Nov 24, 2006  |  By: ERIC ERVIN  | COMMENTS     

CNN IS RAISING EYEBROWS for two incidents that were perceived as homophobic by some gay rights advocates.

During a Nov. 8 episode of “Larry King Live,” comedian Bill Maher claimed that outgoing Republican National Committee Chair Ken Mehlman is gay.

Maher referred to a column by New York Times writer Frank Rich on closeted Republicans, who are often vocal opponents of equal rights for gay men and lesbians. Maher cited former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and former evangelical leader Ted Haggard; both men resigned their posts over same-sex scandals.

“But [Rich] said that’s just the beginning of it,” Maher said, according to a portion of the interview posted on Youtube.com. “A lot of the chiefs of staff, the people who really run the underpinnings of the Republican Party, are gay.”

King then pried Maher for information about gay Republicans in the closet.

“Well, I wouldn’t be the first. I’d get sued if I was the first,” Maher said. “Ken Mehlman. OK, there’s one I think people have talked about. I don’t think he’s denied it when he’s been — people have suggested — he doesn’t say.”

Mehlman has repeatedly avoided questions about his sexual orientation.

King said he was oblivious to Maher’s claims, describing himself as “walking around in a fog.”

“Ken Mehlman [being gay], I never heard that,” King said.

“Maybe you don’t go to the same bathhouse as I do, Larry,” Maher, who is straight, jokingly replied.

King asked Maher why would someone who is gay would publicly take on an anti-gay stance.

“Larry, because hating yourself is the greatest love of all,” Maher said.

IN OFFICIAL CNN TRANscriptS, Maher’s mention of Mehlman being gay is deleted, angering gay rights activists.

“CNN rebroadcasts and puts out transcripts of everything else, so why not this one?” said Linda McFadden, communications director of Equality Forum. The group issued a Nov. 14 press release demanding CNN apologize “for its homophobia” in deleting Maher’s original comments.

CNN officials could not be reached for comment for this story. In a prepared statement from CNN spokesperson Megan Mahoney to Equality Forum Executive Director Malcolm Lazin, Mahoney said the decision to edit the broadcast and transcript was a legal one.

“CNN’s official statement is homophobic. As a global news organization, CNN needs to repudiate the statement and apologize.”

THE MAHER INCIDENT WAS the second CNN broadcast within a week that was perceived as anti-gay. During a Nov. 12 episode of CNN’s “In the Money,” anchor Jack Cafferty first discusses the Democratic takeover of Congress and later in the broadcast talks about the comeback of $2 bills.

“What about the three-dollar bills? They are all in Washington,” Cafferty remarked, according to the CNN transcript.

Some gay activists perceived Cafferty’s comments as being anti-gay and in reference to the old adage, “queer as a three-dollar bill.”

McFadden said Equality Forum is not demanding an apology for that comment because “it’s very trivial.” However, she said it was “clearly low taste.”