Not that there’s anything wrong with that … Jason Alexander apologizes for calling cricket gay

Not a good weekend for George Costanza Jason Alexander following a rather disastrous appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Friday. It was there that Alexander had this to say about the sport of cricket: “It’s the pitch. It’s the weirdest… It’s not like a manly baseball pitch; it’s a queer British gay pitch.” Groups such as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation were not amused, and neither I would imagine were the British.

Alexander released a statement via GLAAD:

And the worst part is – I should know better. My daily life is filled with gay men and women, both socially and professionally. I am profoundly aware of the challenges these friends of mine face and I have openly advocated on their behalf.

So, I would like to say – I now get it. And to the extent that these jokes made anyone feel even more isolated or misunderstood or just plain hurt – please know that was not my intention, at all or ever. I hope we will someday live in a society where we are so accepting of each other that we can all laugh at jokes like these and know that there is no malice or diminishment intended.

But we are not there yet.

So, I can only apologize and I do. In comedy, timing is everything. And when a group of people are still fighting so hard for understanding, acceptance, dignity and essential rights – the time for some kinds of laughs has not yet come. I hope my realization brings some comfort.

The full statement is here.

Some lively discussion over at Alexander’s Twitter feed as as well.

As part of his penance Alexander must give $100,000 to The Human Fund, which he can raise by selling his horses, Snoopy and Prickly Pete.