A&E
Phil Robertson has lost his place at the head of the Duck Dynasty table for the forseeable future.
The Robertson family patriarch has been suspended from their hit reality show in light of anti-gay remarks he made in an interview with GQ, released today, in which he grouped homosexuality in with bestiality as deviant behavior.
"We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson's comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty," A&E parent A+E Networks said in a statement obtained by E! News.
"His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely."
The 67-year-old founder of the Duck Commander Co. shared a number of views that may have shocked fans of the show who tune in for the inexplicably engrossing hijinks, the generally congenial members of the Robertson family and the always-entertaining facial hair.
"Everything is blurred on what's right and what's wrong," Phil told GQ. "Sin becomes fine."
"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," he continued, going on to paraphrase Corinthians, from the seventh book of the New Testament.
"It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man's anus," Robertson added. "That's just me. I'm just thinking: There's more there! She's got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I'm saying? But hey, sin: It's not logical, my man. It's just not logical."
Jeff Reidel/GQ
Phil's son Jep Robertson also told the men's mag: "We're not quite as outspoken as my dad, but I'm definitely in line. If somebody asks, I tell 'em what the Bible says."
GLAAD issued a response to the article, saying, "Phil's lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe."
Phil's view of the world didn't only diverge from political correctness when it came to the LGBT community, either.
He also recalled to GQ growing up near black farmers in the Jim Crow South, saying, "I never heard one of them, one black person, say, 'I tell you what: These doggone white people'—not a word!... Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues."
Pre-suspension, but in reponse to the insta-backlash over his remarkers, Phil issued the following statement, obtained by E! News:
Art Streiber/A & E
"I myself am a product of the '60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior. My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together. However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other."
Duck Dynasty's fifth season is currently set to premiere on Jan. 15.
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