Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Football commentators fired for unkind skit
Audio of the skit is here. Player with Lou Gehrig's disease portrayed as speaking badly. Certainly poor taste but rough humor is common among sportsmen. Should someone lose their job over it? America is becoming a namby pamby nation
The now-former hosts of Mayhem in the A.M. probably suspected that, at some point, the name of their show would have literal meaning.
790 The Zone in Atlanta has announced that the “three individuals” involved in a bizarre and unfunny bit involving former Saints defensive back Steve Gleason have been fired.
The station has announced the move without naming the (former) hosts of the show: Stephen “Steak” Shapiro, Nick Cellino, and Chris Dimino.
The audio of the gag, which featured a caller with a computerized voice pretending to be Gleason, has surfaced. It’s not humorous, under any reasonably stretch of the subjective concept of what is and isn’t funny.
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4 comments:
America is becoming a namby pamby nation
There may be difference in being "namby pamby" and being a decent human being.
This "bit" was over the line in the eyes of many people, including the people that mattered - the people who run the radio station.
The station is within its rights to terminate those who would reflect badly on their station and hurt their business.
In other words, actions have consequences.
All quite true Anon 1:24, but in an "allegedly" free society, we all have our own interpretations of what's funny and what is not. That's why there's a First Amendment, which is about free speech, (not) the right (not) to be offended.
Having said that, you're right that the station is a business and they have the right to regulate that business. Or, is this simply another example of how much damage political correctness has done to our society.
Anonymous 3:37,
This has nothing to do with the First Amendment.
The First Amendment applies to government censorship and control of the exchange of ideas. The radio station is not the government by any stretch of the imagination.
So let's acknowledge this for what it really is. Three people who work(ed) for a radio station thought it would be funny to make fun of a person who is dying.
The station, sponsors and listeners found the bit not to be funny at all. In doing so, the station felt the personalities' judgement was faulty and not professional.
They fired them.
As I said, this is not a 1st Amendment issue. This is an issue of "who do you want representing your company and brand?"
Actions have consequences.
http://wtop.com/120/3362608/Va-cabbie-pursues-charges-after-anti-Muslim-rant
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