# Ron Howard refuses to remove gay joke despite protets **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 2, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212 "2010-11-02T14:59:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/41 "2010-11-02T19:07:15Z")
The joke in the OP doesn’t offend me - I assume it’s meant to show the character up as an idiot. I can see how showing it (without the context of the whole film) during an anti-bullying campaign might seem a bit off. Whenever people say ‘gay meaning lame has nothing to do with homosexuality’ I wonder where they think the term came from? Was it just random? And when they say it doesn’t matter, I’d like them to try substituting the name of some group they care about. Like, if something’s crap then it’s ‘sooo American’ or ‘soooo David’ and so on. Associating a word with crapness does kinda make it seem like the whole word’s crap. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/42 "2010-11-02T19:12:04Z")
Let’s assume for the sake of argument that the joke is indeed offensive. Why should this matter? Are we not allowed to have characters any more who are even remotely bigoted? They’re _characters_, not real people. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/43 "2010-11-02T19:15:41Z")
I saw it more as Vince’s character catching himself with a :smack: cause he knows it’s not politically correct to use “gay” as “lame” anymore. So he was clarifying that he was using it in a way that common back when he was in grade school where it was meant to mean “lame” and nobody took offense. As kids in the 70s-80s we used it often to mean “lame”. “Hey, did you get any new Star Wars action figures?” “No, my mom got me these new action figures from Disney’s The Black Hole on clearance.” “Oh my god, those are so gay.” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/44 "2010-11-02T19:17:01Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > Frankly, I’m more disappointed that Ron Howard is making a movie with Vince Vaughn in it. I’m more disappointed that Vince Vaughn agreed to a role in a movie directed by Ron Howard. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/45 "2010-11-02T19:52:01Z")
Hmm, I think it’s an interesting question. I often use the word “gay”. I use it to mean something that is effeminate, not manly or lame. For instance, being a vegetarian is very gay. Now, it’s obviously an insult. Since the person who I’m talking about doesn’t want to be effeminate. However, it’s also true that gay men are often less manly than other men. They don’t care as much about being manly. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/46 "2010-11-02T19:57:54Z")
I wouldn’t promote using the word _gay_ to descibe anything but homosexuals who wanted to be called _gay._ Nonetheless the tendency of the liberal left to demand censorship for fear of hurting someone’s feelings alarms me. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/47 "2010-11-02T20:16:00Z")
The people all up in arms over this need to stop being so gay (lame) and start being more gay (happy). ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/48 "2010-11-02T20:21:04Z")
I still don’t understand why it’s ok to call things “lame”. Surely they’re just differently-abled? Electric cars are differently-abled. There! Now we can all enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/49 "2010-11-02T20:30:15Z")
This reminds me the offense some people took at black language in Tarantino movies. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/50 "2010-11-02T20:34:03Z")
> [@Cazzle](#): > > Electric cars are differently-abled. There! Now we can all enjoy it. So, saying that electric cars are crippled is right out then? (I have a friend who walks with crutches and leg braces because he had polio as a kid. He got to be on a committee dealing with various minorities: as he put it, as the “token cripple”.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/51 "2010-11-02T20:38:35Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] Now, it’s obviously an insult. Since the person who I’m talking about doesn’t want to be effeminate. However, it’s also true that gay men are often less manly than other men. They don’t care as much about being manly. [/QUOTE] Oh dear… I have- please pardon the immodesty- substantial proof that I’m a man, I just don’t define ‘manly’ attributes the same. In addition, while far from all gay men are effeminate, most of the effeminate gay guys I know are a whole lot tougher than you might suspect, as are most women. Very few effeminate gay men are vegetarian, but since that invites all kinds of jokes about the things they put into their mouths I’ll leave it there. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/52 "2010-11-02T20:38:51Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > So, saying that electric cars are crippled is right out then? Oh, totally. Calling things “crippled” when you mean “lame” but really mean “gay” is a cancer on society. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/53 "2010-11-02T20:41:47Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > So, saying that electric cars are crippled is right out then? > > (I have a friend who walks with crutches and leg braces because he had polio as a kid. He got to be on a committee dealing with various minorities: as he put it, as the “token cripple”.) Given how few polio survivors are around today (a good thing, because of the vaccine), every one of them is a token cripple. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/54 "2010-11-02T20:45:55Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Very few effeminate gay men are vegetarian, but since that invites all kinds of jokes about the things they put into their mouths I’ll leave it there. What, that they like to eat meat? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/55 "2010-11-02T20:53:48Z")
LMFAO [That joke would have gotten a warning from **Colibri** if it had been posted in GQ](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13058742&postcount=25). :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/56 "2010-11-02T20:55:41Z")
So to summarize: [ul] [li]Ron Howard and Vince Vaugn are totally gay for each other[/li][li]Happy gays repurpose their lame words[/li][li]Gays gaying it up about gaywad slurs pinging their gaydar are totally gay. Like on a scale from gay to Gaaaaaay, the protest would be, like, gay.[/li][li]This thread is not niggardly in its synonyms[/li][li]Electric cars are handi-capable[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/57 "2010-11-02T21:00:03Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Gays gaying it up about gaywad slurs pinging their gaydar are totally gay. Like on a scale from gay to Gaaaaaay, the protest would be, like, gay. lmfao ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/58 "2010-11-02T21:00:16Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I have- please pardon the immodesty- substantial proof that I’m a man, I just don’t define ‘manly’ attributes the same. If you go by the typical “jock” metrics for manliness, just about every gay guy I’ve ever known could “out-man” me without breaking a sweat. Sports stuff, car knowledge, grilling ability, etc. Yes, I’ve been mocked by gay men because I iron my shirts with rosewater, fuss over my souffles, and get all weepy over _Gray’s Anatomy_. What a _girl!_ Pretty sure I’m heterosexual, though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/59 "2010-11-02T21:02:20Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > So to summarize: > > [LIST] > [li]Ron Howard and Vince Vaugn are totally gay for each other[/li][li]Happy gays repurpose their lame words[/li] I wonder if there was ever a HAPPY GAYS porno movie with Richie/Fonzie slash. (Sadly, based on the infomercials he hosted, the late Tom Bosley would probably have been willing to do a cameo as Howard.) [QUOTE=Larry Mudd] Yes, I’ve been mocked by gay men because I iron my shirts with rosewater, fuss over my souffles, and get all weepy over _Gray’s Anatomy_. [/QUOTE] Damn, that is _gay_.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212/60 "2010-11-02T21:06:29Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > LMFAO > > [That joke would have gotten a warning from **Colibri** if it had been posted in GQ](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13058742&postcount=25). > :rolleyes: Oh stop being butthurt 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-howard-refuses-to-remove-gay-joke-despite-protets/559212.md?page=4)