Jerry Lewis Under Fire By Gay Group For Slur
Sep 4th, 2007 | 10 responses
Comedian Jerry Lewis broke his own fund raising record this weekend on the Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy — but he’s now under fire for an offhand remark. CNN reports:
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Tuesday denounced comedian Jerry Lewis’ use of the word “fag” on Lewis’ annual Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy and called on him to apologize.
“Jerry Lewis’ on-air use of this kind of anti-gay slur is simply unacceptable,” GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano said in a statement posted on the group’s Web site. “It also feeds a climate of hatred and intolerance that contributes to putting our community in harm’s way.”
In the 18th hour of the 21 1/2-hour telethon Monday, Lewis — bow tie undone and shirt collar open — stumbled around the set at the South Coast Hotel, Casino and Spa in Las Vegas, marveling at the cameraman’s ability to keep up with him.
Click on the link and see the offending clip.
(UPDATE: Lewis has apologized. See our later post HERE.)
The saga of Jerry Lewis is both an inspiring and a bittersweet one.
Lewis is a rare comedian and human being who at times has seemed to be is own worst enemy. Watch his many clips on You Tube here and you’ll see a young comedy genius who clearly inspired many (such as Jim Carey) in his incredible “live” performances with singer partner Dean Martin on the Colgate Comedy Hour and clips from his films.
But his popularity nosedived as Americans got to see the real Jerry Lewis on talk shows and in interviews and the self-assured, confident, almost bragging comedian contrasted sharply and uncomfortably with the innocent, endearing movie image (reports that Lewis never wore a pair of socks more than once didn’t help, either).
Many of his movies hold up quite well when viewed on DVD and it’s clear that his unpopularity with the press impacted his image in the U.S. as well. His work on the Muscular Dystrophy telethons will earn him a special place in celebrity — and medical — history. Yet, even there, he was blasted by some who accused him of talking about people with MS in demeaning or condescending terms. Activists said he communicated the wrong message — that people in wheelchairs or with a disease are to be pitied or are somehow less whole than other people. Lewis denied that was his intent.
Despite all this, Lewis has gone on in recent years to become a comedy icon (his work is being rediscovered on DVDs and You Tube) and despite horrific health problems he has been steadfast in his work for Muscular Dystrophy.
This latest flap is one more example of Lewis in a sense being his own enemy. Yet, it’s also clear on the video that he knew he made a mistake.
But in the present political environment it means he’ll likely have to take the heat until his publicist offers some kind of statement. The whole thing is tragic because on your TV screen you can see an 80 year man literally giving his all for a cause, even with his own health problems. And an out-of-bounds wisecrack not tolerated in the 21st century will dominate the news cycle more than the record funds he helped raise.
UPDATE: In response to a reader’s email. Here again is my favorite You Tube tribute to Martin and Lewis:
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10 Responses to “Jerry Lewis Under Fire By Gay Group For Slur”
I don’t really care what he said and doubt that any gay person with a life cares much either.
Well, gay or not, I don’t think there’s any place for offensive words in a telethon of all places.
Not a very bright way to raise money.
‘And an out-of-bounds wisecrack not tolerated in the 21st century will dominate the news cycle more than the record funds he helped raise.’
Perhaps if there were less linking to such things there would not be such a brouhaha. But blogs will be blogs.
We have become a country dominated by hypersensitive special interest groups who look for opportunities to be offended, and to leverage those into publicity.
Sorry, but it is people like Neil Giuliano overreacting that keeps things inflamed. I mean, really, an 80 year-old comic says ‘fag’, and THAT, ‘feeds a climate of hatred and intolerance that contributes to putting our community in harm’s way”???
I think a sense of proportionality is missing here.
GLAAD needs to get over itself already. When they throw a fit over this sort of trivial thing it makes it hard to take them seriously about anything at all.
No, such lapses should not go unremarked. It was not so long ago that those offended by the N word
were ridiculed and accused of protesting only for their ‘hidden agendas’.
I wouldn’t hang anyone for using bad language. but those who find it offensive have every right to say so. If enough people speak up, maybe it will finally seep into our culture that using slurs is an ugly practice..
On the other hand, we are having such a torrent of apologies lately, that maybe we should just have a National Aoology Day, so that everyone can get it off therr chesst at once.
Doma- it was an in joke to a colleague.
If every person who called a pal or lover a dirty word, affectionately, had to apologize, there wd be no time for the affection.
Grow up.
“Grow up” is an argument used by someone who has run out of anything reasonbale to say.
A slur is used by someone who is oblivious to how he affects people around him or is too self absorbed to care. Obviously, even Mr. Lewis recognized that to use the word in public (not in private) is offensive to others, since he was grown up enough to aplogize..
The question isn’t was it offensive or not, but was the reaction appropiate.
IMHO, it was way over the top. If GLAAD had said something like ‘we are saddened by the use of such a derogatory in a public forum by Mr. Lewis. We believe such language has no place on the airwaves’, I don’t think there would be much objection to that.
Saying it ‘feeds a climate of hatred and intolerance that contributes to putting our community in harm’s way’ is just plain over the top.