‘Dog’ put on leash after N-word rant

» Those working close to Da Kine Bail Bonds react to the controversy

» Transcript of Chapman's recorded conversation with his son

STORY SUMMARY »

A&E Network suspended production of its show "Dog the Bounty Hunter" yesterday pending an investigation into its star, Duane "Dog" Chapman, who spouted a racist tirade at his son that was later posted online.

"We take this matter very seriously," said A&E Senior Vice President Michael Feeney in a statement. "We have suspended production on the series. When the inquiry is concluded, we will take appropriate action."

Chapman, who is currently filming the fifth season of his series, was in Honolulu yesterday but declined interviews.

He released a statement apologizing to those he offended and asking his fans for forgiveness.

Chapman vowed to work with black leaders so they can "see who I really am and teach me the right thing to do to make things right again."

"We learn from our mistakes ... and I will learn from this one for the rest of my life," he said.

The National Enquirer first posted the recording on its Web site yesterday.

Fans and neighbors of the Dog defended and sympathized with the bounty hunter yesterday, hoping his reality show was not in jeopardy.

Chapman's Statement "I should have never used that term. I have the utmost respect and aloha for black people, who have already suffered so much due to racial discrimination and acts of hatred. I did not mean to add yet another slap in the face to an entire race of people who have brought so many gifts to the world. I am ashamed of myself and I pledge to do whatever I can to repair this damage I have caused." Duane "Dog" Chapman Bounty hunter

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FULL STORY »

With production of his hit television series suspended, Duane "Dog" Chapman apologized yesterday for his racist rant in a private conversation with his son that was posted online.

A&E Network, which produces "Dog the Bounty Hunter," its highest-rated show, said in a statement that it takes the matter very seriously and suspended production of Chapman's show until it completes an inquiry.

The National Enquirer, which posted the recording, said it had obtained two taped conversations of Chapman using racial slurs. It posted an 86-second clip in which Chapman uses the N-word six times and complains about his son Tucker's girlfriend, Monique Shinnery, who is black.

A spokeswoman for Chapman said the recording was 6 months old and that she had heard from a source that Tucker sold the clip to the National Enquirer.

During the conversation, Chapman, a bail bondsman in Honolulu, tells his son Tucker to dump his girlfriend, who was apparently trying to record Chapman using the N-word, or no longer work at his business.

"It's not because she's black. It's because we use the word 'n----' sometimes here," Chapman says on the recording. "I'm not going to take a chance ever in life of losing everything I've worked for for 30 years because some f---- n---- heard us say 'n----' and turned us into the Enquirer magazine."

In a statement in response to the recording, Chapman said the conversation was taken out of context and that he had been disappointed that his son was with Shinnery because of her character and not her race.

"I have the utmost respect and aloha for black people, who have already suffered so much due to racial discrimination and acts of hatred," he said. "I am ashamed of myself and pledge to do whatever I can to repair this damage I have caused."

He continued, "I am deeply disappointed in myself for speaking out of anger to my son and using such a hateful term in a private phone conversation."

A woman who answered the phone at Shinnery's Oahu residence yesterday said she was unavailable for comment.

Seeking a resolution, Chapman said he is working with his spiritual adviser, the Rev. Tim Storey, who is black, and hopes to work with black leaders who can "teach me the right thing to do to make things right again."

"I know that all of my fans are deeply disappointed in me," he said. "I did not do the right thing this time and hope you will forgive me."

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Conversation recorded

This is a transcript of Duane "Dog" Chapman's recorded comments that led to his show's suspension. Chapman appears to be telling his son Tucker that Tucker cannot date a black woman because she might overhear Chapman and his associates using the N-word in casual conversation and take offense. Chapman also mentions his son Garry, daughters Bonnie and Lyssa, and wife Beth's daughter Cecily.

Chapman: Don't care if she's a Mexican, a whore, whatever. It's not 'cause she's black. It's because we use the word "n_____" sometimes here. I'm not going to take a chance ever in life by losing everything I've worked for for 30 years for some f____ n_____ heard us say "n_____" and turned us in to the Enquirer magazine -- our career is over. I'm not taking that chance at all, never in life, never. Never. ... If Lyssa was dating a n_____, we would all say f___ you. And you know that. If Lyssa brought a black guy home ... It's not that they're black. It's none of that. It's that we use the word "n____." We don't mean "you f___ scum n_____ without a soul." We don't mean that s___, but America would think we're meaning that. And we're not taking a chance and losing everything we've got over a racial slur. Because our son goes with a girl like that, I can't do that, Tucker, you can't expect Garry, Bonnie, Cecily, all them young kids ... 'cause I'm in love for seven months, I ... f___ that. ... So I'll help you get another job, but you cannot work here unless you break up with her and she's out of your life. I can't handle that s___. I've got 'em in the parking lot trying to record us. I've got that girl saying she's going to wear a recorder. ...

Tucker: I ... I ... don't even know what to say.

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Supporters stand by Dog, criticize media spotlight

Fans and neighbors of the Dog defended the bounty hunter yesterday and expressed hope his A&E reality show is not in jeopardy from his use of racial slurs in a taped conversation.

"What he does in private shouldn't affect the show whatsoever," said Amy Lusk, 23, of Aubrey, Texas, who hoped to catch a glimpse of Duane "Dog" Chapman and his son Leland at his Honolulu Da Kine Bail Bonds office.

"Hopefully, you're wrong," she told a reporter who informed her the show might be suspended. "There'll be a lot of upset people."

A&E suspended the show yesterday after the conversation was posted on the National Enquirer Web site in which Chapman uttered the N-word six times in a talk with his son Tucker about dumping his black girlfriend.

Tori Brown, 24, and her fiance specifically traveled with Lusk to Hawaii to search for the Dog and had made three trips to the Queen Emma Street office, disappointed at the sign that said, "Closed for Halloween."

"We came to give him a hug," she said. "Hasn't he gone through enough stuff?"

She added, "With all that he's had to deal with in Mexico when he's taking a rapist off the street, give him a break."

She referred to his being wanted by the Mexican government after he took custody of Max Factor heir Andrew Luster, who was wanted for rape and kidnapping. Bounty hunting is illegal in Mexico, unless supervised by Mexican authorities. That case has been dismissed.

Lusk criticized the media's exploitation of celebrities' voice mails and said, "Everybody says things they don't mean."

She added, "That's the way our society is. We build somebody up, then we knock 'em down."

Business neighbors of Chapman's bail bond business were shocked at the news.

"Oh, my goodness," said Lani Nguyen, owner of Skippy's Vietnamese Food next door to the bail bonds office. "He very, very nice person."

She said everyone has good and bad in them, "sometime very good with a little bit bad."

"He talk nice with everyone," she said, pointing to photos of herself taken with Chapman. "All family very nice."

Chong Kum Park, who owns the Queen Emma Mart next to the Dog's memorabilia store, agreed. She said Chapman often buys candy for the neighborhood children who hang around the store.

Park said when Chapman's son worked at the office, he had come and introduced his girlfriend, who is black. "Son doesn't work there no more," she said.

"Went to wedding," she said, pointing to the photo of Duane and Beth Chapman's wedding photo on a shelf. "We thought really nice family."

"I like the Dog," Park said.

Brown said if she could send Chapman a message, she would say, "We love you and support you, and that's that."