Leading Hollywood talent agency CAA signs homophobe Michael Savage; radio host attacks fellow CAA client Etheridgeg

Creative Artists Agency - one of Hollywood's most powerful and prominent talent agencies - this week issued a statement that it is representing nationally-syndicated homophobic radio host Michael Savage, whose latest punching bag is fellow CAA client Melissa Etheridge.

Real name Michael Alan Weiner, Savage - whose radio show attracts eight million listeners each week - took exception to Etheridge thanking her wife, Tammy Lynn Michaels, during her recent Oscar acceptance speech.

"Turn it off. Get her off my show. I don't care what her name is. I don't like a woman married to a woman. It makes me want to puke," said Savage. "How's that? I want to vomit when I hear it. I think it's child abuse. That's my opinion - one man's opinion. If it's illegal, tell me it's illegal to have an opinion in America. Maybe I can be excommunicated for having an opinion.

"I want to puke when I hear about a woman married to a woman raising children because, frankly, I think that it's child abuse to do that to children without their permission. What does a child know? Ask them when they're 16 whether they want to be raised by two lesbians or two men. What are the two men doing behind the other wall? You think the children don't hear it?"

Last year, MSNBC fired Savage for making anti-gay comments during a weekend show he hosted for the cable channel.

He referred to an unidentified caller to his show as a "sodomite" and said he should "get AIDS and die."

"His comments were extremely inappropriate and the decision was an easy one," MSNBC spokesman Jeremy Gaines said.

CAA Co-Chairman Bryan Lourd is gay.

CAA also represents Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Robin Williams, Keanu Reeves, Beyonce, Nicole Kidman, Stephen King, Tom Hanks, Vin Diesel, George Clooney and Jennifer Aniston.