Fox News host Geraldo Rivera defended Alec Baldwin's use of an anti-gay epithet against a photographer, claiming that calling somebody a “cocksucking faggot” isn't actually a homophobic slur.

During the December 19 edition of Fox News' Hannity, host Sean Hannity criticized A&E for its decision to place Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson on indefinite hiatus following anti-gay remarks Robertson made during an interview with GQ.

Rivera compared Robertson's critics to the “fundamentalist gay activists” who criticized Alec Baldwin, who lost his show on MSNBC amid controversy after being recorded allegedly calling a photographer a "cocksucking faggot."

When panelist Rachel Sklar pointed out that Baldwin has a “history of making these homophobic slurs,” Rivera shot back, stating that Baldwin's comments didn't constitute a “homophobic slur” because such comments were “commonplace” when he was growing up:

SKLAR: When I heard about what Alec Baldwin - Alec Baldwin had a history of making these homophobic slurs. RIVERA: That wasn't a homophobic slur. SKLAR: Okay -- RIVERA: I mean if you grew up where we grew up -- SKYLAR: And yet he is no longer on the network, right? RIVERA: Sean, Baldwin and I all grew up within ten miles of each other and when we were growing up, in my year especially, those comments were commonplace. [CROSSTALK] SKLAR: Things have changed, Geraldo. RIVERA: You have to give people some slack.

Earlier in the day, on Fox & Friends, Rivera criticized A&E's decision to suspend Robertson as "political correctness that's gotten malignant."