While a real estate agent and prospective buyer Dr. Gabrielle Gold-von Simson were looking at an apartment in Tynan's building on Manhattan's East Side, Tynan made what was construed to be an anti-Semitic remark. Shortly after this, the Yankees cancelled Tynan's performance of "God Bless America" for Game 1 of the 2009 American League Championship Series on 16 October 2009 because of the incident.