While “The Fate of the Furious” roars into theatres this weekend, one of the movie’s stars is back-pedalling on some controversial comments that have landed him in hot water on social media.
On Monday, singer-actor Tyrese Gibson gave an interview to BET in which he took aim at “promiscuous women,” declaring that “sluts, skeezers, hoes, tramps” are never without a man because “they don’t have no standards.”
“I appreciate all the ladies out there that are still single and they’re holding out,” said Gibson. “Don’t settle. Don’t settle. Because I’m gonna tell you all right now, and this might be harsh, but sluts, skeezers, hoes, tramps and overly aggressive, promiscuous women, they are never without a man because they don’t have no standards. They ready to have sex with any and everything that want to have sex with them. But when you are single and you actually love yourself and you know your value and your self worth, you hold out until God sends you what’s yours.”
He continued to dig the hole deeper. “So sometimes they be talking mess to women that are single but I have a respect for them because if you’re single and you might say, ‘I’ve been single for a couple years,’ what ever the case may be, you actually holding out because you have your value,” he added. “You have women that are out here active out in these streets, they going to lunches and dinners every night. Private planes, mega yachts, it’s cracking. They’re never without. However, it comes with a cost, you gonna put a lot of miles on yourself down there, come on.”
Following a barrage of negative comments blasting his statements, a disclaimer was added: “BET Networks doesn’t endorse these specific comments.”
Gibson had no choice but to respond, and did so in a lengthy social media apology, admitting “it’s not always ‘what’ you say, it’s the ‘how’ we choose to say it. For the record I’m far from a misogynist, a male chauvinist or flat out mean….. My intentions were there but my delivery f***ing horrible…. And clearly all the way off…. And for that I sincerely apologize to all of the ladies… Even after this apology…. Some may likely decide to NOT forgive me…. Time and consistency heals all wounds.”
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He continued: “I want to truly say that I’m sorry, I’m not APOLOGIZING in an effort to be politically correct, I apologize as a man first for the things that I’ve recently said about choices women have the right to make, for the terms that I’ve used and the way I’ve come across. I was raised to think and feel certain ways, and I’m learning new things that combat those messages. I am not perfect or all knowing, nor am I the one to claim to be. I’ve learned things through experience which I share, and through these last couple of weeks, I’ve learned a lot through this well deserved internet dragging…… This is about a man owning up to his actions, taking responsibility, recognizing how to do better, and actually doing better. Ladies you deserve better…”
Gibson’s comments caught the attention of talk show host Wendy Williams, who apparently saw an opportunity to insert herself into yet another celebrity feud.
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This time, however, some viewers are wondering if she may have gone too far by implying that Gibson’s comments — and, by extension, his attitude toward women — are because he’s gay (for the record, Gibson is not gay, and married second wife Samantha Lee earlier this year, on Valentine’s Day 2017).
“Tyrese, you never say anything bad about men,” said Williams on her show. “You’re always talking bad about women. Never anything bad about men. Hmmm, so… he likes men.” Watch:
