NBC’s Bob Greenblatt & ’30 Rock’s Tina Fey React To Tracy Morgan’s Homophobic Rant
Tracy Morgan Comes Under Fire For Anti-Gay Rant
NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt, the first openly gay topper of a broadcast network, and 30 Rock creator/executive producer/star Tina Fey just issued statements in response to homophobic remarks by 30 Rock co-star Tracy Morgan at his stand-up show in Nashville last Saturday. The rant, in which Morgan said, among other things that “if his son told him that was gay he … would pull out a knife and stab that little n***** to death,” has created a media firestorm, with gay-rights groups demanding an apology. Morgan issued one earlier today. Greenblatt’s statement indicates that reps for the network have spoken with the actor and “we made it clear to him that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated”, so Morgan will continue on 30 Rock:
Bob Greenblatt, Chairman NBC Entertainment:
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. We will always recognize an artist’s freedom to express him or herself, but not when reckless things are said no matter what the context. Unfortunately, Tracy’s comments reflect negatively on both 30 Rock and NBC — two very all-inclusive and diverse organizations -– and we have made it clear to him that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.
Tina Fey, Executive Producer, 30 Rock
I’m glad to hear that Tracy apologized for his comments. 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 at 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.
The other producers and I pride ourselves on 30 Rock being a diverse, safe, and fair workplace.
Classy responses, especially the one from Fey.
@Nice, you’re being sarcastic, right? What is classy about a slap on the wrist in response to a call to stab gays? What if he said he’d stab his own child if they were Latino or fat or black or a girl or a Jew or an atheist or a devout Christian or an Asian? Is it starting to sink in how bad this is? And how tepid the response?
I would like to say that this tendency to “report to the media” any time a comic says something offensive, sarcastic or just plain stupid in the heat of a comedy routine (i.e. Morgan and/or Richards) is just as disturbing as what these comics say, if not a lot more so.
It’s no different than the Parents Television Council whining about “Skins” or “Insert Title Here” because they happen to find their content or ideas “offensive”. It stinks of fascism and censorship and they keep trying to define for me what’s qualifies as offensive, or wrong, or indecent or destructive for society as a whole.
Bad for whose society, exactly? Theirs, of course. Well, I live in my own society, and define for myself what’s good and bad, and that’s my own responsibility.
If Tracey Morgan wants to tell an audience he would murder his own child if he were gay, well that’s his choice of material. It’s not as if he actually meant any of it, because of course, he’s a comic, a provocateur in the tradition of Lenny Bruce, Jonathon Swift or anyone else trying to change or shift someone else’s perspective on something.
I haven’t seen a transcript of Morgan’s whole set, and I doubt that one will surface since people only “report to the media” a specific comedy bit that they find offensive. But rest assured in the context of his whole set, Morgan’s proactive statement about killing his own child might seem considerably less offensive. Or maybe not – I don’t know, because I’m not God, and I can’t really say what actually happened in that comedy club. And neither can anyone.
And what about all the hateful murder-inducing shit that Sarah Palin or Bill O’Reilly say on a monthly or daily basis? No, let’s instead focus on poor little Tracy Morgan because he’s a safe target that nobody will defend because he’s powerless and irrelevant and doesn’t have some big political machine backed by major media assets. He’s just a guy on a stage saying stuff that makes other people upset and angry and offended, and most of the time, laugh. Because that’s what comics do.
Lenny Bruce. Tracy Morgan? You must be Tracy’s pot smoking buddy. You’re way off.
You know, you almost had a point, until you pulled out the tired, ignorant ‘examples’ of Sarah Palin and Bill O’Reilly.
What ‘hateful, murder-inducing shit’ has either of them ever said? Recall that morons like you tried to pin the Tucson shooting on them and experienced an ‘epic fail’. Then your hero Obama used it to boost his own image. Classy.
O’Reilly and Palin have said some stupid things, but nothing worse than any left-wing commentator. When Bush was president not a day passed without some lefty outright begging for his murder. Lots of comics have tried to pull themselves out of the C-list by making ‘jokes’ about murdering Palin or some member of her family, and not a peep from any of you easily-offended nellies. So cram it.
