Singer Michelle Shocked's Anti-Gay Rant: 'God Hates Fags' | HuffPost

Singer's Onstage Anti-Gay Tirade Shocks Audience

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Deputy Director of News & Analytics, HuffPost

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Singer Michelle Shocked, who was most popular in the '80s and '90s, went on a homophobic tirade over the weekend in San Francisco, much to the surprise of the audience watching her performance.

It all went down Sunday night at Yoshi's, a San Francisco jazz club and restaurant. When she first took to the stage, things were fine; but during her second set, Shocked launched into an anti-gay rant.

"I live in fear," Shocked said, as reported by SFist, "that the world will be destroyed if gays are allowed to marry."

"You can go on Twitter and say Michelle Shocked said ‘God hates fags,'" the 51-year-old alternative-funk musician told the crowd, according to Queerty.

Concert-goer Matt Penfield, who was on stage live-tweeting the concert for Shocked, was appalled. He described her diatribe as "totally sincere," "super anti-gay" and "hateful."

According to the Village Voice, the audience cleared out in horror.

A tweet sent from Shocked's verified Twitter account appeared to reference the incident:

In 1990, Shocked opened up about coming out and having a relationship with a woman. But the born-again Christian's tune changed a decade later when she denied all gay labels. Shocked has since referred to herself as the "world's greatest homophobe," according to the Best of New Orleans blog.

In a 2008 interview with LGBT publication The Dallas Voice, Shocked seemed to be grappling with her feelings.

"According to my Bible, which I didn’t write, homosexuality is immoral. But homosexuality is no more less a sin than fornication. And I’m a fornicator with a capital F," she told the Voice."I like the sound of being called an honorary lesbian and the comparisons to black disco divas. But right now, I’m a dug-in-the-heels fundamentalist who’s not too happy about it."

The singer is set to continue a tour of the West Coast and Europe. Her next show scheduled for March 23 in Santa Monica, Calif.

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Before You Go

Celebrities Who've Faced Gay Rumors

Matt Damon And Ben Affleck(01 of28)

Hollywood juggernauts and best friends, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, are no strangers when it comes to gay rumors. Their seemingly more than a bromance, which stems from their Boston upbringing, had never been denied, causing people to further believe the gossip until Damon decided to speak up about it in December 2012. Damon proclaimed: "I never denied those rumors because I was offended and didn’t want to offend my friends who were gay. As if being gay were some kind of f--king disease. It put me in a weird position in that sense." (credit:AP)

John Travolta (02 of28)

Maybe it's the "Saturday Night Fever" syndrome, but Travolta, who has been married to Kelly Preston since 1991, has been dogged by gay rumors and reports since the late 1980s. Last year, his attorney Marty Singer sent a five-page letter to Gawker threatening to sue over posting "false and outrageous" claims in a story the site ran in a post called "The Secret Sex Life of John Travolta."In recent months several men have come forward alleging that Travolta sexually assaulted and harassed them. While Travolta denies the claims, lawsuits against the star are currently pending. (credit:Getty )

Bruno Mars(03 of28)

Rumors that the pop star had come out of the closet began after CNN iReport -- a subsection of the media outlet comprising 'citizen journalists' from around the world -- posted a since-removed story that stated, "The famous pop-star Bruno Mars admits his homosexuality," which caused the Mars' name to trend on Twitter.Nonetheless, Mars' rep called the report "completely fabricated" and "false," according to Gossip Cop. (credit:Alamy)

Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino(04 of28)

The "Jersey Shore" star reportedly hit back at housemates Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jenni "JWoww" Farley after they speculated about his sexuality and hinted he might be gay in an interview with HuffPost Gay Voices."Mike really ripped both Snooki and JWoww a new one," a show insider told The Chicago Sun-Times. Noting that Sorrentino is concerned such comments could hurt his brand endorsements, which are focused on straight male customers, the source added, "He's extremely upset."In the interview, both JWoww and Snooki implied that despite his playboy reputation, Mike has questioned his own sexuality. "He brings it up," JWoww said. "He'll say, 'People think I'm gay and I don't know what they're talking about.'" Added Snooki: "He told me one time, '[All the talk is] making me wonder.'" (credit:AP)

Jeremy Renner (05 of28)

The hunky star of "The Avengers" blasted persistent rumors about his sexuality -- as well as probes into his personal life in general -- earlier this month. "I want my personal life to be personal, and it's not f***ing true," Renner, 41, is quoted as saying. "And I don't care if you're talking about things that are true, you're still talking about my personal life.. How about I go peek in your window, take what underwear you wore last night, whose husband you were f***ing, and shove that in the megaphone throughout your neighborhood? How does that feel?" (credit:Alamy)

Oprah Winfrey (06 of28)

Speculation has swirled over the talk show queen's long-standing kinship with TV anchor friend Gayle King for years. But as Winfrey told Barbara Walters last year, "I'm not even kind of a lesbian. And the reason why [the rumor] irritates me is because it means that somebody must think I'm lying. That's No. 1. No. 2 ... why would you want to hide it? That is not the way I run my life." (credit:Getty )

Kelly Clarkson (07 of28)

