While most of this morning’s headlines revolve around Taylor Swift at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, Jamie Foxx sparked some controversy at the event.
The host went after Bruce Jenner’s transition into a woman in his opening monologue with a joke that didn’t go over well with many fans at home.
What did the actor say, exactly? See for yourself …
"We have some groundbreaking performances here, too, tonight. We got Bruce Jenner, who will be here doing some musical performances," Foxx said.
"He’s doing a his-and-her duet all by himself!"
"Look," Foxx added after the mixed chorus of laughter, groans and boos from the audience died down. "I’m just busting your balls … while I still can."
Ouch. While Foxx’s effort got some chuckles, and some felt it was relatively harmless, others on Twitter were outraged at the "transphobic" wisecrack.
"Boo! Shame on you #iHeartAwards," Perez Hilton wrote Sunday. "allowing @iamjamiefoxx to be transphobic on national television! #BruceJenner jokes were wrong!!!
Perez wasn’t alone in that assessment. Plenty of viewers took to social media outraged that Jamie’s shot at the father of Kendall and Kylie Jenner.
A sampling of Tweets on the subject:
- Totally unacceptable for the @iHeartRadio awards and Jamie Foxx to poke fun of Bruce Jenner for his gender change. SICKENING!
- Jamie Foxx’s transphobic jokes at the iHeartRadio about Bruce Jenner were gross, glad they didn’t garner much laughs
- I guess iHeart Radio didn’t think they had to cut Jamie Foxx’s transphobic joke?
- Oh yay, Jamie Foxx with the a few grossly transphobic Bruce Jenner jokes. Great way to kick off the #iHeartAwards. Blecch.
- Jamie Foxx just made a terrible, disgusting joke about Bruce Jenner’s rumored transition on this trash awards show.
The Bruce Jenner sex change story is certainly groundbreaking, and it’s a complex topic many people don’t know what to make of. Should it be off limits to jokes?
What do you think? Did Jamie Foxx go too far, or do people need to lighten up? Hit the comments below and let us know your take on the sensitive situation.
