Tracy Morgan apologized over the weekend for launching into a homophobic rant during a stand-up gig at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Apparently, they still use the Pony Express out there, because the gig was two Fridays ago, June 3rd, and the situation didn't boil over until this past Friday . . . one week later.

The only reason it got any attention in the first place is because a gay audience member by the name of Kevin Rogers blogged about it on his Facebook page after the show.

We don't have any direct quotes, but what Kevin paraphrased of Tracy's act is still pretty shocking.  Here are some passages from his blog . . .

" The gays needed to quit being [wussies] and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying. 

"He mentioned that gay was something kids learn from the media and programming, and that bullied kids should just bust some ass and beat those other little [effers] that bully them, not whine about it."

 If that's not wrong enough for you, how about this:  "[Tracy said] if his son was gay he better come home and talk to him like a man and not [he mimicked a gay, high pitched voice] or he would pull out a knife and stab that little [N-word] to death."

Tracy also said that being gay is a CHOICE because God doesn't make mistakes.  In other words, God wouldn't MAKE someone gay.  (--Which is kind of an intolerant twist on the meaning of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way".)

And he capped off his rant with the following . . . which I've had to paraphrase even further from this guy's blog, because it was still too raw . . .

"Tracy then said he didn't [effing] care if he pissed off some gays, because if they can take [being on the receiving end of some delicious anu-sex] . . . they can take a [effing] joke."

Some people booed and walked out, but we don't know how many.

Once this thing blew up, everybody from GLAAD on down was calling for Tracy's head on a stick.  He quickly issued an apology.  Here it is . . .

"I want to apologize to my fans and the gay and lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville. I'm not a hateful person and don't condone any kind of violence against others.

"While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context."

For many advocacy groups, the apology isn't enough.  GLAAD, for example, now wants Tracy to meet with, quote, "family members who have lost children to anti-gay violence in order to help him understand exactly why his rant touched so deep a nerve."