JAMES WOODS ‘IGNORANT’ ON GAY ISSUE
...as Woods sympathizes with LaBeouf
During a Pride Parade in California, one family got the attention of some people: Two parents supporting their gay child. The mother was holding a placard that said, “I (love) my gender creative son,” while the father held up a sign that read: “My son wears dresses and makeup. Get over it!”
Veteran actor James Woods was not amused.
The two-time Academy Award nominee shared the photo of the modern family on Twitter with the statement: “This is sweet. Wait until this poor kid grows up, realizes Veteran actor James Woods is one of the most outspoken actors in Hollywood. He could send out dozens of tweets in a day, mostly sharing political news stories and commenting on them.
On Tuesday, the Emmy winner also shared his sentiments about embattled actor Shia LaBeouf, whom he co-starred with in the animated movie Surf's Up.
“This is a talented young man who clearly needs help. Is there no loved one who can get him help? This is abnormal,” tweeted Woods along with a link to a Fox story about the 31-year-old actor's latest what you've done, and stuffs both of you dismembered into a freezer in the garage.”
Woods is a vocal Republican.
Gay actor Neil Patrick Harris noticed Woods tweet and replied: "Utterly ignorant and classless, Mr. Woods. I'm friends with this family. You know not of what you speak, and should be ashamed of yourself.”
Harris was not the only netizen who reacted. Hundreds of others criticized Woods' tweet. However, the tweet also received over 30,000 likes and has been retweeted 12,000 times as of yesterday.
Woods also stood by his tweet. In a series of tweets yesterday, the 70-year-old actor said his tweet wasn't homophobic at all. It was his opposition to parents using their children to make a statement.
“Using one's child as a social justice propaganda doll is tantamount to child abuse. This is not about homophobia. Nice try though...” he tweeted.
“I spent my entire adult life in the New York theatre scene, kids. I have more gay friends than Liberace. So let's stop the homophobia train.”
Lori Duron, the mother in the subject photo, reacted to Woods' tweet in an interview with People magazine: “The fact that it was so brush with the law.
“I'm not a medical professional, but any rational observer of this behavior would encourage psychiatric evaluation. He clearly needs help… Behavior this erratic needs compassion and evaluation. Making jokes at his expense is cruel and potentially very harmful,” Woods added.
LaBeouf apologized Wednesday for a racist tirade against Georgia police officers and jailors who arrested him Saturday for public drunkenness.
LaBeouf's apology came hours after celebrity website TMZ posted detailed, it’s really gross to me any time that adults talk about children that way. And the visual image that he evoked was troubling.”
Lori has a blog detailing her and her husband's journey to accepting their gay son CJ, 10.
She believes Woods was misinformed, thereby tweeting his sentiment.
“LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) youth don’t hurt their parents; they hurt themselves. We’re trying to raise our son in a way that he doesn’t fall into those behaviors. His tweet was so uninformed. LGBTQ youth do not kill other people; they kill themselves,” said Lori. video taken while the actor was being booked when he accused police of being racist and told a black officer he was going to hell.
"I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and make no excuses for it," LaBeouf wrote on Twitter.
"My outright disrespect for authority is problematic to say the least, and completely destructive to say the worst," LaBeouf, 31, wrote. "It is a new low. A low I hope is bottom. I have been struggling with addiction publicly for far too long, and I am actively taking steps toward securing my sobriety..."
I have been struggling with addiction publicly for far too long. SHIA LABEOUF Actor