Kobe Bryant now has to pay for an “anti-gay” slur he made during the third quarter of a Tuesday night game against the San Antonio Spurs.

The NBA has fined Kobe $1000,000 for what it’s calling “inexcusable” homophobic language against a referee. Bryant told ESPN he’s going to appeal the fine, saying his comment was made in frustration during the heat of a game. NBA Comissioner David Stern says it doesn’t matter when the comment was made, “While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated.”

His apology isn’t enough. “The comment that I made, even though it was not meant as what it’s perceived to be, is nonetheless wrong,” Bryant said on ESPN radio.

The controversy comes at a time when the NBA was already planning a public service announcement campaign with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in order to present the league as being more “gay friendly.”

The announcement is set to air during the NBA Finals and part of the GLSEN’s “Think Before You Speak” campaign about anti-gay language.

“When it comes to homophobia, nothing surprises me,” said ESPN’s L.Z. Granderson, an openly gay sports writer.

“He finally apologized and that means he’s doing some listening,” Granderson said.

Sports blogger John Krolik said, “Kobe does have freedom of speech but freedom of speech is not freedom from consequences.”

Bryant seems to realize that now.

“There’s a lot of things that are being said that should not said,” Bryant said on ESPN Radio.

What do you think – does Kobe deserve to be fined?

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During last night’s game, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant used the word “fa***t,” a term that is commonly seen as a homophobic slur, when arguing with a NBA referee.

Kobe explains his action, stating:

“What I said last night should not be taken literally.My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period.  The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone.”

Though some believe that people are being overly sensitive, there are those that say Kobe just showed his true character. What do you think?

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Kobe Bryant’s former housekeeper is suing him and his wife over what she claims were really crappy work conditions.

In a suit filed in Orange County Superior Court in Calif., Maria Jimenez — who worked for the NBA star and his wife, Vanessa from September 2007 to March 2008 — alleges that she was forced to quit because of “intolerable” conditions. Almost immediately upon starting work, the complaint alleges that “Vanessa began a continuing pattern of verbally abusing and demeaning her.” Jimenez said she was called lazy, slow, dumb, a liar and was cursed and screamed at in front of Kobe, the couple’s children — Natalia, 6, and Gianna, 2, and others.

In one of the most shocking claims, Jimenez says that Vanessa screamed at her following an incident in which Jimenez accidentally washed an expensive blouse. “Vanessa demanded that Maria put her hand in a bag of dog feces to retrieve the price tag for the blouse,” the complaint alleges. Fed up, Jimenez says she quit but Vanessa demanded that she work until her next pay day to cover the $690 cost of the blouse.

Jimenez paints Kobe in a more sympathetic light, saying he once talked her out of quitting and made Vanessa apologize to her, but the abuse began again.

The couple also failed to provide health insurance, as promised when she was hired, Jimenez alleges. She said she didn’t learn she didn’t have coverage until she became ill and sought medical attention.

The action seeks unspecified damages, as well as back pay and overtime Jimenez says she is owed.

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The former housekeeper of Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa, Maria Jiminez, is suing the couple claiming that Vanessa was extremely abusive.

Jimenez says it got so bad — Vanessa allegedly “badgered, harassed and humiliated Maria by yelling and screaming at Maria and criticizing her in front of Kobe, the Bryants’ children, employees and other people in the household” — she threatened to quit but Kobe talked her out of it.

Maria is suing for wrongful discharge, invasion of privacy and emotional distress and unpaid wages.

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photo: bauer-griffin

Kobe and wife Vanessa have two daughters, five year old Natalie, and 2 year old Gianna.

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