Dog the Bounty Hunter has addressed allegations of being racist and homophobic.
The 68-year-old reality show star who sat for an interview with Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier on Wednesday September 1, denied the accusations made against him, including from his daughter.
When asked by Frazier why he used the racial slurs during Wednesday’s interview, Dog The Bounty hunter who claimed he has more black friends than Eminem, added that they gave him a pass to use it and using the term doesn’t make him racist.
He said;
“I have never been a racist. I’m 33 1/2 percent Apache.
“I thought I had a pass in the Black tribe to use it, kind of like Eminem,” adding that he has an “Achilles heel.”
“I had just gotten out of prison in 1979 after spending 18 months in Texas, and it was probably three-quarters from the Black tribe.”
Dog admits his alleged pass expired, but says no one told him so. He added;
“So, that was a word that we used back and forth as maybe a compliment. My pass expired for using it, but no one told me that. To say a racist name doesn’t qualify to make you a racist.”
Frazier who is black, pushed back on Dog’s explanation, telling him, “If you use that word, and you use it in your regular every day life, it makes you a racist.”
The reality show star however responded by saying;
“I have more Black friends than Eminem.”
Frazier replied by saying;
“That is the proximity argument. ‘I have lots of Black friends, so that should make me okay with Black people.’ “
Dog also denied accusations of being homophobic. He said;
“I have three people on my staff that are gay men. My daughter [Lyssa] is gay. I don’t understand why anybody would ever say that.”
Frazier interjected by saying “I hear what you’re saying, but remember proximity does not mean that you are not racist or homophobic.”
Dog responded by saying;
“Would I die for a gay man or a Black man? I’d lay down my life.”
Dog the Bounty Hunter previously faced backlash over his use of racist language during a taped phone call with his son, which included his use of the N-word over six times and this was made public in the National Enquirer in 2007.
After his phone call with his son was made public in 2007, he apologized for using insensitive language. Dog said at that time;
“My sincerest, heartfelt apologies go out to every person I have offended for my regrettable use of very inappropriate language.
“I am deeply disappointed in myself for speaking out of anger to my son and using such a hateful term in a private phone conversation.”
His A&E show Dog the Bounty Hunter was put on hiatus in the aftermath; production resumed the following year. The show concluded in 2012 after eight seasons.
