OT - Roy Hibbert fined by NBA for homophobic comments [LOCKED]
Roy Hibbert has been fined a significant amount by the NBA for saying this in a postgame interview:
I really felt that I let Paul down in terms of having his back when LeBron was scoring in the post or getting to the paint, because they stretched me out so much. No homo.
I'm 34 and had never heard of the phrase "no homo" until I started reading MGoBoard in 2011 - I'm apparently fallen out of touch with Hip Hop since my No Limit Soldier phase. I didn't even know its genesis until watching the second video embeded in this yahoo article (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/roy-hibbert-apologizes-saying-no-homo-calling-media-164648719.html).
The no homo phrase seems to be accepted on the board, or at least I've never seen any poster called out for its usage in the way someone would be called out if they used a word like "fag" or said something regarded as stupid is "gay". Curious as to the board's thoughts on why "no homo" is treated so differently than older gay slurs.
MOD EDIT: For the most part, this seemed to be going OK and that's why it was left open (last time I looked was 9:30 PM last night admittedly), but when I checked back this morning, a few comments started to stray into board inappropriate areas (such as decidedly political remarks), so this will be locked to prevent things from sliding further. LSA
While the phrase my be widely accepted slang, I don't think it has a place in commentary from public/popular figures. I do think the NBA was probably a little aggressive with the fine as 75k seems like a lot for that comment. However, with the recent attention Jason Collins received, I think the NBA had to send a message and Hibbert is the one that has to bend over and take it.
I thought from the video that Hibbert was lampooning the use of "no homo" in the same way that someone says "that's what she said" with the understanding that it's stupid. Perhaps I'm being too easygoing, but that was my initial reaction...As for calling the media "mother-f*****s," you have to remember that most sports journalists do, in fact, have sex with their mothers.
...that's why it's gotten ridiculous. He was doing JUST that, YOU Mr. Erik...GET IT.
That's why Hibbert laughs afterwards. Just like you laugh after you say "that's what she said." He thought it was funny that he caught himself, and also probably thought it was funny that he used that (offensive) phrase in a press conference setting.
From all accounts Roy Hibbert is a smart man, even if he meant to be offensive and derogatory, why would he laugh afterwards? That right there should've gave it away...
Not excusing it whatsoever, not saying that it's for private, not saying it's not offensive or he shouldn't have been fined. But I AM saying that was the intent...a "that's what she said" type moment. That's it.
I see the similarities with "that's what she said," but there's a pretty big difference - TWSS doesn't imply anything negative about women, or even sex in general. It simply notes an inadvertent double entendre in an admittedly fratty and imature manner. "No homo," on the other hand, is clarifying that the speaker did not mean anything gay, even though it sounded a little bit gay. The clear implication is that the speaker doesn't want anyone to think he's gay because that would be shameful. Implying that something is shameful/bad/wrong/weird hurts the people that are that something and fosters an environment in which it's acceptable to treat them differently than 'normal' people.
...I wasn't saying that they're the same. Not at all. I was saying that was his intent. I think he was in the wrong, but his intent wasn't to hurt. I may be chasing a car that has a reckless driver at 100mph...my intent is positive, it's to get the plates to report that person, but I'm wrong for driving at 100mph and putting other people in harm's way.
Disagree on TWSS...often times it IS implying something about women (or men). You can use "That's what she said" to imply something like "all women should be on their knees" or "all women should suck" or whatever. (The immature side in me knows someone's going "that's not offensive, THATS THE TRUTH)...so "that's what she said" certainly can be offensive if you want it to be.
What's next?
Mano a mano.
I'm down with that.
In through the out door.
...it's opinion people. You know what it is when you click on the thread. You're for or against it, you agree with it or you don't. Doesn't matter which side...you know going in that it's opinion. Stop getting so soft and upset when people disagree. We're not talking about facts like "who's the best team ever in the history of the world?" That's easy...Michigan. This, this is up for debate. Sit back and discuss or STFU and click another link. *steps down from soap box*
and this thread hasn't been locked up yet... I'm proud of you guys. No homo.
...clearly it's offensive to stuff. Let's not make intentional comments like that and GET the thread locked. We're having a good discussion and sharing opinion. Like you suggested, it's pretty cool that this topic has been allowed to stay open for so long.
I have arrived.
the PCness in the mainstream is out of control...that is all.
Yep, the mainstream really needs to keep its PCness away from me
I'm not going to bother with reading all 115 comments, so maybe this has been said previously in this thread. But the most offensive thing about this isn't the "no homo" part.
When taken in context, he took a non-sexual thing ("They stretched me out") and turned it into a very graphic, very sexual thing ("They stretched me out, but I don't mean that as in some guy with a really big penis stuck his wang in my butthole").
This wasn't something fairly innocuous like "I love my teammates. No homo." It evokes an image of gay sex. And whether he was talking about a vagina being stretched out, how much he enjoys blowjobs, or whatever, it's just flat-out too raunchy for a workplace press conference.
I don't think he necessarily meant anything hateful by it, and I don't think he's an inherently bad or disgusting person. But it's a big stage and he's supposed to act professionally, and he dropped the ball.
