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I defend Tracy Morgan for what he said about Sarah Palin and masturbation.

"It?s unfortunate Mr. Morgan showed a lack of judgment on our air with his inappropriate comments. We apologize for any embarrassment or offense it may have caused," says TNT, apologizing in nonapology form ? Sorry if you were offended ? for what Tracy Morgan said on "Inside the NBA."

During yesterday?s live broadcast, co-hosts Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley handed 30 Rock?s Morgan a microphone and asked him to settle a bet: Tina Fey or Sarah Palin? ?Me and him have this argument all the time, ? crowed Smith, referring to Barkley. ?[Morgan's] the only one who can settle it. Tina Fey or Sarah Palin??

I'm going to defend Morgan. He did exactly what a great comedian should do. He called bullshit on Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley. They were doing their little show and keeping it light with fully deniable sexual innuendo. The question "Tina Fey or Sarah Palin?" implied sex. What Tracy Morgan did was not to bring sex up out of nowhere. It was seeing the sex that was already being talked about ? in TV-friendly maybe-we're-not-really-talking-about-it style ? and to surprise with a sudden jab of straight talk as if Kenny and Charles were already openly talking about masturbation. He called bullshit on their innuendo. Now, TNT prissily withdraws. Ha. I'm offended by their prissy withdrawal. They want the benefit of Smith and Barkley's roundabout references but they don't like the comedian undercutting the deniability.

Full post as published by Althouse on January 29, 2011 (boomark / email).