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Reds' Amir Garrett, Matt Bowman Support LGBTQ Community Post-Broadcaster Comment
August 20, 2020
Cincinnati Reds play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman was removed from the team's broadcast Wednesday night after a hot mic caught him using a homophobic slur, per Jill Martin of CNN.com.
After the game, Reds players Matt Bowman and Amir Garrett tweeted messages of support for the LGBTQ community:
The Reds also released the following statement, noting that Brennaman has been suspended and the team would be "addressing" its broadcasting team in the upcoming days:
Brennaman used the slur between games of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals. After it went viral on social media, he began apologizing in the top of the fifth inning during the second game.
"I made a comment earlier tonight that I guess went out over the air that I am deeply ashamed of," he 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."
That statement was interrupted by a Nicholas Castellanos solo home run, which Brennaman called, before continuing his apology:
"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 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."
Field reporter Jim Day replaced Brennaman in the booth for the remainder of the game.