Oh, and try reading. If you actually bothered to learn anything you might evolve your political beliefs and see the Conservative position for what it is, not the bogeyman your priests Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert pretend it is.
“When Bush was president not a day passed without some lefty outright begging for his murder.”
That is a lie and proves you are a fool.
But, comparing O’Reilly and Palin to what Tracy Morgan said proves the guy you’re responding to is a fool as well, so you’re hardly alone.
And of course you have the double-blind study to back this up right?
“And what about all the hateful murder-inducing shit that Sarah Palin or Bill O’Reilly say on a monthly or daily basis?” Really Rocky Robillard?? Your statement is just plain stupid.
You are absolutely right- that was just a slap on the wrist- He needs to give a REAL apoligy- And then be ‘Fired.
Tracy Morgan has the RIGHT to say this! NO apology necessary
He does have the right. And his right is not being taken away. But, others have rights, too, and those rights include expressing our shock and dismay at his hate speech. That’s the beauty of America. You’re welcome.
He sure does have a right to say things, things that he should not have to apologize for. He also has the right to be fired, unemployed, and utterly hated.
You’re right. He does have the right to say it. And we have a right to not support his pathetic unfunny hate-filled career.
So we’re saying two things. 1. It’s ok for somebody to carry a knife? 2. It’s ok for somebody to stab there own son because he’s gay? I don’t think so in either case.
uh what? what if they were black? huh?
why is anyone ever surprised when a dumbass comic says stupid shit? the only difference is he’s on a show. If he wasnt no one would give a shit what Tracy Morgan says…
Dear Uh: Duh.
The guy messed up and made a poor attempt at a joke. A big mistake. Leave him alone. Anyone with half a brain knows that he did not mean what he said. Everyone knows that Hollywood and the whole entertainment industry is ran by Gays & Lesbians. I don’t know one single black man that would intentionally F’up his paycheck. Besides, almost everyone thought Tracy was kinda gay anyways.
Yeah she got her point across was funny and not dramatic.
Tina Fey… “he is much too sleepy…” HILARIOUS!
Tracy did take it too far but it isn’t a representation of 30 Rock. He did this on his own time.
NBC and Fey don’t have to apologize or recognize this for me.
Tracy did apologize. Does it solve gay & lesbian abuse? NO!
Should he be fired? No. For those who think he should be, it’s likely you didn’t like tracey from jump. You’re just trying to fulfill you’re on hatred. The backlash is enough punishment for him. It will hit him in the pockets if he continues touring. If he does it again, then his employer will take care of it, I’m sure.
30 rock does ROCK
How can you call that an apology? I apologize for my choice of words (but not for what I meant by them)? He should be fired, as discrimination and creating a hostile work environment, is illegal. If I was an employee on 30 Rock, I certainly would feel unsafe considering the pent up hostility and hate Tracy Morgan apparently has inside him.
Classy maybe. But I still feel as an NBCU employee and gay man that Tracy needs to go. As an employee I’m ashamed the company would employ, tolerate or accept this behavior. If I did something like that and made a religious slur, my ass would be fired as fast you can say Steve Burke. As a gay man, I’m troubled that younger gay men and women have to face this discrimination and feel hatred, intimidation and threatened for just being themselves. If a father is ashamed of his gay son or daughter, would he really wish to kill the child? Just the possibility of this happening or Tracy’s words causing pain to a teenager facing bullying is enough in my estimation to warrant his sacking. Do the right thing. Fire the actor. A zero-tolerance policy, which is what GE apparently had, seems to be something no longer accepted by the new management led by Comcast.
Why must employees of network television put up with this?
Yes, Mr. Morgan’s co-workers have made him the character he is, in part, but he has made the network and his co-workers, in part, who they are because of him.
The “leashes” need to be abandoned and people need to realize that without our First Amendment we’d all be a boring cookie cutter society of human drones.
Stop being so sensitive about what Mr. Morgan said.
Imagine the chaos and time wasted if everyone who ever felt slighted about anything took it to the streets. If that was the case then perhaps the next move should be to protest the way one is treated at a grocery store, the gas station, in traffic.
Sheesh!
