Stephen A. Smith Apologizes For Using The Word 'Homosexual'

Stephen A. Smith issued an on-air apology for — of all things — using the word "homosexual."

If you're confused by what was wrong with that, you're not alone.

On Monday's edition of First Take, Smith and company discussed a tweet sent by Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

That tweet, which has since been deleted, read as follows: “Boy STFU y’all be cappin too much on this app mf never smelt a football field never did s**t but eat d**k.”

They wondered whether Jackson's tweet could be viewed as discriminatory toward the gay community, and over the course of that discussion Smith said "homosexual."

That is apparently a no-no because he apologized later in the show.

“I just wanted to address, at the start of the show when we were talking about Lamar Jackson, I should have uttered the word gay,” Smith groveled. “The LGBTQ community prefers that over other words because obviously other words are believed to be derogatory in their eyes. So as a result of that, my apologies. I should have used the word gay.”

Stephen A. Smith apologized for using the word "homosexual," a word that most of us had no idea was even a "problem." (Photo by Shahar Azran/Getty Images)

If Even Stephen A. Smith Can't Keep Up With All Of This Nonsense, It Has Gone Too Far

First of all, is anyone capable of keeping track of what is and isn't considered "okay?" Because I certainly can't.

As you can see, Stephen A. can't either.

However, isn't "homosexual" like the official verbiage? The one that shows up in textbooks and on the paperwork. It's Latin, how could it be wrong?!

You can't expect people to keep up with the preferred terminology if it's being changed regularly. When a left-wing guy like Stephen A. Smith can't even keep up, it's time to slow your roll a little.

Who knows, whatever the case is, Smith felt compelled — or was compelled by others — to issue a groveling apology for something most people wouldn't have even noticed.

Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle