Cynic’s Paul Masvidal Applauds Sebastian Bach Interview Exit Over Homophobic Rob Halford Joke

Cynic leader Paul Masvidal has applauded Sebastian Bach for his handling of a homophobic joke directed at Judas Priest singer Rob Halford while in the midst of an interview on the Sex, Drugs & Rock n' Roll Show podcast.

Early in the interview, Bach explained how heard that Halford does not require a pre-show warm-up, to which comedian Big Jay Oakerson replied, “His exercise is probably something gay he doesn’t wanna tell ya. You gotta gargle jizz, but I dunno how to tell you that, Sebastian."

Bach, immediately incensed at the homophobic dig, expressed, "Dude, could you not wreck this interview," while noting Halford is a close friend and that maybe the comedian should "skip those kinds of comments." Not longer after, he exited the Zoom interview.

Masvidal, who publicly came out as gay in 2014, felt that Bach did "the right thing" in leaving the interview while underscoring this incident as an example of how homophobia is "culturally perpetuated when a comic can use the word 'gay' in a derogatory way disguised as humor."

Furthermore, the Cynic guitarist and vocalist affirmed in an Instagram post, "This ain’t about being uptight. It’s about ending the normalization of homophobic bullshit. And in the same way that Bach has grown up since the days he’d wear 'AIDS: kills fags dead' T-shirts, Big Jay Oakerson needs to as well."

Masvidal also noted that although Halford later defused the situation (he quipped that he swallows, not gargles), that this shouldn't be a means for Oakerson to "feel justified" for his actions.

The full post reads as follows:

Sebastian Bach did the right thing:

Bach was honorable in walking out of the Sex, Drugs & Rock n’ Roll Show. What no one is talking about here is how homophobia is culturally perpetuated when a comic can use the word ‘gay’ in a derogatory way disguised as humor. Straight dudes need to stop being dickheads and realize how primitive and dumb they sound when they make comments like this. It’s demoralizing to reduce someone to a crass sexual stereotype. And this ain’t about being uptight. It’s about ending the normalization of homophobic bullshit. And in the same way that Bach has grown up since the days he’d wear “AIDS: kills fags dead” T-shirts, Big Jay Oakerson needs to as well. He shouldn't feel justified because Halford defused it. We need more of this as a precedent for how to be a decent, evolved human being in today's world. Thank you, Sebastian.

Earlier this year, Masvidal released the Vessel solo EP, the third release of a trilogy united under the title, Mythical Human Vessel. Listen here.