Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman has been the talk of the internet since Wednesday night when he was used a homophobic slur on a live broadcast then issued an awkward apology before being pulled off the air.

Seemingly unaware he was speaking into a hot mic, Brennaman described something as “one of the f-- capitals of the world.” A clip of the moment spread rapidly across Twitter, forcing him to address the situation during the game between the Reds and Kansas City Royals.

With Reds outfielder Nick Castellanos at the plate, Brennaman continued to do play-by-play in the middle of his apology.

“I made a comment earlier tonight that I guess went out over that air that I am deeply ashamed of. If I have hurt anyone out there I can’t tell you how much I say from the bottom of my heart I am so very sorry,” Brennaman said.

“I pride myself and think of myself as a man of faith, as there’s a drive into deep left field by Castellanos, it will be a home run, and so that’ll make it a 4-0 ballgame. I don’t know if I’m gonna be putting on this headset again.”

One video of Brennaman’s apology received 3.3 million views in fewer than 12 hours. Brennaman has been trending on Twitter since Wednesday night.

The Reds issued a statement Wednesday night and suspended Brennaman effective immediately. There has been rampant speculation that he won’t return to Cincinnati’s broadcast booth.

“In no way does this incident represent our players, coaches, organization, or our fans,” the Reds said in a statement. “We share our sincerest apologies to the LGBTQ+ community in Cincinnati, Kansas City, all across this country, and beyond. The Reds embrace a zero-tolerance policy for bias or discrimination of any kind, and we are truly sorry to anyone who has been offended.”

Brennaman is one of the most well-known sports broadcasters in the country. He’s been calling MLB games for 32 years. The 56-year-old also broadcasts NFL games for Fox, where he has spent 27 years.

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