Metro Weekly

Blake Shelton apologizes for tweet, calls anti-gay violence “unacceptable”

“@glaad hey I want my fans and @nbcthevoice fans to know that anti-gay and lesbian violence is unacceptable!!!!!”

Blake Shelton, country music star and celebrity “coach” on the new NBC singing competition show The Voice, apologizing via Twitter for his earlier tweet that read as if if were encouraging anti-gay violence. After the first tweet — “Re-writing my fav Shania Twain song.. Any man that tries Touching my behind He’s gonna be a beaten, bleedin’, heaving kind of guy…” — Shelton initially dismissed the Twitter and other other online responses, posting, “Reading all my anti-gay hate tweets…. Ha! Ha! If people only knew even a little about me, my family and friends. Dumb asses…” (Twitter)

GLAAD’s Jarrett Barrios spoke about Shelton’s apology, noting, “Following outrage from community members and allies, Blake Shelton took the right step in speaking out against anti-gay violence and sending an important message to his fans and viewers of The Voice.” (CNN)

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