Jerry Lewis had some serious backpedaling to do after his comments a few years ago, and in his attempt, did graciously tip his hat to classic comediennes Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball, according to AP.

The offensive comment that he made went something like he thought women were funny, but not when crude. I could agree, but some who are offensive on a regular basis might find that…offensive.

He tried to clarify by saying, “Seeing a woman project the kind of aggression that you have to project as a comic just rubs me wrong. And they’re funny — I mean you got some very, very funny people that do beautiful work,”

Then got a little confusing as he added, ” — but I have a problem with the lady up there that’s going to give birth to a child — which is a miracle,” Lewis said.

So, you can be crude, unless you’re pregnant. I’m not sure what he’s trying to say, however, in his praise of Burnett and Ball, he did have some beautiful words. He said of Carol Burnett, “…when you have women like Carol Burnett, that’s the greatest female entrepreneur of comedy. I just saw Carol at the Smith Center at home in Vegas, and I was stunned by how brilliant she is and how brilliantly she brings the audience right up to her.”

Of Lucille Ball, he said she “went to the lowest level of the barrel, and she was brilliant because of it.”

His lovely remarks were made after a ceremony to put his hand and foot prints outside Hollywood’s Chinese Theater, after which he was to attend a 50th anniversary screening of The Nutty Professor as part of the TCM Classic Film Festival. He was accompanied by his only daughter, Danielle Sara Lewis. She is the youngest of his 7 children.

“This is an incredible time for me,” he said. “I have never, ever had an experience like this and had my daughter present. And this is the first time I’ve ever asked her to join me.”

That crazy Jerry Lewis.

Image Via YouTube