Comedian Lavell Crawford has found himself in hot water with the LGBT community after an interview in which he said he feared backlash from the “gay mafia” for performing gay jokes and also said gay men should “try p*ssy” first.
“I touch on gay stuff [in my comedy] but I touch on it the way you’re supposed to touch on it,” Crawford said in an interview with Vlad TV. “I don’t look at it as ‘gay people,’ I look at it as ‘people having feelings.'”
“I mean, no matter how much they get accepted, it’s still f*cking weird,” the Breaking Bad actor continued. “Now they’re trying to get their own bathrooms and sh*t, and I’m like, it’s still not the norm, you know? I’m from a religious background, you know, and in church you just don’t feel it. But I don’t have nothing against gay people because, strange enough, my father’s gay.”
Crawford explained that his gay-related jokes come from his experience having a gay father, but said he still fears performing the material due to potential backlash from what he called the “gay mafia.”
The comedian even offered up a disclaimer in the interview, saying he knew what he was saying was going to be controversial.
Crawford added that he doesn’t think cartoons and other entertainment aimed at children are the proper venues for the promotion of LGBT-related material.
“Honestly, I don’t think cartoons is the f *cking venue for homosexuality. It’s just for enjoyment or learning things… Because they’re trying to put in your kids’ mind, ‘Oh, I’m born gay.’ The jury’s still f*cking out on that,” the comedian said.
Crawford also said that parents need to teach their children “to be men and women before we try and put a moniker of gay and lesbian” on them.
“Okay, you’re gay. At 25, I think you can be gay. If you decide you want to be gay at 25, that’s fine,” he said. “But try p*ssy for the first years. Try p*ssy out. Young lady, try a d*ck out. You’re gonna find a good d*ck out there.”
Crawford was quickly criticized by LGBT publications including the Washington Blade and Gay Star News, which called his comments “shockingly ignorant and offensive.” The comedian also took heat from upset Twitter users.
That awkward moment when @Lavellthacomic says ignorant shit about LGBT people while wearing a tee with a pansexual superhero on it… 🏽♂️ https://t.co/zM79NOGI6k
— RJ Aguiar (@DamnItRJ) April 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/rainbowz_end/status/855111304578838528
Crawford issued a statement on his own Twitter account Wednesday apologizing for his comments but maintaining that he respects all people regardless of sexual orientation.
“To the Gay Community I want to apologize for my choice of words if it offended anyone,” he wrote. “I apologize not that I’m afraid but because I am man and a man of God and it’s not my job to hurt or condemn but to entertain and inform my way [sic].”
“But if you watch the video (vladtv) without judgment and not so quick to be offended you will see I respect everybody and it’s none of my business what you do in your private lives so I apologize not to save face or out fear but it’s right thing to do [sic],” he added.
Watch the video of Crawford’s interview above.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum
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