Celebrity Scandal!
Kobe Bryant apologizes to LGBT community for openly gay slur?
[Apr. 14]
Perez Hilton, an openly gay blogger, knows a little bit about bullying. When he speaks, his words have the power to heal, divide, or hurt any celebrity or public figure. Whether he is outing a Hollywood star or starlet who is not yet ready to have their sexuality thrust into the bright lights of paparazzi attention or he is simply commenting that someone’s choice of fashion on the red carpet is at best ugly, his words reverberate throughout the blogosphere in such a way that they give him star power and the accused or praised a public media boost like no other. But what about when simple phrases that reinforce negative stereotypes are thrown around by other less prolific celebrity figures while people are listening and cameras are rolling? Such was the case when celebrity athlete Kobe Bryant, an NBA basketball player, threw out some openly stupid remarks about the gay community. Realizing after the fact that he had been labeled a verbal bully recanted his remarks with a public apology almost immediately, and since the sports hero himself had a checkered past filled with nasty allegations about his own sexual nature with regard to misogynistic behavior but was forgiven by fans, Kobe Bryant now hopes the gay and lesbian community across the United States will forgive him.