POLITICAL CORRECTNESS OUT OF CONTROL, SAYS COMEDIAN LARRY THE CABLE GUY -- "60 MINUTES"

Country comedian Dan Whitney, better known as "Larry the Cable Guy" to millions of fans, blames "out of control" political correctness for the anti-gay, anti-intellectual and racist labels his humor sometimes attracts. Bob Simon interviews the popular comic for a 60 MINUTES segment to be broadcast Sunday Dec. 17 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network,

"[Political correctness] has gotten way out of control," Whitney tells Simon. " I really think we are at a point in this country where people really need to take the thumb out of their mouth and grow up a little bit and realize there's a lot bigger problems out there than what a comedian did a joke about."

The word "retarded" has fallen out of favor in most circles but is used by Whitney's Larry the Cable Guy character for laughs. "I don't mean any disrespect by it at all. It's just a joke. It's part of what I'm doing," says Whitney.

As far as the anti-intellectual charge goes, it's also just a joke, says Whitney, on those who accuse him of it. "Anti-intellectual! What the hell? They don't know nothing�I laugh that off. It's stupid to even say that," he tells Simon.

With the highest selling CD and top grossing comedy tour, Whitney is raking in the money along with the laughs and is America's king of comedy right now.

Go to 60 MINUTES.yahoo.com directly following Sunday's broadcast for exclusive outtakes from the interview with Whitney, as well as material broadcast on 60 MINUTES; material will be also featured on CBSNews.com before and after Sunday's broadcast.