Handel Loses His Handle

Top radio host in the country gets pissed off when another hosts kicks his kids out of his studio. Why is it that right wing talk radio hosts can dish out, but can's take it?

KFI/Los Angeles personality Bill Handel got a little hot under the collar with Jamie White, morning hostess at Clear Channel clusterpal KYSR (Star 98.7), on the air this morning. Handel, who occasionally brings his kids to work, went into Star's studio and began yelling at White live, allegedly because she threw his kids out of her studio.According to a clip that aired on KTLA-TV this morning, White opened the exchange by telling Handel, "I just pointed at your kids with my orange flute and told them don't come back." Handel angrily responded, "If you ever talk to my kids that way again, Jamie, I am going to kick your ass. You are not allowed to talk to them! Are you telling me they can't be on the fifth floor?"White shot back, "I'm telling them they can't be right there," to which Handel yelled, "You have such goddamn losing numbers on this loser show. Shut up! You don't talk to my kids that way." Handel also shouted, "Don't you touch me!" which suggests that someone was trying to force him out of the studio -- right before he dropped a couple of f-bombs on his way out.

Radio and Records, December 15, 2006

Handel Gets Week's Suspension For On-Air Tirade
The great CLEAR CHANNEL/LOS ANGELES battle of titans has resulted in a one week suspension for Talk KFI-A morning star BILL HANDEL, to be served upon his return from his previously-scheduled two week vacation. HANDEL, in an incident that landed on local CW affiliate KTLA (TV)'s morning news show and, subsequently, on YOUTUBE, burst into Modern AC KYSR (STAR 98.7)'s studios and yelled at STAR morning host JAMIE WHITE for throwing his twin daughters out of her studio and threatening "if you ever talk to my kids like that again, JAMIE, I'm going to kick your ass." HANDEL also dropped a pair of "f-bombs," but STAR says that they were caught by the delay system and did not air (the KTLA tape appears to have come from a pre-delay skimmer tape). In a statement, HANDEL apologized for his outburst, saying "I want to apologize to JAMIE and her team for my behavior and how I handled the unfortunate incident this morning. It was simply a reaction of a dad who was protecting his children. I lost my temper, I lost my cool."

Allaccess.com December 18, 2006

Hosts Behaving Badly

WTKS's Blackbean Gets Fine, Probation For Punching Rival

What's wrong with active competition?

The battery case against CLEAR CHANNEL Talk WTKS (REAL RADIO 104.1)/ORLANDO "MONSTERS IN THE MORNING" sidekick CARLOS "BLACKBEAN" NAVARRO for punching crosstown CBS Alternative WOCL (O-ROCK 105.9) morning man (and former WTKS host) DREW GARABO at an appearance has resulted in no jail time but a fine and probation.

The ORLANDO SENTINEL's SCOTT MAXWELL reports that NAVARRO pleaded no contest to the charge stemming from the MARCH 17 incident and escaped jail time or a formal conviction, instead receiving the status of "adjudication withheld" with three years' supervised probation, a $2,000 fine, orders to stay away from GARABO and alcohol, and 200 hours of community service.

Orlando Sentinel, November 30, 2006

Laura Ingraham Thinks Voter Suppression is a Joke

With the Democratic party sweep of the House and Representatives exceeding even the optimistic projections it is becoming clear that Right Wing talk radio didn’t help the hapless Republicans very much. In fact, in her acceptance speech, new Democratic Senator from Missouri, Claire McCaskill thanked Rush Limbaugh for his attack on Michael J. Fox over the stem-cell issue.

Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham today asked her listeners to call the Dem Voter protection hotline — and they are now being flooded with calls from crank callers.

Think Laura is the scum of the earth? Well, give her a call, for cryin' out loud, and tell her what you think about this:

(800)876-4123

In addition, a "caller indicated she is running a tape of Bill Clinton over and over saying "call 1-888 Dem Vote to report problems" — and then making fun of him, thus producing a spike in crank calls to the number"

Liberal Talk Radio Blog, November 8, 2006

Caustic Comment Costs WRKO Host His Job

I guess it's worse to call gay woman “fat lesbian” than to call a gay man a “fag”

WRKO Boston Talk host John DePetro was fired Friday after he made a derogatory comment about the weight and sexuality of the Green-Rainbow party candidate running for Massachusetts governor. DePetro was pulled from the air a day after he called candidate Grace Ross a "fat lesbian."

Over the summer, DePetro was suspended and ordered to apologize for calling former Massachusetts Turnpike chief Matt Amorello a “fag” on the air.

Candidate Ross, to whom DePetro’s latest insult was directed, said, “I think he was indeed being nasty. It’s not news to anybody that I’m a lesbian. This is supposed to be about an election, not name-calling.”

Radio Ink, November 6, 2006

Regular Guys fired after Yogi and Panda lawsuit

Here's a case where two talk radio hosts really took their show to the toilet

For the second time in about three years, Clear Channel Communications Inc. has fired Larry Wachs and Eric Von Haessler, better known as The Regular Guys Show, from the morning slot at 96Rock (WKLS-FM). The termination follows a lawsuit filed by fellow morning DJs Juan Tapia and José Carias, who co-host "Yogi y Panda por la Mañana" on Clear Channel's WWVA-FM Viva 105.7, a Hispanic Top 40 station.

