The Boston angle of the Ronan Tynan story

March 15, 2010 by Benjamin Kabak 52 Comments

When the embattled Ronan Tynan departed New York for Boston, many in New York wondered he would defect to the Red Sox and grace (or torture, depending upon your view of things) Fenway Park with his rendition of “God Bless America.” If The Boston Globe’s Kevin Cullen has his way, that’s exactly what Tynan will be doing come Opening Day when the Yanks are in town. Cullen profiled Tynan’s move up to Boston in the wake of fall from Yankee grace following a joke made at the expense of two of Tynan’s Jewish neighbors. While the tenor continues to insist that some of his best friends are Jewish and that his joke was not meant to be malicious, he had to leave the city after few wanted to fraternize with him. Whether he takes the mic at Fenway in three weeks or not, I can’t say I’ll miss him too much.

bexarama

as I posted in the open thread, sorta:

The Red Sox are playing the Yankees on Opening Day at Fenway, which is really Opening Night, April 4. How sweet would it be for the Yankees front office to sit there and watch Ronan Tynan walk to the microphone on his artificial legs and unleash that voice in Fenway Park?
I think the members of the Yankee front office are gonna be too busy looking at their pretty shiny 2009 World Series rings to be like “oh crap, Ronan Tynan!!! What’ll we do now!”
Hughesus Christo

If only we could get them to stop playing the Kate Smith track EVERY DAY. SOmeone needs to introduce the Steinbrenners to the concept of “F’d Out”

They’re trying to “F Out” God Bless America.
- LI Kevin
  
  How about Ray Charles’s “America The Beautiful”?
  They played it the day after he died and it was really good.
  - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a The Large Sample Size
    
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhnUgAaea4M (NSFW)
http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime (Optimovelist Primus)

“If you don’t have anything nice to say”….
- http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a The Large Sample Size
  
  Oh, it’s so hot out. I thought it was June, but I guess it must be JEW-LY!!!!
  
  /Tynan’d
  - Mike HC
    
    /use a meme to disguise your true intent (Im just messing around)
    
    Maybe that was Tynan’s biggest mistake. He didn’t use a meme at the end of the joke to get away with it. Like, “Mel Gibson’d” or something.
    - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a The Large Sample Size
      
      You may be on to something.
      - joe
        
        We can’t blame Ronan he was probably drunk
        /Irish’d
        
        joe
        
        btw I can’t wait for St. Patrick’s Day … early Mass then drinking all day
Poopy Pants

I don’t blame him. He’s got to work. The Yankees believed a BS story (it was pretty much fiction) in a NYC tabloid, without listening to his side of the story. The Yankees should be ashamed of themselves for firing him.
I’m glad things are working out for him.
- http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak
  
  How is it a BS story that was a fiction of the tabloid? He never denied making those comments. He has simply said that he didn’t intend for them to be anti-Semitic or malicious. He can’t unsay what he said, and what he said was inappropriate and offensive.
  - http://www.puristbleedspinstripes.com Rebecca-Optimist Prime (Optimovelist Primus)
    
    Agreed.
    
    If you are a public figure, you have a duty to mind your words, which clearly Tynan did not.
  - http://www.mystiqueandaura.com Steve H
    
    He can’t unsay what he said, and what he said was inappropriate and offensive.
    
    He’s actually trying this. He’s changing what he admitted to saying 6 months ago. The original stories claimed he said “as long as they’re not Jewish”, which he didn’t deny, and likely admitted to as he admitted he said what was written in the email. Now he’s claiming that he said, “as long as it’s not those two Jewish ladies (from before).” Huge difference in those two statements, and if that’s truly what he had said, why wait 6 months to clear the air?
    - Accent Shallow
      
      The explanation I read (thanks Wikipedia!) is that he said “as long as they’re not Jewish”, and when called on it, said something about that being scary, and then explained the exacting previous prospective tenants.
      
      Which seems . . . iffy. Like I said below, why make charged remarks in unknown company, even if you mean nothing by them?
  - http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0902/mlb.alex.rodriguez.through.the.years/images/1993.alex-rodriguez.jpg Drew
    
    LOL.
    
    +1
    
    Those who take the “he didn’t do anything wrong” stance are misinformed.
  - Jammy Jammers
    
    It’s all about context. Sadly, in this country context means nothing because we are a society of knee-jerk dummies.
    
    It doesn’t help things when a blogger writes:
    “Cullen profiled Tynan’s move up to Boston in the wake of fall from Yankee grace following a joke made at the expense of two of Tynan’s Jewish neighbors.”
    
    First of all, they weren’t even neighbors. They were were people looking at an apartment. Right there, you can see the ‘writer’ is not concerned with ‘facts’. The writer is trying to incite a very specific reaction from the reader.
    
    Second, he wasn’t saying he doesn’t want Jewish people moving into his biulding. He was referencing the two extremely rude Jewish people he encountered before.
    
    It’s absolutely no different than if the rude people were wearing purple hats and if he later said “As long as they don’t wear purple hats.”
    
