Paula Deen fired but Tracy Morgan not so much

[dsc]

Now I am not saying Paula Deen shouldn't have been fired. Her behavior probably merited it. But compare her sins to what Tracy Morgan did. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/10/tracy-morgans-homophobic-remarks_n_874699.html

He said if his son that was gay he better come home and talk to him like a man and not [he mimicked a gay, high pitched voice] or he would pull out a knife and stab that little N (one word I refuse to use) to death.

Rogers continued to describe the rant, which we've excerpted:

He took time to visit the bulls*it of this bullying stuff and informed us that the gays needed to quit being pussies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying. He mentioned that gay was something kids learn from the media and programming, and that bullied kids should just bust some ass and beat those other little f*ckers that bully them, not whine about it.

After making comments about President Obama, Rogers wrote that Morgan finished his rant defiantly:

Tracy then said he didn't f*cking care if he pissed off some gays, because if they can take a f*cking dick up their ass... they can take a f*cking joke.

end of quote

Morgan still has a job, Deen doesn't. Have to say I don't think that is fair.

[hollysmom]

1. probably because he had friends rally to his side,

his friends in the business that did not think that was how he really thought. maybe Paula does not have any friends.

[NYC_SKP]

2. He's a turd and should have lost his job. (nt)

[DeltaLitProf]

3. Because he's a comedian . . .

. . . and comedians purposely say outrageous things they would never contemplate actually believing or doing. They've done it since the ancient Greeks. A lot of us understand this distinction.

[dsc]

4. tell that to Mr. Richards

who also got fired for his comedy routine.

[BklnDem75]

23. Yeah...

Especially the part where he said '50 years ago you'd be strung up from a tree with a fork up your ass.' Pure comedy there.

[dsc]

24. Here is what Morgan said

He said if his son that was gay he better come home and talk to him like a man and not or he would pull out a knife and stab that little N (one word I refuse to use) to death.

go ahead and expound upon the differences.

[BklnDem75]

28. You're comparing a joke to lynching?

Perhaps you're unfamiliar with DEF Comedy Jam, but that's the norm for all the comedians that's ever been on that stage. Yes it's crude, but it's never serious. Are you saying Richards was making a joke?

[dsc]

30. I don't care if Richards or Morgan were making jokes

gay kids are offing themselves in droves because their parents think like Morgan does. The fact is Morgan literally said it is OK to kill gay kids.

[NYC Liberal]

35. So if bigotry is expressed as a joke, it's ok?

Jokes can be just as offensive, hurtful, and wrong as serious statements.

[BklnDem75]

40. So you're comparing a joke to lynching?

That was my question. I never said it was ok, I said the comparison was stupid. And no, there is nothing more offensive than lynching.

[dsc]

47. so killing gays is ok and a joke

I get it.

[BklnDem75]

50. Apparently, lynching is ok

I get that loud and clear.

[dsc]

52. NO I was for firing Richards

but you apparently think Morgan shouldn't have been fired. You have the double standard, not me. It should be noted though, that Morgan's son is likely to be black so he would be killing a black kid in that case, but I guess your hatred of gays overrides that.

[BklnDem75]

53. Whatever...

Don't pretend you know anything about me. I neither made the stupid comparison, nor did I create an OP about racist Deen. Are you trying to say it's unfair she got fired? I'm the one with hatred? Yeah... ok.

[dsc]

55. No I said she should have been fired

I just think all bigots should be fired, you seem to think some bigots (anti gay ones) are hunky dory while others should be fired.

[NYC Liberal]

57. I'm comparing a "joke" about lynching to a "joke" about

killing a gay child. Both were claimed to be "jokes" and both were equally disgusting.

[BklnDem75]

62. It wasn't a joke.

He was arguing with people in the audience. Both were disgusting, but there's nothing equal about the two.

[NYC Liberal]

63. Tracy Morgan was expressing his disdain for people who are gay

I don't see that as a "joke" either.

[BklnDem75]

65. Ok, I concede the point

I thought Tracy was making one of his stupid gay jokes that went too far. I've been searching to find his exact quote, but only found the second hand quotes from the article posted. He deserved all the heat he got for it despite the apology.

Still, the comparison to Richards' tirade is like comparing it to the holocaust or genocide, because that's what it was.

[dsc]

74. In the month before Mr. Morgan gave his tirade

a dozen gay kids killed themselves from bullying.

[nomorenomore08]

75. +100

Was what Morgan said forgivable? Not for me to say. Was it trivial? In light of what you just said, NO!

[Bluenorthwest]

54. Your claim is that DEF Comedy Jam's 'norm' is violent anti gay diatribes?

How is that not serious? Richards was also on a comedy stage. His 'joke' was just as awful as Morgans. You think Morgan's was fine, not serious, the norm they all do it...
Your double standard is towering.

[JI7]

5. but i don't think it was part of some comedic act, he was giving his real views

what was the comedy in it ?

[William769]

6. Be careful you'll be called a racist.

It's all the rage, don't cha know.

Just another perfect example of the LGBT community as 2nd class citizens. Once again history repeats itself just a different version.

[Shivering Jemmy]

7. Does Morgan still have a job?

I thought his show was done?

That's what I get for not watching TV.

[Shivering Jemmy]

8. Oh wait

This is from a while ago...sorry.

[dsc]

9. this was the shows final year

that is correct, but he kept his job until the end.

[Shivering Jemmy]

10. My bad

I am not good at keeping up with pop culture. I honestly don't know what's on tv anymore.

Your point stands regardless. Wish it didn't

[Bluenorthwest]

38. Morgan is a voice star of the animated Rio series, sequel in production and he recently hosted

the 2013 Billboard Music Awards. He has lots of work.

[Behind the Aegis]

11. You almost sound surprised.

[SoCalDem]

12. Tracy Morgan is an idiot and has never been anything but.

I do not follow his career, but I doubt that many people take anything he says very seriously. He's one of those people who always says outrageous things.. and he's never pretended to be anything other than who/what he is. He does not sell cookware/cookbooks/have his own show and he is not his own "brand".. He's just some off-kilter guy who seems pretty out of it most of the time.

People like Paula ARE their brand, and there is always some pretense so they can have wide-ranging appeal, but sometimes they fall flat on their faces, and ruin the whole thing for themselves.

Martha Stewart almost did herself in, but she recovered.. Her crime was judged by the public to be less than horrible and most people felt sorry for her

[dsc]

13. For those who don't like this comparison how about this one

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/19/guy-fieri-homophobia_n_1020736.html

Fieri also needed protection from homosexuals, or at least advance warning. Early in the show's run, Page got a phone call from Fieri, who'd just walked out of a restaurant in a huff.

"Guy had decided that the two men running the restaurant were life partners," Page remembers. "He said, 'You can't send me to talk to gay people without warning! Those people weird me out!'"

A spokesperson for Fieri defended the Food Network celebrity in a statement issued to Eater:

Guy’s reputation speaks for itself. He’s a standup guy who does right by people. He would never make the kind of comments attributed to him in this story, and anyone who knows or has even met him knows that.

After Fieri's PR team released the statement, City Pages reached out to former "DDD" field producer Kari Kloster, who's also quoted in the paper's original piece. Kloster is now a vice president at Page's production company and she backs up what her boss said about Fieri's homophobic behavior.

"From my memory of being a field producer it's just well-known to me among the crew that Guy has a problem -- if there was a homosexual in a restaurant, as the main character, the shoot went different," Kloster said in a statement.

[sarisataka]

25. We went to a local restaurant after Fieri did his show there

we know the staff pretty well so asked what was he really like. The waitress smiled and said "We've been told to say he was a very nice person."

[nomorenomore08]

70. What a silly, silly man...

(I mean Fieri, in case that wasn't obvious.)

[dsc]

15. actually my point was the other way

I think they both should be fired. I am sure you just didn't see the following line in my post and didn't choose to lie about what I wrote. Now I am not saying Paula Deen shouldn't have been fired. Her behavior probably merited it. I am sure you didn't decide to lie about what I wrote to defend homophobia you just didn't see it. Oh and Imus did get fired from his job. He did get a new one but he did get fired.

[Ian David]

17. That's not why she was fired.

Paula Deen's racism goes far deeper than using the N word...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023065925

[La Lioness Priyanka]

18. he should have lost his show but that doesn't mean the ruling on paula deen was wrong

also comedians always have the fallback that they are making a joke, paula deen was clearly not joking

also, i think these comparisons belittle both homophobia and racism and treat them as some sort of competitive game. i am pretty sure you were one of the people on DU who didn't like it when some feminists on DU were arguing that we take homophobia on DU more seriously than we do sexism. comparing biases like this really belittles all of those who are oppressed.

