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Tracy Morgan Gets Wanda Sykes, Cheyenne Jackson Callouts On Homophobic Comments As Hollywood Debates

Tracy Morgan

First Posted: 06/11/11 09:21 PM ET Updated: 06/11/11 10:30 PM ET

The fallout from Tracy Morgan's homophobic rant continued to play out on Saturday, as several celebrities and Hollywood titans issued statements and took to Twitter to debate free speech vs. hate speech in the context of the comments the comedian made at a standup show on June 3rd in Nashville.

After "30 Rock" executive producer Tina Fey condemned Morgan's remarks on Friday, Cheyenne Jackson, an openly gay actor who plays Danny on "30 Rock," issued a statement to Out Magazine saying that he was "disgusted" by Morgan's words.

"I am disgusted and appalled by Tracy Morgan's homophobic rant," he said. "The devastating repercussions of hate-filled language manifest in very real ways for today's LGBTQ youth. I've known Tracy for two years, spent many long hours with him on set, and I want to believe that this behavior is not at the core of who he is. I'm incredibly disappointed by his actions, and hope that his apology is sincere."

Alec Baldwin, another "30 Rock" co-star, simply acknowledged the scandal Friday with a tweet that said, "Oh that Tracy," but said a bit more on Saturday, seeming to disapprove of his remarks by writing, "No one's making excuses for Tracy."

Baldwin is a noted advocate of gay rights, including same sex marriage.

Chris Rock, a fellow standup comic, at first defended Morgan on Saturday, taking to Twitter on Friday to say, "I dont know about you, but I dont want to live in world where Tracy Morgan cant say foul inappropriate s*it."

Rock then on Saturday amended his statements after learning more about what Morgan said.

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"Tracy morgan is a tad off we all know that so when tracy says something i usually don't take it anymore serious than i would a statement from gary busey or flavor flav," he wrote. "when i first heard the statement i thought it was offensive but it also reminded me of my father saying ill kill you if you ever bring home a white girl but after reading everything tracy said . wow i get it that s*it wasn't called for and i don't support it at all. now can i please go to the tony awards without getting my *ss kicked."

Wanda Sykes, an openly lesbian comic, condemned Morgan but came down harder on anti-gay politics.

Hey, just back from family road trip. Ok, Tracy Morgan. Good thing I was busy because it would have been ugly, name calling. Pt. 1

Had time to think. Tracy is just a dumb comic. I fault the TN lawmakers. They've created an anti-gay environment. Pt2

Don't believe Tracy would be so ignorant in LA, because we have a mayor, a city council,and police chief who believes we are all equal. Pt3

I do believe in free speech, but for a youth in TN or any other numerous place, Tracy just yelled, "Fire," in a crowded theater.

Ok, piss'd reading, "I don't want 2 live n a world where Tracy can't say…" I Do! U Keep the world, just break me off an evolved country.

@rolandsmartin @AMERICAblogGay Tracy has the right to say whatever he wants to say, just like we have the right to say, not acceptable.

@rolandsmartin @AMERICAblogGay WE as a country. We used to picnic to watch public hangings, but WE figured out, that was some sick s*it.

@rolandsmartin @AMERICAblogGay No, society does effect the comedy stage, that's why you don't see anymore white comics in blackface. And it's up to us if we laugh or walk out.

@rolandsmartin @AMERICAblogGay This isn't about comedy. What Tracy said is dangerous. We r just trying to protect our kids. Peace and love!

The tweets to Roland Martin came after the CNN contributor blogged a defense of Morgan, in part by pointing out the other offensive things people accept in everyday standup routines, including racism, sexism and child abuse. Martin continues to make his point in an epic Twitter spree that has engaged any number of bloggers and other celebrities in debate.

"Scrubs" and "Cougar Town" creator Bill Lawrence also waded into the debate via Twitter, condemning the message but defending Morgan's right to say what he said, given the standup medium.

