No bad intentions. Lance Bass thinks Jax Taylor‘s recently resurfaced racist statements are due to his ignorance — and not because the Vanderpump Rules star harbors those beliefs.
“I do not think Jax Taylor is a racist or a homophobe and I have said that millions of times,” the ‘NSync alum, 41, said on the Wednesday, June 17, episode of his “The Daily Popcast with Lance Bass” podcast. “I would not be acquaintances with someone if I thought you were a flat out racist or homophobe. It doesn’t make sense.”
Taylor, 40, faced backlash earlier this month after he alleged that his former costar Faith Stowers had committed a crime in a resurfaced tweet from December 2017. Later, 90 Day Fiancé star Ashley Martson called out the Bravo star on June 9 for commenting on the size of her husband Jay Smith’s nose in a social media comment from 2018.
Bass’ husband, Michael, “Turkey” Turchin, recalled that the singer tried to explain to Taylor that making a negative comment about Smith’s nose had racist implications.
“When you said on the conversation, because I heard the whole thing … It was on speaker phone … You said the comment you made about the nose … That’s not OK,” Turchin, 33, recounted. “Lance said, ‘I don’t think you’re racist. I don’t think you said that with the intent of being racist … but what you said is racist and you have to understand you can’t just promote these racist things.’”
Bass added, “It’s like using the word ‘retarded’ … We all know that you don’t use that anymore. And if you don’t know that at this point … that’s just your ignorance.”
The Out of Sync author — who was partners with Taylor on their premium mixers company, Just Add X — said that he had hoped the reality star would have a fresh start from his controversial past through their business.
“Now you need to show the world that you can have your own company, that you’re looking for the future,” Bass said. “I thought this would be a great idea for him and to show the growth. And so I was happy to back him and believe in him. I always want the best things for him. But then this season starting airing and he reverted back to the same crap he was spewing.”
He added, “I should have known better … but I’m just trying to do the right thing.”
Bravo fired Taylor’s costars Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni from Vanderpump Rules on June 9 after their past racist actions resurfaced. However, Taylor wasn’t axed from the reality show.
Vanderpump Rules alum Billie Lee urged Bravo to also terminate the Michigan native alleging that he had been transphobic towards her.
“@BravoTV what about Jax Taylor?” Lee, 36, tweeted on June 9. “He refused to film with me because I was trans and called him out on his white cis privilege. Stop celebrating his disgusting actions. #canceljaxtaylor.”
Although Taylor hasn’t been fired from Vanderpump Rules, Bass claimed that he had cut ties with the TV personality over their company, Just Add X.
“It’s going to cost him everything,” Bass said on the Monday, June 15, episode of his podcast. “He’s stepping down from [our] Just Add X [business venture]. We can’t be involved and associated with any of this going down. We have to do the right thing.”
However, Taylor’s rep told Us Weekly on Tuesday, June 16, that the reality star offered to step down from the company after the Just Add X website was hacked last week with “hateful slurs.”
“The statements from Lance on the podcast today are not only untrue but also extremely confusing and shocking, to say the least. Jax is still very much a partner and founder of Just Add X and supports the team and the brand whole-heartedly,” the rep added.
