Kobe Bryant Calls Referee Bennie Adams 'F--king F--got' (VIDEO)

"What I said last night should not be taken literally," he said. "My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone.”

Bryant spoke with Human Rights Campaign honcho Joe Solmonese -- who tells TMZ, "I applaud Kobe Bryant for his swift apology. We had a very sincere conversation in which he expressed his heartfelt regret for the hurt that his words caused."'

Kobe also said, "The concern that I have is for those that follow what I say ... look to me as a role model .. for them not to take what was said as a message of hate or a license to degrade ... or to embarrass or tease ... because that's something I don't wanna see have happen.