*After being busted red handed for using racial slurs, Duane "Dog" Chapman finds himself in deep doo doo today. Production of Chapman's Hawaii based reality show, "Dog the Bounty Hunter," has been suspended because he repeatedly dropped the N-word in a tape-recorded phone conversation.

 

      As a direct result, the A&E television network said it stopped production while it investigates the comments by Chapman, who runs Da Kine Bail Bonds in downtown Honolulu and whose appeal as a folk hero has been heightened by the three-year-old show.

 

      The tape was obtained by the National Enquirer and published on its Website on Wednesday. On the tape, an enraged Chapman uses profanities and the racial slur while talking to his son, Tucker about his girlfriend, who is African American. It's not known how the Enquirer obtained the tape.

 

      Chapman berates Tucker for his relationship with Monique Shinnery out of concern that Shinnery will set him up because of the language he (Dog) uses.

 

      In a statement released late Wednesday, Chapman didn't dispute the authenticity of the tape and apologized for his use of what he called "a hateful term."

 

"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 the world. I am ashamed of myself and I pledge to do whatever I can to repair this damage I have caused."

 

      Ironically, Chapman's pastor, Tim Storey is an African-American. He was contacted by TMZ.com and told TMZ that he spoke with Dog, who cried for 30 minutes.

 

      "I'm shocked, I'm wrong, I repent. Can you believe, Tim, that I'm going to be put in the same category as (Don) Imus'" is what Storey told TMZ that Dog said.

 

      And what does Storey think of Chapman's comments? He says he's shocked.

 

      "I don't know that to be Duane. 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."

 

      Meanwhile, since he now finds himself in the same category as Imus, it looks like Dog has taken a page from Imus' book, so to speak. According to TMZ he has already contacted Rev. Al Sharpton, hoping to explain the racist telephone call he made to his son. However, based on the tepid response from Sharpton's National Action Network, it's not immediately clear that he will get involved:

 

"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."

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