Appearing on "The View," the pop star lamented the fact that she's never been in love and has difficulty dating, which prompt many people to speculate that she's a lesbian. "I'm from a small town so, like, everyone's married with children or about to have children," she said. "So it's a little hard when you go home and people are like -- and that's why people think I'm gay -- because they're like 'Why aren't you married?' And I'm like, 'it doesn't happen for everyone right off the bat.'" (credit:Getty )

Tom Hardy (08 of28)

The "Inception" hunk sent the blogosphere into overdrive after he was quoted as saying, "I'm an actor for f**k's sake. I've played with everything and everyone." Still, a source now claims Hardy, who is engaged to British actress Charlotte Riley, had been taken out of context: "He was discussing a gay role and quotes coming from the character." (credit:Getty )

George Clooney (09 of28)

After Esquireuncovered a website that referred to the Oscar-winning hunk as "gay, gay, gay," the good-natured actor quipped, "No, I'm gay, gay. The third gay -- that was pushing it." Friend Manuele Malenotti has also defended Clooney, noting, "You never know in life, and men are having an identity crisis but I can tell you George is not gay. All I can say is that George, when it comes to love, has decided that he is not going to get married again and he is not going to have any children and he won't change his mind." (credit:Getty )

The 'Gossip' Guys (10 of28)

Tabloid speculation over the button-handsome young stars of "Gossip Girl" has been rampant, particularly given the fact that Chace Crawford (right) and Ed Westwick (middle) were roommates for some time, according to New York Magazine. Westwick later blasted the rumors, saying, "It's funny because I love this f**king dude dearly. I would die for this f**king dude. He's my brother. But, by God, we are so into our f**king women it's ridiculous." (credit:Getty )

Zac Efron(11 of28)

Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has made no secret of his admiration for the "High School Musical" star, while other gossip sites have openly speculated about Efron's sexuality. Still, Efron has laughed it off: "I know it's very addictive to read that kind of stuff. It's entertainment. Honestly, if the worst [Perez Hilton] can say about me is that I'm gay, then I think I'll be fine. I can handle it." (credit:Getty )

James Franco (12 of28)

The 21st century actor, artist, intellectual and overall "renaissance man" has believably played gay characters onscreen numerous times (most memorably as Harvey Milk's lover in the Oscar-winning "Milk"), but Franco has downplayed the rumors about his real-life sexuality. "There are lots of other reasons to be interested in gay characters than wanting myself to go out and have sex with guys," he is quoted by Entertainment Weekly as saying. (credit:Getty )

Ryan Seacrest (13 of28)

Speculation about the well-groomed TV's host sexuality has been so rampant, even his girlfriend Julianne Hough thought he was gay: "He totally wasn't my type," she said, according to TMZ.com. "I thought he was gay." Several years earlier, Seacrest himself had addressed the rumors, noting, "I know a lot of gay males who I work with that are fantastic people and I love hanging out with them. But because I hang out and bring gay men into my life, does that mean that I'm gay? I promise you that I very much love women." (credit:Getty )

Taylor Lautner(14 of28)

Heartthrob Taylor Lautner, best known for his role as "Jacob Black" on "The Twilight Saga," may have gotten the worst of it all when a fake People magazine cover leaked in 2011 with him on the cover and a caption that read: "Out and Proud." Lautner spoke with GQ Australia earlier that year and refused those claims about his sexuality and proclaimed, "I'm straight." (credit:Alamy)

Hugh Jackman(15 of28)

Hugh Jackman is no stranger to rumors about his sexuality. Despite being married with children, the "Les Misérables" leading man recently told the Hollywood Reporter that the gossip "bugs" his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness. He went on to talk about his infatuation with Furness, saying that she is "very beautiful" and "unbelievably fun." (credit:Getty Images)

Whitney Houston(16 of28)

The late Whitney Houston was subject to rumors about her sexuality dating back to 1985. People speculated about her relationship with her childhood New Jersey friend, Robyn Crawford, who would become Houston's assistant and creative director. In a January interview with Oprah, Houston's mother, Cissy, spoke up about those rumors and said that she would "absolutely" disapprove if her daughter were gay. (credit:Alamy)

Whoopi Goldberg(17 of28)

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ally Whoopi Goldberg has long faced scrutiny about her sexuality. The Oscar-award winning actress and "The View" co-host once said in a 2006 New York Times interview: "No, I am not a lesbian. I describe myself as heterosexual. I think it is hard to have good relationships with anyone." (credit:AP)

Hulk Hogan(18 of28)

Even the immortal Hulkster isn't immune to gay rumors. After splitting with his ex, Linda Bollea, the former wife accused Hogan of being gay in her memoir, "Wrestling The Hulk: My Life Against the Ropes." The retired wrestler appeared on "The Wendy Williams Show" last February and told the TV host, "Just to say something spiteful and hurtful, I don’t get it...if it was true and I was gay, I’d embrace it, and I’d tell you guys about it and I’d celebrate it." (credit:AP)

Jake Gyllenhaal(19 of28)

