DJ At Center Of San Diego Padres Controversy Apologizes: “I Ruined A Great Moment For A Lot Of People”

"I have felt the consequences of my mistake as my dream job has dissolved before my eyes."

From:  NewNowNext

 The DJ responsible for playing the wrong recording during a San Diego Padres Game has publicly apologized for the incident, but says it was an honest screw-up, not a homophobic prank.

The San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus was slated to perform the National Anthem at the Padres-Dodgers game, but as 100 members of the chorus assembled on the field, a recording of a woman singing The Star-Spangled Banner was played over the PA system instead of their backing track.

 The recording played in full, with no announcement, and fans reportedly shouted insults at chorus members as they left the field.

After the incident, Padres management terminated the team’s relationship with DJ Artform, who was responsible for the snafu in the production booth.

In a statement on Facebook, he accepted the gravity of the situation but underscored it was an “unfortunate mistake”:

My deepest apologies and sincere regret toward the entire San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus & the LGBT community for the incident that occurred during the National Anthem. It was a very unfortunate mistake but it was just that, an error.

I in no way, shape or form directed any type of hate, bad intent or discrimination towards the Chorus or anyone involved. The incident was not a representation of myself, San Diego & its amazing Baseball fans.

I have felt the consequences of my mistake as my dream job has dissolved before my eyes which does not take away that I am extremely sorry for the horrible mistake that occurred. I have family members & friends that are a part of the LGBT community & I have always been a supporter of Equal Human Rights, so it pains me greatly to see that I am being accused of acting intentionally.

As a former high school and college baseball player, I understand the importance of ensuring equality for all in sports and am appalled by some of the negative, homophobic comments made by fans related to the National Anthem incident.

I have reached out to LGBT leaders in San Diego and am currently in discussion regarding a meeting with the Chorus and LGBT leaders personally in order to be as constructive as possible about the error. I’ve let down my City, my family & everyone who had faith in me.

Once again,I’m truly sorry for this entire ordeal.

Calling into a local radio show, Artform seemed contrite in his apology.

“I ruined a great moment for a lot of people,” he said on Mighty 1090’s Scott and BR Show. “I should have intervened, I should have turned it down. There are a lot of coulda woulda shouldas.”

“I understand completely about the issues that have been underlying the LGBT community and the gay men’s chorus,” he said on the radio show. “This isn’t something I take lightly. So I have personally spoken to the [chorus] director earlier this morning. … I’m doing things on my side to be as constructive and proactive with this whole ordeal.”

We’re inclined to believe him—not just because he sounds sincere, but because you’d have to be a moron to plan a malicious act like that and think it wouldn’t get you fired.

The real issue is the fans in the stands who reportedly jeered and shouted “you sing like a girl” and “you never sounded better.”

Let’s hope the Padres, and Major League Baseball, make it clear such behavior is an automatic out.