In a ‘hot mic moment’, Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman was caught uttering an anti-gay slur between innings on Wednesday. Less than two hours later, he was ‘awkwardly’ apologizing and exiting the booth.
“…fag capital of the world” Thom Brennaman took time to justify who he is by using his faith as a crutch. He didn’t apologize to the LGBTQIA+ community, he apologized to his employers. Fuck you and your faith pic.twitter.com/nYgVs1RltB
— Fuck Racists! (@RealAndrewM) August 20, 2020
By night’s end, the team announced Brennaman was suspended effective immediately, with a further decision on the Reds’ broadcast team due to follow in the coming days.
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 20, 2020
The Reds home network says Brennaman’s comment was “hateful, offensive, and in no way reflects the values of Fox Sports Ohio.”
Before the seventh inning in Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals, viewers heard Brennaman calling an unknown area ‘the f– capital of the world.’ Brennaman did not seem aware he was on the air, and soon started plugging a Reds pregame show on Fox Sports Ohio.
Brennaman later made a super awkward apology on air. During that apology, Brennaman was interrupted by a Nicholas Castellanos home run. Brennaman stopped his apology mid way to announce the home run.
Thom Brennaman apologized on-air and handed the broadcast off pic.twitter.com/fMXMmQz7Kd
— CJ Fogler #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) August 20, 2020
A transcript of Brennaman’s apology:
“I made a comment earlier tonight, that I guess went out over the air, that I am deeply ashamed of. If I have hurt anyone out there, I can’t tell you how much I say from the bottom of my heart that I am very, very sorry.”
“I pride myself and think of myself as a man of faith, as there is a drive into deep left field by Castellanos. It will be a home run, and so that will make it a 4-0 ballgame. I don’t know if I’m going to be putting on this headset again. I don’t know if it’s going to be for the Reds, I don’t know if it’s going to be for my bosses at Fox. I want to apologize to the people who sign my paycheck, for the Reds, for Fox Sports Ohio, for the people I work with, for anybody that I’ve offended here tonight.
“I can’t begin to tell you how deeply sorry I am. That is not who I am and it never has been. I’d like to think maybe I could have some people that can back that up. I am very, very sorry, and I beg for your forgiveness.”