The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation (GLAAD) on Friday rejected Vince Vaughn's defense of a gay
joke in the upcoming Ron Howard-directed comedy film The Dilemma.
Laughing about our differences brings
us together, Vaughn said in responding to calls to cut the joke from
the film, set for release in January.
After CNN host Anderson Cooper
criticized the film's trailer during an appearance on The Ellen
DeGeneres Show, Universal Pictures responded by altering the
online version of the trailer.
The new trailer no longer includes
Vaughn's character in a boardroom saying, “Electric cars are gay.
I mean not 'homosexual' gay, but 'my parents are chaperoning the
dance' gay.”
Vaughn said that while he was
“outraged” by bullying and persecution, joking about our
differences “brings us together.”
“Drawing divided lines over what we
can and cannot joke about does exact that; it divides us,” he said
in a statement to celebrity
website E! “Most importantly, where does it stop.”
In a blog posting Friday, GLAAD
disagreed.
“We don't doubt Vince Vaughn's
sincerity when he says he cares about people who are bullied for
their 'differences.' Nor do we doubt that Universal executives feel
the same way.”
“But this isn't about intent. It's
about the fact that no matter what the intent, when 'gay' is used as
a pejorative, it sends a message, particularly to youth, that gay
taunts are acceptable. And it sends a message to LGBT youth that
they are people who should be made fun of.”
“Vince is right. Comedy does bring
us together, unless one of us is the punchline. Then it pushes us
apart,” the group added.