[dsc]

20. and I am sure you can quote me as saying that

since you put those words in my mouth. Until you do, I patiently await your apology. BTW, I said the following in my post. Now I am not saying Paula Deen shouldn't have been fired. Her behavior probably merited it. I am sure you just missed that and didn't intend to lie about what I wrote.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

21. apologize over what exactly? for saying that he should have lost his job too?

in no part of my post am i pretending to quote you.

[dsc]

22. you claimed that I was one who took feminists to task for saying they

were being slighted here, I would like you to find me saying anything like that. You wrote this: i am pretty sure you were one of the people on DU who didn't like it when some feminists on DU were arguing that we take homophobia on DU more seriously than we do sexism. back it up.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

69. you know that is virtually impossible given the lack of access to the forum

where all these arguments happened

but in general most LGBT du'ers found those comments distasteful, as did i. in a similar vein i find this thread distasteful

[dsc]

72. You can get on du2 and find that forum

it isn't all that hard. The fact is you are saying I said things and you either can't or won't back it up. I have constantly taken du admins to task over not policing anti woman language. You are plain making crap up to suggest otherwise.

[The Link]

19. homophobia is more widely acceptable than racism

The consequences for Deen are correct, Morgan should have had the same.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

27. Yep.

100% agree.

[Behind the Aegis]

56. "Accepted" and more likely, "ignored".

It is also interesting that one was public and the other was more private. Of course, I have seen similar reactions to anti-Semitism too, most recently, a couple of threads about Louis Farrakhan.

[Iggo]

26. I demand the Food Network fire tracy Morgan RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!

[Lex]

31. Since he didn't work for Food Network, that's a good point. nt

[dsc]

34. How about this then

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/19/guy-fieri-homophobia_n_1020736.html

Fieri also needed protection from homosexuals, or at least advance warning. Early in the show's run, Page got a phone call from Fieri, who'd just walked out of a restaurant in a huff.

"Guy had decided that the two men running the restaurant were life partners," Page remembers. "He said, 'You can't send me to talk to gay people without warning! Those people weird me out!'"

A spokesperson for Fieri defended the Food Network celebrity in a statement issued to Eater:

Guy’s reputation speaks for itself. He’s a standup guy who does right by people. He would never make the kind of comments attributed to him in this story, and anyone who knows or has even met him knows that.

btw this was posted in this thread but of course you were too busy to read it.

[Iggo]

37. Even more reason for the Food Network to fire Tracy Morgan RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!

[dsc]

39. He works for the Food Network

the very same Food Network that fired Paula Deen. Which is in the part I quoted. So you can stop being a smartass anytime now.

[Iggo]

49. RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!

[gollygee]

29. Who is Tracy Morgan's employer?

Food Network did the right thing, and whoever didn't fire Tracy Morgan didn't do the right thing. But they have different employers so it's hard to compare.

[Lex]

32. Just because there are different employers doesn't make it "hard to compare."

NBC should've canned Morgan like Food Network did with Deen.

[gollygee]

36. I mean hard to compare the specific actions since different people were acting

But who is Tracy Morgan's employer? We could get a DU email campaign going.

[dsc]

42. then how about this?

Fieri also needed protection from homosexuals, or at least advance warning. Early in the show's run, Page got a phone call from Fieri, who'd just walked out of a restaurant in a huff.

"Guy had decided that the two men running the restaurant were life partners," Page remembers. "He said, 'You can't send me to talk to gay people without warning! Those people weird me out!'"

A spokesperson for Fieri defended the Food Network celebrity in a statement issued to Eater:

Guy’s reputation speaks for itself. He’s a standup guy who does right by people. He would never make the kind of comments attributed to him in this story, and anyone who knows or has even met him knows that.

[gollygee]

45. That is indeed a direct comparison

and he should absolutely have lost his show. How horrible.

[HipChick]

33. So we are supporting racism on DU now?

sad day

[Lex]

43. So saying homophobic comments should be treated like racist comments is

"supporting racism?"

That's quite missing the point.

[dsc]

46. no you see in her world

gays are lower creatures who are utterly undeserving of rights that is her point.

[dsc]

44. I am sure you didn't see this in my post

Now I am not saying Paula Deen shouldn't have been fired. Her behavior probably merited it. But compare her sins to what Tracy Morgan did. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/10/tracy-morgans-homophobic-remarks_n_874699.html

It couldn't possibly be that you so hate gays that you decided to lie about what I posted in order to justify homophobia.

