Tracy Morgan issued a public apology Tuesday to gay rights advocates and audience members exposed to his violently anti-gay tirade during a June 3 stand-up show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
According to The Tennessean, Morgan spoke with Kevin Rogers — the gay man whose Facebook post detailing the comedian’s homophobic remarks went viral and sparked a media backlash against Morgan’s behavior – and said he hopes to have a lifelong friend in him. Morgan also met with a local lesbian couple and invited them to visit him on the set of his hit show “30 Rock.”
Upon addressing the gathered crowd of local and national media representatives, audience members and gay rights activists, Tracy Morgan explained that he considers his outburst and subsequent chastisement from gay and straight commentators alike as an opportunity to make a difference:
“I don’t really see gay or straight. I see human beings now,” Morgan said.
The comedian went on to note that, despite his famously provocative, no-holds-barred comic style he has “learned a lesson” and will change his onstage message.
LGBT audience members and representatives later told reporters that they believed Morgan’s apology to be sincere; however, as Herndon Graddick of GLAAD pointed out, “his actions going forward are going to speak the loudest.”
Watch Morgan’s full statement here:
