Gary Owen on Backlash for Tweeting Joke About Trailblazers' White Coach Using N-Word (Part 13)

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Comedian Gary Owen found himself in hot water after a tweet involving the Portland Trailblazers' then-coach Terry Stotts and the N-word triggered significant backlash. The controversy led to the cancellation of Owen's scheduled appearance on Jemele Hill's podcast. Owen explained that he tweeted a joke while watching a basketball game, recounting an incident where a fellow spectator—a Black man—cheered using the N-word. Inspired by the moment, Owen humorously typed that the coach probably wanted to say the same thing but couldn’t.

Owen defended himself, stating he used the term in quotation marks and did not actually say the word. Hill later reached out, indicating her decision was to avoid the backlash overshadowing the interview. Owen admitted to feeling initially hurt by the cancellation but appreciated the explanation. The comedian emphasized the complexities around the usage of such a loaded word, especially by White individuals. Despite the incident, Owen and Hill remain on good terms, with future podcast appearances still on the table.