Tracy Morgan apologises for saying he would kill his son if he were gay

American actor Tracy Morgan has apologised for the homophobic rant he made during a stand-up routine, in which he had said "he would kill his son if he were gay".

Morgan's comment during a June 3 performance in Nashville became a hot topic of discussion online after a disgruntled audience member voiced his disgust on Facebook.

Just after his on-stage rant went viral, Morgan issued an apology for his actions.

"I want to apologise to my fans and the gay and lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville," the New York Daily News quoted the 30 Rock star as saying in a statement to Gossip Cop.

"I'm not a hateful person and don't condone any kind of violence against others.

"While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context," he added.