti-gay? I don't think so.
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Apr 1, 2008 8:28 PM
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Leno probably should have not apologized, makes him look dumb, what about all those homophobic brokeback mountain jokes from the other year from all the talkshows hosts, is this any worse? no laughable
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Apr 1, 2008 8:33 PM
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The only person Leno would conceivably need to apologize to is Phillippe since he was made to feel uncomfortable. Not anybody else. What Leno did wrong was put his guest in an awkward position, regardless of what he said that did it. Some people really need to get over themselves.
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Apr 1, 2008 8:37 PM
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Leno isn't funny ... he steals bits from other comedians and passes them off as his own. His writers deserve the praise for the few jokes he makes that actually get a laugh.
As far as Phillippe goes, the funniest gay joke of the night came from the guest following Ryan, the always controversial "Queen of Mean" Lisa Lampanelli, who called Phillippe a "dick tickler." I almost fell off my couch and so did Ryan - who clearly has a good sense of humor about all of it. He was on Howard Stern the next morning and was an extremely open and honest guest - and very funny.
And before you ask me why I was watching Leno if I hate him so much, I will tell you it was because my TiVo recorded it because Lampanelli was on as a guest.
Leno shouldn't have apologized for the joke. People should lighten up and realize that not everything has malicious intent. Leno should apologize for stealing jokes though.
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Apr 1, 2008 8:43 PM
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Geez, JiuJitsuDC, don't make me become a Jay defender, but I as much as I now dislike him, I don't think it's fair at ALL to accuse him of stealing jokes! Can you cite an example? If you can't, then you're utterly discredited.
I want to hate Jay on a level playing field. As much as I'm a Dave rooter over a Jay-hater, I would NEVER accuse him that. Although I personally haven't laughed at him since 1992, I KNOW he's funny enough to find his OWN humor without pilfering. Let's fight fair.
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Apr 1, 2008 9:02 PM
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Comedians can say most anything and make it funny, but it's the intent behind it that causes problems. I thought the segment was smarmy and did reek of being offensive because it was Leno basically saying, "This actor played a gay teen! Ha! Ha! Ha! Isn't that funny??" I'm not gay and I thought the whole thing was just bizarre, but Leno has always struck me as being passive aggressive.
I wonder how many people posting above are gay. I know as a woman that I hate it when men tell me what I as a woman should and should not find offensive. I know if someone told me that I couldn't take offense at something because straight woman Kathy Griffin had something similar I'd think they were insane.
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Apr 1, 2008 9:03 PM
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I was first introduced to Ryan Phillippe as Billy on OLTL, and the irony of Leno's request is that Ryan always gives his "best gay look." His ubiquitous pout is why I always assumed he was bi and that Reese was his beard. I was actually strangely disappointed to hear he was caught with his pants down with a girl.
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Apr 1, 2008 9:34 PM
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Now if only he apologizes for his entire Tonight Show run, all will be forgiven.
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Apr 1, 2008 10:08 PM
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I'm gay and GLAAD doesn't speak for me. Some people have GOT to lighten up. Jay was nice to apologize, but by no means was it owed to anyone.
Also, I had SUCH a crush on Ryan when he was on OLTL.
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Apr 1, 2008 10:12 PM
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well i for one WAS offended because jay makes gay jokes all the time. not to mention early on in the interview, he sarcastically made a comment on how ryan's mom must've been REALLY proud that his first big role was a gay character. and he just continued from there. we get it jay, you're a homophobe. and stop laughing at your own dumb jokes.
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Apr 1, 2008 10:23 PM
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"...playwright Jeff Whitty...says on his website that he buys the host's apology. The question is, do you?"
No, the question is, "Did I care in the first place?" And the answer is, "NO!"
Jay Leno said something stupid?!?
Well, stop the presses!
(Hey, Gord! You and I are in such agreement about Jay Leno's "talents.")
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Apr 1, 2008 10:53 PM
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This is the sort of thing that makes my blood boil. We have become a society seemingly taken over by crybabies of all colors, genders, ethnic groups, you name it, who apparently have little more to do with their time than take offense and complain about every public remark that ruffles their oh-so-fragile feathers. And then the rest of us have to listen to the offenders apologize and plead for forgiveness for committing their crime of political incorrectness.
Anyone who has followed Jay Leno's career should know that he has always made the effort to set things right whenever inadvertantly offending someone with a humorous remark. He'll never be confused with Andrew Dice Clay (remember him?). But I'm sorry he felt the need to apologize to GLAAD.
I'M offended by a dozen things I see and hear every day--most of us are, if we choose to let our minds linger too long on a random remark here, a news report there, a comment from a politician (or president), but we wisely get on with our lives.
GLAAD was offended by a mild "gay" joke? Fine. Let them be offended. The same goes for all of the other humorless special interest groups, large and small, famous and otherwise, who can't take a joke without demanding apologies all over creation.
I believe the right to free speech includes the right to occasionally offend others, either mistakenly or deliberately (as unseemly as that might sound). But life is too short to spend so much of it crying about our precious hurt feelings from jokes by comedians.
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Apr 1, 2008 11:09 PM
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Is this the same Jay Leno that once asked Scarlett Johansson what kind of toilet seat she prefered? The same Jay Leno that asked Jen Aniston if she liked her butt to be slapped while having sex?
Wow. He's usually such a crass... ahem, class act.
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Apr 1, 2008 11:16 PM
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