Did Joel McHale send a ‘mean-spirited’ leaked email about Bruce Jenner? No

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I am a big Joel McHale fan, so I was disappointed to read on Radar Online that Joel allegedly mocked Bruce Jenner in emails uncovered as part of the Sony hack. Radar claims that “In another mean-spirited message Community writer and actor Joel McHale allegedly sent to Sony President Steve Mosko, an online report that [sic] detailed how Jenner was taunted on the golf course he played at in Thousand Oaks.” McHale sent that message, which was simply the text of this TMZ report, to Sony President Steve Mosko. Mosko responded from his phone “Ha!!!!!!!!!!” which Radar claims is “a cold response to the story that McHale sent.”

The thing is, if you read the actual text of the message/original report, it’s about Jenner basically owning the bullies in the locker room. TMZ reports that Jenner was taunted, but they’re really positive toward Jenner and make him sound like the winner in this scenario. So McHale’s original forward and Mosko’s response seem like support for Jenner rather than any kind of shade. Here’s the original message, via Wikileaks:

From: “Mosko, Steve”
Subject: Re: This was in the E! News email yesterday
To: Joel McHale
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 17:10:38 +0000

Ha!!!!!!!!!!

Sent on the run

> On Oct 31, 2014, at 9:20 AM, Joel McHale wrote:
>
>
>
> “BRUCE JENNER TAUNTED ON THE GOLF COURSE
>
> Bruce Jenner has been taunted where he golfs everyday … by a few jerks who think Bruce’s new look doesn’t belong on the links or in the locker room. Sources connected with Bruce tell TMZ … almost everyone who golfs with Bruce at his country club in Thousand Oaks has been gracious … but several people are acting like 14-year-old boys. In one case … a golfer passed Bruce on the green and screamed out, “How’s your d**k” … suggesting it might not be there much longer. Bruce was cool — he laughed and responded by pointing to his crotch and saying, “It’s right here. It hasn’t worked in 20 years.” Another guy heckled Bruce in the locker room, mocking his ombre hairstyle and threatening to cut it off. Bruce still goes to the club religiously, and most people treat him warmly and with respect. As for the 2 idiots … it’s 2014, and people have a right to live their lives the way they want as long as they don’t hurt anyone. And Bruce can probably kick their asses in golf. (TMZ)”

[From Wikileaks]

So how is this “mean-spirited” or taunting at all? It’s possible that Joel is forwarding the message because of Jenner triumphing over the bullies, and it’s possible that Steve is saying “ha!” because Jenner responded in a self-deprecating and funny way. To me, this email chain reads like an acknowledgment that Jenner is handling jerks well. This is the problem I have with the wikileaks Sony material, it’s been interpreted in all sorts of ways without people linking to the original emails.

Radar also claims that director Cameron Crowe and former Sony exec Amy Pascal were mocking Jenner. They sort-of did, but it was more on Cameron than Amy. Cameron used the phrase “does Bruce Jenner want boobs?” as one might use the phrase “does a bear sh*t in the woods?” Here’s that exchange (which we covered briefly in an earlier story about the hack.)

From: “Cameron Crowe”
To: “Pascal, Amy”
Subject: Re:
Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2014 12:52:47 -0400

DOES BRUCE JENNER WANT BOOBS? HELL YES I HAVE SOMETHING
TO SHOW YOU!!!! (looking at tuesday)

On Oct 6, 2014, at 9:29 AM, Pascal, Amy wrote:

> DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW ME THIS WEEK?

[From Wikileaks]

That was tasteless, but it’s not the worst. Plus, who uses all caps in messages anymore?

In conclusion, Joel McHale did not mock Bruce Jenner, he forwarded a TMZ report about Jenner owning bullies. Crush intact.

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20 Responses to “Did Joel McHale send a ‘mean-spirited’ leaked email about Bruce Jenner? No”

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  1. Jamie says:

    The headline scared me, I’ve been on my McHale Crush too long to have it destroyed now.

  2. mia girl says:

    *Long exhale*
    I also love McHale so I came into this post holding my breath.
    So glad to see there is nothing to see.

  3. Beckysuz says:

    Oh good. I love Joel McHale. I don’t want him to be an undercover douche

  4. louise says:

    The guys at the golf course sound like bratty elementary school boys. Glad Bruce is not a wimp and does what makes him happy

  5. Amy says:

    Yeah the McHale one was totally not shading Bruce at all, not sure why anyone would run with that headline when the email so clearly shows he wasn’t.

    Uh also…the 20 years comment…aren’t both Kylie and Kendall under 20? Was that Bruce rounding up or being metaphorical?

  6. Mia4S says:

    McHale would appreciate a good comeback line. I’m no fan of Jenner but that was a good comeback line.

    Joel remains on my Freebie Five list but he’s getting closer to the lifetime list. 😉

  7. Kiddo says:

    On Crowe: It’s impossible to know the tone/intent. What transpired before? “Does Bruce Jenner want boobs?” could be like “Does a bear sh_t in the woods?”. It doesn’t necessarily intend to be mean-spirited because Bruce Jenner DOES want boobs. Isn’t it possible they spoke on the phone or another email preceded this one, where He tells Amy he has something to show her, but it’s related to work? It’s not the highest form of humor, but may not be the worst either. *** I just realized you wrote this and it somehow seeped into my brain, without realizing I read it, durr.

    The whole Joel Mchale interaction doesn’t even hint at being douchey. Joel ends with “Bruce kicking people’s asses at golf, to which Mosko says, “Ha!”.

  8. JenniferJustice says:

    Yay! No shade from McHale. I don’t appreciate the misleading headline. For people who only see that headline and don’t read the article, they think McHale is a douche and that’s not cool. McHale has Bruce’s back and my love!!!! BTW – Go Bruce! You’re still more man than those juvenile dinks at the golf course.

  9. FingerBinger says:

    These Sony leaks are getting tedious. I’m waiting for the pepsi versus coke and 7-up versus sprite leak.

  10. Ana says:

    Thank you for the “No.” in the headline because I got scared! I really like him.

    • Anne tommy says:

      I love Community- the pool playing episode is particularly hilarious, as well as providing Joel with the opportunity to show us what a fine figure of a man he is. But so far as Bruce goes…frankly if you have a sex change you can expect some tactless / silly / unpleasant comments. In an ideal world everyone would understand and accept but we’re not in that world. I presume Bruce must have factored that into his decision and decided he could cope.

  11. Suzy from Ontario says:

    It says on the email that it’s from Mosko TO Joel and is basically just repeating what he read in E! news.

  12. lucy2 says:

    Radar and their headlines are the worst. It’s all click-bait.
    I love Joel, he’s hilarious and seems to be a decent guy.

  13. nycmom10010 says:

    I used to know & see Steve Mosko fairly regularly, he wasn’t homophobic 15 years ago, far from it. So I have a really hard time believing his “ha” was meant in a nasty way.

  14. Vampi says:

    Oh FFS! “Anything, anything…Anything for money, lie for you, die for you, even sell my soul to the devil..”….. Who gets that? 🙂

  15. Laura says:

    Yay! Joel is so awesome. 😍😍

  16. FuefinaWG says:

    The golf course at The Sherwood Country Club. I’ve had the “privilege” of playing there and came to the conclusion that I would not want to be associated with 95% of the a$$hole members of the club who think their sh*t doesn’t stink.
    Side note: My super rich friend got tossed from club membership after he threatened a celebrity musician and then pee’d in the bushes while playing golf.