Photo Credit: Thom Brennaman/Instagram
In a shocking level of a lack in self-awareness, Fox Sports’ Thom Brennaman went on air and called some place “One of the f*g capitals of the world.” Seeming to have realized he was on air the second it came out, he resumed hosting duties but was suspended right there on air. Immediately after it happened, a statement came from the Cincinnati Reds saying, the “organization is devastated by the horrific, homophobic remark.” They went on to say that during that Brennaman “was pulled off the air, and effective immediately was suspended from doing Reds broadcasts.”
Brennaman apologized on air saying “I made a comment earlier tonight that I guess went out over the air that I am deeply ashamed of,” Brennaman said. “If I have hurt anyone out there, I can’t tell you how much I say from the bottom of my heart I’m so very, very sorry. I pride myself and think of myself as a man of faith.”
After calling a homerun, he continued with his apology saying, “I don’t know if I’m going to be putting on this headset again,” Brennaman said. “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 for 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 never has been, and 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.”
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 20, 2020
Fox Sports Ohio tweeted about the incident saying, “The language that Thom Brennaman used this evening is hateful, offensive, and in no way reflects the values of FOX Sports Ohio. We agree with the @Reds decision to suspend him until further notice.”
Now in a new op-ed for Cincinnati.com, Brennaman has continued his apology tour saying, “As many of you know, I said something hateful on the air Wednesday night,” saying it was “something no one should ever say.”
“I cannot erase what I have done,” Thom said. “The only thing I can do is humbly apologize, accept the consequences of my actions and resolve to be better and behave differently from now on.” He addressed the LGBTQ community saying “I am truly and deeply sorry. You should never be denigrated with crude and hateful language. I failed you, and I cannot say enough how sorry I am.”
He says he’s spoken with MLB exec Billy Bean, who’s openly gay and is going to work with him on how to “become a more informed person. I immediately plan to participate in diversity, equity and inclusion training and have reached out to PFLAG for resources and guidance,” Thom said.
Brennaman says he is hoping to “reflect on who I am and how I am want to be seen and thought of.”
“I hope the LGBTQ+ community, the Reds and their fans and the people of Cincinnati can find a way to think better of me,” Thom said. “With all the humility I can muster, I ask for your forgiveness.”
There is always talk about an LGBT agenda and what I can say is that the only agenda I’m aware of is to not have to be subjected to things like this on the regular and that there be some type of punishment because this behavior does not need to be normalized.
