Meredith Vieira apologizes for comments: “My support of the gay and lesbian community is longstanding and well documented.”

I have a lot of respect for Meredith Vieira and know she’s a top-flight journalist who seems like a really cool woman.

So I was really surprised how she handled an interview with some of the Oscar winners for The Hurt Locker the other day where she made it sound as if two men hugging meant they might be gay and if if it was something she needed to “worry” about.

I figured it was sleep-deprivation on her part but didn’t like it. I’m glad she has issued a statement to GLAAD explaining and apologizing:

“During an interview with the cast of the Hurt Locker on Monday, I turned to actor Anthony Mackie and made a joke about ‘man hugging’ in reference to a hug he and fellow actor Jeremy Renner had shared a few weeks earlier on our air. It was meant to be lighthearted, but some were offended by what they believed to be a homophobic comment. That was never my intent, but that doesn’t matter. Words are extremely powerful and should never be chosen lightly, even in a lighthearted moment. I apologize to any and all that I offended. My support of the gay and lesbian community is longstanding and well documented. It has not and will never waver.”