Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 5, 1990 TAG: 9003052004
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
Rooney was suspended by CBS without pay Feb. 8.
Back at his usual show-ending slot, Rooney said it was demeaning to defend himself because he had a long history of supporting civil rights. He said he didn't know how to apologize to homosexuals for a comment he made last year that he hadn't realized would be offensive.
Staying at home made him worry about his legacy, he said.
"I'd be known for the rest of my life as a racist bigot and as someone who had made life a little more difficult for homosexuals. I felt terrible and I've learned a lot," Rooney said.
"What do I say to defend myself? Do I say, `I'm not a racist.' That sounds like saying, `I'm not a crook.'
"How do I apologize to homosexuals for hurting them with a remark I made that I didn't realize would hurt them?"
In his typical biting style, he reiterated that he has opinions that will continue to upset some people. "That's what I'm here for," he said, while also questioning why he had become embroiled in controversy.
CBS News president David Burke suspended Rooney after The Advocate, a gay magazine, quoted him as saying that blacks had "watered down their genes" because the least intelligent among them had the most children. Burke never publicly gave a reason for the suspension.
Rooney has denied the remark.
At the time of the interview, Rooney was being criticized by homosexuals for his CBS special on Dec. 26 in which he cited "homosexual unions" among a list of things that cause "self-induced" death.
On Sunday, Rooney cited examples he said showed he wasn't racist, including the night he threw out a house guest for using the word "nigger."
by CNB