    This kind of hypersensitivity makes me embarrassed to be an American.
    - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a The Large Sample Size
      
      It’s absolutely no different than if the rude people were wearing purple hats and if he later said “As long as they don’t wear purple hats.”
      
      You’re right, it’s no different. They’re both stupidly ignorant and bigoted things to say. Being bigoted against Jews or being bigoted against people wearing purple hats is still bigotry, it’s still asinine, and it’s still wrong.
      
      If I wear a purple hat and you wear a purple hat, does that mean we’re both identical people who behave identically in all situations? No. So, even if Tynan’s previous neighbors (who were Jewish) were horrible neighbors who smelled like trash and pissed in the staircase and banged loud music all night and constantly had the cops coming to their apartment and illegally subdivided their space and created a fire hazard and lord knows what the hell else, even if they were the single worst neighbors in history, nothing about their Jewishness has anything to do with their desirability as neighbors. It offers no predictive value.
      
      There’s no need to reference the Jewishness of the two extremely rude Jewish people he encountered before, because their Jewishness has no bearing on their rudeness. Since he DID make the connection, it’s obvious that he thinks it has connective value. Hence, he’s a bigot.
  - on the Park on the UWS
    
    “he can’t unsay what he said” HOW ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE NEVER SAID IT IN THE FIRST PLACE! saying “as long as it’s not those two Jewish ladies” compared to saying “as long as it’s not Jews” is a huge difference…do your math before you slew slander and libel!
- Accent Shallow
  
  Moral of the story: don’t make racially charged jokes in unknown company, even if said jokes are not intended as barbs, and lead back to an innocuous incident.
http://yanksgoyard.com Andy_C_23

The Yanks should give out the rings at Fenway on Opening Night.
http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a The Large Sample Size

Dear Boston:

We’ll take Babe Ruth, Everett Scott, Waite Hoyt, Carl Mays, Herb Pennock, Red Ruffing, Ed Barrow, and 27 World Championships.

You guys can have Dom DiMaggio and Ronan Tynan. Enjoy.

Sincerely,
The Yankees
- Andy In Sunny Daytona
  
  The Yankees just signed Ted Williams severed head to an 8-year deal, effective when science is able to re-animate him.
  - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a The Large Sample Size
    
    All your base are belong to us.
  - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a The Large Sample Size
    
    Hey Andy, did you see my four-round mock draft in the open thread?
    
    http://riveraveblues.com/2010/03/open-thread-a-day-off-25175/#comment-803955
    
    Tebow to the Texans in the 3rd round. Tell me that shit doesn’t make sense. He can play behind Schaub and give them a little Wildcatesque action, maybe even run some straight option with Steve Slaton. But he’s clearly not the starter (or even the QB ofthe future), he can just play his role. It’s his best fit.
    - Andy In Sunny Daytona
      
      I saw your mock draft, all I can say is, WOW. You know your football. BUT, Tebow is a stone-lock guarantee to be drafted by the Jaguars. He will temporarily save the franchise. Temporarily. They have the Los Angeles Jaguars written all over them. Buy the domain name now.
      - http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak
        
        Psst. Guys. Remember what Mike said about keeping the in-discussions and off-topic stuff to the Open Thread and Off-Topic thread. Yeah, that.
        
        http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a The Large Sample Size
        
        We have shamed ourselves. A thousand pardons, Kabak.
        
        BTW, you’re a dirty jew and I hate you. There, see? I’m back on topic. HUZZAH!!!!
        
        Shits and Giggles
        
        LOL.
        
        Andy In Sunny Daytona
        
        Sorry Ben, Mike and Joe.
- thurdonpaul
  
  lol ietc
Mark

Man if they let him sing, can’t wait to see what Nomaas comes up with.
- Andy In Sunny Daytona
  
  Something in the “Sloth Fratelli” area, I presume.
Ellf87

First Time Long Time,

I just realized that Ronan Tynan first started singing for the Yankees after 9/11, at which point the Yankees immediately lost a World Series (shake of the head and tsk). After he leaves, I hear the only phrase I’ve ever enjoyed hearing from Joe Buck, “The Yankees are back on top!” Coincidence? Maybe. Complaining? Not at all.
- http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a The Large Sample Size
  
  Coincidence? ~~Maybe.~~ Yes.
  
