Thom Brennaman Recounts Infamous Incident, Details His Path Back From Cancel Culture With Dan Dakich

Thom Brennaman spoke with OutKick's Dan Dakich on Friday, and the former Cincinnati Reds broadcaster talked about what his life has been like since he infamously used a gay slur on live TV.

In 2020, Brennaman was on Fox Sports Ohio broadcasting a game for the Reds. Coming out of a break, he was heard on air describing an unspecified location as “one of the f** capitals of the world.” He later apologized on the broadcast, during a Nick Castellanos home run that has since turned into a popular internet meme. Brennaman was fired for the incident.

In recalling the events, Brennaman said he was unaware that the broadcast caught that word on-air. However, his superiors quickly let him know while the game was progressing.

“I got a text from my boss, and it’s a clip of what went out over the air,” Brennaman said on Don't @ Me With Dan Dakich. “It was off of MLB.TV, so people all over the world, if they subscribe to MLB.TV, they saw it, they heard it.”

Knowing that his career was likely over, he made an apology on air before leaving the broadcast.

“I knew that my career was crumbling right before my very eyes,” Brennaman said. “I did the best I could on live TV to apologize. I thought maybe I’d have a chance, get suspended, maybe come back (for) the Reds. But within 10 hours after that happened, I had been fired from everything…I went from making a really good living to literally making nothing the next day. ...

“I made a horrible mistake, I used a word I wish I could take it back. I wish I could change it, but I can’t. I’ve tried to right my wrongs.”

Brennaman Is Happy With How His Life Turned Out Since

After the initial incident, Brennaman said that several well-known LGBT figures in the sports world  - including former MLB player Billy Bean and OutSports co-founder Cyd Zeigler - forgave him for what he said. 

“I know they do…they certainly have forgiven me,” Brennaman said.

Despite losing a lucrative job, Brennaman said that the situation had a positive impact on his involvement with his family. Normally, he’d work long and odd hours throughout the year. But because he wasn’t working, he was able to move his daughter in to college, watch more of his son’s lacrosse games, and focus more on his relationship with his wife. He now covers high school sports in Ohio for Chatterbox Sports.

Brennaman expressed gratitude for how his life unfolded over the past three years.

“I was going all the way til almost November (with baseball), and then you roll right into football,” Brennaman said. “There is no doubt this happened for a reason. I really believe it's part of a bigger plan. I may not like the timing of the plan, and I try to do my best not to think I’m smarter than God above. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, I’m good, totally good. And been totally blessed through this whole thing.”

“I would not change the last three years of my life to have my career back.”