Tracy Morgan Returns to Nashville: 'I Didn't Mean It'

By PopEater Staff Posted Jun 21st 2011 02:55PM

Tracy Morgan returned to Nashville on Tuesday to deliver an apology to gay advocacy groups and fans offended by his homophobic comments made at a stand-up routine earlier this month. Sitting at a GLAAD-sponsored panel table with Kevin Rogers, the man who sparked the controversy with a Facebook post, the '30 Rock' star tried to make amends for among other things, saying that he would "stab" his son if he were gay.

"I want to apologize to Kevin and people that were at the show for bummin' em out," Morgan began at the event held by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. "I want to apologize to my friends and my family and my fans and everyone in every community that were offended with this. I didn't know. I didn't mean it."

As he has done in other apologies since coming under fire, Morgan told the press conference that he believes he is not a hateful person.

"I don't have a hateful bone in my body," he said. "I don't believe that anyone should be bullied or just made to feel bad about who they are. I totally feel that, in my heart, I really don't care who you love, same-sex or not, as long as you have the ability to love."

Since first apologizing on June 10, Morgan has met with homeless lesbian and gay youth in New York City. He agreed to the Nashville meeting at the request of GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios. As to the sincerity of Morgan's commitment to gay rights, PopEater spoke to his close friend Russell Simmons, who believes the actor will walk the walk.

"He said to me, 'I ain't got s--t to do and I want a cause.' He says he wants to work for GLAAD and that he has found a calling and a cause. I believe he is sincere," Simmons said. "People have to learn and be educated and Tracy is a guy who comes from a community that is homophobic which is why he can be so helpful."

Rogers spoke before Morgan at the event and seemed convinced that Morgan had just made a "huge mistake" at the June 3 show.

"I was mainly just saddened by the words had to say that night because I had always assumed that Tracy was an ally to the LGBT community," Rogers told the gathered press. "So in the weeks since then, and seeing what actions that Tracy has taken upon himself to go out into our community and try and make a difference. I had the opportunity to speak with Tracy prior to coming here and he shared his genuine concern with his words and has promised me that his actions going forward are going to be positive of my community."

He added, "I greatly appreciate what he said and that he came back to try to right what I believe was just a huge mistake."

Tags: Kevin Rogers, Tracy Morgan

Comments

(111)

Tuesday 21 June

By Tracy

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Say what you mean and mean what you say and then move on. No regrets and no apologies.

By rich

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He is just doing it to save his high paying job on the liberal station nbc...a load of crap!!!

Wednesday 22 June

By malcom

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its okay to joke about and make fun of Whites, but not gays, blacks, mexicans etc. ?

By bocefus

i agree with alice as most real patriot american christians do .

Thursday 23 June

By mouthpiece

Who really cares what this boring ,unfunny jungle bunny says...just go away....enough is enough

By gaagoots

He's done...... he f'ed up..... gotta be careful Tracey... its not 1985 anymore bro... gays have the power to squash your crummy little career....... and to think, they don't even have an Al Sharpton!

By TINKER2ELVIS

Always liked him, I believe he meant no harm to anyone, he is a really decent guy, and funny!!

By hank

Hell you didnt mean it, if so you not have saud it. Like the ministers caught with call girls and priest with altar boys they a repentant after being caught.if they had been repentant and faced up before they were cAUGHT OUT is one thing, they and he are only sorry they got caught or called out

By kevin

Weather Tracy is really sincere about this or not, he is doing some good now and you have to applaude him for that!

By sylveria

He doesn't mean a single word he's saying. He's still a homophobe and always will be. This is just like when your mom tells you to apologize to your sibling. You don't mean it, but they want to hear you say it.

Don't sit there and delude yourself that he's actually sorry because you know he's not.

By rockabore

I don't buy it one bit. He only apologized after people were annoyed and he had it in his act. He's a total homophobe.

By Juli

oh, lighten up! The only phobics around here are the ones who take offense at everything.

Wednesday 04 April

By MC

SINCE WHEN DO PEOPLE HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THEIR WAY OF THINKING OR FOR LIKES OR DISLIKES ?
I GUESS THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES TO TAKE CARE OF OTHER THAN WHAT ANYONE "MIGHT DO" IF....

By rjb

YEAH SURE . THIS GUY IS NOT SORRY AT ALL. HE IS SORRY HOWEVER THAT HE SAID OUT LOUD WHAT HE WAS THINKING .ONE MUST THINK BEFORE ONE SPEAK , YES ? BUT THEN SOME FOLKS HAVE NO BRAIN , TO SPEAK OF , YES ?

By Sanjulo

You certainly provide convincing proof of your statement with your statement. Can you get to that?

By anthonyjcarrillo

who cares if he went on a homophobic rant and he shouldn't apologize to anyone for it... political correctness needs to be thrown in the shredder.

By Barry

I agree

By doug

This is how a caring responsible person acts. Good work Mr Morgan. Thank you for feeling the way you do and then having the insight to share that with others.

By Lynda

What? Of course he meant it. He knew it wasn't funny. He is doing damage control
Take him off the air !

By Dale

Wonder if Tracey popped a chub when man hugging??

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