Vince Vaughn: Discrimination Bad, "Gay" Joke Fine

Actor says making rules about what we can and cannot joke about is divisive enough

By Natalie Finn Oct 15, 2010 2:25 AMTags
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Vince Vaughn doesn't think The Dilemma has much of a problem.

Responding to the controversy over his character calling an electric car "gay," a clip that originally made it into the comedy's theatrical trailer, Vaughn has come down on the side of leaving the scene intact.

"Let me add my voice of support to the people outraged by the bullying and persecution of people for their differences, whatever those differences may be," the sometimes-boorish, sometimes-cuddly actor said in a statement Thursday.

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"Comedy and joking about our differences breaks tension and brings us together. Drawing divided lines over what we can and cannot joke about does exactly that; it divides us. Most importantly, where does it stop."

Anderson Cooper was trying to stop it in this instance, anyway. The CNN host and, in turn, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, rallied hard for Universal Studios to at least wipe the joke from the trailer if not the entire film.

A new trailer was released earlier this week, but there's been no word on whether Oscar-winning director Ron Howard is mulling an additional edit for the Jan. 14 theatrical release.