Falcons Fans Are Terrible People

[AUChizad]

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2013/06/atlanta_radio_show_mocks_steve.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Transcript of Atlanta radio show segment mocking Steve Gleason's ALS affliction

June 17, 2013 at 5:12 PM
   
Steak Shapiro, Nick Cellini and Chris Dimino, radio hosts of "Mayhem in the AM," a sports show for Atlanta's "790 the Zone," made former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason and his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affliction the punchline of their jokes in an ill-advised segment Monday morning. The three hosts, perhaps realizing the gag was in poor taste, awkwardly mocked Gleason in a three-minute segment filled with pauses and uncomfortable laughter.

After a firestorm of outrage ignited on social media following the segment, the three hosts were suspended for their participation.

In an audio obtained by New Orleans radio station 106.1-FM, the segment opened by discussing Gleason, who is battling the debilitating disease that attacks motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, atrophying the muscles and eventually causing paralysis. Gleason wrote a guest column in Sports Illustrated on Monday with his eyes, as he is no longer able to move or talk due to the progression of his disease.

"Is he doing like, a media tour?," one of the hosts asked.

"I'm not really sure," another responded. "I know he did this. Joining us right now, Steve Gleason."

Someone posing as Gleason "called" into the show, pausing to breathe heavily before asking Steak Shapiro how his daughter Nola was doing.

"Nola's great, we had a great Father's Day yesterday," Shapiro responded. "Are you listening in New Orleans?"

"I am," the voice responded. "Chris, how was the Jersey Shore?"

At this point, Dimino paused for several seconds before laughing awkwardly and responding "I just don't know if I want to play."

"I wish I could play," responded the voice, before starting a knock-knock joke.

Despite the apparent reservation, the three hosts continued with the gag for another two minutes.

"Now, Steve, we do knock knocks on Thursdays, we don't do it on Mondays," said one of the hosts. "We just started doing that again. We do it on Thursdays."

"I may not be here on Thursday," the voice said, before starting the joke again.

"Who's there?" a host asked.

"I," said the fake Gleason.

"I who," the host asked.

"I blame Gregg Williams," the fake Gleason said.

The voice had another joke with the punchline "smother me, do me a favor," before ending the segment with one more knock-knock question.

"Knock knock," the voice mocking Gleason said.

"There's a third one huh?" One of the hosts said. "God help me. Who's there Steve?"

"I'm," responded the voice.

"I'm who?," the host responded.

The voice mocking Gleason said: "I'm going to hell."

"Yes, you are," the host said while laughing awkwardly. "There you have it."

[AUChizad]

The hosts were since fired permanently.

[Townhallsavoy]

The hosts were since fired permanently.

Why? 

I mean, fuck them and all, and but what exactly warranted them being fired?

[AWK]

Why? 

I mean, fuck them and all, and but what exactly warranted them being fired?

Usually mocking people with a permanent debilitating disease...that is out of their control...in a public forum such as radio or television...unprovoked...causes one to lose their job.

[The Prowler]

Usually mocking people with a permanent debilitating disease...that is out of their control...in a public forum such as radio or television...unprovoked...causes one to lose their job.

Exactly. They got what they deserved.

[wesfau2]

Usually mocking people with a permanent debilitating disease...that is out of their control...in a public forum such as radio or television...unprovoked...causes one to lose their job.

I'm torn.  Yeah, they were stupid, shitty jokes done in poor taste.

But Stern, Imus, Opie & Anthony, Bubba the Love Sponge and a slew of other people have made careers on that shit.

The jokes weren't FCC violations, so what, other than the PR hit, was the station's beef with the "talent?"

[AUChizad]

I'm torn.  Yeah, they were stupid, shitty jokes done in poor taste.

But Stern, Imus, Opie & Anthony, Bubba the Love Sponge and a slew of other people have made careers on that shit.

The jokes weren't FCC violations, so what, other than the PR hit, was the station's beef with the "talent?"

If there was even a scant hint of anything that could be considered funny in that bit, I might feel differently.

I virtually never get offended, and I'm not personally calling for anyone's job.

But for fuck's sake, relentlessly mocking a specific person's crippling disease for the sake of Lulz in a football rivalry on the radio?

That's low, man.

Stern's subjects, first of all, consent to the mockery, and listeners, in a sense, do as well.

Still isn't as low as mocking a specific person because of the football team they once played for.

[AUChizad]

What if Finebaum put on a similar bit about Shon Coleman, except he actually was crippled to the point that his speech was impeded, which they mocked, and made those same comments about him wishing he could play again, etc.

[AWK]

I'm torn.  Yeah, they were stupid, shitty jokes done in poor taste.

But Stern, Imus, Opie & Anthony, Bubba the Love Sponge and a slew of other people have made careers on that shit.

The jokes weren't FCC violations, so what, other than the PR hit, was the station's beef with the "talent?"

Call me out if I'm wrong, but I don't think I've heard any of the above DJ's go after someone with a life threatening illness.

[Tiger Wench]

I'm torn.  Yeah, they were stupid, shitty jokes done in poor taste.

But Stern, Imus, Opie & Anthony, Bubba the Love Sponge and a slew of other people have made careers on that shit.

The jokes weren't FCC violations, so what, other than the PR hit, was the station's beef with the "talent?"