A big shot TV star said he would kill his own kid for being gay- how is a gay kid supposed to feel about that? How many gay kids had to kill themselves a few months ago before people even started paying attention to this problem? It’s obviously not a question of someone “feeling slighted,” it’s a question of kids being treated so badly and feeling so rejected that they kill themselves. I don’t get why anyone would defend this.
I appreciate Tina Fey’s comments in referring to Morgan’s coworkers, and suspect Bob Greenblatt would love to say more. I do believe that Tina Fey is blind when it comes to Tracy Morgan, both as an actor, a comedian and a human being. His humor is sophomoric and offensive, and has lowered the quality of 30 Rock substantially. I don’t find this incident surprising. Yet I continue to be surprised at Morgan’s presence on 30 Rock, waiting for someone to finally say, “the emperor has no clothes.” No clothes, and no talent! I actually fast-forward through the bits he is in when I actually watch the show at all.
Such a shame
Bob sold out his own kind and Tina just plain sucks
Stop watching 30 Rock now because they support people who promote hate
are you suggesting the show should go off the air and put a lot of gay and lesbians out of work?
I AGREE WITH TRACY … HE HAS THE RIGHT TO RAISE HIS KID NORMAL !
WHAT IS NORMAL ABOUT GAYS … NOTHING!
THEY REPRESENT ONLY 2 PERCENT OF THIS POPULATION … THEY CAN SHOVE THEIR PERVERSENESS DOWN EACH OTHERS THROATS … OH WAIT, THAT’S WHAT THEY FANTASIZE ABOUT ALREADY.
SICK WORLD … NEED AN ANTIDOTE FOR THIS QUEER WAY OF THINKING … FEMA ROUND EM UP !
relax sweetheart.
Did you read the article at all?? Obviously 30 Rock doesn’t support Tracy’s actions, that’s the whole point of the statements. They DO NO SUPPORT THIS IN ANY WAY! There is no way I will be stopping watching 30 Rock just because of the horrible things Tracy said. That’s like refusing to eat pizza because one Italian said something insulting. Like turning off your radio because one broadcaster said a blonde joke. Like stopping watching 30 Rock, a diverse and tolerant show, just because one complete moron expressed his own, personal, horrible opinion.
Remember, the opinion is Tracy MORGAN’S not Tracy Jordan’s.
Same hypercritical double standards they expect us to have. If a white person made a comment about a black person he would be expected to be fired for it. So fast to play the race card. People need to learn there are consequence to there actions. Bad behavior of any kind from anyone should not be rewarded or tolerated anymore.
Sorry after the fact doesn’t cut it anymore.
These people think because there rich, famous or powerful that they don’t have to play by the same rules. Any kind of hatred shouldn’t be tolerated. ZERO!
@Tindman,
Isaiah Washington got fired for using a homophobic slur against T.R. Knight. Granted, he worked for a different company, but I don’t think you can say there’s a racially motivated double-standard here on this one.
Also, I find it funny when people say “If a white guy said this…” but then never back it up with an actual example or even an anecdote.
Calm down, girl.
Lol… how does Tina “just plain suck”? She clearly sounded pretty unimpressed with Tracy’s actions and that she even found his comments disturbing herself. 30 Rock clearly is not trying to support people who promote hate, many of their actors have vocally voiced their support for the LGBT community. Also, they can’t just go and fire one of their lead actors. Tracy’s comments were disgusting, and they are trying to be dealt with in a mature fashion.
“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.” -Tina Fey
The same is often said about psychopaths after they’ve been caught. He is now the white Michael Richards.
Isn’t Michael Richards the white Michael Richards?
Donna has a point.
Wow, that joke just backfired. xD
yes Michael Richards got alot of hell for using the ‘N’ word and called a few black men Neg*ers- But still today many ppl still think it’s OK to trash gay people.. The RightWing Republicans,TheCatholicChurch,Evangelicals etc. – Are mostly to blame.
Are you serious geglesias? You are going to blame ‘Right wing Republicans,The CatholicChurch and TheEvangelicals’ as the reason why gay people still get trashed? Let me tell you the REAL reason they still get trashed….PEOPLE LIKE YOU that let gay jokes get them all ‘bent out of shape’ then go and blame EVERYONE ELSE and their mothers for the gays getting joked about. People like you make easy targets for comedians….but let’s blame the politicians and the church(those are the easy targets for gays to blame, much like Tracy Morgan was).You keep putting yourself out there, then you better damn well expect people to notice….stop blaming others.
