CNN contributor Roland Martin is known for his outspoken commentary on air, but it’s his off-the-air thoughts that are landing him in hot water.
During Sunday’s Super Bowl, Martin posted a steady stream of tweets in reference to the football game and its equally anticipated commercials. But it was an H&M advertisement featuring soccer star David Beckham that caught his eye.
He went on to note that “no real bruhs” would take the trip to H&M to buy Beckham’s underwear.
Many of Martin’s followers criticized his remarks for being out of line, but gay rights group GLAAD had the biggest disapproval of all, urging CNN to fire him.
“Advocates of gay bashing have no place at @CNN,” stated a tweet from GLAAD’s official account. They also pointed out an earlier tweet from Martin saying, “”Who the hell was that New England Patriot they just showed in a head to toe pink suit? Oh, he needs a visit from #teamwhipdatass,”
The group has since started a petition to have Martin released from CNN and has asked the network to hold their contributors accountable for their language.
Martin insists his tweet had no homophobic undertones. Instead, it was a hit on soccer. He tweeted Monday morning:
“Fam, let me address the issue that some in the LGBT community have raised regarding some of my Super Bowl tweets yesterday. I made several cracks about soccer as I do all the time. I was not referring to sexuality directly or indirectly regarding the David Beckham ad, and I’m sorry folks took it otherwise. It was meant to be a deliberately over the top and sarcastic crack about soccer; I do not advocate violence of any kind against anyone gay, or not. As anyone who follows me on Twitter knows, anytime soccer comes up during football season it’s another chance for me to take a playful shot at soccer, nothing more.”
CNN has yet to comment on the matter.
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