On Monday's Glenn Beck Program on CNN, the following exchange took place (I mentioned it briefly on Tuesday) regarding the Grey's Anatomy/Isaiah Washington incident:
BECK: But anyway, Dave, what is the—what is the controversy? One of the guys called another guy a naughty name.
GLOVER: Yes. Basically you have Isaiah Washington, who's one of the stars of the show, who referred to one of his co-stars during a heated argument as a derogatory term for a gay man that starts with “F”, rhymes with maggot. Did it a couple more times after that. And do you like how I did that?
BECK: Yes.
GLOVER: And…
BECK: Do you know that “The New York Times” wouldn't even print — I mean, we can say the word. We're having an adult conversation here. Wouldn't even print the word “faggot.”
GLOVER: Right.
BECK: Wouldn't print it. I find that amazing.
Now, this is far from the first offensive remark from Glenn Beck's mouth.
GLAAD complained to CNN about Beck's classification of the anti-gay slur to CNN's standards and practices department to object to the host's designation of the word fa**ot as a “naughty name” as well as his gratuitous use of it.
Said GLAAD President Neil Giuliano: “Beck's obnoxious repetition of the slur — and his flip dismissal of it as simply a ‘naughty name' — speaks volumes about his appalling ignorance of its impact. Beck added nothing to the audience's understanding of the issue, except perhaps to demonstrate his juvenile belief that repeating an anti-gay slur makes him an ‘adult.'”
CNN, a company that employs many gay and lesbian folks — some of them in front of the camera — defended their host's use of the F-word, according to GLAAD: “On Wednesday, a CNN spokesperson told GLAAD that Beck wasn't using the word himself, that Beck's show is an ‘opinion show' and not a news program, and that Beck was expressing an opinion about The New York Times' decision to not use the word.”
Here's the question again. If Beck were discussing the N-word as a “naughty name” and mocking a national newspaper for not printing it, would the network's response be the same?
CNN defends host's use of the word “faggot” – network slammed by lead gay anti-defamation group [americablog]
GLAAD Criticizes CNN Host Glenn Beck's On-Air Use of Anti-gay Slur [glaad]
Related
CNN Censors Footage of Bill Maher Outing Ken Mehlman [tr]
