Shia LeBeouf Says He's "Embarrassed" By Slur, But Context Is Everything
Shia LaBeouf, costar of the new Indiana Jones and The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull film, and star of last summer's Transformers movie, is HOT, with a capital H O T, but sadly, like most young stars in Hollywood, he has a penchant for being a major dumbass at times.
Yesterday, a YouTube video showing a young Shia drunk off his ass, screwing around with some friends surfaced on the internet. LeBeouf, who was goading his friend in what can only be described as a teen prank, called him of them a "f*ggot". Now, E! is reporting that Shia is "embarrassed" by the video and his rep issued a statement:
“The videotape that is currently being circulated is several years old and captures Shia playing a game among friends in which he uses a derogatory word toward a friend,†LaBeouf’s rep tells me exclusively. “He regrets having used the word in any capacity and is very embarrassed that this footage is being seen by anyone.â€
That last sentence is the clincher. If you watch the video (it's been pulled from YT) the real issue here is excessive drinking and stupidity. It's pretty doubtful that Shia is anti-gay or that he thinks his friend exhibits signs which demonstrate any "gay-like" qualities. Essentially, Shia was doing what most boys at that age do: acting like an idiot.
To take this whole thing out of context makes light of real bigots and gay-bashers I feel. While Shia should understand he's in the limelight and exercise some control over himself, I do NOT feel this incident should imply anything inherently evil about Shia, except perhaps he can't handle his liquor. And considering his family history, he might be better off not drinking at all.
P.S. Shia, you might want to get better friends, you know, the kind that don't sell you out.
File this under "mountain out of a mole-hill".
Via Michael K at DListed.
