1999-2010

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Why did TMZ exaggerate Jerry Lewis' gay slur?


We awoke this morning to see that corporate porn-pushing gossip site TMZ.com had lifted our story on Jerry Lewis' anti-gay slur in Hour 18 of the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. They didn't give us any credit, but we didn't expect them to. We did expect that Harvey and the boys would at least be honest, and get the story right, especially since they followed our link and posted the incriminating video.

Jerry, in one of his freeform comic riffs, referred to someone as "the illiterate fag."

TMZ gilded the lily by claiming that Jerry "A woozy Jerry Lewis, 81, went all Isaiah Washington on his telethon last night, calling someone -- or something -- an 'illiterate faggot.'"

As the video illustrates, Jerry never uttered the word "faggot." As part of his old school, inappropriate riff, he deliberately-- and clearly-- caught himself at "fag."

Nor did the slur escape "last night." It occurred in the telethon's hour 18 yesterday. TMZ, who further hyped the story by claiming in the headline that "Jerry Lewis Drops F-Bomb During Telethon" (note to TMZ elitists: to mainstream Americans outside the Twink Male Zone, the "F-Bomb" is "fuck"). Crack down on those weekend workers, TMZ. There are only six Harveys til the TMZ TV debut!


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

They are what they are. If you want to toot your horn by saying that you are GAY, don't be offended by the other slang terms such as Fag, Faggot,Fairy, Queer, Queen and so on.

Smokes used to be called Fags.
Ingots are called Fags. So when you are shoving your ingot up you boy friends rectum, remember you deserve the name Faggot. Use it well, wear it well. You are what you are!

Anonymous said...

The second that word slurred off his tongue, it looked like Jerry was 40 again, like he cured himself of all possible ills.

The body language froze, the tension sort of beaded up and fell in little rivlets around his feet. He looked at the toteboard and saw Imus, Imus, Isaiah, Mel! I had to have a post-fag drink just to calm down. That was crazy good fun.

Anonymous said...

CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS and any other media outlet (such as newspapers, radio talk shows etc) that repeats what Jerry Lewis said is contributing to this mistake. Jerry has said he was sorry. How will these media outlets make this political repeat of this slur right? How will they be held accountable for continuing to put the salt in the wounds. He is an 81 year old man who has served his time in life. He should NOT step down from being the MDA spokes person because "he" is it's creator and the reason for its foundation. In his day, and in his comedic business, working off the cuff is what made money....seems that is why all these media outlets have continued to jump on the bandwagon so that their "news" sells. He didn't do it on purpose. He isn't a homophobic person. He simply was a tired comedian trying to make a joke. Gays and Heteros alike need to lighten up: he has lived a long and purposeful life and in his lifetime he has brought joy to many, many people. Accept that he made a mistake. Which one of you that is trying to cast this stone can say to yourselves that YOU have never made a mistake. No human alive is PERFECT.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you anonymous. Well said.