My Worst Moment

@L44 said:

@tallTuck94: Being Australian this whole thing is really odd.

Oh and I'm glad to see some Seasick Steve love. There is never enough.

You should feel right at home now.

Yo Ryan. Real talk dog, real talk.

I love you bro.

I have to agree with The Kids In The Hall on this one. That word would not be so vulgar and offensive if they would just take that damn T off the end of it.

Enormous respect to owning up for it straight away and so openly.

Considering how damned enjoyable the lantern run videos are, it's a shame that they could be marred by this. Luckily, most people on this site have known your personality (or, at least how you present yourself on mic and on camera) long enough to brush it off as a one time thing and know that there was nothing behind it but it would be a travesty if anyone saw that out of context and made an assumption about your character. I'm fine with the edit and the apology was a big step, especially as it likely wasn't felt necessary by many here, but the sentiments behind doing so are commendable. It's a sensitive issue and it's nice to see it handled so well.

Good on you for realizing your mistake, Ryan. We appreciate it. :)

@CustomOtto said:

@YetiAntics said:

@kmdrkul said:

So a slip of the word faggot sends the world into chaos yet this hypocritical forum worships some stupid meme where another GB staff member uses the word cunt? Don't try to slip me some stupid contextual reasoning for why it's okay to use certain "dirty" words and not others. You guys are a bunch of motherfuckers.

Not to mention these are the same people who type out "The Gays" in the chatroom whenever the crew are playing Cards Against Humanity.

Are they really

Out of all the Whiskey sites, Giant Bomb's chat room always had the worst reputation for being a cesspool. I see that while the sites are no longer related, the old standards are being kept.

Talk about making a big deal out of nothing.

I'm sure you could do much worse Ryan.

@PrivateIronTFU: Little known fact, the T is actually silent.

Holy shit someone lock this drama fest. Most of you probably utter the word Ryan said every fucking day on xbl and so on. 

@warxsnake said:

Holy shit someone lock this drama fest. Most of you probably utter the word Ryan said every fucking day on xbl and so on.

Do we really

@warxsnake said:

Holy shit someone lock this drama fest. Most of you probably utter the word Ryan said every fucking day on xbl and so on.

I don't! At all. Because I'm not a child.

I do go out of my way to call people "fuckbutts" though.

@CustomOtto said:

@YetiAntics said:

@kmdrkul said:

So a slip of the word faggot sends the world into chaos yet this hypocritical forum worships some stupid meme where another GB staff member uses the word cunt? Don't try to slip me some stupid contextual reasoning for why it's okay to use certain "dirty" words and not others. You guys are a bunch of motherfuckers.

Not to mention these are the same people who type out "The Gays" in the chatroom whenever the crew are playing Cards Against Humanity.

Are they really

Out of all the Whiskey sites, Giant Bomb's chat room always had the worst reputation for being a cesspool. I see that while the sites are no longer related, the old standards are being kept.

You handled this perfectly. You've easily shown more character in your apology than simply saying it would have. Everyone knows you didn't mean anything by it.

I forgive you Ryan. I think your immediate reaction and apology on air was incredibly genuine and this blog post right after the original broadcast is very mature. The circumstances of when it slipped were also very trying times for all of you so I do not think it is indicative of your character. Letting it slip like that was a terrible occurrence, and I feel for you as there have been many times where I've let similarly terrible things slip in trying times. The silver lining of all of this is that the way you handled the inicident garnered a new respect for you in my eyes. We're all human.

So from what I can gather, it rhymes with maggot...I dunno if that would really offend people. The N word I would understand, but what Ryan said really just means "idiot" or like the urban dictionary says, "loser". Its meaning has changed. It's not like a bunch of racial slurs that still hold the same meaning and are said out of disrespect to that group of people. I don't really use it, but if a friend of mine did I wouldn't be more offended than if they called me a loser. In fact, I think I'd be even more offended by "loser", because that's more matter-of-fact.  
 
Either way, Ryan still seems upset about it regardless of context, so I guess erase the damn thing! 

@H2Oyea said:

So from what I can gather, it rhymes with maggot...I dunno if that would really offend people. The N word I would understand, but what Ryan said really just means "idiot" or like the urban dictionary says, "loser". Its meaning has changed. It's not like a bunch of racial slurs that still hold the same meaning and are said out of disrespect to that group of people. I don't really use it, but if a friend of mine did I wouldn't be more offended than if they called me a loser. In fact, I think I'd be even more offended by "loser", because that's more matter-of-fact. Either way, Ryan still seems upset about it regardless of context, so I guess erase the damn thing!

