“This is inhuman. I can’t believe anyone would stoop so low as far as mocking somebody who is dying,” said one caller on WWL Radio Monday night.
Three radio jocks in Atlanta lost their jobs yesterday for a segment they would take back if they could.
These three shock-jocks decided that a skit, where one impersonated Steve Gleason would be a funny bit. If you aren’t aware, Steve Gleason has ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, which as rendered him unable to walk or speak. He communicates through a computer that he controls with his eyes.
If you haven’t heard the segment, I have a link right here on Huffington Post. It truly is completely awkward, terrible, and tasteless to listen to, because I think you can hear them wanting to stop the segment while they had the chance. Alas, they didn’t and it ended up costing them their jobs.
You got your usual Twitter bravado before the station axe came down on them, then the apologies after they got fired. I am not sure they truly were sorry, just sorry for the fact that the brutal attempt at humor cost them their jobs.
Right. ”Took a shot”…
..and there’s that.
Having done a few radio segments here locally in the Northwest, I stay pretty conservative on the subjects I cover & talk about. Very rarely are segments or skits off the cuff – they are well thought out and also given consideration for how it will sound or be on radio. This particular skit wouldn’t have worked in any medium, but you know for sure they knew what they were doing before they even started the skit.
I am glad the website Tiger Droppings was able to get a hold of this and whip up the appropriate storm in due time. In this day and age – it doesn’t take much for something to catch social fire. The station in Atlanta did the right thing in letting these guys go.
For information on how to donate to Team Gleason and fight ALS, click here to learn more.
Go Cougs.
