UPDATED: Gibson addresses controversy over his comments on death of actor Heath Ledger
On the January 24 edition of Fox News' The Big Story, co-host John Gibson made the following statement in reference to his remarks about the death of Heath Ledger:
GIBSON: Now it's time for "My Word." I have received comments regarding remarks I made on my radio show the other night after the shocking death of Heath Ledger. I'm sorry that some took my comments as anti-gay and insensitive. I'm aware that Ledger has a family and many fans who were grief-stricken by his sudden death.
As I speak, a crowd is gathering at the funeral home where Ledger's funeral services will be held. Those who knew him say he was a good actor and a loving dad. And what happened to him was terrible, but was evidently an accident. Once again, to anyone offended by my comments, I'm sorry. But I'm also sorry that Heath Ledger is no longer alive and with us.
That is "My Word."
Gibson made a similar statement on the January 24 broadcast of Fox News Radio's The John Gibson Show:
GIBSON: I have received emails regarding some comments I made on this radio show the other night after the shocking death of Heath Ledger. I'm sorry that some gay groups and others took my comments as anti-gay and insensitive. I'm aware that Ledger has a family and many fans who were grief-stricken by his sudden death.
As we speak here now, a crowd is gathering at the funeral home where Ledger's services will be held here in New York City. Those who knew him say he was a good actor and a loving dad to 2-year-old Matilda. And what happened to him was terrible, but it was evidently an accident. Once again, to anyone offended by my comments, I'm sorry. And I'm sorry that Heath Ledger is no longer alive and with us.
SAVE DEMOCRACY, VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT!!
Allow me to translate this apology for the Fox Viewers.
If enough of the 'RIGHT" people object to your comments, and know the object of your propaganda, "brokeback" or not, that's when Fox Slanderers need to apologize publicly! Otherwise you may return to your regularly viewed program of propaganda.
Happy Thoughts;
Dan Grady
Granted, Gibson is a jerk, and his jokes weren't even funny.
But here's the thing: it looks like Ledger died of an OD of some sort-- they're not saying that right now, but that's probably the case.
If so--- why are we celebrating this guy, or falling all over ourselves in grief about him?
These guys have all the talents and advantages in the world, and they squander them by being stupid and low class.
What kind of country is this that sympathizes with such nonsense? Jeez, Albert Schweitzer didn't get this kind of treatment when he died, the way the media is carrying on about Heath Ledger.
If Gibson and others were smart, they'd make these kind of points, about the misguided waste here, and our rotten value system that celebrates bad, misguided personal behavior..
Fred hearts FOX....
So, Gibson says "... to anyone offended ..."
Anyone?
Jesus Christ, Gibson, who in hell wouldn't be offended?
Oh, I forgot - I'm sure the Good Reverend Fred "God Hates Fags" Phelps and his fanatic flock weren't offended at all.
"... to anyone offended ..."
Thank you for catching that! I hate these non-apology apologies. How about just saying "I'm sorry" instead of qualifying your apology as though you think maybe, just maybe, there's the chance that I didn't screw up? Next time try "What I said was wrong, and I'm sorry I said it and I retract that comment."
This "if anyone was offended" is so patronizing.
This is even worse
>>I'm sorry that some took my comments as anti-gay and insensitive.
Yeah, as I'm sure Mel is sorry that some took his comments as anti-Jew and insensitive.
He’s not going to admit to his hive that he was wrong. The “to anyone offended…” statement should have been followed up with…
“…and for my adoring fans, be assured there is plenty more of my witty satirical humor to come. “
Remarks like this:
GIBSON: Why would anybody be rolling up $20 bills if not to snort powdered drugs?...
GIBSON: News bulletin as we go off the air. That rolled up $20 bill in Heath Ledger's house, clean. No drug residue.
How about apologizing for speculating about things he totally unqualified to speculate about.
I can give him a pass on that one. A rolled-up bill is highly suggestive of cocaine use, and I think anyone can speculate on that. And it's not like Ledger would have been the first celebrity to die from drugs.
The rest of his comments were atrocious, of course.
And needless to say, this is yet another conservative issuing a non-apologetic apology. Gibson isn't sorry for what he said, he's just "sorry that some took [his] comments as anti-gay and insensitive."
That's a different story, yes. Adding a specific like that makes it sound like he has some basis for it beyond speculation, and that's wrong.
It sounds to me like he was about to get a spanking over this one. I would think most people would have realized on their own that they were out of line, instead of saying they couldn't pass up a joke. I suspect even some loyal viewers knew he had gone too far.
Maybe Howard Stern was more prescient than he realized in making the move to satellite radio.
"Speculation" being the key word here. It's not just Gibson alone - the whole Fox News Empire has a history of "speculating" and sensationalizing stories long before they have the facts in hand. Do I need to start making a list?
Faux News grabs such a big market share for 2 reasons.
1. They prey on elderly naive Americans who still think that anything that is uttered on a TV "news"show must be fact - of which the male portion of the audience enjoys being "titillated" by cleavage and thighs.
2. The rest of the audience (probably at least 25%) consists of those of us who enjoy "catching" them in their next exaggeration or lie. It's a strange fascination, I know - but entertaining non-the-less.
Believe me, I'm no fan of FOX. I just don't think that there's anything wrong with speculation in and of itself, as long as there's merit to it and it's not stated as fact. A 28-year old actor with a solid career and a child dies under mysterious circumstances. That's pretty much self-sensationalized, especially with a rolled-up bill and rumors of heroin use.
I just can't blame any news station for speculating about the cause of death there. It's a big shock and there are a lot of questions that come to mind about it.
"Speculation" cuts both ways. Ledger defenders are speculating themselves when they say that he did or didn't do something.
What I don't understand is all the bathos about this guy. The syrupy music, the pious sympathy, about a wasted life and an obviously misguided guy.
He must have made alot of money for the MSM to get this kind of treatment.
I see now. It was a "joke".
Imus/Malkin/Gibson/Limbaugh/Savage... they're all comedians.
In no way should anyone feel these "jokes" were intended to bash gays, liberals, fat people, blacks. Oh, no no no....
Adding: I just love how Gibson says "I'm sorry that some took my comments as anti-gay and insensitive."
See, the problem's that only "some" people think Gibson was being anti-gay and insensitive. Gibson isn't saying he was, mind you...
Why'd you give "Comedy" a bad name, Dave?
I think the albino one felt the heat from his bosses after the sponsors and advertisers threatened to pull their ads from his show (s). Even dear old Rhumpert and professional Republican Roger Ailes saw the writing on the wall and the avalanche of criticism ale Imus heading right for them.
While the apology was a calculated one I say we do not let this guy off of the hook. He obviously suffers from a severe inferiority complex where he feels he must say and do things like this in his never ending quest to be in the same category of hate as Hannity, Limbaugh and O'Reilley.
I have a feeling conservative hate radio and republican fronts such as Fox "News" have reached their peak...
"Tune in tomorrow, I may have more voice and I may be in more trouble if things go right. "
Yeah, he's really learned his lesson hasn't he?
BUSTED!
First Matthews, now Gibson. You right wing GOP mouthpieces better start learning a little respect or I'll be leaving a little poo on your grave!
"Chris Matthews is a liberal."
Provide some proof of that claim other than that Matthews worked for a Democrat decades ago. Matthews himself says he voted for Bush in 2000. No liberal would have.
Dave,
I don't question for a moment that you are right that Matthews said he voted for Bush in 2000. It would, however, be nice to have a link on this.
Thanks.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200505310005
MATTHEWS: I make this president look like -- you don't watch this program, Alexandra. That has never been the case with me. And anybody watching knows right now, we treat this guy [Bush] with respect. I happen to like him. I voted for him at least once. I'm not going to go any further on that. But the idea that we treat him like a dunce is just inaccurate.
[...]
"I see now. It was a "joke". Imus/Malkin/Gibson/Limbaugh/Savage... they're all comedians."
You forgot the insult all-star, Ann Coulter.
MMFA missed one. According to HuffPo:
This is not Gibson's first time making inappropriate comments in the wake of tragedy. In July 2005, just one day before the 7/7 terrorist bombings in London, Gibson said that "the International Olympic Committee missed a golden opportunity....If they had picked France instead of London to hold the Olympics, it would have been the one time we could look forward to where we didn't worry about terrorism. They'd blow up Paris, and who cares?" The next day, after the London bombings, Gibson repeated the remarks.
Ain't he a sweety? Why does he still have a job? Doesn't he look like Gary Oldman in "Dracula"?
I'm not 100% sure what you mean by "missed one", but...
MMFA on July 8, 2005
I decided that I won't be offended by idiots anymore. It gives them way to much power over my thought processes.
Pathetic. Can this hatemonger.
This is so much 100 times worse than Imus.
FOR THE WITH ? CROWD
The point of this item is threefold; it highlights what plays for conservative humor nowadays ( honestly now, with a liberal audience do you think that joke would really fly?) it puts context to all the advice Gibson gives throughout the year, forcing people to ask themselves am I really taking voting advice from this scumbag? and lastly it causes some conservatives to yell don't paint me with that broad brush and I feel that is the most important part. I didn't write the Move On Patreus ad and neither did the Democratic party but the same cats here protesting the loudest are the same ones who wagged fingers at us over that ad.
If Savage, Hannity, Limbaugh, Gibson and the like had no influenece on the way Americans get news and formulate opinions I'd say WITH ? too.
In fact I'd likely not even need to post as this site wouldn't need to exist. But they do have that influence and this site does exist.
So for the WITH ? crowd here is an addendum to the mission statement: To point out and document what lowlife, no class, psychos these conservative commentators are whenever they decide to act in said manner.
Once again, to anyone offended by my comments, I'm sorry. And I'm sorry that Heath Ledger is no longer alive and with us.
Typical conservative "apology" - He's sorry if people were offended by his over-the-top remarks, but he's not sorry for saying them...
What do siberian snow leopards and morals on television have in common? They're both almost extinct. Ratings, ratings, ratings. These are the times we live in; where idiots go on television and answer revealing questions while connected to a lie detector, for money, where a man can call a group of females "nappy headed ho's" on television and actually receive a raise from it, and where another man can profit from ridiculing the death of an actor. We thrive off of it. Look at the Tiger Woods situation. The story would not die. Why? Sensationalism. It's a disease that's infecting and affecting our country in every media outlet we have. Teenagers today can tell you everything from what famous person is in jail to what Beyonce had for dinner last night, but ask them about our economy or who the vice president is and you'll be lucky to not hear "who cares" Look at Gibson's history. How does he still have a job? How does Coulter still sell her books? HOW IN THE BLUE HELL DOES ANYONE TAKE ANYTHING BILL ORALLY SAYS AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A BAD JOKE?!?
Sensationalism.
Gibson's a no-class jerk. He has a family and I don't think he'd take too kindly to anyone speaking on them in such a negative way if it were one of his loved ones.