Hmm let's check an actual dictionary on the matter.

Slang:DisparagingandOffensive.amalehomosexual.

I wasn't there but I'm sure you didn't intend to offend anyone. Well, you didn't offend me anyway. Whatever the case, we should move on but good on you for writing this.

@H2Oyea said:

So from what I can gather, it rhymes with maggot...I dunno if that would really offend people. The N word I would understand, but what Ryan said really just means "idiot" or like the urban dictionary says, "loser". Its meaning has changed. It's not like a bunch of racial slurs that still hold the same meaning and are said out of disrespect to that group of people. I don't really use it, but if a friend of mine did I wouldn't be more offended than if they called me a loser. In fact, I think I'd be even more offended by "loser", because that's more matter-of-fact. Either way, Ryan still seems upset about it regardless of context, so I guess erase the damn thing!

Hmm let's check an actual dictionary on the matter.

Slang: Disparaging and Offensive . a male homosexual.

@H2Oyea said:

@CustomOtto said:

@H2Oyea said:

So from what I can gather, it rhymes with maggot...I dunno if that would really offend people. The N word I would understand, but what Ryan said really just means "idiot" or like the urban dictionary says, "loser". Its meaning has changed. It's not like a bunch of racial slurs that still hold the same meaning and are said out of disrespect to that group of people. I don't really use it, but if a friend of mine did I wouldn't be more offended than if they called me a loser. In fact, I think I'd be even more offended by "loser", because that's more matter-of-fact. Either way, Ryan still seems upset about it regardless of context, so I guess erase the damn thing!

Hmm let's check an actual dictionary on the matter.

Slang:Disparaging and Offensive . a male homosexual.

If that's all that dictionary has to say about the word then it's wrong. The practical meaning for it, at least for most of the times it's used, is different.

Yes, that dictionary is wrong and urban dictionary dot com, whose entries are largely written by teenagers, is right. How about you go find any physical dictionary, open it up, and see what it says. I bet you won't find the word "archaic" next to that definition in any of them.

@ReyGitano said:

I use to know someone who took great offense to the word bastard. He felt that it grouped all bastard children as being bad people and expressed hatred towards them.

I'm not saying what should have happened one way or another, but there's definitely a double standard when it comes to what words are appropriate and which aren't, and since no one can seem to agree on that point... well, it's just silly to see people forcing their opinions on others. It's a word, it's meaning and use is subjective, so the most important truth is going to be for each person to decide.

Ryan's decided that he did something offensive and should apologize. Either you personally forgive him or you don't, and we should move on with our lives.

@mlarrabee said:

I think that was the least homophobic usage that word has ever seen.

I still understand why you apologized, but now I'm shaking my head over anyone getting offended.

I've been called just as bad ON THIS SITE for being a Christian, and those weren't unintentional slips of the tongue with polysemic words.

Really, people, grow a pair. The words we use matter a great deal, but don't turn the verbal equivalent of an accidental bump into a punch in the gut.

But once again, good on you, Ryan.

Yes, people that make sense pointing out double standards.

Words have meaning and context matters. I know, if anyone an the internet called me a creep I'd shrug it off, but hearing it from some one I care about, that's soul crushing and would looms over my head for a long time.

That's how vulgarity and words in general are used, they can be used to either harm others or to vent from frustation. One is clearly bad the other is a mistake. In a perfect world there are no acceptable targets, but it isn't a perfect world so some things are perfectly fine to say like idiot, lame, bastard, bitch, dick, cunt, retarded, stupid, or fat among many other things that don't fall in line with the majorities beliefs like certain religious views or political beliefs.

These words could represent people that have had as hard of a life as some people in the LBGT community. People call stuff lame all the time but don't feel like they need to apologize to every person they see with a limp.

No one should have to feel left out or alone, ever, that is the worst, but I don't like the ideas like special treatment and censorship either while others words are used that are offensive and harmful as well. It's like what south park did during cartoon wars, they could literally show Jesus being shit on. but Muhammed, and Scientology, being made fun of, nooo they may get upset.

If I were to call in and ask someone to stop saying "god damnit" because I found it offensive they'd tell me to grow a pair (which is funny because that is both offensive to women and eunuchs).