Don't like what T. Jordan said, but not sure stand-up comedy is the place to police political correctness re. race, sexual orientation, etc.

@JoeyLately Soooo agree. Funny wins. If you play w the sword and it ain't funny, the audience can and will turn on you. And that's good.

@maxvaliquette yeah, but in our country comics can try to tackle any of those things. They just better be funny: he wasn't.

Love this T. Morgan discourse. You all is smart. Such a dicey issue - the right to say horrific crap without losing your job.

@Splurge24 he was trying to be funny. Just wasn't. that's the rub: not everyone can be C. Rock or L. Bruce. And you're left with hate.

I guess I just don't think we can take his job away any more than we can take anyone's job away for speechifying. You can not watch though.

Meanwhile, in a bit of awkwardly timed praise, Morgan took home the prize for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series at the Monte Carlo Television Festival for his role in "30 Rock."

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The fallout from Tracy Morgan's homophobic rant continued to play out on Saturday, as several celebrities and Hollywood titans issued statements and took to Twitter to debate free speech vs. hate spee...
The fallout from Tracy Morgan's homophobic rant continued to play out on Saturday, as several celebrities and Hollywood titans issued statements and took to Twitter to debate free speech vs. hate spee...
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Jeffin90019
Independent, fiscal conservative, social liberal
9 hours ago (6:13 PM)
Another down low black man spouting homophobia to deflect suspicion that he's, in fact, gay himself?
10 hours ago (4:46 PM)
Don't we have deeper things to worry about like Heff's wedding being called off?
11 hours ago (4:06 PM)
Poor Tracey :-(
The man has apologized and clearly has realized his mistake. We all have said some inappropri­ate comments trying to be funny. Just like Chris Rock said his parents said they would kill him if he brought home a white girl. He obviously didn't mean he would really kill him, but it was and still is an expression that people use. People need to stop blaming and looking to celebritie­s for what's right and wrong. They are humans just like the rest of us and make mistakes. I keep hearing how bad it was that he said what he said in this age of bullying and children committing suicide. Has anyone stopped to think about parents building better self-estee­m in their children so they don't want to commit suicide for every little thing. Instead of raising whinny, finger-poi­nting, weaklings build your children up and let them know they are loved regardless of what's going on around them. I didn't have the best childhood (but who does). If you went to school, you experience­d some sort of bullying or clique to make you hate yourself and want to belong. There was even a television show about being outcast (Square Pegs). There are still shows on TV about it (Ugly Betty). People get over yourselves­! Today it's gay children, tomorrow it will be something else.
HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
DCMike
15 hours ago (12:19 PM)
Tracey Morgan is currently apologizin­g all over the map and his damage control is out in full force.

