Jamie Foxx got things off to an uncomfortable start at the iHeartRadio Awards on Sunday, March 29. After performances from Iggy Azalea, Jennifer Hudson, and Nick Jonas, the Annie star took the stage at L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium to begin his hosting duties with a roast-like monologue.
Foxx, 47, first took aim at rapper Suge Knight, who's facing murder charges for a hit-and-run in January. He then turned the spotlight on Bruce Jenner, making a poorly received joke about the reality star's transition from male to female.
"We got some groundbreaking performances here, too, tonight," the Oscar winner began. "We got Bruce Jenner, who will be here doing some musical performances. He's doing a his-and-her duet all by himself."
He followed that with another jab at the former Olympian, saying, "Look, I'm just busting your balls while I still can."
Viewers watching from home were quick to call out the actor on Twitter. Many accused him of transphobia, saying the joke was offensive and in poor taste.
Boo! Shame on you #iHeartAwards for allowing @iamjamiefoxx to be transphobic on national television! Those #BruceJenner jokes were wrong!!!
— Perez Hilton (@PerezHilton) March 30, 2015
That Bruce Jenner joke wasn't funny at all. Like what was the point of that?
— Marquis (@Casellono) March 30, 2015
.@iamjamiefoxx making transphobic jokes at Bruce Jenner's expense while Kylie is in the audience? Grow up & educate yourself. #iHeartAwards
— Luigi Mondi (@LuigiM227) March 30, 2015
Great music start to #iHeartAwards with @IGGYAZALEA @nickjonas @IAMJHUD but I could have done without Jamie Foxx's jokes about Bruce Jenner.
— Michael Sluchan (@theslooch) March 30, 2015
Had the @iHeartRadio Music Awards on for background noise and Jamie Foxx makes a transphobic Bruce Jenner joke. Click! Hockey it is, then!
— Hillary Kwiatek (@hillarykwiatek) March 30, 2015
Jamie Foxx making jokes about Bruce Jenner being transgendered was absolutely rude. NOT. FUNNY. AT. ALL.
— CHAD (@ItsAllAboutChad) March 30, 2015
Jamie Foxx's transphobic jokes at the iHeartRadio about Bruce Jenner were gross, glad they didn't garner much laughs
— Loki's Banphrionsa (@ReinaAtlantico) March 30, 2015
That transphobic joke about Bruce Jenner was not necessary & not funny at all #iHeartRadioMusicAwards
— LonelyHunter (@ChelseaMLVC) March 30, 2015
The transphobic joke Jamie Fox made about Bruce Jenner on the iheartradio awards was reprehensible. #tolerance
— Ashton (Rob) Haswell (@Ashtonhas) March 30, 2015
not cool, @iamjamiefoxx. you're better than transphobic jokes about #BruceJenner. be funny, but not at the expense of others. #iHeartAwards
— lauren tyler wright (@laurentwright) March 30, 2015
Seriously #JamieFoxx? #BruceJenner jokes? You're disgusting, that's not ok. It wasn't funny, just mean spirited and lazy. #SupportLGBT
— Angela (@AngelaPquigley) March 30, 2015