How very shallow of you. Of course the hate filled rhetoric the right wing willingly flings at the LGBT community and the lies propagated by the religious zealots bares some blame. If you repeat that crap enough people will believe it and pretty soon they’ll think it’s funny when a hack comedian jokes about stabbing his own child for acting Gay. You’re pathetic.
You start your post by calling me ‘shallow’ and end your post by calling me ‘pathetic’, but let’s look at the “meat” of your post. You basically call Right-wingers”Hate mongers” the religious people”Liars” and go on to label Tracey Morgan as a “Hack comedian”.
Seems to me that you have it it all figured out in your little world as to where everyone fits in…..’shallow and pathetic’? You need to look at yourself when you say those words my friend.
Yeah, I agree, ‘Right wing Republicans,The CatholicChurch and TheEvangelicals’ are TOTALLY to blame! They constantly are espousing viewpoints which teach everyone that Gays are “Wrong” “inferior”, “sinners” and “not normal” don’t deserve a place at the table and in fact, deserve to be punished by God. Kids at school pick up on this kind of hate-speech easily and use in on each other at school often leading to violence and some cases serious injury and trauma and even death.
They don’t want us to get offended at these cruel, violent, intimidating “jokes” but get soooooo offended by our very existence that we are not even allowed to marry and have to live in fear of being attacked, judged, left out, etc,… and they they have the GALL, like this guy, to act like WE are just being “Sensitive”! It’s Mainstream Straights and Religious people that are too easily offended! I am just complaining about a comedy routine–you are making freaking LAWS limit my freedom! Talk about an over-reaction!
Well, their just being selfish and stupid and blind-by-choice–unfortunately, it has real effects on all of our lives and our choices…
Nice!
Now, no more boycotts! It wasn’t Greenblatt or Fey’s fault, but they apologized on behalf of their institutions. Hopefully now everyone can have a good night and a pleasant tomorrow.
“But….he makes us too much money to fire him”. -Tina/Bob. And that’s not Tracy’s stand-up, that’s tracy. He’s got some pretty fucked up views on a lot of things, most having to do with women and sexuality. He’s also a drunk as well as a mysogynist and homophobe, a philanderer and a guy who will fuck your wife. But he does deliver his lines pretty funny, so guess u keep him around.
um……tina fey can’t fire him, she has no control over the 6 year contract he signed. like, that is in no way up to her. if nbc execs wanted to fire him they would be my guests, but tina fey is not an nbc executive. welcome to television, you clearly know nothing about it.
Believe me, if an EP with the clout that Tina Fey has wanted him out, he’d be out.
also…youre wrong. tina wants him off the show, he’s off. she says shes walking if they dont fire him…hes fired.
You’re wrong on so many levels. Gawd I hate it when people who know nothing about… say “you know nothing about…”
Wrong.
no one agrees with you anonymous.
Tina Fey is HEAVEN
Not buying it NBC. The words he said are sick. There was no comedy in anything he said.
Yes you’re dead right. You cannot justify this filth and anyone who does is doing it purely for the sake of money.
Tina Fey’s words say what needs to be said in the most articulate way. She rocks!
Why do I feel Tina’s response is so much more sincere than Tracy’s. I do love Tina -but Tracy really has turned me off on anything he does in the future. A simple apology isn’t enough to bring me back to 30 Rock. I choose to not be a hypercrite and support a man who has issues like he has. You just can’t sweep people’s conduct under the rug with just words. Anyone can issue a statement and I just don’t believe that statement came from Tracy -it seemed to had come from his publicity guys as damage control. So very sorry, Tina.
Tracy Morgan was never the reason I watched 30 Rock. He’s never been the reason 30 Rock was funny.
And people forget that 30 Rock employs a lot of gays and lesbians and has always embraced the GLBT community from Day 1.
Well, you know what they say– practice makes perfect. Sounds like he should have practiced under a (30) Rock until he got all that bile out of his system and created some Really funny jokes.