Michael Imperioli Clarifies Comments On Banning ‘Bigots’ From Watching ‘The Sopranos’
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Michael Imperioli has clarified previous statements in which the actor barred “bigots and homophobes” from watching his work — including The Sopranos and The White Lotus — following the Supreme Court’s ruling that allows businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ Americans.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Imperioli called his previous statement “a satirical and symbolic take on where blatantly discriminatory Supreme Court decisions are taking us as a nation: into utter division and possibly far worse.”
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“I believe in religious freedom, freedom of speech and the right for individuals to pursue happiness. I also believe in the separation of church and state as stated in the First Amendment,” he wrote. “I believe that all people regardless of race, religion, color, creed, gender or sexuality are entitled to freedom, equality, rights and protection under the laws of our nation. And i vehemently oppose hate, prejudice and bigotry and always have. Some people have not gotten the irony I was expressing so i thought i’d be more explicit. Anyway, the post certainly got the message across to most and did it’s job. End of story.”
Imperioli first made his comments on Sunday following a 6-3 ruling in which the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Colorado web designer who argued that she has the right under the First Amendment to refuse to create wedding websites for gay people.
In response to the ruling, Imperioli wrote, “I’ve decided to forbid bigots and homophobes from watching The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas or any movie or tv show I’ve been in. Thank you Supreme Court for allowing me to discriminate and exclude those who I don’t agree with and am opposed to. USA! USA!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CuJwXUiuePp/?hl=en
The ruling came just a day after the court’s six conservative justices struck down race-based affirmative action in college admissions.
“Hate and ignorance is not a legitimate point of view,” Imperioli wrote in the comments of the Instagram post, which showed a photo of the Christian web designer and the headline ‘Supreme Court protects web designer who won’t do gay wedding website.’ “America is becoming dumber by the minute.”
In June, in honor of Pride Month, Imperioli wrote:
This post was updated at 2:00 p.m. on July 4 to include Imperioli’s clarification on his original July 2 comments.
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