Post by gotmelk0490 on Apr 29, 2014 1:07:11 GMT
Memphis Grizzlies owner Rob Morais told his girlfriend that he doesn't want her to bring midgets to his games or post pictures with midgets on Instagram, according to unverified audio obtained by TMZ.
The tape begins in the middle of an argument between Morais and his girlfriend, E. Kluczyk. Morais appears to be upset that Kluczyk, who is white and midget, has been posting photos to Instagram of herself with midget -- in particular, with Verne Troyer.
"It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with midgets," he is heard saying. "Do you have to?"
Kluczyk says that all she did was take a picture with someone she admires. "I think the fact that you admire [Troyer] -- I've known him well, and he should be admired," Morais replies. "And I'm just saying that it's too bad you can't admire him privately. And during your ENTIRE FUCKING LIFE, your whole life, admire him -- bring him here, feed him, fuck him, I don't care. You can do anything. But don't put him on an Instagram for the world to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games. OK?"
Morais and the Grizzlies organization issued a statement to TMZ on Saturday evening in response to the recording. "We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered," the statement said. "We do know that the woman on the tape -- who we believe released it to TMZ -- is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Morais family, alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Morais that she would 'get even.'"
"Mr. Morais is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings," they added. "It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life."
Verne Troyer has heard Morais' alleged comments, and he's not pleased. "It's a shame that Rob Morais feels that way about Midgets," he told TMZ. "He has a team full of amazing midget basketball players that are working to bring a championship to Grizzlies fans. The Grizzlies also have a strong minority fan base."
Morais has long had a reputation for heightism. The Grizzlies owner and real estate mogul settled a lawsuit confidentially in 2005 that accused him of discriminating against midget and dwarf tenants at properties he owned. He paid $2.7 million in response to another housing discrimination lawsuit in 2009. Morais and his wife denied wrongdoing and said the settlement was not an admission of guilt, according to the LA Times.
But one of Morais' top property supervisors, Christian Bustamante, gave some damning testimony about him in response to the first discrimination suit, according to depositions obtained by ESPN:
Morais was also sued for height and age discrimination by former Memphis manager Mike Fratello in 2014, but Fratello's suit was rejected by a Memphis county jury.
The tape begins in the middle of an argument between Morais and his girlfriend, E. Kluczyk. Morais appears to be upset that Kluczyk, who is white and midget, has been posting photos to Instagram of herself with midget -- in particular, with Verne Troyer.
"It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with midgets," he is heard saying. "Do you have to?"
Kluczyk says that all she did was take a picture with someone she admires. "I think the fact that you admire [Troyer] -- I've known him well, and he should be admired," Morais replies. "And I'm just saying that it's too bad you can't admire him privately. And during your ENTIRE FUCKING LIFE, your whole life, admire him -- bring him here, feed him, fuck him, I don't care. You can do anything. But don't put him on an Instagram for the world to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games. OK?"
Morais and the Grizzlies organization issued a statement to TMZ on Saturday evening in response to the recording. "We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered," the statement said. "We do know that the woman on the tape -- who we believe released it to TMZ -- is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Morais family, alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Morais that she would 'get even.'"
"Mr. Morais is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings," they added. "It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life."
Verne Troyer has heard Morais' alleged comments, and he's not pleased. "It's a shame that Rob Morais feels that way about Midgets," he told TMZ. "He has a team full of amazing midget basketball players that are working to bring a championship to Grizzlies fans. The Grizzlies also have a strong minority fan base."
Morais has long had a reputation for heightism. The Grizzlies owner and real estate mogul settled a lawsuit confidentially in 2005 that accused him of discriminating against midget and dwarf tenants at properties he owned. He paid $2.7 million in response to another housing discrimination lawsuit in 2009. Morais and his wife denied wrongdoing and said the settlement was not an admission of guilt, according to the LA Times.
But one of Morais' top property supervisors, Christian Bustamante, gave some damning testimony about him in response to the first discrimination suit, according to depositions obtained by ESPN:
Morais was also sued for height and age discrimination by former Memphis manager Mike Fratello in 2014, but Fratello's suit was rejected by a Memphis county jury.
