Jerry Lewis Apologizes For Anti-Gay Slur (Calls Character "Illiterate Faggot" During Telethon!)

WCBS TV ^ | Lou Young

[MindBender26]

(CBS) NEW YORK Jerry Lewis' annual Labor Day telethon raised more money than ever for muscular dystrophy, but a slur that slipped out during the televised event is overshadowing that accomplishment.

The outburst occurred 18 hours into the grueling 22-hour long broadcast from Las Vegas where the 81-year-old comic legend lapsed into bit of derisive humor about imaginary family members.

"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-----.

"No," Lewis said, quickly stopping himself before continuing.

Lewis then slinks off-camera seemingly in character, perhaps realizing what he's just said on live television.

Those who spend their days trying to keep a lid on anti-gay bias and violence are dismayed.

"Doing something wonderful and amazing, he tainted that with doing something really horrible," said Kim Fountain of the Anti-Violence Project.

"An apology would be wonderful."

On Tuesday night, gay rights groups got their apology. In a statement, Lewis said it was "a bad choice of words," and "I apologize to anyone who was offended. Everyone who knows me understands that I hold no prejudices in this regard."

He concludes by saying "I accept responsibility for what I said. There are no excuses."

[MindBender26]

Oh, my God. He has raised millions if not billions for sick kids, but let's have him banned from TV forever, shot, then drawn and quartered becasue of what he said!

Oh, the shame of it!!!!!!!!!

[Greg F]

LOL. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[Sacajaweau]

So if he said “illiterate homosexual”...Would everyone be aroused if it is a truth.. He used the slang...

[rusureitflies?]

homosexuality is a DISORDER.. like an addictive personality. It does NOTHING good for society. You might say, “It’s all just a big joke.”

[AppyPappy]

Proof that he is past his prime. Any entertainer worth his salt knows not to cross that line.

[Obadiah]

Apparently, in all the news reports the word faggot is so hideous that it cannot even be spelled out. By my count, that is at least two known words that are so frightening that they may not even be spelled out by any human.

[MEGoody]

Those who spend their days trying to keep a lid on anti-gay bias and violence looking for reasons to be offended are dismayed attempting to capitalize on something Jerry didn't even say.

There. . .fixed it.

[alicewonders]

Yes, it seems the f@g word has become like the n-word - I have gay friends & they use it among themselves all the time - but I guess a straight person isn’t allowed to.

They’re going to have to start issuing rule books to all of us, I can’t keep up with all of these special rules.

Having said that, it was in bad taste for Lewis to say that on the air during a broadcast that was probably being watched by children.

[Lloyd227]

But,.... what if the person referred to really IS an illiterate faggot?

Is it still wrong to say it? :-)

[edcoil]

“Illiterate faggot”

Isn’t that a stupid cigarette?

[Red Badger]

He shouldn’t have used that word. It’s so stigmatizing.......I mean who wants to be referred to as “illiterate”?..............

[darkwing104]

His biggest mistake is when he apologized.

[RexBeach]

Treating perversion as normal is a fundamental error.

It’s like saying that drinking poison is no different from drinking water.

Well, I guess the homosexuals in American have become, officially, the thought police.

[phil1750]

Could he have used “fudge-packers” or “sodomites”?

[KingSnorky]

Illiterate-Americans need to get a sense of humor. :)

[John Leland 1789]

Fagot or faggot, noun: a bundle of sticks or twigs. (Meriam-Webster)

Faggots are used for starting bonfires or for starting the fires at the feet of martyrs.

I can’t see a single problem with the word “faggot.”

[AmericanMade1776]

Funny, Good comedy Jerry Lewis.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Could he have used “fudge-packers” or “sodomites”?"

Or "Senior Senator from Idaho"

[TNCMAXQ]

I still am unclear who he was talking about. Was it really the camera man’s son? If so I wonder why HE wasn’t offended. Some guys might have tried to slug Jerry for insulting their son.

[VRWCmember]

What was really funny was when the imaginary character Jesse replied back to him "That is SO not true. My parents were too married, you homophobic b*tch!"