Celebrity Friday: Kobe Bryant Tapes PSA On Tolerance

Last week, Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 by NBA Commissioner David Stern for saying the words "f***ing f***ot" to a referee during a game.

This week, Kobe and some of his team mates have released a PSA which will air at Lakers home games during the playoffs in which the players call for tolerance of  "people [who] are different," regardless of race, ethnicity, political belief or sexual orientation.

Kobe Bryant Fined $100K By NBA For Anti-Gay Slur

The blogs have been going pretty crazy with the news that Lakers star Kobe Bryant called an official a "f**ing fa**ot" after receiving a technical foul in a game last night.

Kobe issued a statement:

“What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone.”

HRC was unhappy that this did not include an apology. Later NBA Commissioner David Stern issued a statement and fined Kobe $100,000.

“Kobe Bryant’s comment during last night’s game was offensive and inexcusable. While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated. Accordingly, I have fined Kobe $100,000. Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society.”

Hat/tip to TowleRoad.

Celebrity Friday: Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers won the 2010 NBA Championships last night by beating the Boston Celtics 83-79 in Game 7. The Lakers came back from a 13-point deficit at the half and only in towards the end of the fourth quarter did they get a lead of more than 2 points.

It is Kobe's 5th championship with the Lakers, at age 31 is one less than the 6 championships the great Michael Jordan earned with the Chicago Bulls. Kobe also made it clear that he now has one more than his erstwhile teammate Shaquille O'Neal.