Juan Pablo finds excuses: offensive remark was taken out of context, his English is bad

Jan 21, 2014 10:19 GMT  ·  By
Juan Pablo Galavis made anti-gay remarks in a radio interview, hasn’t stopped apologizing ever since
   Juan Pablo Galavis made anti-gay remarks in a radio interview, hasn’t stopped apologizing ever since

Juan Pablo Galavis, star of the latest season of ABC’s “The Bachelor,” is probably wishing right now he’d thought twice before speaking his mind about gay marriage and whether having a gay Bachelor would ever be a good idea. He’s issued another apology, but the controversy is far from over.

It all started when, in a radio interview, Juan Pablo tried to explain why a gay Bachelor would never work and how that would send the wrong message to kids at home. He also said that it would be “hard TV” to have one such bachelor, and added that gay people “are more pervert in a sense.”

Still, he insisted, he had nothing but respect for the gay people’s desire to be able to marry and adopt children, start their own family.

ABC has already issued a statement to practically throw Galavis at the curb by saying that his views are not those of the network and, as such, even though what he said was regrettable, they could not be held accountable for it.

Galavis, meanwhile, has issued apology after apology, each one piling up excuses. On Facebook, he makes two contradictory claims in the space of just a few lines: first that his words were taken out of context, and secondly that he couldn’t express himself better because his English is really not that good.

“What I meant to say was that gay people are more affectionate and intense and for a segment of the TV audience this would be too racy to accept. The show is very racy as it is and I don't let my 5 year old daughter watch it. Once again, I'm sorry for how my words were taken. I would never disrespect anyone,” Juan Pablo says.

To show he’s not anti-gay, he even says his best friend is gay and that they’ve grown particularly close during the last 5 months.

In a statement to GLAAD, Juan Pablo comes across as a bit more honest in saying he’s sorry.

“I have heard from many gay Latinos today who are hurt because of what I said and I apologize. I know gay parents and I support them and their families. They are good parents and loving families. I am a father and I know the feel of being a father, why wouldn't I want my gay friends to also be happy parents? I also want gay and lesbian youth to know that it is fine to be who you are,” he says.

Even so, the madness is far from over.