Tina Fey, Robert Greenblatt condemn Tracy Morgan's comments, keep him employed

[Maven]

So Tina Fey and Robert Greenblatt (NBC Entertainment Chief) both made a statement criticizing Morgan's hate speech, but the response ends there...

Greenblatt's statement, in part:

"I speak for NBC and myself personally when I say we do not condone hate or violence of any kind and I am pleased to see Tracy Morgan apologizing for recent homophobic remarks in his standup appearance."

Fey's statement:

Fey also said she was happy that the comedian apologized, adding, "Stand-up comics may have the right to 'work out' their material in its ugliest and rawest form in front of an audience, but the violent imagery of Tracy's rant was disturbing to me at a time when homophobic hate crimes continue to be a life-threatening issue for the GLBT Community.

"It also doesn't line up with the Tracy Morgan I know, who is not a hateful man and is generally much too sleepy and self-centered to ever hurt another person.

"I hope for his sake that Tracy's apology will be accepted as sincere by his gay and lesbian coworkers 30 Rock, without whom Tracy would not have lines to say, clothes to wear, sets to stand on, scene partners to act with, or a printed-out paycheck from accounting to put in his pocket.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tina-fey-nbc-apologize-tracy-196917?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Compose%20-%20breaking_news_fey_061011_500px%20(11)%20(1)&utm_content=

Cute, Tina. Does anyone doubt for a second someone who made the same caliber of hateful statements about another minority would still be on a primetime show?

Edited to add: It's worthwhile to note that Greenblatt is the first openly gay man to hold the top post at a network.

[MinneapolisMatt]

1. Tina Fey should make his character gay.

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[Kurovski]

5. !

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Now that's 'yer comedy right there.

[Maven]

6. OMG

That is absolute genius.

[Snoutport]

13. +11111111111111111

[sensate2000]

2. I think being Sarah Palin so much has affected her judgement.

[vi5]

3. I'm not saying it's a good thing at all....

..but yes, I believe that someone who made the same caliber of hateful statements about another minority group would still be on a primetime show. There would be boycotts, there would be condemnation, there would be forced mea culpas. But that person would still have a job.

I realize it's a different medium (movies vs. tv) but Mel Gibson hasn't been completely outcast from Hollywood. In fact other than jokes at his expense I think it was largely shrugged off by people. They may have cringed but I guarantee he'll still get funding, producers, directors, distributers, and costars for his movies.

Again, I'm not saying this as a good thing. More just an example that Hollywood is by and large a very shitty place that tolerates a lot of shitty behavior by a lot of shitty people.

[Kurovski]

7. Jodie Foster has been very loyal

I think she lifted Mel's career right out of the pits.

[Maven]

8. Michael Richards is probably a more apt comparison

Won't see him on TV anytime soon.

[vi5]

11. Not a really good example....

Rarely saw him on tv before that. His career was already in the pits.

I think if you're talking about someone with a successful career, in a currently successful tv show or movie franchise, you'd see the same reaction and the same response here. Money talks.

[mucifer]

14. He was on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" with Larry David.

They made a joke out of the hateful incident.

[Pale Blue Dot]

15. "Seinfeld" was over long before Richards made his rant.

The more apt comparison would be if he made his comments during "Seinfeld"'s hayday. I suspect he would not have been fired, particularly if he apologized afterwards as Morgan did, but we'll really never know.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. That is just bullshit.

You can believe what you like, but no one would remain on prime time after having said they'd murder their child for being a member of any minority group. Sorry. That person would not have a job. No fucking way. You have some baseless point to make about 'Hollywood' but this is actually about Madison Avenue, as they say. Who is going to advertize on a show with a person who has said such things? No one. Michael Richards was the most well liked TV performer since Alan Alda on MASH. He can not get a gig, much less a new show starring him.
Mel's career is basically over. He was a huge international star, director and producer, one of the very top. He will never ever be that again. He will never be paid huge sums to star in a film of quality. Never. The director of Hangover Two, a real class act, wanted Mel in a cameo and the bulk of the cast and crew refused to work with him. Mel is not in the film. A film that previously he'd have considered far beneath him, correctly so.
So the facts really do not support your beliefs in my opinion.

[vi5]

19. "The most well liked TV performer since Alan Alda..."

Really? Michael Richards? And you're accusing me of baseless assertions? Really? Michael Richards was more well liked than Tim Allen, Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Crosby, Paul Reiser, Patrick Dempsey, Ray Romano, and I could go on and on. Really? You think he was more liked than them and countless others since the 70's? Is that why both of his shows after Seinfeld and before his rant were complete bombs and cancelled after less than a season? Because he was that well liked?

That Hangover thing with Mel Gibson happened because it was announced right immediately after his rants were released. He will work again and have no problem doing so. Bookmark this post and call me on it if I'm wrong.

Like you said to me, you can believe what you want. I absolutely agree that homophobia in our society in general is way more acceptable than any other prejudices (with the exception of perhaps sexism and misogyny as a somewhat close second). I don't dispute that fact. And I honestly hope Morgan doesn't work again and is treated as a pariah. I really do. What he said was vile, and hateful, and stupid. But I still stand by my point that if someone is a bankable star in Hollywood there is very little they can say that will get them completely ostracized.

I've seen Bill Maher's stand up over the years and I've heard him say things that were absolutely as vile, if not more so about women. I mean some of the most hateful, misogynistic stuff I've ever heard. And not only haven't those things generated controversy, he still gets shows and is a liberal hero to some.

What I find interesting is the differing reactions to what Tina Fey said on this site which people seem to be largely angry at her about it. Yet on my facebook page every single one of the dozens of gay friends I have on there posted it and commented on it with praise, as did almost everyone who commented on it in those threads. I personally agree that it was a bit of a cop-out. But that's obviously far from the consensus.

[Randypiper]

4. He apologized for "my choice of words" ?

Blow me

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Go to hell Tina.

Tina and Tracy are two rich, spoiled, vile brats. Fey seems to think no one was hurt. What a protected and precious twit she is.
Tina says: money, money, Lorne, money, money, Lorne, money, please more, money. She's probably a bigot herself, many of the SNL crowd are of the Morgan/Victoria Jackson sort.

[tishaLA]

10. TF's comments are pitch perfect IMO

And Morgan? What can be said except maybe that he's a waste of life.

[johnnypneumatic]

16. he should be fired

Only a hateful person with a depraved morality could say those things, only an extremist homophobic bigot could even think up those things he said.
What kind of a person would even think of knifing a child to death? He is dangerous, and should be kept far away from any children.
The apology was inadequate and no I don't accept it, no one should. If he really is sincere and wants to make this right, he should donate his full income for the last year to the Trevor project.

[justiceischeap]

17. Consistent behavior that went too far

What I find laughable about this is he has been "joking" about gays in his stand-up routine for some time now and it only gets media play because he talks about stabbing his "gay" son. How about when he rants that we aren't born gay, that it's a choice. I don't see how you can make that funny. So, either he thinks joking about homosexuality in a negative way is funny or he really is a homophobe.

[queerart]

18. Thank You For Saying.......

What I have been thinking since I heard "yet another" story about this person.......


This is not some "new behavior" from him.....


He knows what he is, his friends know what he is, and the neighborhood dogs know what he is......


He is no different than the other Terrorists that call for the murder of Gays.....


Terrorists in a rainbow of colors....... all with a smile...... of course :D.......

[sensate2000]

20. I feel betrayed by Tina rushing to his defense like that.

I'd suggest boycotting her show 30 Rock but I don't think it could have any fewer viewers.

[mitchtv]

21. If I watched 30 Rock, I would certainly stop

but alas, I never watch anyway