Phil Robertson is at it again

The "Duck Dynasty" star goes on another anti-gay tirade

By Mary Elizabeth Williams

Senior Writer

Published May 23, 2014 1:59PM (EDT)

Phil Robertson               (AP/A&E/Zach Dilgard)
Phil Robertson (AP/A&E/Zach Dilgard)

In a development that has surprised exactly nobody, it turns out that "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson is still saying ignorant things about gay people.

Robertson was the subject of plenty of negative attention -- and high-profile support -- late last year, when he revealed in an interview with GQ that you can just "Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men" and graphically explained to men that "a vagina — as a man — would be more desirable than a man’s anus." His remarks earned him a brief suspension from his network A&E, which soon after described "Duck Dynasty" as "a show about family … a family that America has come to love."

Hey, what's not to love? What's not to love about someone who concern trolls other people's anuses? And if you loved that, there's more where that came from! On Thursday, Radar revealed a new video of Robertson speaking at an Easter event, telling the crowd -- in an epic 43-minute speech about birth, death, rebirth, demons and sin -- that "they railed against me for giving them the truth about their sins … Is homosexual behavior a sin? The guy asked me. I said, do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived." He then paraphrased Corinthians, saying, "Neither the sexually immoral, nor the idolators nor adulterers nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

Robertson has, to his rather limited credit, at least remained consistent in his strict stance. He's also free, as numerous others who have a problem with gay people are, to cherry-pick his Bible verses that support his views. But as his cable network prepares to premiere "Duck Dynasty's" new season in less than three weeks, it will be interesting to see how the show's viewership – which has already been dramatically declining -- reflects public support or lack of for the patriarch's views. Based on A&E's previous wrist slap for Robertson, it's doubtful this latest video will have much effect on how the network treats its reality star. Yet those declining ratings probably have their attention, and it's easy to see that provocative remarks don't necessarily translate into success for the seemingly running out of gas former hit. Frankly, after watching nearly 45 minutes of Robertson's rambly Easter bloviating, I have to marvel that anybody still has any patience for or interest in this guy. On reality TV, being intolerant isn't a sin – but boring the audience is a major transgression.


By Mary Elizabeth Williams

Mary Elizabeth Williams is a senior writer for Salon and author of "A Series of Catastrophes & Miracles."

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A&e Duck Dynasty Lgbt Phil Robertson Reality Television