AceShowbiz - Vince Vaughn is at the center of a gay rights controversy after he was criticized by U.S. newsman Anderson Cooper over a joke in new movie "The Dilemma". The journalist was appalled after hearing Vaughn's pejorative use of the word 'gay' in a clip from the upcoming comedy, about a man who finds out that his best friend's wife is having an affair.

Cooper argues such language should be eliminated as it fuels teen bullying, which is currently hitting headlines after a spate of gay teens' suicides across America. He says, "I was sitting in a movie theater over the weekend and there was a preview of (Vaughn's new) movie, and in it, the actor said, 'That's so gay,' and I was shocked that not only that they put it in the movie, but that they thought that it was okay to put that in a preview for the movie to get people to go and see it."

"I just find those words, those terms - we've got to do something to make those words unacceptable 'cause those words are hurting kids. Someone else I talked to recently said that the words people use and the things people say about other kids online, it enters into their internal dialogue. When you're a kid, it can change the way you see yourself and the way you think about yourself - the worth that you give to yourself. I think we really need to focus on what language we're using and how we're treating these kids."