Joe Scarborough took some time to crack jokes about gay Republicans in the Senate on Wednesday’s “Morning Joe” after discussion of Florida’s investigation of a teacher who showed her students the Disney film “Strange World,” which features a gay character.
Scarborough began with Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Bill, known by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” which has Jenna Barbee under investigation for potentially violating after she showed her class the film about environmentalism. Scarborough mocked the media reaction to the bill, which at first only applied to kindergarten through third grade for limiting sex education. But with the bill expanded to high school students, Scarborough asked when parents expected sex education for their kids.
Rev. Al Sharpton shared that he didn’t have to go to a drag show to meet gay people. He met them through church. Scarborough took the opportunity to bring Republican senators into the conversation.
“By the way, you want to meet some gay people?” he said with a smirk.
Sharpton warned him not to say it.
“Go to the Republican caucus meeting in the United States Senate!” Scarborough blurted out, causing Brzezinski to sigh “Oh, Joe.”
But the “Morning Joe” host didn’t explicitly name any politicians.
“I’m just saying, they are throughout the Republican Party in South Carolina! Everywhere I go, it’s out there. People are smirking, but I’m saying, I’m not outing anybody, but I’m just saying there are gay people all around, so don’t act like ‘Oh my God! There’s gay people in this movie, we’ve got to fire teachers now!’” Scarborough said. “It’s a great question, and I’m not saying this as a negative thing at all. I would like to know, does Ron DeSantis not have any gay people working on his staff? Does the Republican Party of Florida not have any gay people working in their staff? Do Republican elected officials not have gay people? Yes they do. I know they do.”
“Especially the Republican Party. I don’t know why. Republicans sit around dinner saying ‘Why is it that so many gay men are attracted to working for the Republican Party?’” Scarborough continued. “They just are. And it’s been that way for 2025 years. And again, Mika, I’m not not judging anybody. I’m just saying it’s really weird that these are the people that are playing Carrie Nation right now. About like, a Disney movie with one gay character.”
Watch video of the MSBNC segment at the top of this post.