Marty Brennaman conflicted after son’s hot-mic slur debacle

Thom Brennaman may have cost himself his career Wednesday night by unknowingly uttering a homophobic slur on the air.

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 opener of a doubleheader between the Reds and Royals in Kansas City. He was later suspended by the team.

His father, Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman, felt for him.

“As a dad, I hurt for him,” Marty told Cincinnati.com. “What he said is not a reflection of who Thom Brennaman is. I know that’s not him. But I also feel terrible for the people the comment offended.”

Thom was unaware he was live, which of course doesn’t excuse what he said. The Reds issued a statement in which the team said it was “devastated by the horrific, homophobic remark.” Marty has experienced a hot-mic mistake before. In 1988, he joked, “Kentucky fans can kiss my ass” during a broadcast of a Kentucky-Austin Peay basketball game.

“An open mic is the biggest enemy you have. You always have to be conscious that the microphone could be open,” Marty said. “The worst feeling in the world, if you’re not on the air, is that you say something, and you hear it coming back into your headset.”