NFL player Carl Nassib made history by being the first active football player in the professional league to come out as gay. In response, The View host and comedian Joy Behar took it upon herself to make a homophobic joke immediately.
Behar made her poor-taste joke about gay sex on the air.
She said:
"After they said penetration in the end zone, they lost me!"
The backlash was immediate.
Yikes! This joke from Joy Behar during a discussion of the first active gay player in the NFL.\n\n"After they said penetration in the end zone, they lost me!"pic.twitter.com/GJgqTtL5yO— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1624375760
Behar then attempted to walk back the joke at the end of the segment.
Behar began:
"I just long for the day when you can just be gay in the world, and it doesn't become a big deal."
"By the way, that inappropriate joke I made for daytime television?"
"Scratch it. Make believe I never said it."
However daytime TV was not why the joke was inappropriate.
Equating the sexuality of non-heterosexuals to just the act of intercourse is demeaning and dehumanizing.
Joy Behar tries to walk it back at the end of the segment.\n\nBy the way, that inappropriate joke I made for daytime television, scratch it. Make believe I never said it."pic.twitter.com/z4klo7CXBc— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1624376033
Wow. This was something I would\u2019ve expected from the other side.— Debra Johnson (@Debra Johnson) 1624389528
Not even an apology? Just a \u201cforget it never happened\u201d? She drives me nuts.— Alyssa Christensen (@Alyssa Christensen) 1624392012
So she gets a pass when there have been so many that made the same type of \u201cinnocent\u201d comment who have lost their jobs and lively hood\u2026.! So should she\u2026! What\u2019s good for the goose\u2026..as they say\u2026! Dump her\u2026!!— Michael D Scott (@Michael D Scott) 1624399103
No excuse but isn't she known to be a comedian? Maybe she should stick to being a host instead...— Sitaraman (@Sitaraman) 1624406878
Fans were generally dismayed by the joke, believing it to be beneath the caliber of discussion surrounding Nassib.
Even Meghan McCain rolled her eyes.
and I\u2019m sure this is why people (especially professional athletes) are so afraid to come out... smh, this is disgusting and all the lady could do was laugh about ithttps://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1407360058791444485\u00a0\u2026— Robbie (@Robbie) 1624466662
These are supposed to be our \u201callies\u201d? And it\u2019s not even about being able to take a sex joke or not, but football is littered with them and @JoyVBehar shouldn\u2019t have taken the bait with this story. Wasn\u2019t the time nor place.https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1407360058791444485\u00a0\u2026— Helpful Advice (@Helpful Advice) 1624466359
@JoyVBehar just kind of sucks. \n\nNot necessarily anti gay. \n\nDefinitely not funny. \n\nJust kind of there. \n\nKind of irrelevant. \n\nTries to say the occasional "outrageous" comment to get someone to notice her. \n\nOverall just disappointing. \n\n#TheView #CarlNassibhttps://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1407360058791444485\u00a0\u2026— TadarilloSlim (@TadarilloSlim) 1624422559
This is ignorant and gross and .... not surprising. \n\nI\u2019m sure @TheView will let this slide though.https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1407360058791444485\u00a0\u2026— amanda (@amanda) 1624413393
I\u2019m offended this is the best gay meets nfl joke she could\u2019ve come up with!\n\u201cTight End\u201d\n\u201cWide Receiver\u201d\nI mean\u2026so much material!https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1407360058791444485\u00a0\u2026— Patricia From Sales (@Patricia From Sales) 1624416794
Behar has not commented on the joke again or apologized to Nassib for objectifying him and mocking his sexuality.
Tasteless, ignorant and obvious. Not her usual thing.https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1407360058791444485\u00a0\u2026— SaavikYesWeDidAgain!! (@SaavikYesWeDidAgain!!) 1624401089
Just cancel this show alreadyhttps://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1407360058791444485\u00a0\u2026— drew olanoff (@drew olanoff) 1624400866
Seriously @JoyVBehar ?https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1407360058791444485\u00a0\u2026— James Oechsle Jr (@James Oechsle Jr) 1624447811
This is offensive and super cringe.https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1407360058791444485\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8Alexandra #FreePalestine Halaby (@\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8Alexandra #FreePalestine Halaby) 1624399712
It's Pride month, so if you're planning on making a tasteless joke about gay people, perhaps it's better saved for a different time of year.
