JERRY LEWIS - LEWIS LAMBASTED FOR 'HOMOPHOBIC' SLUR

LEWIS LAMBASTED FOR 'HOMOPHOBIC' SLUR

Veteran comedian JERRY LEWIS has come under fire from gay rights advocates after he made a seemingly homophobic comment on an Australian TV show.
The 82-year-old made an appearance on a chatshow Down Under to discuss his eventful career, which has spanned over 50 years.
But Lewis upset gay viewers after he was questioned about Australia's favourite sport - cricket - calling it a game for "faggots".
When asked if he was a fan of the game, Lewis replied, "Oh, cricket? It's a fag game. What are you, nuts?"
And members of the Gay + Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) organisation have lambasted the star's ignorance - pointing out that it was only a year ago when he was forced to apologise over a similar live TV gaffe.
A spokesperson for GLAAD says, "Last year, Mr. Lewis apologised for using an anti-gay slur on live television, and expressed his desire to raise public awareness about the impact of this kind of defamation.
"Clearly he did not take the lessons of that unfortunate episode to heart because, in an effort to be humorous, he has once again managed to offend and defame the gay community.
"For someone so well known for helping others, Mr. Lewis shows an incredible lack of dignity and respect when he makes comments that contribute to a climate of intolerance."