The topic came up after host Sean Hannity criticized A&E for placing Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson on hiatus for making anti-gay remarks during an interview with GQ.
Rivera likened Robertson's critics to the "fundamentalist gay activists" who went after Baldwin after his alleged remarks to the photographer.
According to Rivera, the homophobic slur that Baldwin allegedly used was a comment that was "commonplace" when he was growing up:
Here’s the exchange:
SKLAR: When I heard about what Alec Baldwin - Alec Baldwin had a history of making these homophobic slurs.RIVERA: That wasn't a homophobic slur.
SKLAR: Okay --
RIVERA: I mean if you grew up where we grew up --
SKYLAR: And yet he is no longer on the network, right?
RIVERA: Sean, Baldwin and I all grew up within ten miles of each other and when we were growing up, in my year especially, those comments were commonplace.
AdvertisementSKLAR: Things have changed, Geraldo.
RIVERA: You have to give people some slack.
Rivera makes the remark just before the 2:00 minute mark:
[Media Matters]
