Jerry Lewis Joins Isaiah Washington with Anti-Gay Slur Slip Up
The 81-year-old comedian toyed with the cameraman, who followed him about the stage. Then bizarrely the comedian began to introduce the camera to imaginary relatives.
Entertained by the cameraman ability to keep up with Lewis' quick movements, he began to address the camera.
"Look how good he moves that camera, you son of a gun. Wherever I go, he goes,"
"Let's see what you do with this over here,"
"Oh, your family has come to see you," he said, speaking to the camera and gesturing toward thin air.
"You remember Bart, your older son," he said, and motioning toward another unseen character, "Jesse, the illiterate f-----."
Lewis quickly corrected himself, stating, "No." and quickly walking off.
But the damage was done. Although some audience members laughed there was a general booing in response to the slur. Lewis appeared Tuesday quick to apologize for his comment. Lewis said he was making "a joking comment to a member of my production team."
"I apologize to anyone who was offended, Everyone who knows me understands that I hold no prejudices in this regard. In the family atmosphere of the telethon, I forget that not everyone knows me that well.
"That something like this would distract from the true purpose of the telethon pains me deeply. ... I accept responsibility for what I said. There are no excuses," he said.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance and Defamation (GLAAD)denounced Lewis' comments as "unacceptable" and stated the slur, "feeds a climate of hatred and intolerance that contributes to putting our community in harm's way."
Jerry Lewis' telethon for Muscular Dystrophy is in its 42nd year and this year has set a new record, breaking last years...a whopping 63.7 million.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association has not yet commented on the Jerry Lewis' comment.
Published by Lilly Black
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2 Comments
Post a CommentI wasn't aware of this. Thanks for the article.
i am soooo tired of "political correctness" slamming everyone. This country is just a bunch of crying babies who fall apart when someone "offends " them in any way. People who are offended so easily are simply insecure and always defensive yelling "Therapy" when they themselves obviously are in need of it !