Thursday, January 7, 2010

David Letterman: Should he apologize for trans joke?

David Letterman is in trouble -- again. LGBT rights groups, including the Human Rights Campaign, are calling for the host to apologize for a joke he made a couple nights ago about Amanda Simpson, who was recently appointed by the Obama Administration as a Senior Technical Advisor to the Department of Commerce. Simpson, a former test pilot, underwent a sex change operation about a decade ago.

Letterman noted the appointment in his monologue and a photo of Simpson was displayed. Announcer Alan Kalter, feigning horror, shouted, "What? Amanda? Amanda used to be a dude?" and ran off the stage.

"The decision to ignore the fact that Ms. Simpson is incredibly well-qualified for this vital national security position and focus instead on her gender identity reflects transphobia," wrote the Human Rights Campaign's Allyson Robinson. "Your skit affirmed and encouraged a prejudice against transgender Americans that keeps many from finding jobs, housing, and enjoying freedoms you and your writers take for granted every day."

Not all LGBTs are mad at Dave. A post on gay web site Queerty.com suggested that if activist groups are "willing to give Letterman a smidge of a pass, there's another way of taking this joke: By understanding the funny part is about Simpson being hot. Which — have you seen her? — she is. And that she's accomplished passing as a woman — the ultimate goal of so many transgender women. If Kalter was fantasizing about her (thus, his being so upset upon learning she was born a man), that means her transition was that good."

4 comments :

  1. Andrew said...

    Please, he shouldn't do anything that even remotely resembles an apology. That is about as tame as tranny jokes get (and was really more of an Alan joke).

    It is nice to reminded that left-wingers are equally capable of being humorless when it suits them, though.

  2. Anonymous said...

    Gimme a fuckin break! Everyone is so damn sensitive nowadays. I hope Dave tells them to go fuck their trans-asses with the transcript of the joke.

    Whats so wrong about this joke? That actually IS the real-life reaction MOST straight guys would have, to finding out a now-girl they boned or fondled, used to be a guy. DEAL WITH IT!

    Santiago

  3. Anonymous said...

    Right on Andrew this joke pokes fun at Alan not transexuals. Its like saying that Dave should apologise to crossdressers for all the times they've made jokes about Alan wearing women's clothes.

  4. Anonymous said...

    Have to agree with Alam, although in tamer language!
    I do not like Letterman at all, but Alam is right, everyone is TOO sensitive these days, and that would be a typical reaction, and as the trans people said, it is a compliment because it means she is now HOT. If you do your job well, but are high profile, unfortunately your private life is not your own. And I am the least bigotted person you will meet!!