Duane “Dog” Chapman claims his son sold the notorious and compromising tape of a phone conversation between the two of them for “a lot of money” to a tabloid, out of anger at his father.

Television bounty hunter Duane Chapman could lose his show on A&E because of a private phone conversation between himself and son Tucker Chapman that has become public.

The National Enquirer posted on its website Wednesday an audiotape of a private phone conversation between the two men, in which Duane repeatedly uses the N-word when referring to Tucker’s girlfriend, an Afro-American woman.

While initially profusely apologetic for his racist slur, Chapman now says the entire incident has been caused by his son. Lawyer Brook Hart told the Associated Press Thursday that Tucker sold the tape for “a lot of money” out of “anger.”

“I guess because of whatever level of anger he had of his father, he felt the need to express it in that manner,” Hart said.

A&E promptly suspended production of its successful series “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” starring Chapman himself, upon learning of his racist rant. The network said in a statement: “We take this matter very seriously. Pending an investigation, we have suspended production on the series. When the inquiry is concluded we will take appropriate action.”

Hart told the AP that Chapman apologized both to his son and the young man’s girlfriend then later learned how the tape became public.

In his public apology, Chapman explained Thursday that he was not criticizing Tucker’s girlfriend because of the color of her skin, but because of her character. He also said he was disappointed with his son’s choices.

“I have the utmost respect and aloha for black people who have suffered so much due to racial discrimination and acts of hatred,” Chapman began his apology. “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 this world. I am ashamed of myself and I pledge to do whatever I can to repair this damage I have caused.

“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,” he said.

During the conversation, an angry Chapman urges his son to break up with his girlfriend and expresses concern that she may expose the fact that he and his crew sometimes use the N-word. “I'm not taking a chance...not because she's black but because we use the word n----- sometimes here,” he says.

It was revealed Thursday that the 54-year-old bounty hunter had already sought guidance from his pastor, reverend Tim Storey, who is an African-American and Chapman’s spiritual advisor. Storey defended Chapman, telling TMZ: “I was shocked, because 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.”

Storey also said that Chapman is not a racist and that anger made him use inappropriate words at an inappropriate time: “What shocked me was that he used the N word. I know he is not a racist. He's been to black churches with me to help inner-city kids.”

Hart told the AP: “I have never seen anything that suggests he judges people by the color of their skin or racial background or anything but on their character. Duane lost his composure and made very, very inappropriate remarks, for which he truly regrets.”