Leno apologizes for insensitive remarks

USA TODAY, April, 2008 by Ann Oldenburg

Jay Leno apologized Tuesday after gay rights activists expressed outrage about a recent interview with actor Ryan Phillippe. NBC's The Tonight Show host teased Phillippe last week for landing his first role as a gay teen on the soap One Life to Live and asked Phillippe to give the camera his "gayest look." Avenue Q playwright Jeff Whitty posted an angry blog note about the exchange, and the story snowballed. "In talking about Ryan's first role, I realize that what I said came out wrong," Leno said in a statement. "I certainly didn't mean any malice. I agree it was a dumb thing to say, and I apologize."

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