Editor’s Note: This story includes language some may deem offensive.
Dan Savage is at it again. The foul-mouthed, bigoted host of MTV’s sex advice show “Savage U” and internationally syndicated columnist of “Savage Love” wrote this headline last Monday concerning the pope’s retirement:
“That Motherfucking Power-Hungry, Self-Aggrandized Bigot In the Stupid Fucking Hat Announces His Retirement.” No major media outlet reported that comment, including MSNBC and CNN where Savage has often appeared.
Savage, who coined the “It Gets Better” gay anti-bullying campaign, is no stranger to bullying Christians, conservatives, and traditional families. Most famously, he said that America’s religious leaders “stand on the graves of dead gay kids.”
As someone who is supposedly against bullying, Savage seems to have no problem being a bully himself. In his book “Savage Love,” which is a compilation of his columns, he has promoted heterosexual bashing, non-monogamous relationships, drugs, prostitution and child molestation fantasies.
Last year, he received notoriety, at least in Christian circles, for hurling insults at Christian high school students in a speech he was invited to give at a journalism conference for high school students. In a profanity-laced speech, he bashed the Bible, telling the students to ignore what’s written in it, and then mocked kids who walked out as “pansy-assed."
Despite this, Savage is loved by the media, with his sex and relationship advice column being internationally syndicated, co-hosting a television show, and being invited to speak at events. His anti-bullying campaign was even endorsed by President Obama in 2010. It seems like you can say anything offensive and remain successful and popular with the media if you are on their side politically.