DJ Takes Blame for Padres’ National Anthem ‘Unfortunate Mistake,’ Apologizes to Gay Men’s Chorus

DJ Who Played the Wrong Recording, Humiliating the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus Says It Was ‘A Very Unfortunate Mistake’

DJ ArtForm is taking full responsibility for playing a recording of a woman singing the National Anthem while 100 members of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus stood on the field at Petco Park Saturday taunted and feeling humiliated.

Offering his “deepest apologies and sincere regret toward the entire San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus & the LGBT community for the incident,” DJ ArtForm says in a Facebook post he “in no way, shape or form directed any type of hate, bad intent or discrimination towards the Chorus or anyone involved,” and says he is “truly sorry.”

“It was a very unfortunate mistake but it was just that, an error,” he adds.

The Padres fired him Sunday night, and he says, “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.”

Outsports reports that DJ ArtForm called in to local San Diego’s Mighty 1090’s Scott and BR Show Monday afternoon saying “there was no mal-intent or discriminatory actions.”

“I ruined a great moment for a lot of people,” he laments. “My stomach was in knots.” 

He says the cause of his error was a date issue on the recording file the Gay Men’s Chorus emailed him.

RELATED: Major League Baseball Will Be Investigating Gay Men’s Chorus Complaint Against San Diego Padres

“I should have intervened, I should have turned it down. There are a lot of coulda woulda shoulda’s.”

“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,” DJ ArtForm told the Scott and BR Show, who posted the interview to Twitter:

Outsports’ Cyd Zeigler asks, “Will the Chorus accept his apology and ask that his job be re-instated? That will be interesting to see.”

 

EARLIER: 

Honest Error or Homophobic Humiliation? What Really Happened to the Gay Men’s Chorus at Petco Park?

Padres Say ‘No Evidence of Malicious Intent’ Against Gay Men’s Chorus, Apologize, Fire Contractor

 

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