Tim Allen said he thinks the term "N-word" is worse than the racial slur it represents, the actor/comedian told the Tampa Bay Times in Florida

The 60-year-old said the backlash that keeps white comedians from using the actual N-word nowadays is a step backward from when comedians Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce used such language in their acts without any complaint.

"You want to take the power away from that word so that no one is offended by it," he added, telling a joke by Bruce about how President Kennedy defused slurs by using them to describe Jewish, Italian and black people in his cabinet. "If I have no intent, if I show no intent, if I clearly am not a racist, then how can 'n-----' be bad coming out of my mouth?" 

The reporter then told Allen there is no other word in modern America that can translate into 400 years of slavery and oppression like the n-word does for black people, for instance. Allen replied with the following:

"But imagine a world where, you know, literally sticks and stones, they break your bones but words (do) nothing. Maybe it's when (prejudice) goes away and healing begins, perhaps words like that, they'll become like 'mick' and 'dago' and all that s--- that doesn't mean anything."

The Home Improvement and Last Man Standing star's comments were published on July 22 ahead of his stand-up comedy tour. However, he reportedly made the comments last month shortly after celebrity chef Paula Deen admitted to using racial slurs in the past. A number of her endorsement deals and partnerships terminated after the scandal surfaced. 

In a statement provided by his spokesperson, Allen said he did not make the comments with the intention of offending anyone, according to The Associated Press.

Tags: Tim Allen