[Bluenorthwest]

51. Your post, as your posts often do, roils and reeks with veonom and prejudice.

Intellectually dishonest, morally absent and ethically bankrupt tactic. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[appleannie1]

41. I would be willing to bet that this was just the last straw. She has not been making healthier

food since having to admit she now has diabetes. She still puts gobs of real butter in just about everything she cooks and goes through sugar like sand in a dune. They were probably just looking for an excuse.

[stevenleser]

48. I think your point is brand-new-razor sharp.

It's a shocking and appalling dichotomy in how differently bigotry aimed at certain groups is treated.

[REP]

58. Tracy Morgan did not create a hostile work environment for his employees. Deen did.

Deen broke labor laws. Morgan showed extremely poor taste, judgement, etc but he didn't do it to people he'd hired and depended upon him for a paycheck. Deen did. Different issues.

[dsc]

59. the lawsuit is still pending last I checked

and they didn't fire her until it came out she used the n word and we learned about the whole antebellum wedding non sense. She got fired for that, you know it, I know it, and the American people know it.

[REP]

66. It seems as though she is admitting guilt with all these apologies

And that seems good enough for FN.

[dsc]

73. her apology isn't for a hostile work enviroment

it is for using the n word, and the other crap she did.

[Lex]

60. She is being reviled for her racist comments

and rightfully so, and that is what got her canned by Food Network. If it were the hostile work environment suit of her brother's restaurant, I seriously doubt Food Network would've been so quick in its actions.

[REP]

67. The revelations came about due to the suit

The quotes were from the deposition from the lawsuit, and her apologies seems to cover her behavior she detailed in such glorious detail in that deposition as well as her nasty mouth.

[Lex]

68. Irrelevant to the point being made. nt

[William769]

64. He just uttered all that hate over the national airwaves.

I totally understand though how you can't grasp that.

Heres a clue people that saw that who are young and impressionable just think what it did to them.

[HiPointDem]

61. kr. there's a lot of hypocrisy in the whole thing. imo, deen probably *is* a 'racist,' but

the label is also used to 'discipline' people the higher-ups don't like/don't want around for whatever reason.

the people they like/want around, such things are swept under the carpet.

[nomorenomore08]

71. I agree that Morgan was far too readily forgiven, considering the nature of what he said.

And I think people's claims on here that you're "defending racism" are ridiculous.

[bluestate10]

76. Both are idiots. But people "fire" Morgan by not attending his act at clubs or not watching

his movies. Paula Deen would have been fired by cable tv watchers if her channel had not pulled the plug on her contract.

[dsc]

77. mr Morgan was on a NBC tv show at the time

[LWolf]

78. He works for the food network?

[dsc]

79. No but he does work for NBC

oh and this homophobe does work for the food network.

Fieri also needed protection from homosexuals, or at least advance warning. Early in the show's run, Page got a phone call from Fieri, who'd just walked out of a restaurant in a huff.

"Guy had decided that the two men running the restaurant were life partners," Page remembers. "He said, 'You can't send me to talk to gay people without warning! Those people weird me out!'"

A spokesperson for Fieri defended the Food Network celebrity in a statement issued to Eater:

Guy’s reputation speaks for itself. He’s a standup guy who does right by people. He would never make the kind of comments attributed to him in this story, and anyone who knows or has even met him knows that.

[LWolf]

80. I've heard that story about Fieri.

Do you think it's true?

I don't watch enough of food network to have an opinion on their food celebrities.

Tracy Morgan...maybe he gets a pass because it's supposed to be "comedy," which by nature allows for nothing sacred.

I agree that his rant was well over the top, even for comedy; enough so that there was nothing remotely funny about it.

[dsc]

81. It would be pretty easy to find out for Food Network

I don't think they did anything to find out. I suspect if he had been said to be as racist as he is being said to be homophobic an investigation would have ensued.

[LWolf]

82. You're probably right.

I was trying to explain this to my grandson recently; he asked me why people are so judgmental of others. I said that people seem to have a deep-seated need to hate what is "different." When one kind of difference becomes socially unacceptable to hate, they'll move on to another. Since racism is no longer pc, homophobia seems to be an acceptable "hate." I think we're in the beginning stages of changing that. What will be next?

Politics and religion are still wide open. Race, gender, and orientation are, while less accepted, still active recipients of hate under the table and above.