Eli Roth
Director/Producer Eli Roth has used homophobic words in his films because it makes them more real, not because it’s how he feels: “It’s like when I used the word ‘fag’ in a film, and people say, ‘He’s homophobic,’ which is ridiculous. That’s the way people talk. I make a very conscious effort with my films not to be politically correct. I don’t buy the dialogue in a lot of films, because when close friends talk to one another, they’re not worrying about that kind of stuff. They’re comfortable because they know it’s only a joke. Characters in modern movies are so conscious of the audience, and studios are so conscious of the audience liking the character, that they’re afraid to do anything to make them unlikable. But it actually makes them more likable because it makes them more human.”
Eminem
Eminem says he doesn’t have anything against gay people despite using homophobic terms in some of his songs: “Yeah. It was more like calling someone a bitch or a punk or a-hole. So that word was just thrown around so freely back then. It goes back to that battle, back and forth in my head, of wanting to feel free to say what I want to say, and then [worrying about] what may or may not affect people. And, not saying it’s wrong or it’s right, but at this point in my career — man, I say so much sh-t that’s tongue-in-cheek. I poke fun at other people, myself. But the real me sitting here right now talking to you has no issues with gay, straight, transgender, at all. I’m glad we live in a time where it’s really starting to feel like people can live their lives and express themselves. And I don’t know how else to say this, I still look at myself the same way that I did when I was battling and broke.”
