The most famous interrupted apology in sports broadcasting history

History · Published 6 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2020, a live broadcast of a Cincinnati Reds game took a surreal turn. After a controversial slur was caught on a hot mic, the announcer attempted a sincere apology—only to be interrupted by a sudden, dramatic home run.

Thom Brennaman’s career was defined by decades of high-stakes sports coverage, from the 2003 'Steve Bartman incident' for the Chicago Cubs to calling Randy Johnson’s perfect game in 2/04. As a mainstay for Fox Sports from 1994 through 2020, he served as a lead voice for the NFL, the Bowl Championship Series, and the Big Ten Network. He even lent his voice to several baseball video games, including the All-Star Baseball series between 2002 and 2005.

However, his tenure with the Cincinnati Reds ended abruptly on August 19, 2020. A homophobic comment regarding San Francisco was captured by a live microphone during a match versus the Kansas City Royals. While attempting to apologize and express his shame, he was unable to stop his professional instincts from taking over. During his on-air regret, he interrupted his speech to call a deep left-field hit by Castellanos a home run.

The moment transcended sports, becoming a widespread internet meme and a 'copypasta' used to mock insincere public apologies. The incident led to an indefinite suspension by the Reds and his removal from the Fox Sports NFL roster. While Brennaman later sought to make amends through the organization PFLAG, the fallout resulted in his resignation from the Reds. Since then, his career has transitioned to the CW Sports college football package and local Cincinnati radio, though the 'Castellanos interruption' remains an indelible part of his broadcasting legacy.

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