Cincinnati Reds legend Johnny Bench made an ‘antisemitic joke’ but what exactly did he say?

Though he likely had no bad intentions, Bench’s joke has forced the topic of antisemitism back into the spotlight at a time when the nation itself is at a crossroads, when it comes to the topic of prejudice.

Johnny Bench apologizes for an antisemitic joke

On Sunday, Cincinnati Reds legend Johnny Bench apologized for what has been deemed an antisemitic joke which he made during a team publicity event the day before. During a Reds press conference for the team Hall of Fame inductions of former general manager Gabe Paul and pitchers Danny Graves and Bronson Arroyo, it was Pete Rose who began to recount an anecdote about how Paul, who died in 1998 and was represented by his daughter Jennie Paul, signed him for just $400 per month out of high school. At that point, someone in the audience shouted, “That’s cheap!” Bench then interjected with “He was Jewish!”, to which several people responded by laughing loudly. Others, however, could be seen looking on in shock. You can see the exchange below:

What has Johnny Bench said?

In an official apology, Bench has now addressed the scenario, using the term “insensitive” with an official apology in which he described his joke as “insensitive.”

“I recognize my comment was insensitive. I apologized to Jennie for taking away from her father the full attention he deserves. Gabe Paul earned his place in the Reds Hall of Fame, same as the others who stood on that stage, I am sorry that some of the focus is on my inappropriate remark instead of solely on Gabe’s achievement,” Bench said. Despite what is clearly an unpleasant scenario, it’s worth noting that Bench didn’t mention Paul’s Judaism randomly. Indeed, Jennie Paul referred to her father’s Jewish faith earlier in the news conference.

Jennie Paul addresses Johnny Bench’s joke

Another interesting aspect of the situation was Jennie Paul’s response. When asked for comment, Paul admitted that she had not heard Bench’s joke and that he himself had asked her if she was offended. “I didn’t even hear him say that,” Jennie Paul said. “Johnny came up and said ‘Were you offended?’ and I said for what? I didn’t even hear him say that. I suppose if I would’ve heard him say that, I would’ve said something, but I didn’t even hear him say that.”

Incidentally, Jennie also disclosed that while her father was Jewish, she herself is not, before explaining that she was raised as an Episcopalian by her mother. She also stated that her father’s Judaism prevented him from becoming MLB commissioner. Where Bench and Paul themselves are concerned, it’s also worth noting that they did not cross paths during their time with the franchise. Bench was drafted by the team in 1965, which was some five years after the resignation of Paul in 1960. He would go on to coach several teams including the New York Yankees, while Bench is a Hall of Famer and 14-time MLB All-Star.