Hollywood hunk Jake Gyllenhaal has faced gay rumors since he played a closeted gay cowboy in the academy-award winning film "Brokeback Mountain." Gyllenhaal denounced such accusations when he appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in 2011, speaking about his relationship with his best friend and stylist whom he calls "baby." Longtime friend Adam Levine called the rumors "very immature and infantile." (credit:AP)

Mariah Carey (20 of28)

Despite years of facing people's thoughts that she may be bisexual, Mariah Carey addressed those rumors when she spoke with The Advocate in 2010. Carey said: "If it makes somebody happy to say that, then whatever, but that’s not the reality. I don’t have a discriminatory policy of who I’m friends with, so yes, I’m friends with women who are gay — gay, straight, it doesn’t matter to me. So I don’t get upset when I hear that, because it is what it is. I guess I could lie about it to seem more exciting." (credit:AP)

Daniel Radcliffe(21 of28)

Daniel Radcliffe, who's an outspoke advocate for LGBT rights, has taken the rumors about his sexuality in good stride. The "Harry Potter" star, who was told that he had a "gay face" by a random commenter on the Internet, said in an interview with MTV in 2010, "If people want to say that, they can. But I'm not. I'm straight." (credit:AP)

Trey Songz(22 of28)

Trey Songz, the R&B singer known for such hits like "Bottoms Up" and "Can't Help But Wait," first encountered gay rumors when blogs started writing about the artist's sexuality in 2009. Songz spoke on New York radio station Power 105.1, saying, "The first I heard about it was on a blog about a year ago and I remember the actual day because I was with my manager Kevin. He said, 'Did you hear about this?' He said we ignore stuff like that but I was hot (angry) because I love the ladies. What I've learned in this business is that people will make their own reality of whatever they want to." In December 2012, a Twitter pic of two men kissing surfaced that had everyone pointing their fingers, saying Songz was one of the men in the photo. Songz responded on Twitter, tweeting, "On my way to Virginia to spend the holidays with my family. No senselessness, lies or hate can take away my joy. #LOVE" In fact, the picture was taken from Enrique Araujo's, who looks like Songz, Facebook. (credit:AP)

Harry Styles And Louis Tomlinson(23 of28)

Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson, best friends and One Direction band members, have been subject to gay rumors for a while now. Tomlinson addressed the gossip saying that it's started to affect how he and Styles conduct themselves."This is a subject that was funny at first, but now is actually hard to deal with in a relationship," Tomlinson said. "Me and Harry are best friends, people look into our every move -- it is actually affecting the way me and Harry are in public," he is quoted as saying. "We want to joke around, but there seems to be a different rumor every time we do anything. I act the same way with Harry as I do [with] any of the other boys and my childhood friend Stan." (credit:Facebook)

Will And Jada Pinkett Smith(24 of28)

He's gay. She's a lesbian. Both are each other's "beards." They are swingers.Hollywood power couple Will and Jada Pinkett Smith have long faced an onslaught of rumors facing their relationship, hearing just about everything in the book. The two have also faced multiple divorce rumors with some saying the cause was due to their closeted sexual identities. (credit:AP)

Matthew McConaughey (25 of28)

The Hollywood leading man Matthew McConaughey faced gay rumors surrounding his close relationship with cyclist Lance Armstrong. McConaughey spoke up and famously joked, "We tried it. Wasn't for us."In May 2012, the actor spoke with The Advocate and talked at length about his gay fan base, his thoughts on the gay community and how he'd react if he were to have gay children. He also elaborated on his own gay rumors again, saying, "Well, I’m really secure in my skin. I’m heterosexual, and I’m just fine with that. Those rumors have to make the rounds, and I know that I was fun target for them." (credit:WikiMedia:)

Dolly Parton(26 of28)

The country and gay icon Dolly Parton has seen her fair share of gay rumors, despite being married to her husband Carl Dean for 46 years. Parton's relationship with her childhood best friend, Judy, was subject to speculation and the artist compared her rumors with that of Oprah's, saying, "Like Gayle [King], her friend, Judy, my friend...they just think that you just can't be that close to somebody," Parton said. "Judy and I have been best friends since we were like in the third and fourth grade. We still just have a great friendship and relationship and I love her as much as I love anybody in the whole world, but we're not romantically involved." (credit:Alamy)

Ne-Yo(27 of28)

Gay rumors have long swirled around R&B singer Ne-Yo and he's constantly denied them. Ne-Yo, who is a father of two, spoke about all the gossip in a 2012 interview with Upscale magazine, saying, "That sh-t ate me alive...[I was] like where did that come from? Who are these people that have gone to such heights to try to make people believe this? They went all out with that story." (credit:Getty Images)

Kenny Chesney (28 of28)

Country superstar Kenny Chesney, who once was married to actress Renee Zellweger, got most of the heat from the gay rumors when Zellweger cited "fraud" in their annulment papers. Chesney went on record in a 2007 "60 Minutes" interview and said, "It's not true. Period. Maybe I should have come out and said, `No, I'm not (gay),' but I didn't want to draw any more attention to it...I didn't have to prove to anybody that I wasn't (gay). I didn't feel like I really did." (credit:Getty Images)

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