If you got a chance to interview Jeff, what would you ask him for Outsports?

I ran into Jay Mohr, an old client of mine at the Gay Rodeo yesterday. He was shooting for his new ESPN sports show, and his first guest this afternoon [to air as MohrSports 1230am eastern tonight I believe] is Jeff Garcia, and he invited me to come for it. Jay also played with our gay flag group at Hollywood High a while ago, but that's another story!

If I get the chance to meet and ask some questions, what should I ask?

Thanks for the help--I hope it all works out!

[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: Brent ]

A rude question or a polite question???

Jay Mohr at the Gay Rodeo?? Seriously?? Come on!

I actually liked this guy before he started doing sports shows. Now, he comes across as homphobic and obnoxious.

I was there with Brent, and Jay Mohr was filming a segment for his April 29 show. We talked with him about 10 minutes (Brent knows him pretty well) and took photos (which will be online by tomorrow). And he also did play flag football with our group once and still remembers he threw two interceptions that day.

Isn't it possible to make fun of gays and not be homophobic? Just because he makes gay jokes, doesn't mean he should be labeled a homophobe. JMO!

You could ask him to come here and answer some of our questions.

We want to know if he's up for grabs.

[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: PCC ]

If Jay's up for grabs, I'd do him.

"Isn't it possible to make fun of gays and not be homophobic? Just because he makes gay jokes, doesn't mean he should be labeled a homophobe. JMO!"

Yes, but, "f**k - stop playing like a faggot" is the kind of stuff he said at our flag football game - it was a bit more than just a "joke."

I would ask how having Terrell Owens back after being shopped to the Texans might effect team chemistry. Was he concerned that Mooch might have bolted for Tampa Bay. Stuff like that.

I'd ask him how big Mariucci's unit is.

[quote]Originally posted by Cyd at Outsports:
Yes, but, "f**k - stop playing like a faggot" is the kind of stuff he said at our flag football game - it was a bit more than just a "joke.

---

Wow, Cyd, he actually said that at a gay flag football league game?! How did people respond?

[quote]Originally posted by Cyd at Outsports:
Yes, but, "f**k - stop playing like a faggot" is the kind of stuff he said at our flag football game - it was a bit more than just a "joke."

---

Geez I had no idea he was saying shit like that! What a douche! I WAS going to watch his show, but now for all I care it can fail like pretty much everything else he's done.

To give a bit of context to Jay Mohr playing with our gay flag football group, he was a client of mine for a long time, and even after I closed my travel agency, I stayed in contact with his agent in NYC, and we'd talk sports. So when the agent visited LA, he said he'd bring along Jay & some friends to play with us.

They didn't know--and apparently didn't catch on--that it was a gay group, so when Jay started trash talking [mostly to his friends on the opposing team], he ended up making taunts including the "You f**king faggots" one. Jim [Outsports] turned to him and said "You're surrounded by 18 of them!" at which point he blanched and apologized, and also apologized to me again after the game.

Not to defend him, but Jay has always had a very in-your-face, Jersey/Howard Stern kind of attitude, but I think he has learned over time. He was in Go playing a gay guy, had gay experiences on his Fox TV show, and another movie that I don't think was seen by more than 2 people playing a guy dying of AIDS, and I don't think he's actually bigoted [anymore].

After the taping of the ESPN show yesterday, his wife showed me the sequined G-string she got for him to wear to the Gay Rodeo, lamenting that he only turned up in chaps! But he was having a great time, yelling "I'm at the Gay Rodeo--spending Disney's money! How good is THAT??!"

Everyone has a lot to learn on our way to being more tolerant--even celebratory of who we are. As we go about living our lives, playing our games, and doing our jobs, we have opportunities to make things better not only for ourselves, but for all those around us.

Let's Just Do It!

Did anyone else see the Jeff Garcia interview last night? I taped it and watched it tonight. The first questions were about Jeff's Mom and how she's his biggest fan. No mention of a girlfriend. He then asked what was the strangest thing someone wanted him to autograph, which lead to the obvious questions about women wanting their breasts signed. He tried to joke about it, but I got the distinct impression he was uncomfortable talking about it. Again, no mention about a girlfriend. Jay then brought out his dog after mentioning how Jeff loved dogs. Jeff then made the dog chase after the light from a flashlight. Jeff looked really hot in a tight black shirt, but God the man is gay.

Thanks for the story, Brent. I was wondering what the heck was going on ... how a guy could scream something like that while playing a game with a gay flag football league. I gave Jay Mohr the benefit of a doubt, thinking that there had to be something else to the story. It doesn't sound like Jay's homophobic at all, just a little loose and insensitive with the mouth (a characteristic that almost seems a prerequisite for a stand-up comedian). Giving others the benefit of the doubt is something I wish a lot of gays would do more. Too often, there seems to be a "shoot first, don't even bother to ask questions later" response upon hearing of words/actions that could be viewed as homophobic.

The world would be a much simpler place if we dismissed all homophobes as evil, heinous, ugly, horrible human beings -- and gawd knows I've heard plenty of that kind of talk on this board (bashing Christians, bashing Republicans, bashing conservatives, bashing those Seattle talk radio guys ... the list is endless). Yeah, that certainly simplifies things, but the real world is far more complicated than that. Guess what? A lot of kind, generous, loving, wonderful, amazing human beings also have a streak of homophobia in them, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. You can screech, demonize, and play victim ... or you can talk to that person and see if you can change their views, if only a bit. You can see the good in them, and hopefully they'll see the good in you.

The screeching, demonizing, and mantel of victimhood all amount to self-pity ... self-pity sure makes you feel good, but it's not real productive.