Last week, Quinton “Ramage” Jackson gave an interview to the Los Angeles Times where he declared several things: one, that “acting is kind of gay” and two, that Vancouver “strikes me as a San Francisco-kind of place”. So some people were calling Rampage a homophobe, although I tend to think he’s probably one of those dudes immersed in a culture (wrestling or fighting, whatever) in which it’s probably pretty common to declare something is “gay” as a put-down. I’m not saying that’s right or that it’s not offensive. But do we want to call it homophobia when it’s just cultural ignorance? Eh. It could go either way.
Anyway, Rampage took to his blog (he has a blog?) to defend himself, and in Pajiba’s words, “Some people (read: a faux-outraged media) got upset that a UFC fighter made a dumb gay crack, which forced Rampage Jackson to defend himself in a blog post, where he actually did make some real homophobic remarks.” Oohh, I’m reading it now… guess who else Rampage makes fun of all the time? “Fat girls.” He’s hitting all of the sweet spots, isn’t he?
I am a black man from Memphis Tennessee who grew up in the south where I faced discrimination my whole life. I know very well how it feels for someone to judge you for something you have no control over so having gone through that I know how it feels. I took a vow that I didn’t even have to say that I would never discriminate against anybody for anything other that how they treat me or others around them. So not only DO I NOT HATE gay people, I actually accept them for who and what they are. They always seem happy and most of them I met are very kind and nice individuals. Yes, and like most straight guys I joke around with the whole gay thing and I see it as comedy, not saying that’s right or wrong but I don’t do it out of hate. I don’t hate fat girls but I make fun of them too.
When I did that interview I didn’t even know I was being interviewed. I was on the set of shooting the movie the A Team and my friend that worked on the set brought the interviewer to my trailer. As he did so, he made fun of me for a poster that was made of me promoting a UFC event at my homegirls bar in Vancouver. The poster was a picture of me with a rainbow flag on the poster somewhere. This girl has been a friend of mine for 7 years and never used me as a meal ticket and if I would die for one friend it was nothing for me to help a friend promote business. So I offered to help promote her bar not knowing that the poster would make its way back to the set and I would be made fun of for going to a gay bar. But I have to say that I visited her bar several times before this event. Not only did I enjoy myself but I was relieved that the guys at this bar did not hound me once. No one offered to buy me a drink. Not once did anybody try to take pictures with me with their arms all around me or do the what I call the ‘prom date picture’.. taking a picture while holding your lower back.. which is my pet peeve by the way.
Honestly I mean this in the best way, me being a sports figure I attract a lot of male attention wherever I go and MOST straight fans act GAYER than any guys that was at this gay bar that I visited my homegirl at. When I’m in the club guys always offer to buy me drinks, do the prom date picture, stare at me, try to get my attention, tries to dance with me.. even if I’m dancing with a hot chick already. Even though I love ALL MY FANS, this can be overwhelming sometimes, especially when I’m trying to unwind and have fun which in my line of work you don’t get much time to do.
This being said, when I did this interview the interviewer witnessed my friend giving me shit and calling me gay. I was so embarrassed and didn’t want my ego tainted because I’m a big tough fighter. So yes, I got quite defensive and I’m known to be the best shit talker in my business and a fighter in all aspects in life. So I made fun of him back, calling him gay. Only reason why I got a bad report from it was because this guy who was making fun of me and has been my friend on set for about four months (time spent working on the movie) and was gay for real and the reporter being the type of guy he is chose to make THAT his story not knowing that the guy and I were only shit talking like we did everyday. OR DID HE KNOW WE WERE SH-T TALKING OR NOT AND JUST WANTED A HOT SCOOP?
[Rampage’s blog post, courtesy of Movieline]
Well, that cleared things up, didn’t it? Oh, right, it really just made things worse. If I’m getting his version right, he had a poster for a gay bar up in his trailer, and when his friend called him out on it, Rampage said – in front of the LAT reporter – that he wasn’t gay, he just goes to this one particular gay bar because the gay dudes don’t get up on him and he likes that, because his straight fans are usually a lot gayer than the gays. Oh, and something about a taint.
Header: Rampage at The A-Team premiere on June 3, 2010. Credit: WENN.
The guy fights for a living. He’s obviously not stacked in the ol’ intelligence department.
I’ve watched UFC for a long time, last season of the Ultimate Fighter had Rampage as a coach. Watching him, he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed. However, I think everyone is too quick to jump on the “that’s offensive” wagon. People say stupid sh*t, it doesn’t mean they are homophobic/racist/sexist/etc. It means they say stupid sh*t. I’ve said “that’s gay” and I’m bi and so very much not homophobic. Is he ignorant? Yes. Homophobic? Who knows. We don’t from one stupid statement. And if he is homophobic, so then what? He’s a fighter, I don’t watch him for his political correctness, I watch cause he kick a** in the Octagon.
I love when people use “I didn’t even know I was being interviewed!” as an excuse, like oh OK then, say whatever you want with no repercussions.
His explanation is unintentionally hilarious. Instead of just saying it was a couple of friends joking around and he didn’t meant offend anyone, he goes into that long tirade about going to a gay bar and how most straight guys want to do prom pictures and dance with him!!! LOL!!
But some of his best friends are
blackgay!I really don’t see what’s so offensive about this. It’s not great, but it’s not really worth stringing the guy up for. I doubt this guy is particularly homophobic. Like a lot of straight guys, his main concern seems to be not being hit on by gay men. And, as he himself states, that’s never been an issue. It seems to me he has hung out in gay bars and had a good time and respected the people that were there. Yes, he is using the “that’s gay, you’re gay” terminology – and that’s not appropriate. But it’s also common in our society. Why is he getting pinpointed for this?
I actually thought he explained this okay and it seems he means well within the limits of his world and culture around him.
I totally read the whole apology through in a Mr-T voice too. Sucker!
I’m gay and I think we should cut this guy some slack. He is trying. He could just hide behind his learned homophobic tendencies, but instead he’s trying to rise above them — clearly he’s struggling with that, but at least he’s trying. One thing he said which I thought was smart for a guy this dim is that he doesn’t want to judge someone over something they “can’t control.” Last time I checked, most homophobic people think being gay is a choice. I think he’s on the right track.
I believe him.
This completely falls under the ‘yeah, that was stupid’ category. I honestly don’t think he’s a bigot, just a little dense. Its not about cutting him some slack. The rest of us need to stop looking for things to be inappropriate or bigoted or whatever. If you have to dig for it its probably not. I worries me more that people get so worked up about every little thing.
When Rampage had his legal problems (don’t remember details) wasn’t it said he had problems & was off his meds or something to that effect??!!
Oh come on everyone…
When this guy beats a gay person up we can worry.
I’m gay and even I use “gay” as a putdown.
big effin deal.
who the hell is rampage jackson??
@Canucklehead
Yeah, so it’s redeeming because you think it’s a-okay?
Well I’m gay, too and it’s not.
And in the last paragraph it is very obvious that Mr Toughguy didn’t want to be called gay because to him that means being weak.
He’s a dipshit and I don’t believe him.
@Canucklehead, I’m gay too, and it really shits me when other gay people use “gay” as an insult. And I can’t think of a single friend of mine who thinks it’s okay to say it that way, either.
I was impressed that he said being gay isn’t a choice-most homophobes, in my experience, think it is, so I’m thinking he’s not homophobic, just a little dim. Or a lot dim, if his blog’s anything to go by.
brain-dead f.wit.
I can’t even tell how homophobic he is because he makes no sense. Homophobic or just stupid?