Dog

I have never watched "Dog: The Bounty Hunter" on A&E, so prior to hearing this recording of Duane "Dog" Chapman savagely berating his son for dating a black woman, I had no sense of what kind of man he is. He sounds like a racist to me, but what do I know? Plenty of Republican politicians have proven that having sex with men doesn't make you gay, so maybe it is possible to use the word "nigger" six times in 45 seconds and not be a racist.

But racist or not, I do wonder if Dog Chapman is a man who appreciates irony.

You see, Mr. Chapman tells his son that he is afraid of losing his show if the son's girlfriend overhears him using the word "nigger." He is afraid that people might conclude wrongly that he is, in fact, a racist, and that his basic-cable gravy train might grind to a halt if the young woman were to report to the media that Dog appears to hate black folk.

Near the end of his profanity- and slur-filled tirade, Mr. Chapman makes the following statement.

And we're not taking a chance on losin' everything we've got over a racial slur.

The network has responded.

"We take this matter very seriously," A&E, which lent its full support to Chapman while kidnapping charges were pending against him in Mexico, said in a statement Wednesday. "Pending an investigation, we have suspended production on the series. When the inquiry is concluded we will take appropriate action."

Now, that's ironic, dawg!