Dog The Bounty Hunter: Racist?

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Duane "Dog" Chapman has found himself in some hot water over comments made in a private phone call to his son Tucker.

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A&E has suspended production on its hit reality series Dog the Bounty Hunter in light of some—to put it mildly—racially insensitive remarks its star looks to have made during a phone conversation with his son Tucker, a recording of which was duly posted online by The National Enquirer.

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Link

Here's the audio Probably NSFW. Definitely lower your volume if you're in a cubicle.

So, here's my questions.

#1) Is an apology ever acceptable here?

#2) Should this be taken more lightly since it was a private, tapped phone conversation, and not a public statement.

I'm really shocked at the content of this tape, but then again, I was never meant to hear it. Opinions?


Edited to add: