Memphis Garrett Addresses N-Word Controversy from ‘Big Brother All-Stars’

This season on Big Brother, Memphis Garrett caught some heat from fans about a moment where they thought he called David Alexander the N-word. The furor online became so great that CBS had to issue a statement about it, saying they used studio-grade audio equipment to ensure that Garrett did not say the N-word because if he had, they would have expelled him on the grounds of using hate speech.

Garrett recently addressed the incident in an interview where he also talked about mocking Ian Terry’s autism.

Garrett Said The N-Word Incident Is an Ongoing Legal Matter

#KPOP STANS/ #ARMIES/ #BLINKS: a contestant on Big Brother names Memphis Garrett called a black contestant named David Alexander the n-word tonight. Please, use your powers for good and get #expelmemphis trending pic.twitter.com/ixOROyHtR5

— ryn💐✨ (@baydayshoh) September 17, 2020

In the interview with Big Brother Spoilers, Garrett flatly denied using the N-word, but said he can’t talk too much about the incident because it’s an “open legal matter.”

“I can’t talk on that subject — on an open legal matter — so I can’t

. But what I can say is CBS verified that I did not say that. … I can’t really talk about it because it’s becoming a legal matter,” said Garrett, adding, “I don’t use that word. I don’t condone that word. I have never used that word and I don’t allow people to use it around me. It’s not even in my vocabulary.”

Garrett did not go into specifics about the legal matter, so we don’t know if it’s in reference to himself or something else. There were fans leaving negative reviews of his restaurants on Yelp during the incident, so perhaps that is what he is referencing.

Garrett Also Apologized for Mocking Terry and Thinks the Death Threats Need to Stop

In the interview, Garrett said that the conversation between him, Daniele Donato Briones, and Christmas Abbott where they were making fun of Terry was “all jokes” in the moment, but he knew he “went too far” and he chalks it up to ignorance of Terry’s condition.

“Unfortunately, I was not aware of Ian’s spectrum situation. Honestly, I’m learning a lot about it now and I’m reading a lot about it … I’m trying to educate myself on all of that. I’ve apologized to Ian and he accepted my apology and he’s actually going to send me over some reading material,” said Garrett, adding, “At this point, I’m moving forward and I’m going to educate myself as much as possible. If I hurt anybody’s feelings … I truly do apologize.

“It didn’t come from hate. I’ve stuck my foot in my mouth many times in my life and that happened to be one of them. I’m a grown man and I know where I crossed the line and I’m going to make it better. Ian and me have a relationship and we’ll continue to have a relationship.”

He went on to say that he doesn’t think what he did should warrant him getting death threats against himself or his son, River.

“I’ve had a lot of hate. Death threats … look, I made fun of Ian … and I apologized for that and Ian accepted my apology and the people that send me the death threats to me and my son and crazy crazy sh*t because I made fun of Ian, I think that doesn’t really make sense in my brain … you writing a death threat and saying my son should die because of me making fun of Ian doesn’t really make sense to me,” said Garrett.

“It sucks that people out there have that much hate in their heart,” he concluded.

Big Brother 23 will return in the summer of 2021. Until then, we might get a new season of Big Brother Canada this winter/spring and there is talk of a winter edition of Celebrity Big Brother.

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