The Cincinnati Reds have suspended television broadcaster Thom Brennaman for using an anti-gay slur while on the air Wednesday. Sam Greene/Enquirer via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Reds suspend broadcaster Thom Brennaman for anti-gay slur

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Aug 20, 2020 2:17 PM ET

The Cincinnati Reds have suspended television broadcaster Thom Brennaman for using an anti-gay slur while on the air during Wednesday's game versus the Kansas City Royals.

Brennaman used the homophobic remark not realizing that Fox Sports Ohio had prematurely returned from a break:

(Warning: Video contains the offensive comment.)

Trigger Warning: gay slur. this clip aired tonight on Fox Sports Ohio when Thom Brenneman was caught on a hot mic. He later issued an apology to the people who sign his paychecks, not to the LGBT community. “That’s not who I am”—uh dude it was 10 minutes ago yes it is #byethom pic.twitter.com/j4HPHdN1op
— Efrain Schunior (@iieeef) August 20, 2020

In a bizarre moment of television, Brennaman offered an on-air apology while calling a home run belted by Cincinnati's Nick Castellanos:

Here is Thom Brenneman’s apology, absolutely surreal that a home run happened in the middle of it.

Sideline reporter takes over. pic.twitter.com/YLj7gCLTii
— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) August 20, 2020

Brennaman then turned play-by-play duties over to Jim Day.

In an official statement, the Reds condemned Brennaman and what the club referred to as a "horrific, homophobic remark":

pic.twitter.com/cdmmqsGjlg
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 20, 2020

Reds relief pitchers Amir Garrett and Matt Bowman tweeted their support for the LGBTQ+ community following the incident:

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.
— CountOnAG (@Amir_Garrett) August 20, 2020

LGBTQ+ community, as a member of the Reds organization, I am so sorry for the way you were marginalized tonight. There will always be a place for you in the baseball community and we are so happy to have you here.
— Matt Bowman (@bowmandernchief) August 20, 2020

The Reds had not commented on Brennaman's standing with the organization as of Thursday afternoon.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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