I think Derrick Acosta said it best, the word in question is such a slap in the face regardless of its meaning. It's just a quick way of saying "fuck you," homophobia doesn't enter my mind if I use it. Much like the word fuck the word is just evolving into a basic insult, many people use the word fuck to piss other people off or to vent, but I'm sure not one of us think sex is terrible. If you were to say "I'll fuck you up," you don't mean, I'm going to have sex with you, there it is just a way to say beat or mess you up,

If I'm angry and I punch a pillow that is ok. If I punch a person that is bad, Same thing should go with words if I direct words at a TV, very few people should be offended. But saying it to a person is disgraceful. because I could make them feel bad. One time one of my friends called me useless over Xbox live because I screwed something up in Dead island, I'm a sensitive person when it comes to pleasing others and being accepted. But just because the word was used in a way that made me pretty depressed does that mean we should we ban the word "useless?" No of course not, But should someone ever call another person useless, I don't think so.

Slips of the tongue happen. I often speak in a far worse manner when I'm having fun with my friends. It happens. People just need to lighten up and realize that what Ryan was saying wasn't targeted at anyone.

Every time you call someone a faggot you are saying "you are as bad as someone who is gay." That is exactly what you are saying and if it wasn't you'd be using a different word. Faggot was not chosen at random to be used as an insult. You are saying gay = bad every time you use that word. This is why it's often accompanied with gay and cocksucker. I don't really understand why that's so hard to get.

Anyone watching the video will believe what you say about immediately recognizing the mistake, and in the video you clearly apologize. Very well written, clearly stated post as well, I really can't see anyone still having an issue with this.

Something people have to remember is that this is inextricably a part of the dysphemism treadmill, the linguistic process by which previously offensive words or terms become acceptable. It is a constant aspect of language, and is always changing. That does not mean the word will necessarily become an accepted euphemism, and if it ever does so it won't be overnight. But "gay," too, was once an unacceptable word. First, gay people said "alright, you know what we're gay." And now it's completely PC to use that word.

@CustomOtto said:

@SpaceInsomniac said:

@theoldhouse said:

if cunt isn't offensive (a derogatory word for woman) why is fag offensive (a derogatory word for homosexuals)?

both have evolved beyond their initial meaning to just being derogatory term for people so why is one right and the other not? not saying either should be used but it seems like double standards to me.

And while not a slur, I can't even imagine the number of times I've heard Ryan drop a "goddammit" or a "Jesus Christ" during a bombcast or a quick look. That's offensive to a large number of religious people, but nobody thinks a thing of it.

Furthermore, I've also heard the term "Cocksucker" used as a derogatory term from the GB crew. Why does that get a pass, but "faggot" does not?

And please note that I'm not in any way suggesting that Giant Bomb needs to be more politically correct, nor am I defending what Ryan said. I just find it interesting what words and offensive remarks our society has decided to focus on, while ignoring others.

Cocksucker is pretty bad and I wish Ryan would stop using that as well. I've brought this up before and got dogpiled by the same people in this thread.

Faggot and cocksucker seem fairly interchangeable to me. They're both insults designed to disparage gay men, or disparage straight men by associating them with gay men. It strikes me as strange that the former is seen as so much more unacceptable.

@CustomOtto said:

Every time you call someone a faggot you are saying "you are as bad as someone who is gay." That is exactly what you are saying and if it wasn't you'd be using a different word. Faggot was not chosen at random to be used as an insult. You are saying gay = bad every time you use that word. This is why it's often accompanied with gay and cocksucker. I don't really understand why that's so hard to get.

What gives you the authority to determine how each individual mind understands this word? You have no idea how other people relate to the word. I know for a long time I never knew it had anything to do with gay people. I thought twat, prick and fag all meant the same thing and just meant an annoying person.

people need to not get mad at ryan bc me and my friends (all white males lol!!!! do u have a problem with that??!) say fag all the time and we don't really think we're actually fags bc that shit would be gross!! so people can say fag without meaning tha tthe other person is a fag and so its ok to use it, but i understand that ryan's boss wont' let him. like, at burger king where i work, i got in trouble for calling my friend josh a nigga but he's white.

@SpaceInsomniac said:

Faggot and cocksucker seem fairly interchangeable to me. They're both insults designed to disparage gay men, or disparage straight men by associating them with gay men. It strikes me as strange that the former is seen as so much more unacceptable.

It's seen as more acceptable because people don't give two shits about groups they're not a part of. It is such a minor thing to remove a few words from your vocabulary, yet people act like it's the biggest inconvenience in the world and if you "take" one away from them (faggot) they'll just complain even more when you come for cocksucker too.