Gotta go with the esteemed counselor from Florida... seems like a heartfelt apology and a suspension would have sufficed, especially since they seemed to be kind of regretting saying it even as they did it.  It was tacky, nasty, mean spirited and awful - but free speech is taking enough of a hit these days.

Chizad, no offense, buddy, because I am a Saints fan too, but if Gleason were a former Kansas City Chief, I wonder your moral outrage would be as high. 

[Saniflush]

Chizad, no offense, buddy, because I am a Saints fan too, but if Gleason were a former Kansas City Chief, I wonder your moral outrage would be as high.

Only if he didn't have a bounty on him.

[Buzz Killington]

What if Finebaum put on a similar bit about Shon Coleman, except he actually was crippled to the point that his speech was impeded, which they mocked, and made those same comments about him wishing he could play again, etc.

You mean like a Bo Jackson type speech impediment?  Like the way they mock him all the time on goober's show even now?

[AU_Tiger_2000]

Why? 

I mean, fudge them and all, and but what exactly warranted them being fired?

Because the people who run the station and make the decisions decided they didn't like what they did and decided to exercise their right to run them out of their business.  This isn't Russia, Danny.  Is this Russia?  This isn't Russia.

I used to listen to these guys in the mornings when I lived in Atlanta, honestly the people who fired them probably did the people in Atlanta a favor.  They were good sports guys, but since it was a morning show they kept trying to do comedy bits which often ended up with periods of awkward silence.  They finally did a bit that was both awkward and offensive and got run out of town.

[Townhallsavoy]

Because the people who run the station and make the decisions decided they didn't like what they did and decided to exercise their right to run them out of their business.  This isn't Russia, Danny.  Is this Russia?  This isn't Russia.

That's fine and all but as Wes pointed out, a lot of idiots make a living doing making fun of people even when it's in really bad taste.  For more, see Tosh.0, Howard Stern, and fucking Quantum Leap for god's sake.

And if my knowledge of corporate history serves me right, I'd imagine that the executives were afraid of a backlash of people who were offended by the jokes which would mean a boycott of their sponsors which would mean a dip in their profits. 

[AUChizad]

You mean like a Bo Jackson type speech impediment?  Like the way they mock him all the time on goober's show even now?

No. Not like that.

You know as well as I do that Bo's speech impediment is not in the same stratosphere as speech being impeded by a deadly, crippling disease. At least I hope you do.

Because the people who run the station and make the decisions decided they didn't like what they did and decided to exercise their right to run them out of their business.  This isn't Russia, Danny.  Is this Russia?  This isn't Russia.

I used to listen to these guys in the mornings when I lived in Atlanta, honestly the people who fired them probably did the people in Atlanta a favor.  They were good sports guys, but since it was a morning show they kept trying to do comedy bits which often ended up with periods of awkward silence.  They finally did a bit that was both awkward and offensive and got run out of town.

Exactly.

I'm not seeing what's so hard to understand here. This isn't a first amendment issue. This is a business decision.

If they were thrown in jail for this, I'd be on the front line defending their right to a terrible sense of humor.

No one wants to hear people maliciously mocking someone with ALS, saying "Smother me, do me a favor", etc. That's not lighthearted. It's just mean and nasty. Like I said, if there was anything that could be considered funny in there, maybe it would be excusable. What was the point of this? People, naturally, called the station in droves expressing how tasteless and inexcusable the "bit" was. The station did what any responsible business would and should do by firing the offenders whom made virtually their entire customer base uncomfortable at best, outraged at worst.

I honestly don't see what redeeming quality there is to defend here.

[AUChizad]

And if my knowledge of corporate history serves me right, I'd imagine that the executives were afraid of a backlash of people who were offended by the jokes which would mean a boycott of their sponsors which would mean a dip in their profits.

Basically exactly what I was saying. Is this the wrong thing to do?

Let's say some asshole wants to have a daily show in which he methodically describes raping babies. He calls out specific babies, maybe the infant children of celebrities, that he wants to rape and describes exactly how he'd do it.

Are you advocating that it is this guy's God-given right to put on his show, even if there's no audience to support it?

I'm the biggest proponent of free speech you're likely to find. The right to free speech doesn't guarantee a platform if no one wants to hear it.

[AUChizad]

Har. Har.

[CCTAU]

The runny part about this is that Steak started 790 the Zone. I thought he was still part owner. Does that mean he fired himself?

Actually I just read where he sold his equity to Lincoln Financial in 2010. So he was just another employee...who got fired!

Fired from the company he created! For a tasteless joke? What a pathetically PC world we live in.

[AU_Tiger_2000]

The runny part about this is that Steak started 790 the Zone. I thought he was still part owner. Does that mean he fired himself?

Actually I just read where he sold his equity to Lincoln Financial in 2010. So he was just another employee...who got fired!

Fired from the company he created! For a tasteless joke? What a pathetically PC world we live in.

I don't think it was a PC problem, like Chad said, it was probably a business decision.

[Snaggletiger]

Yep, there's not many outside of Stern and a few others named that would or should survive this.  Howard Stern (as a prime example) is a shock jock.  He holds himself out to be just that and if a station wants to give him a platform and sponsors want to support his show, then so be it.  You know what you're getting if you choose to listen.

This?  Shouldn't be any surprise here except that these guys were dumb enough to even do the bit in the first place.  It blows me away that nobody looked at this thing beforehand and said, "You know what......this might be crossing the line just a weeeee bit."