I didn't imagine that before or after he said "no homo." And I disagree...if he said "ya'll don't like this color shirt? ...I just bought my wife a little something to match" and winked into the camera...evoking the imagine of his wife in lingerie, he doesn't get fined. Even if he would've said something even more bold like "Reporter: Roy, Chris Bosh was really banging you tonight" "Hibbert: Nah, only my wife does that" he's not getting fined 75k and there isn't this backlash. He could've referred to heterosexual sex - no problem. And is heterosexual sex appropriate for the work place? No.
If it didn't evoke an image of gay sex, then you weren't thinking about the comment.
Besides, I think a woman's lingerie is a little less offensive than a butthole, but maybe not...
...I didn't think it was funny, I was just like "whatever." The phrase to me doesn't do anything. But that doesn't mean I can't see why it would offend some. I certainly do. That's why I chose not to use it. As to your other comment, that was 1 example of 3, somehow I knew you'd skip over the other ones (which WERE explicit) so that you could "prove" your point. You also didn't answer my question. The fact is, if he would've evoked an image of heterosexual sex, it would still be inappropriate in the work place, but it wouldn't be this big of a deal.
So this discuss IS based on the comment "no homo" and not the act of sex (gay or straight) being inapporiate in the work place.
You clearly didn't read my first comment in this thread, the one that you replied to. It addresses heterosexual sex.
I didn't skip over your question. I answered it before you asked. Go back and read it.
impressive tight end. He's no bum, he's a real winner.
No hobo.
Kitten thread?
I'm sure this flouts the no politics line, but how many of these NBA owners have contributed directly to a political candidate that explicitly supports denial of gay rights? But yeah, the NBA gives a flying fuck about the plight of homosexuals. This is contrived PR bullshit plain and simple.
I was also surprised "no homo" was widely described as a "slur" but it strikes me as pretty obviously homophobic. Its acceptance on this board (like that of "butthurt") is just a reflection of widespread indifference to using homophobic language among the membership.
Why do you think butthurt is homophobic? The term clearly refers to the fear of being forcibly penetrated. That isn't a homosexual act but an act of sexual violence. I think it's offensive that you equate the two.
Troll on, buddy.
I thought your OP was responsible, which is why I took the time to reply directly to it in addition to snarking at the absurd comments. But I'm certain that, if we took a political poll of the people who have denied that "no homo" is offensive, you'll find that a near variant of the suggestion you found in my comments is pretty accurate: the people who deny that "no homo" is offensive will mostly fall to one side of the aisle and in predictable demographic groups. (But of course not all conservatives are so thoughtless.) For the most part, it's people who have failed to reflect adequately on their privileged status who are ok with the casual use of homophobic phrases like "no homo". It seems pretty clear that Hibbert had never bothered to reflect on his heterosexual privilege prior to the blowback from that press conference.
Incidentally, I did realize one thing I said that was off-target: not that the concern troll above was actually offended, but "butthurt" is misogynistic in addition to being homophobic. I shouldn't have omitted that; the fear of being penetrated (and thereby losing your dignity, etc.) is clearly both. The rest of the comments stand.
Ask the nearest liberal (not Democrat; actual liberal) you can find to look at the thread and identify which posts other than mine are political. In case you can't find one, here are some tips:
There is a person alleging that there's an "open war on organized religion by secular humanists" (a common rightwing talking point).
There is another person claiming that their kids can't pray in school (a common rightwing talking point in addition to being an outright lie: it's entirely legal for kids to pray in school in every state in the union).
There is yet another person talking more generally about constitutional rights to religion and guns being under siege, without mentioning the writ of habaeus corpus or the rights not to be cruelly or unusually punished or unreasonably searched--that is, talking more generally about the collection of rights always discussed by rightwing talking heads, while ignoring the very serious undermining of the Constitution in the name of security that's actually occurring and that conservatives stereotypically don't care about.
There is a clear collection of posters whose views on this matter are fixed antecedently by their atavistic politics. You seemed prima facie reasonable enough that I'm shocked you'd contemplate denying that.
Honestly, the first thing I think about when I hear "no homo" is The Lonely Island. Andy Samberg and his comedy group made a whole song called, you guessed it, "No Homo." I heard it a few years back when the album came out and, I'll be honest, I laughed a little. I fully support the NBA for a fine, but I think the bigger issue in his interview was his use of "Motherf***ers." That's inappropriate in any setting when it comes to business and warranted a large slap on the wrist.
I don't care what comes out of Roy Hibbert's mouth because he has such nice lips.... FULL HOMO.
Get it everyone? Breaking the no politics rules is ok as long as there's no gay stuff. Haha.
/s
I also was surprised this wasn't locked.
My nit to pick has to do with the misappropriation of the very word "phobia." Any of you can Google "phobia": it means an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation. I don't think Hibbert as an irrational fear of homosexuality.
By analogy, I am not illogically afraid of heights, spiders, or closed spaces. My guess is, neither is Hibbert. Even though I'm not afriad, I don't play with spiders: I generally avoid them. But there is no phobia. And yet, his comment is classed "homophobic."
You could stretch the definition of "phobia" to include "Hatred of a particular object, class of objects, or situation." I don't particularly hate homosexual men. Several are friends, others are acquaintances. I suspect Hibbert could say the same.
To not choose something, to not prefer it, to not like it, even to think it ill advised or wrong, is not to fear or hate it. I didn't choose MSU, I don't like MSU, but I neither hate nor fear MSU.
I wonder if anything short of full approval and acceptance of homosexuality is classed "homophobia." That, to me, is a misappropriation of the word phobia.