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Manny Pacquiao Is Banned From The Grove (Again)
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Boxer Manny Pacquiao is not welcome at the Grove after making homophobic statements, something he is wont to do. As the Advocate points out, the Filipino boxer, who is in L.A. training to fight Timothy Bradley on April 9, made some nasty homophobic statements recently. In February, he said that, "The animals are better. They know how to distinguish male from female. If we approve [of] male on male, female on female, then man is worse than animals."
"These are statements of hatred," Grove owner Rick Caruso told TMZ. "A lot of people from the gay community come to The Grove and they have a right not to feel uncomfortable...Manny Pacquiao is no longer welcome."
After the February statements, which were given on a talk show in his native Philippines, Pacquiao immediately backpedaled (basically pulling the "but I have a gay friend" excuse). But he was still dropped from his endorsement deal with Nike. And while HBO condemned Pacquiao, it's not stopping them from broadcasting the match on pay-per-view next month.
This is the second time Pacquiao has been banned from the Grove. In 2012, was barred from the shopping center for quoting the Leviticus passage that says homosexuals should be put to death.
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Guess Pacquiao won't be spending $4k on lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.
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