Lance Bass has penned on op-ed against
usage of the word “tranny” less than a week after he used the
word on national television.
While guest hosting Access Hollywood
Live on Thursday morning, Bass suggested to guest Billy Eichner
that he interview “trannies” for his new show Billy On The
Street, a New York City-based man-on-the-street game show.
“You need to go to Christopher and
Hudson and get those trannies on the corner there – that would be
perfect,” Bass, 32, told Eichner.
“I love trannies,” Eichner started,
then added: “We're not supposed to call them trannies anymore. Did
you see that Neil Patrick Harris called them a tranny on Twitter?”
(Related: Neil
Patrick Harris apologizes for transgender slur on Live!
With Kelly.)
“Oh, no?” Bass said. “Great, now
I'm going to get in trouble.”
Writing at The
Huffington Post, Lance said he was sorry from “the bottom
of my heart.”
“I'm sorry to anyone who was offended
or hurt by my use of the word 'trannies' while appearing earlier this
week on Access Hollywood Live,” he wrote.
“When I use the word 'tranny,” I am
picturing Tim Curry's Frank-N-Furter character in The Rocky Horror
Picture Show, or the wildly hilarious Eddie Izzard. I certainly
don't think of Chaz Bono or someone questioning the body they were
born into.”
Lance also chided the gay media in
their reporting of the story.
“I am extremely disappointed with the
gay media, which has chosen to turn this into a headline that will
garner more attention for their websites and help sell more of their
magazines and disregard the irresponsible effect they are having on
our community.”
“Yesterday, The Advocate
wrote, Lance Bass Uses Transgender Slur On Air. Regardless of
the article that followed the headline, guess what the mainstream
media will pick up and turn into the public's perception in the
process? Lance Bass hates transgender people.”