Yankees pull plug on Ronan Tynan after tenor's bad joke about Jews

Famed Irish tenor puts foot in mouth instead of singing with it

Despite the apology the damage may be already done as the Yankees  canceled his scheduled Friday night appearance during the 7th-inning stretch of Game 1 of the League Championship Series.

The Yankees talked to Tynan and Gold-von Simson to confirm the story and immediately canceled Tynan’s appearance.

The real estate broker Richard Rosenthal did not want to comment for this article, but Halstead Properties issued a statement.

“We are shocked that this happened to our agent and their customer,  "said Robyn Kammerer, Halstead’s vice president of communications. "It was truly an appalling statement and it saddens us that this type of behavior still occurs in today’s society.”

Tynan admitted to making the comment but said it was all in jest, Howard Rubenstein, the Yankees publicist told NBC New York.

Tynan called Gold-von Simson immediately to apologize and said he has agreed to make a donation to the NYU pediatric center where she works, Rubenstein said.

"A lot of my friends are Jewish," said Tynan. "It's something misfortunate, I was too stupid with my mouth."

Gold-von Simson said she accepted the Irishman's mea culpa. "Absolutely," she said. "It was a sincere apology."

It was an ugly incident for the celebrated Irish tenor and may well affect his career. His legs were amputated in his twenties due to a childhood disability. He went on to become a medical doctor, international recording star and motivational speaker.

Tynan became famous in New York after 9/11 when he was an ever present at the funerals for fallen members of the NYPD and FDNY. His performance singing 'God Bless America' at the Yankee games in those dark times helped create his celebrity.

He also sang also at the wedding of friend former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and his third wife Judith Nathan, and at the 80th birthday party of former President George H.W. Bush.

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Nster.com