Dog Duane Chapman is going out of his way to kiss some black butt. He issued this apology:

"My sincerest, heartfelt apologies go out to every person I have offended for my regrettable use of very inappropriate language. 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. It was completely taken out of context. I was disappointed in his choice of a friend, not due to her race, but her character. However, 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 this world. I am ashamed of myself and I pledge to do whatever I can to repair this damage I have caused.

"In Hawaii, we have something called Ho’oponopono, where people come together to resolve crises and restore peace and balance. I am meeting with my spiritual advisor, Rev. Tim Storey, and hope to meet with other black leaders so they can see who I really am and teach me the right thing to do to make things right, again.

"I know that all of my fans are deeply disappointed in me, as well, as I have tried to be a model for doing the right thing. I did not do the right thing this time, and hope you will forgive me. We learn from our mistakes, as my story of overcoming a life of crime has proven, and I will learn from this one for the rest of my life."

The other day the heads of the Hip Hop companies were testifying before congress, and they said banning three words, which included "nigger," was not going to solve anything. The Hip Hop heads used the literary classic the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain as an example where the word "nigger" is used many times, and they said that book should not be banned, so they said the word "nigger" should not be banned from being used in music, or by people anywhere. When put in context, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, used the word "nigger" because at the time it was culturally accepted and a commonly used word. Dog grew up in a culture that used the word "nigger" to describe a person in a direct way, but not in a derogatory way if you take his explanation to his son as true, and since he didn’t know he was being taped, I accept his definition. Hip Hop artists use the word "nigger" in a derogatory way, and say using the word is their right. This is America, and Dog is an American citizen. Dog can say "nigger" any way he chooses, as a freedom of speech right. Saying Dog can’t say "nigger," is saying that blacks have more rights than other Americans. Despite my freedom of speech argument, which many with prejudice against whites will reject, Dog apologized, so the next step is forgiveness.

The National Enquirer got a hold of two taped phone calls between Duane Chapman, aka Dog, and his son. Dog is concerned that his son is dating a black woman named Monique Shinnery. For nearly eight minutes Dog threatens to fire his son Tucker from the family bail bond business if he does not breakup with that “black girl,” Dog did also say on the tape "it’s not because she’s black." What it sounded like Dog was saying is that he doesn’t want a black girl around, because if she heard them say "nigger," which he said they use that word sometimes, the black girl would take it wrong and tell the Enquirer, and the rest of the world would misunderstand how the family used the word, and their careers would be over. Guess what? He may be right. Dog doesn’t sound racist. It sounds like he uses the word "nigger" the same way blacks do, except without the derogatory meaning. Click here, or here, to listen to part of the first tape, which does not have a date as to when it was made.

After hearing about the tape, A&E issued the following statement:

"A&E has just learned of the story released by the National Enquirer concerning Duane Dog Chapman. We take this matter very seriously. Pending an investigation, we have suspended production on the series. When the inquiry is concluded we will take appropriate action."

A&E Suspended Production on Dog the Bounty Hunter, which means Dog might be fired, or at least indefinitely suspended.

Dog asked to have dialog with Rear End Al Sharpton regarding the tapes, and good old Al issued this response:

Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and the organization’s Decency Initiative are unequivocally against the use of the "N" word in any context. While people have the freedom to express themselves in any matter in private, when those private conversations become public, it becomes our responsibility to state, as we always have, that we condemn the use of this word as racist and derogatory. Dog the Bounty Hunter has reached out to Reverend Sharpton who is traveling to promote his March on the U.S. Justice Department on November 16th against Hate Crimes and Racial Attacks and therefore Rev. Sharpton has not had a chance to hear the audio of the remarks. However, until he does hear the audio, National Action Network maintains that is against the use of the "N" word.

Dog is now referring all phone calls to his Pastor Tim. Pastor Tim Storey, an African-American, said he spoke with Dog, who cried for 30 minutes, saying:

"I’m shocked, I’m wrong I repent. Can you believe, Tim, that I’m going to be put in the same category as Imus."

Pastor Storey, who performed Dog and Beth’s wedding ceremony, went on to say:

"I was shocked, because I don’t know that to be Duane." He went on, "I felt that he had to be accountable to what he said. When I asked him what took place, why he said it, he said that he was angry with his son about many things. The subject of his son’s girlfriend came up, and in his anger he then attacked that relationship and then therefore challenged the girl by saying she wasn’t good enough. What shocked me was that he used the N word. I know he’s not a racist. He’s been to black churches with me to help inner-city kids. I talked to Dog three times today and he apologized, saying he wasn’t angry at the girl, it was anger toward his son."

It’s not that the girl is black, it’s just that she’s not good enough to be with a Dog’s son, and because the word "nigger" has a different meaning for her than it does for Dog’s family. It appears Tucker recorded conversations with his father, and turned those tapes over to the National Enquirer, which is the ultimate betrayal. With holidays just around the corner, Tucker is going to be awfully lonely.