04/01/2008
Jay Leno Apologizes for Requesting Ryan Phillippe's Gayest Look
Jay Leno has apologized for remarks he made to Ryan Phillippe when Phillippe appeared on his show to promote the movie Stop-Loss. Leno mocked Phillippe's first role as a gay teen on One Life to Live before pointing at the camera and asking a visibly disturbed Phillippe to give it his "gayest look."
Said Leno in a statement: "In talking about Ryan's first role, I realize that what I said came out wrong. I certainly didn't mean any malice. I agree it was a dumb thing to say, and I apologize."
The incident prompted an angry letter from Avenue Q scribe Jeff Whitty, who wrangled with the late night host about his homophobic remarks during the Brokeback Mountain days, and inspired the creation of My Gayest Look, a website at which you can find dozens of pictorial messages for Jay Leno (including mine).
My Gayest Look [for jay leno]
Avenue Q Scribe Jeff Whitty Offers Jay Leno His 'Gayest Look' [tr]
Jay Leno Asks Ryan Phillippe to Give Camera His 'Gayest Look' [tr]
Posted 6:05 PM EST by Andy Towle in Jeff Whitty, News, Ryan Philippe | Permalink
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A (gay) friend of mine has interviewed and had dinner with both Leno and Letterman many times over the years. I asked him what he thought of the situation and here is his honest, if not p.c., reply:
"It's interesting, or something, that Dave is genuinely homophobic, but at least he TRIES to be good, and his gay jokes usually don't depend on stupid stereotypes from days gone by, whatever. Jay is totally amoral in pursuit of his crummy laughs. I swear he would dunk his mother in a vat of Jello to get a cheap laugh. Thus trashing gay people -- WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN AN ATTITUDE of BEING HIP AND "COOL WITH IT" -- is no problem at all for him; he is too dumb to understand how hurtful he is -- and that's giving him the benefit of a big fat doubt. -- I like for some reason the "funny headlines" he reads on Monday nights (one of the oldest bits in television, Steve Allen Era) but otherwise rarely watch because I know there will be
cause to cringe. I think he is a crass, insensitive, cold-hearted clod. Also his cast of regular contributers include this gauy guy whom they send out to cover events like movie premieres and stuff. This poor dope doesn't realize he is being made fun of and being held up as the Great American Fag. He is what I once called Harvey Fierstein - the Stepin Fetchit of gay people."
Posted by: Showbiz friend | Apr 2, 2008 10:12:16 AM
I love how people had a personal problem with Jay Leno. Jay Leno isn't really the enemy, nor is Jimmy Kimmel or any other person who makes an offensive remark. It's the disrespect that people have for the gay identity and that's across the board. I think when you work on that, people like talk show hosts will follow suit.
That's why I love the My Gayest Look site. It's such a visual way of showing the world the solidarity in the gay community (including straight allies) and showing that we are people just like everyone else.
Oh, can everyone here go to that site and leave comments telling the homo haters to shut the fuck up 'cause they are runnin' wild on that site.
Posted by: junior | Apr 2, 2008 10:24:26 AM
This made AOL's homepage on Wednesday 04/02/08:
http://news.aol.com/entertainment/television/tv-news-story/ar/_a/jay-lenos-gayest-look-sparks-uproar/20080401152409990001
along with AOL's typical homophobic comment posters.
Posted by: John In Manhattan | Apr 2, 2008 10:32:13 AM
Excellent form Andy. I've never been a fan of 'the chin.' He's just not funny, and his voice is beyond annoying. Give me Letterman any day.
Posted by: Brad | Apr 2, 2008 11:59:03 AM
Hmm. Leno chose to "apologize" on April Fool's Day. I wonder if he was crossing his fingers. (And Craig Ferguson is infinitely funnier.)
Posted by: seattle mike | Apr 2, 2008 12:01:44 PM
How about an apology on air, on his show, not just a statement released by a publicist?
Posted by: Rikard | Apr 2, 2008 12:31:54 PM
April Fools!
Posted by: Leno | Apr 2, 2008 3:07:57 PM
If the gay people back home in Europe were this annoying I think we would not be so open about homosexuality. Who cares what a comic like Jay Leno says, I've heard a lot worse. By no means is Jay Leno a bad guy. He has been to my country a couple of times and he is quite polite. It's like when I first met Howard Stern, I thought I would be beratted by him for hours. He was a perfect gentleman and a great deal of fun. I think that the gay community needs to change the way it handles things, or you will never be mainstream in the US. Ciao.
Posted by: Caligula | Apr 2, 2008 6:05:58 PM
Sorry, Caligula, gay people in Europe? I'm from Europe and seem to have a very different perspective to you. The reality is that in the USA there is far more opposition to LGBT issues than in Europe, for a variety of reasons. If we didn't have the EU to protect our rights, we could well be in trouble too and would feel the need to be more activist. A few countries in Europe have amazing records, but some are still way behind.
Europeans like you should maybe think before speaking for all of us and making us look like condescending know-it-alls to our American cousins.
Ciao.
Posted by: Unbeliever | Apr 2, 2008 6:17:15 PM
Can't stand Leno.
That being said, if you want really offensive gay stereotype humor just flip over to the LOGO channel.
At least Leno and the straight community have the excuse of ignorance... What excuse do we make when it's gay people defaming gay people?
Posted by: Dean | Apr 3, 2008 9:15:58 AM
MOST OF YOU GUYS DONT GET IT
-- these comedians may get a bit off the track in reaching for a joke
BUT they, by contstantly referring to Gayness as an everyday part of life, tell miliions of people we are here, we arent so scary, we arent killing Jesus and raping kids.
--- If we want to be part of society, we have to accept a certain level of well meant kidding.
GROUPS WHICH ARE KIDDED ARE ACCEPTED
Guys show acceptance by kidding their friends. This is a good thing for us.
(notice I wrote "kidded", not belittled, attacked, and so on)
Posted by: BOB | Apr 6, 2008 7:09:48 PM
What's Leno going to rehab for...for being fat and ugly??? Hate breeds hate.
Posted by: Tim | Apr 7, 2008 8:37:09 PM