Reds announcer Thom Brennaman suspended after using homophobic slur
Thom Brennaman, the longtime play-by-play man for the Cincinnati Reds, was suspended indefinitely Wednesday and acknowledged his career might be over after video showed him using a homophobic slur on a hot mic earlier in the day.
The 56-year-old Brennaman was pulled from the broadcast booth by the Reds after he said, “One of the f-g capitals of the world,” on the Fox Sports Ohio TV broadcast during the final inning of the first game of a scheduled doubleheader in Kansas City.
It was unclear what Brennaman was referring to. A few seconds passed before Brennaman, seemingly unaware his comment made the airwaves, recited a promo for the network’s pregame show.
Brennaman was removed from the second game in the fifth inning after videos of the incident made the rounds on social media, and issued an apology while looking directly into the camera for parts of it.
WARNING: This video contains graphic language
“I made a comment earlier tonight that, I guess, went out over the air, that I am deeply ashamed of,” Brennaman said before he exited the booth. “If I have hurt anyone out there, I can’t tell you how much I say from the bottom of my heart, I am so very, very sorry … I don’t know if I’ll be putting on this headset again. I don’t know if it’ll 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 that sign my paycheck — for the Reds, for Fox Sports Ohio, for the people I work with, for anybody I’ve offended tonight … I beg for your forgiveness.”
Brennaman’s broadcast partner, Chris Welsh, showed him support and said, “You’re a good man, partner. Hang in there.”
Fox Sports broadcaster Jim Day took over the play-by-play duties for the rest of the game.
The Reds in a statement announced the suspension and said they were “devastated by the horrific, homophobic remark.”
The team said it would address the broadcast booth in the coming days.
MLB announcers this season are broadcasting road games remotely, usually from their home ballpark, due to coronavirus protocols. Brennaman and his team were working from Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
Later in the night, Reds pitcher Amir Garrett posted his support of the LBGTQ community on Twitter: “To the LGBTQ community just know I am with you, and whoever is against you, is against me. I’m sorry for what was said today.”
Brennaman is the son of Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman, and has been calling Reds game since 2006. Brennaman has also called NFL games for Fox.
The doubleheader marked Cincinnati’s first game back since an unidentified player tested positive for the coronavirus last week, which caused three postponements.
The Royals won the first game, 4-0, while the Reds won the nightcap, 5-0.