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Audio of Michelle Shocked’s ‘Anti-Gay’ Rant Reveals Only Confusion

Michelle Shocked Audio Apology Anti-Gay Rant Show Cancellation Prop 8 Homophobia

Earlier today, Michelle Shocked issued an apology following widespread reports of a homophobic rant that blindsided San Franciscan concertgoers on Sunday. “I am damn sorry,” she said. “I do not, nor have I ever, said or believed that God hates homosexuals (or anyone else). I said that some of His followers believe that. I believe intolerance comes from fear, and these folks are genuinely scared.”

But audio of the performance, surfaced by the San Francisco Guardian (via Gawker), both contradicts that statement and further confuses the matter. While her mea culpa stressed that she doesn’t agree with more extreme “born again” Christians who espouse homophobic views, she seems to claim that the legalization of gay marriage could bring about Draconian law and, eventually, the end of the world.

After close to five minutes of rambling, Shocked begins: “I was in a prayer meeting yesterday and you gotta appreciate how scared … folks on that side of the equation are. I mean, from their vantage point, and I really shouldn’t say ‘their,’ ’cause it’s mine, too, we are nearly at the end of time. And from our vantage point, we’re gonna be, uh, I think maybe Chinese water torture is gonna be the means, the method, once Prop 8 gets instated and once preachers are held at gunpoint and forced to marry the homosexuals, I’m pretty sure that that will be the signal for Jesus to come on back. You said you wanted reality. If someone would be so gracious as to tweet out that Michelle Shocked just said from stage, ‘God hates faggots.’ Would you do it now?”

Um, what? In her apology statement, Shocked explained that the “tweet” comment was an attempt at “predicting the absurd way my description of, my apology for, the intolerant would no doubt be misinterpreted.” She must own a crystal ball. Around the 7:30 mark, some audience members contest Shocked’s statements and ask her to elaborate, to which she replies, “I believe that the word of God is just what it says it is: The truth.”

She then quotes John 3:16 in Spanish and finally begins to play. When the song ends five minutes later, the crowd completely revolts. “Don’t come to San Francisco saying that shit!” someone shouts. A venue employee comes out on stage to pull the plug on the concert before tensions boil over. Shocked’s microphone is shut off, but she continues to play before wrapping up and asking audience members to put a dollar in her hat. Listen below.