Has any of you defending him noticed how desperate he is not to be your spokespers­on?
15 hours ago (11:43 AM)
The beautiful thing about America is that you have a choice. You have a choice whether or not to go see Tracy Morgan's "act". You have a right to your opinion as to whether you think he was offensive or whether you think it's a comedy skit gone too far. I personally think people are way too over sensitive and too worried about what others think should they form their own honest opinions and speak out on them. Too busy being politicall­y correct. I don't agree with Tracy however I don't think he should apologize. That was his "show". He makes himself look like a tool all by himself.
17 hours ago (10:11 AM)
Tracy Morgan has the brain of a pea.
17 hours ago (10:06 AM)
Tracy did NOTHING wrong....i­f our society is to be censored against saying anything anti-gay, then lets make it across the board and not be able to say any derogatory about anything..­...the the world will be sunshine and lollypops.
Jeffin90019
Independent, fiscal conservative, social liberal
9 hours ago (6:15 PM)
I find little dogs offensive, with the yipping and yapping and ankle biting. The world would be better if all little dogs were put to sleep. The world would be sunshine and lollipops and no poop on lawns. Does it offend you when I suggest that your little dog should be poked with a needle and put down?
17 hours ago (10:02 AM)
I find Wanda Sykes offensive. She is quick to jump on the hate & blame bandwagon to suit her own agenda....­..........
17 hours ago (9:30 AM)
Next time Tracy, substitute the word "gay" for "liberal", and you will not be chastised.
18 hours ago (9:22 AM)
I have laughed at offensive comedy before and I do not hold T.M. up to any higher standard- however, what he did was no different than what Michael Richards did. He 'went off' and as any comedian can tell you, sometimes it aint as funny as you thought it was going to be. And this was not funny. Period. The reason it isnt the 'same' as Eddie Murphy, or Pryor, is simply that he is not the calibre of comedian as those guys and those guys were working in a time when homophobia was much, much more tolerated . It still wasn't okay then, any more than now, the ability to protest didnt exist. But keep in mind that Murphy has publicly apologized for what he said during his early years. Morgan needs to go and hang out in whatever back room Richards is sequestere­d in until we decide to forget about him.
18 hours ago (8:33 AM)
I see this as unoffensiv­e and I'm going to explain why. Being a comedian is a job, just like acting. Why is it that we didn't get offened when richard Pryor,Eddi­e Murphy,or George Colin did all the white,blac­k,and other nationalit­y and culture jokes???? And the many others that are still doing it today? You know why,becaus­e people are taking things way too serious today and that is why we are in the shape were in. Now Comedians are no worse or better when actors that portray gay and lesbian characters on the screen! The audiences laugh out loud when actors act silly and funny pretending to be gay and some are gay and lebian people!!!!­!! So tell me what is the difference­,hmmmm. Listen I have plenty of gay and lesbian friends and I really do. No cliche here! I think we all need to relax and just remember GOD made us diversifie­d in every way,so how can we possibly mess with perfection­?????? No one is better than anyone else! So let's all calm down!!!!!!
15 hours ago (11:44 AM)
I totally agree with you!
19 hours ago (8:03 AM)
from my own point of view,we now live in a world where the abnormal controls the normal and the normal cannot make a comment anymore without being chewed.i guess its the end of days like the Bible says.well whoever in their persuasion feels that what they are doing is morally right,let them continue,t­he most important thing to note is that we'll all answer for our deeds in the end,both good or bad.
18 hours ago (8:59 AM)
"Bible says.well whoever in their persuasion feels that what they are doing is morally right,let them continue"

So, the Bible says it is morally right to call for the death of our children, because they are gay. Got it!
17 hours ago (9:37 AM)
No body has a right to take a life,nor did the Bible say any body should be killed for being gay.The point here is in the end,everyo­ne will answer for how they lived their lives on earth,its a personal thing.
Jeffin90019
Independent, fiscal conservative, social liberal
9 hours ago (6:16 PM)
Please take the pages of your deranged kult manual and roll up the pages very small. Then take each page a shove them....
8 minutes ago (2:47 AM)
its obvious,is­n't it?
19 hours ago (8:02 AM)
Listen, nobody ever got offened when Richard Pryor joked about white people jokes,blac­k people jokes,chin­eseandJapa­nesenation­ality jokes! And not only him I'm talking other comedians too and other issues. So why is everyone frieking out about this?????? It's pretend,ju­st like acting! It's a job just like acting when actors play roles of many horrid roles, but they in character,­HELLO!!!! And no I am not homophobic­, i have friends for 30 yrs that are gay and love them! Let's stop being so serious and enjoy the difference­s between eachother that GOD made us!!!!!!!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
NY Grandma
Latte sipping, Volvo driving, NYTimes reading Dem
19 hours ago (7:31 AM)
Unfortunat­ely, Tracy is reflecting what a lot of people feel about homosexual­ity. He has always been offensive and I do not like his type of humor and I don't watch him or go to his shows. I just don't find him funny at all.
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Butch Whitmon
Faithful Obama Supporter
17 hours ago (10:11 AM)
Kudos to NY Grandma.
02:12 AM on 6/14/2011
Was Tracey Morgan ever funny or talented?