Alleged Homophobia

Responding to a lawsuit, an attorney for American Idol says they may have told contestant Ian Benardo (pictured) to gay it up, but it was only stage direction.

Idol attorney Mark Goldberg wrote in court papers that telling Benardo to "gay it up is an act of acceptance and encouragement." This is Benardo's third suit against Idol. In addition to accusing producers of telling him to act more stereotypically gay, the 30-year-old says producers directed gay slurs at him, including "fag" and "homo." Benardo also says an Idol employee told him that he would "shove this mic up your ass." Goldberg denies the slurs were made.

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