TV/ TRACY MORGAN APOLOGIZES FOR ANTI-GAY TIRADE: "30 Rock" star Tracy Morgan said he’s sorry today, for telling an audience at a June 3 comedy show that he’d "pull out a knife and stab" his son if he were gay. "I want to apologize to my fans and the gay & lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville," he said in a statement to the THR. "I'm not a hateful person and don’t condone any kind of violence against others. While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context," added Morgan. The comments are just now coming to light because they were posted on nonprofit Truth Wins Out's Web site on June 8, almost a week after a gay audience member wrote about the show on Facebook. The man titled his Facebook post "Why I No Longer 'Like' Tracy Morgan -- A Must Read," and wrote that he'd been a big fan of the comic since he was a cast member on "Saturday Night Live". He wrote that he was prepared for "a good ribbing of straight gay humor" but was surprised at what he said the "30 Rock" star said onstage. According to the Facebook posting, Morgan, "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. Tracy then said he didn't (expletive) care if he (angered) some gays". Morgan's tirade was full of homophobic references and expletives, according to the Facebook account. The man said he was convinced that "none of this rant was a joke. His entire demeanor changed during that portion of the night. He was truly filled with some hate towards us". It wouldn't be the 1st time Morgan has drawn fire for his comments. In January, TNT issued an apology after Morgan made lewd comments about Sarah Palin on a live "Inside the NBA" broadcast. At a New York show 2 years ago, Morgan reportedly made a comment that being gay is a "choice," prompting several people to walk out, according to the Advocate. (SK COMMENT: Given Morgan's history, I have trouble "buying" this apology. This has been percolating below the surface for the last 2 days and exploded last night. It appears that Morgan only apologized because his tirade went international overnight).
TV/ MTV CANCELS "SKINS": The American version of teen drama "Skins" has been cancelled by MTV, after a steep drop in viewers. Based on the hit British series, the show caused a media storm in the US with a parents' group labelling it dangerous. At least 8 companies subsequently pulled their advertising revenue or placed the show on a "do not buy" list after the objections of the Parents Television Council, a right wing advocacy group. The series premiered to an audience of 3.3 million in January but lost about 2/3 of those by the final show. "Skins" is renowned for its frank portrayal of teenage drinking, drug-taking and sex but the PTC was particularly upset by the age of some of the actors on the American show, some of whom were as young as 15. MTV said in a statement: "'Skins is a global television phenomenon that, unfortunately, didn't connect with a US audience as much as we had hoped. We admire the work that the series' creator Bryan Elsley did in adapting the show for MTV, and appreciate the core audience that embraced it". The original British version of "Skins" has now run into its 5th series and has spawned the careers of high profile actors such as "Slumdog Millionaire's" Dev Patel.
MUSIC/ 30 SECONDS TO MARS TOP KERRANG! AWARDS: 30 Seconds To Mars have won 2 award at the annual Kerrang! Awards, including best international band for the 2nd year running. The band, fronted by singer and actor Jared Leto and pictured left, also took home best single for "Hurricane". The legend award went to Ozzy Osbourne with Alice Cooper collecting the icon award at the London ceremony. You Me At Six took the best British band crown from 3 time winners Bullet For My Valentine. Scott Ian from Anthrax and Slipknot's Corey Taylor returned to host the awards show, which is now in its 18th year. It's the 3rd time 30 Seconds To Mars have won the best international title as the band prepares to play at some of the biggest festivals in Europe in the coming weeks. Bring Me The Horizon took the best album prize for "There Is A Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret". My Chemical Romance went home with only 1 award, best video for "Na Na Na," despite being in the running for 5 awards. Best live act went to All Time Low, while Biffy Clyro were honoured with the classic songwriter award. The Kerrang! inspiration award was given to Def Leppard, who are set to headline the Download Festival, and Nu metal band Korn saw themselves inducted into the Kerrang! Hall Of Fame. Full details on all the awards can be found on the Kerrang! website.
FILM/ FANTASIA TO PLAY MAHALIA JACKSON IN PIC: "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino will explore the life of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson in a new biographical film based on the Jules Schwerin book "Got to Tell It: Mahalia Jackson, Queen of Gospel". According to media reports, the $23.9 million film, to be titled "Mahalia," is endorsed by the estate of the late singer, who 1st brought gospel to mainstream white audiences. The film will trace her life from her poverty-stricken beginnings through her rise as an influential performer and supporter of Martin Luther King, Jr. Barrino won "American Idol" in May 2004 and also released the solo albums "Free Yourself" in 2004 and "Fantasia" in December 2006. Barrino earned a 2007 Theater World Award for her performance in "The Color Purple" on Broadway. She repeated her performance for several engagements of the recent national tour of the Tony Award-nominated musical.
THEATRE/ "SPIDER-MAN" FROZEN FOR TUESDAY'S OPENING: The June 8 evening performance of "Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark" at the Foxwoods Theatre on Broadway was a special one for the musical's cast. The performance, which was the musical's 177th preview, marked the last time changes would be implemented into the production, which has been in previews since November 2010. The production, which will officially open June 14, is now "frozen," a term that means what is currently on stage is the final version that critics will review. In fact, critics have been invited to attend the June 9-11 performances. In an interview, Philip William McKinley, who is now overseeing the musical, said, "I assure you that there are a lot of very excited and relieved people at the Foxwoods Theater today. But no one will be celebrating until Tuesday night". Meanwhile, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) filed an arbitration claim yesterday against the producers of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" for failure to pay royalties to the musical's original director Julie Taymor, who was recently released from that position.
PEOPLE/ THE ROYALS HAVE THEIR FIRST OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENT: Prince William and his new wife Catherine laughed and smiled as they mingled with celebrity guests at their 1st official engagement in the gardens of Kensington Palace Thursday. Wearing a shimmering, dusty pink cap-sleeve gown by Jenny Packham, the new Duchess of Cambridge and her husband were guests of honour at a lavish gala dinner hosted by financier Arpad Busson for his children's charity ARK. Busson welcomed the couple as they arrived to join other supporters like artists Tracey Emin and Anish Kapoor and actor Kevin Spacey, who had all paid £10,000 a head to attend the banquet in the heart of London. William, in a black dinner jacket and bowt tie, and Catherine were attending on behalf of the charitable foundation of the prince and his younger brother Harry. The dinner was held in an enormous purpose-made marquee built on the grounds of Kensington Palace, once home to William's mother Diana. On June 30, William and Catherine will embark on their 1st overseas tour as a married couple, beginning in Canada and ending with a trip to California.
No comments:
Post a Comment