On his radio show yesterday, Fox News host John Gibson responded to ThinkProgress’ criticism of his comments mocking the death of Heath Ledger, saying that it was just “a little Brokeback Mountain joke” and there is “no point in passing up a good joke.”
Without offering any sort of apology, Gibson defended his callous comments by claiming that “for months and months and months,” his show has consistently made fun of the line, “I wish I knew how to quit you” from Brokeback Mountain. “I’m not giving that up,” exclaimed Gibson:
GIBSON: How many months did we live off that line, Brokeback Mountain?
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN CLIP: I wish I knew how to quit you.
ANGRY RICH: Several.
GIBSON: I mean, it was going on for months and months and months.
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN CLIP: Wooee, yeah!
GIBSON: I’m not giving that up.
Listen to it:
[flv http://video.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/GibsonResponds.320.40.flv]
On MSNBC’s Morning Joe this morning, host Joe Scarborough described the homophobic undertones of Gibson’s “little Brokeback Mountain joke,” calling it “mean-spirited and hateful” that “if you make a movie about being gay, your death becomes a punchline.”
When Gibson’s sidekick, Angry Rich, read him a negative comment left by a ThinkProgress reader (which the site does not endorse) calling the Fox News host “a closet homosexual,” Gibson responded by laughing and quipping “well, I’m still breathing”:
ANGRY RICH: You’re “a closet homosexual.” That’s the first one.
GIBSON: Oh, I am?
ANGRY RICH: Apparently.
GIBSON: Ha ha ha, well I’m still breathing. There’s the difference right there.
Don’t let Gibson “get away” with his “callous and harsh” remarks. Contact Fox News and John Gibson. Or give his radio show a call at 1–866–868–6861.
UPDATE: GLAAD has started a petition asking Fox News “why they continue to provide a platform for John Gibson’s cruel and tasteless comments.”
UPDATE II: Perez Hilton identifies a list of Fox News’ current advertisers.
UPDATE III: Media Matters has more from later in yesterday’s radio show.
Digg It! Transcript:
JOHN GIBSON: There is a war on Gibson. And, eventhough Gibson’s always right, there is a war.
ANNOUNCER: The war against Gibson continues.
GIBSON: Thought we were gonna do that next hour, but just to give you a heads up about it, I did this, an hour yesterday on Heath Ledger on my TV show because he was like, still warm. I got an e-mail Angry Rich just moments ago…
ANGRY RICH: Yeah.
GIBSON: From somebody who said that I was just a horrible lowlife, awful person for mocking the death..da da da da da da…News!
ANGRY RICH: John, the start of yesterday’s show is now prominently featured on ThinkProgress, the George Soros operation, yes.
GIBSON: What did…
ANGRY RICH: It says, “John Gibson Mocks ‘Weirdo’ Heath Ledger’s Death.”
GIBSON: Did I mock him?
ANGRY RICH: “He Found Out How To Quit You.” Quote-unquote.
GIBSON: Oh, that. Ha ha ha, well…
ANGRY RICH: A little satire.
GIBSON: Yeah, it’s a little Brokeback Mountain joke.
ANGRY RICH: We feel bad about it, c’mon.
GIBSON: Yeah, I mean, I feel bad about his death, but that’s…
ANGRY RICH: Horrible.
GIBSON: No point.
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN CLIP: I wish I knew how to quit you.
GIBSON: That’s no point in passing up a good joke. I mean, how many months did we live off that line, Brokeback Mountain?
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN CLIP: I wish I knew how to quit you.
ANGRY RICH: Several.
GIBSON: I mean, it was going on for months and months and months.
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN CLIP: Wooee, yeah!
GIBSON: I’m not giving that up.
ANGRY RICH: “The comments are unfortunate.”
GIBSON: Oh are they? They’re going after me over it?
ANGRY RICH: Oh yeah.
GIBSON: Mmmk, well, it’s the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, but…
ANGRY RICH: You’re “a closet homosexual.” That’s the first one.
GIBSON: Oh, I am?
ANGRY RICH: Apparently.
GIBSON: Ha ha ha, well I’m still breathing. There’s the difference right there.
ANGRY RICH: I guess.
GIBSON: Christine, it took you so long to get that? I mean, I was like counting the seconds there.
ANGRY RICH: “Gibson will be whining tomorrow that his words were taken out of context.”
GIBSON: No, I meant them, whatever they were. I don’t remember what they were, but whatever they were, I meant them.