HBO Slams Manny Pacquiao for Gay People Comments, but Won't Drop Fight
Even though HBO slammed Manny Pacquiao for what it says are "offensive and deplorable" comments about gay people, the cable network refuses to lose money by canceling the boxer's fight against Timothy Bradley on April 9.
"We have an obligation to both fighters and, therefore, will proceed to produce and distribute that event," HBO said in a statement this week, according to USA Today.
"However, we felt it important to leave no uncertainty about our position on Pacquiao's recent comments toward the LGBTQ community. We consider them insensitive, offensive and deplorable," it added. "HBO has been a proud home to many LGBTQ stories and couldn't approach this event without clearly voicing our opinion."
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Pacquiao, an outspoken Christian and Filipino congressman, was criticized and dropped by sportswear giant Nike after telling Filipino station TV5 in an interview in February: "It's common sense. Will you see any animals where male is to male and female is to female?
"The animals are better. They know how to distinguish male from female. If we approve [of] male on male, female on female, then man is worse than animals."
The former eight-division world champion has said that he did not mean to cause offense to gay people, but has defended his stance as based on his beliefs on the Bible.
"What I am condemning is the act. I'm happier because I'm telling the truth. … It's worse if we will hide the truth," the boxer clarified.
"I'm happier that a lot of people were alarmed by the truth," he added.
Pacquiao has said that he is not allowing the controversy to bother him, no matter what people are saying.
"I'm not bothered, that's the world," Pacquiao told local media. "I mean, Jesus lives in me so I'm always happy. Says the Bible, everyday has enough troubles of its own, so don't be bothered about that."
Pacquiao has also been backed by the Catholic Church in the Philippines, with Father Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic bishops' public affairs office, stating: "This is really in the Bible. There is this quote he (Pacquiao) uses from the Bible and we cannot change that."
Secillano suggested, however, that the boxer could have chosen his words more wisely when making the comparison.
"The church ... says that if this is your lifestyle, if this is your orientation, then we respect that, we cannot condemn them," the priest said.
