The controversy over Glee star Matthew Morrison's ouster as a judge from the current season of Fox's reality competition show So You Think You Can Dance has taken yet another turn as the star attempts to defend his honor.
Amid revelations from an anonymous source who told People magazine that Morrison was fired over "flirty texts" with a contestant, the actor has taken to Instagram and filmed a video in which he reads the text that supposedly got him fired.
In the video, Morrison, who has been married since 2014, denies the allegations against him and portrays the text sent to the contestant in question as a simple, professional message between colleagues.
See the video below.
Morrison began the video with visible frustration at the allegations against him, which he called "blatantly untrue."
He said:
"It’s really unfortunate that I have to sit here and defend myself and my family against blatantly untrue statements made anonymously, but I have nothing to hide."
"So, in the interest of transparency, I will read to you the one message I wrote to a dancer on the show."
Morrison read what he claimed was the only message exchanged between him and the show contestant.
"'Hey, it’s Matthew. If you don’t mind, would love to get your number and talk you through some things'."
"The end."
Morrison then explained the message was strictly professional.
"I sent this because this dancer and I both share a mutual respect for a choreographer that I’ve known for over 20 years and I was trying to help her get a job as a choreographer on the show."
Morrison added:
"Gossip is toxic."
He then said he hoped this incident would not detract from the show and wished his colleagues "all the best."
On social media, many people were not convinced by his story and found it hard to believe a message like the one he read would result in his dismissal.
If that was the one message I'm sure the producers would not have fired him but I'm sure there is more! 🤷🏽♀️
— Amazingly Me (@CheryllovesGIFS) June 2, 2022
nah if matthew morrison sent me a message asking for my phone number for any reason regardless of context i would immediately call the police https://t.co/yjPfZEEaw5
— kait 🔮 fan acc (@stillyoudrippin) June 3, 2022
Transparency but he doesn’t show the message... also that message could be really inappropriate when a man with some sort of power asks to a contestant for a phone number.
— Adry Ramírez 💙🇲🇽💛🦅 (@AdryRamiss) June 2, 2022
The message itself is harmless, but I don’t get how a contestant could help him get his friend a job on the show. Wouldn’t he need to take that up with the producers?! That part is confusing to me.
— Hilary ~ MollyVegas ミ☆ (@MollyVegas) June 2, 2022
Glee dude: I only sent one text!
*proceeds to read extremely sketchy text*
Glee dude: this exonerates me! https://t.co/jQgniOMNCU
— Alanna Smith 🖤🤍💜 (@AlannaWrites) June 3, 2022
I don’t believe a word Matthew Morrison says. Tales of his infidelity and pursuit of younger women have circulated for over a decade. And that statement? As if men are somehow the victims in the #metoo movement? Does anyone buy what this guy’s selling? #SYTYCD
— Steven 🇺🇦 (@playsbyme) June 3, 2022
Every woman on the planet understands what Matthew Morrison was up to here. https://t.co/94BLLmIlSs
— Liz is unimpressed (@LizzyLaurie) June 3, 2022
re: matthew morrison
see...he didn't ask for the woman's phone number because he wanted to fuck her, he just wanted to help her get a job because men in the entertainment industry always help young women up the ladder without expecting anything in returnhttps://t.co/XIFdlKvQIc
— Kate Shaw (@acutetroll20) June 2, 2022
Idk man, Matthew Morrison saying that the rumours are false because the messages on Instagram ended after he gave her his number doesn't mean that shit didn't happen over text or on the phone. Someone was uncomfortable enough to report him to the show. End of.
— ✌ (@F_Lynyrd) June 2, 2022
honestly matthew morrison is lying.
if you wanted to discuss the mutual choreographer you knew with a dancer on the show why do you need her number to do so when you're already dming her in the first place. Why not just include that in the og message if that was your intent.
— SundazeStream (@StreamSundaze) June 4, 2022
Morrison will continue appearing on So You Think You Can Dance through the middle of this month in episodes that were already filmed.
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