  Welcome aboard, though. Comment more often!
- http://www.yfsf.org AndrewYF
  
  Also known as:
  
  The curse of a Republican President/Congress
  The curse of Hillary
  The curse of the non-bookend years of the ‘oughts’ decade
  - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a The Large Sample Size
    
    People actually said these things? Sweet Mo, I hate humanity.
  - bexarama
    
    you forgot The Curse of the Piazza Bat (Mets fans who like to think they’re important only)
- on the Park on the UWS
  
  HE STARTED SINGING IN 2000 NUMBNUTS!
Bryan

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-july-10-2000/moment-of-zen—bean-ball
YankeeGrunt

Even if you believe Tynan and thing much ado was made about very little, it’s still pathetic that some in Sox-land are happy to slap a jersey on a guy fired for anti-Semitism just as a way of sticking it to the Yankees. The only reason they want him is because he was fired by the Yankees and the only reason he was fired by the Yankees is because he was insensitive toward Jewish people.
- Mister Delaware
  
  What I really don’t get is why they think this would bother any of us. I’m an irish guy living in Boston and I couldn’t care less that Tynan is now singing for them; if anything it makes them look bad. The logic just fails me. Like would it have been a massive ‘in your face, Sox fans’ moment if we’d had that goof Jimmy Fallon rush the field after Game 6 last year?
HC

The Yankees F-ed up and gave in to the PC Police. It’s really silly.
- Mister Delaware
  
  Ah, the old “no one actually opposes to jokes about other races/sexes/denominations, they just pretend to in an attempt to satisfy a non-existant entity” theory. Well done.
- Tiki
  
  While I don’t care for the daily G-d Bless America I did and do take offense to Tynan’s comments. In fact, after learning about Tynan’s life story I found his bias and insensitivity shocking. The idea that he wasn’t even embarrassed to express his bias out loud is actually a little unnerving.
  If you think the Yankees gave into the PC Police, you might want to check out the religion of more than a few in the front office and a large number of fans. Having a bigot sing G-d Bless America sort of negates the meaning of the song, don’t you think?
  Yes, I’m Jewish and I’ve been turned away from private clubs and living communities not to mention the things said to me over the years – I’m not the PC Police but I am a fan, a paying fan, an American, and a human being; I would find it offensive to have to listen to Ronan Tynan sign G-d Bless America.
  I hope Kevin Youkilis enjoys it.
  - on the Park on the UWS
    
    Answer me this, how does Ronan Tynan merely quoting a Jewish real estate agent by saying “as long as it’s not those two Jewish ladies” make him a bigot? The ignorance in your statement is disgusting, learn the truth before you go on the attack, if you don’t plan on it, then just do us all a favor and SHUT UP.
Slu

I wish they’d stop the whole “God Bless America” thing as it is. It is a shame they didn’t use this as a reason to stop it altogether.
bobmac

The Yankees were gutless the way they treated Tynan.Gutless.
ggc

Well, I hear Boston is a very comfortable place for bigots.
- on the Park on the UWS
  
  what’s NYC then? Comments such as yours are ridiculous and ironic, think of what you just said, you prejudiced and generalized an entire city…pathetic.
wayne’s world

The joke was not made at expense of Jewish neighbors of his; they were two Jewish women looking to buy an apartment next to his.
on the Park on the UWS

Kabak, have you ever talked to Ronan? I already know the answer and it’s NO! If you had you’d understand that Ronan never apologized for saying whay that woman accused him of saying; he merely apologized because she was upset; it’s the gentlemen thing to do. As to apologized to all Jews, there is nothing to apologize about; Ronan never said “as long as there not Jewish”…what part of that do you not get?
As one of Ronan Tynan’s best friends, I can guarantee you that Kevin Cullen’s article was spot on; as well to put some rumors to sleep, firstly, Ronan did NOT move to Boston to “escape” NYC, he has been talking of moving to Boston for years; he loves the city of NY and he loves his Yankee fans, but with him about to turn 50 in May, he decided well before this pure untruthful nonsense happened that he was looking to move “you only live one life, time to see what else is out there”. Did Gabrielle Gold von Simson’s lie speed up the process; well, the answer is NO! Did a couple looking for a place in Ronan’s building and making a surprise offer to him, YES! Do some research, Ronan never put his place up for sale and as a matter of fact he still owns a place in NYC. Secondly, Ronan will be at Fenway Park on Opening day, however, RONAN WILL NOT BE SINGING OPENING DAY! He cares too much for his NY fans to do such. Lastly, before you attack Ronan, study this mans life, go to http://www.ronantynan.net and learn about the history of this passionate and special person; if you still want to believe that this man, a man that in the wake of 9-11 sang at countless funerals of both Jews and Christians alike, a man that has 3 Jewish band mates and refers to them as “brothers”, a man that sang for Americas servicemen and service woman in Iraq and Afghanistan, a man that sang for us at Yankees Stadium for the love of this country, NOT for the color of the jersey on the player, but rather FOR the color of the flag flying in center field (and who didn’t get paid for doing it), a man that was attacked for merely quoting a real estate agent by saying “those 2 Jewish ladies”, then attack him all you want, but you’ll have to go through an army of supporters that know the truth and know how much this great man has given of himself for this great country. Let’s put this thing to rest and move on, it’s without question that Ronan has felt the crucible of pain his entire life with his double amputation of his legs, he was ridiculed and discriminated against most of his life and to persevere in life, reach the heights of becoming a doctor, a world record holder and multiple gold medalist in the para-Olympics, his music etc…to be attacked because one person LIED, then shame on all of us, but don’t worry about Ronan, he’s got plenty of work and is lovign Boston, plus, he knows who he is, he knows what he said, and he sleeps well at night knowing that.