@Jumanji said:

ppl need to not get mad at ryan bc me and my friends (all white males lol!!!! do u have a problem with that??!) say fag all the time and we don't really think we're actually fags bc that shit would be gross!! so you can say fag without meaning tha tthe other person is a fag and so its ok to use it, but i understand that ryan's boss wont' let him. like, at burger king where i work, i got in trouble for calling my friend josh a nigga but he's white.

You bring great shame to the classic children's film, Jumanji.

@Jumanji said:

people need to not get mad at ryan bc me and my friends (all white males lol!!!! do u have a problem with that??!) say fag all the time and we don't really think we're actually fags bc that shit would be gross!! so people can say fag without meaning tha tthe other person is a fag and so its ok to use it, but i understand that ryan's boss wont' let him. like, at burger king where i work, i got in trouble for calling my friend josh a nigga but he's white.

/thread

@CaLe said:

@CustomOtto said:

Every time you call someone a faggot you are saying "you are as bad as someone who is gay." That is exactly what you are saying and if it wasn't you'd be using a different word. Faggot was not chosen at random to be used as an insult. You are saying gay = bad every time you use that word. This is why it's often accompanied with gay and cocksucker. I don't really understand why that's so hard to get.

What gives you the authority to determine how each individual mind understands this word? You have no idea how other people relate to the word. I know for a long time I never knew it had anything to do with gay people. I thought twat, prick and fag all meant the same thing and just meant an annoying person.

And guess what? Now you know it does! So it's on you to stop using the word, because you know the history of it, and you know what it means. And every single person in this thread knows that too. There is no excuse.

@CustomOtto said:

@CaLe said:

@CustomOtto said:

Every time you call someone a faggot you are saying "you are as bad as someone who is gay." That is exactly what you are saying and if it wasn't you'd be using a different word. Faggot was not chosen at random to be used as an insult. You are saying gay = bad every time you use that word. This is why it's often accompanied with gay and cocksucker. I don't really understand why that's so hard to get.

What gives you the authority to determine how each individual mind understands this word? You have no idea how other people relate to the word. I know for a long time I never knew it had anything to do with gay people. I thought twat, prick and fag all meant the same thing and just meant an annoying person.

And guess what? Now you know it does! So it's on you to stop using the word, because you know the history of it, and you know what it means. And every single person in this thread knows that too. There is no excuse.

I don't use it, but not because of its history, just because it doesn't suit how I speak. I don't think any word should be eliminated from the general lexicon, even words that insult me or groups I belong to. The world isn't all sunshine and butterflies and getting upset over a word is a fucking luxury.

Nearly to 1000 replies in just over 24 hours.

@SpunkyHePanda said:

@Jumanji said:

ppl need to not get mad at ryan bc me and my friends (all white males lol!!!! do u have a problem with that??!) say fag all the time and we don't really think we're actually fags bc that shit would be gross!! so you can say fag without meaning tha tthe other person is a fag and so its ok to use it, but i understand that ryan's boss wont' let him. like, at burger king where i work, i got in trouble for calling my friend josh a nigga but he's white.

You bring great shame to the classic children's film, Jumanji.

oh god i lol'd

Why the fuck is this 50 pages.

@Kingfalcon said:

@notdavid said:

@Animasta said:

can we all stop using the word describing what he said? the other F word is a perfectly fine description.

We're all grown ups here. How can we have a discussion about a word that we're not allowed to say? Best not to dance around the issue.

I agree. In order to have an informed discussion, knowing the precise word is critical, especially for those like myself who did not watch the Lantern Run live.

Indeed, no point ignoring it completely and feigning ignorance. Just saying "Here's the word that was used" is fine. People are going to want to know, and that's fair. I won't take offense nor will any other reasonable gay individual, at some one simply reporting the word used. Of course, something like "a negative slur against homosexuals" would also be a suitable response. I just don't think it makes sense to hide from the word.

This thread is now over 1,000 posts. 
 
 Fuck you guys.

@MordeaniisChaos said:

@Kingfalcon said:

@notdavid said:

@Animasta said:

can we all stop using the word describing what he said? the other F word is a perfectly fine description.

We're all grown ups here. How can we have a discussion about a word that we're not allowed to say? Best not to dance around the issue.

I agree. In order to have an informed discussion, knowing the precise word is critical, especially for those like myself who did not watch the Lantern Run live.

Indeed, no point ignoring it completely and feigning ignorance. Just saying "Here's the word that was used" is fine. People are going to want to know, and that's fair. I won't take offense nor will any other reasonable gay individual, at some one simply reporting the word used. Of course, something like "a negative slur against homosexuals" would also be a suitable response. I just don't think it makes sense to hide from the word.

Dude, obviously from the blog post it was some kind of slur against a protected identity group... then you triangulate from that and the exact brand of skeeviness that we saw from Ryan's erstwhile defenders and it's PRETTY EASY to figure out what was said.

@MordeaniisChaos: the mods have already said homophobic, racist slurs are not allowed in any form.

@Boboblaw said:

@CustomOtto:

Sure thats its original meaning but it also has different meanings.

On the internet its more like another way of calling people dickheads or idiots rather then saying "fuck you, you're gay/as bad as gays". I know when I use it I mean that. If i've ever wanted to call someone gay I'd never use faggot and I've never seen someone use it that way, i've only seen "you're gay" anyway congrats, you trapped me into replying to this shitthread

And if you truly never wanted to deliver the message that being gay is bad you wouldn't use faggot at all. Again, why do you think the words faggot, gay and cocksucker are such common insults?

@Milkman said:

This thread is now over 1,000 posts. Fuck you guys.

It's an interesting topic, and many here are posting in support of Ryan and the way he handled the situation.

Jeff had this to say on Formspring:

People still want to argue that Ryan's reaction to his slip of the tongue was because of CBS?

@Hailinel said:

Jeff had this to say on Formspring:

People still want to argue that Ryan's reaction to his slip of the tongue was because of CBS?

If by people you mean apparent inbreds that can barely string a sentence together then yes, people do.

*gives Ryan a manly hug*

It's ok...shhhhhh.

Everything's going to be alright.

@Goldanas said:

I probably would have been upset if Ryan just said "faggot" and left it at that. I was watching the live stream, Ryan was getting increasingly mad at all the tentacles, he had used many of his good swears already, you could hear him searching for a word to use, and out came "faggot". He immediately recognized his mistake on air, and apologized in the same way that he has done here.

I would say that this blog post would be entirely unnecessary, if the community wasn't flipping out about it at the time, and not listening to Ryan when he immediately apologized. This has been blown way out of proportion, not because "faggot" is any less derisive--for now it still remains a term designed to preserve a social stigma towards homosexuals--but because this community is so full of pent up assholes that they couldn't let it go the first time.

When I heard it on the air, I gasped, but then he apologized on air exactly as he has here, and then I went into laughter. It was a simple, very unfortunate mistake, and it was tremendously funny to hear him stumble over himself and hear the rest of the crew jokingly say he was going to get fired, because it is a pretty serious thing.

I wasn't looking at the chat, who blew it up. I didn't look at the video comments. I didn't see this, not until someone on 4chan linked to it, saying that the community here was having a shitfit, and of course, you are. It always amazes me when I can respect 4chan more so than a place like this.

Both sides of the argument, people who say saying "faggot" is no big deal, and people who are claiming that Ryan used the word in a way that indirectly targeted you, are all responsible for perpetuating this far beyond where it should have. Ryan did not owe you a second apology, but you made him. Saying "apology accepted" to something you are not owed is just as bad as all the people who side with the use of "faggot". You're actively demeaning him for a one-time offense he already sincerely apologized for.

In fact. I'm going to apologize on behalf of the community to Ryan.

They forced you to act in order to put an end to this shitflinging contest between two groups of people who couldn't let it go the first time. It is indefensible that two groups of people should bicker so damn much that you have to step in and demean yourself TWICE for something that was really only worth the one earnest and sincere apology. This community has demanded reparations of you from their actions, and you deserve better than that.

I'm sorry.

Great post, although I think Ryan is still extremely classy for doing this.

unbiased statement from cbs's jeff gerstmann

It would be one thing if this was a regular occurance from you Ryan but in the 8 or so years I've been following you guys online, since the old Gamespot days, I have never once had cause to question your character or integrity. We can't change the past but I hope I speak for others when I say the GB community won't throw you to the wolves over one mistake. You've admitted wrong doing and a life lesson has been learned. You've always had my support and you still do.

@Milkman said:

This thread is now over 1,000 posts. Fuck you guys.

It's an interesting topic, and many here are posting in support of Ryan and the way he handled the situation.