News, Reviews & Commentary on Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media

Why not to confess to "bashing someone's head in" on live television 101


Just a quick update, in three easy bullet points:

  • Tucker Carlson issued a press release which said that characterizing his raucous water-cooler tale of bathroom head-thumping as gay-bashing is "absurd and an insult";
  • GLAAD called for an apology for the whole thing, noting that the press release not only does not serve as an appropriate apology, but also changes key details of the original story (now Carlson is saying that he was "assaulted" -- not just propositioned -- and that he did not react violently);
  • MSNBC reran the piece including the mention that he had been propositioned as a teenager and stressing that he isn't gay, but without the back-slapping assault story that followed. Media Matters has a transcript of the follow-up broadcast.

Related: Tucker Carlson still worst contestant in the history of Dancing With the Stars.

After the jump, you'll find contact info for MSNBC and Tucker Carlson.

GLAAD suggests writing or calling NBC News and MSNBC to demand Carlson's apology and ask if his comments are reflective of network standards and practices.

Allison Gollust
Senior Vice President of Communications, NBC News
allison.gollust@nbcuni.com
212.664.3220

Jeremy Gaines
Vice President of Communications, MSNBC
jeremy.gaines@msnbc.com
201.583.5000

Leslie Schwartz
Director of Media Relations, MSNBC
leslie.schwartz@msnbc.com
201.583.5000

Tucker Carlson
Host, "Tucker"
tucker@msnbc.com
201.583.5000

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  • Evan's picture

    Can't Trust MSNBC

    MSNBC is NOT a trusted news source.  In May or June Chris Matthews made some derogatory jokes about gay people during a show.  When I went to see the transcript on their website, all the gay stuff was removed.  Here you have a news source covering up information.  How can people trust them? 

    The only show I trust on the channel is Countdown.  Keith Olbermann has integrity. 

    I'm glad the commentors over on the Media Matters article have picked up on Tucker Carlson's attempt to be macho and his changing story because I hate having to create accounts on every website I go to.

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    LyleMasaki's picture

    Olbermann

    I've been impressed with his coverage of this story, he's mostly avoided the gay baiting found too easily elsewhere and focused on the issues of hypocrisy and Sen. Craig's record. Even better, he actually talked to a gay person (Rachel Maddow) about the story.
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    jeremy6865's picture

    I fell for it at first

    I'll admit I fell for Tfucker's excuse at first. Who wouldn't react in a reflexive, possibly violent way to someone touching them uninvited. But if you waited fifteen or twenty minutes, and came back with your "buddy", and beat the shit out of the guy, that's not self defense, that's beating up faggot because all faggots deserve to be beat up. I don't have any pity on guy's who might "assault" anyone in the bathroom, but after twenty minutes to think about it Tucker knew exactly what he was doing...GayBashing!!!!!

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