In their Oct. 17 lawsuit, the pair claims Wachs and Von Haessler made several offensive on-air statements about their sexual orientation, race and nationality, and that Clear Channel "largely ignored" their complaints about the Regular Guys' behavior.

On. Oct. 9, the suit claims, Wachs followed Tapia and Carias into a restroom at Clear Channel, where he recorded their conversation and "certain offensive sounds while they were utilizing the facilities."

The next day, the Regular Guys played the recording during their show, according to the suit.

Wachs confirmed The Regulars Guys show has been canned again on his personal blog.

allaccess.com, October 24, 2006

Omaha Pols Demand Apology From KFAB Over Parody

Afterall, "it's safer than Bagdad"

The OMAHA CITY COUNCIL is taking up the matter of whether it should demand an apology from CLEAR CHANNEL Talk KFAB-A/OMAHA for a commercial parody by host TOM BECKA that parodies the "Discover NORTH OMAHA" tourism spot and highlights the gang violence in NORTH OMAHA. Councilman FRANK BROWN has placed the issue on next week's agenda, complaining that BECKA's version of the "Discover NORTH OMAHA" spot has caused damage to the community.

BECKA's parody invites listeners to "discover miles of mayhem. Discover drive-bys. Discover gang violence... We've got a real sense of community here. When there's a shooting, we all stick together and don't rat on the suspects.... Arson, abductions, assaults. Everything that makes a community exciting. Discover NORTH OMAHA. After all, it's safer than BAGHDAD."

The station has removed the parody from its website and apologized "to any listener who found the parody... to be insensitive or offensive. KFAB does not condone violence. We have decided to remove (the parody) from our website. The parody was meant to draw attention to some of the growing problems in NORTH OMAHA, however we do not want the parody we created to be the focus of attention. What needs to be the focus of attention is finding a solution to the problems of NORTH OMAHA."

AllAccess.com, October 13, 2006

Shreveport Newsman Enters Not Guilty Plea In Sex Case

Another day another radio guy get's busted for a sex offense

Former CLEAR CHANNEL/SHREVEPORT newsman MICHAEL SIEVE entered a not guilty plea to sex-solicitation charges in federal court WEDNESDAY. SIEVE was indicted by a grand jury last month on three counts of attempting to solicit a minor for sex on the Internet after being caught in a sting by an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl; SIEVE was arrested at SHREVEPORT's COLUMBIA PARK, where he had allegedly arranged to have sex with the girl, as well as a 12-year-old girl and 16-year-old boy. He remains free on $25,000 bond and home detention.

October 12, 2006, All-Access.com

Former KFI Talker Is Arrested on Ship

This former right wing talk show host may have outdone Republican Congressman Foley by taking on two 12 year old boys in a hot tub, rather than just exchanging x-rated emails with a 16 year old Congressional page.

Roderick "Rod" Bernsen, a former Los Angeles police sergeant who became a well-known reporter on KTTV's Fox 11 television news for more than a decade, was arrested Saturday in Long Beach after returning from a cruise, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said Monday.

Bernsen was being held without bail at Long Beach City Jail for "a crime that occurred aboard a cruise ship," Eimiller said. She would not disclose the nature of the alleged crime.

But law enforcement sources with knowledge of the arrest said Bernsen, 58, was suspected of molesting two 12-year-old boys in the ship's sauna. One or more of the boys' parents confronted Bernsen and notified a ship investigator, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case.

From late last year until May, he filled in as a host on KFI-AM (640), Los Angeles' most popular talk radio station.

Los Angeles Times, October 10, 2006

Anthrax Scare at Montery Radio Station

What's the big deal. An envelope of white powder at a radio station

Independently-owned Zwerling Broadcasting news/talker KSCO/Santa Cruz, Calif. was locked down on Monday (Sept. 25) after an employee opened an envelope that had been mailed to the station containing an unknown white powder substance. Early tests indicated the powder was not anthrax or any other hazardous substance; however, additional tests are being conducted to confirm that the material posed no threat.

Radio Daily News, September 29, 2006

Ex-salesman sentenced in radio fraud

You don't make much when you work for a public radio station

A former salesman for the University of Michigan's public radio and TV stations who was convicted of conspiracy to embezzle was sentenced Thursday to 18 months probation.

Jeremy Nordquist, 28, of Saline was among three former employees of the stations who were accused of embezzling about $60,000 in items that had been donated in exchange for on-air mentions.

Nordquist admitted during his trial that he received a pool table, Persian rugs and other items but said he was following the directions of his supervisors.

A Washtenaw County Circuit Court jury in July convicted Nordquist of conspiracy to embezzle but cleared him of a second embezzlement charge. Nordquist could get less time on probation if he pays $5,000 in restitution.

Michigan Public Media operates WUOM-FM in Ann Arbor, WVGR-FM in Grand Rapids, WFUM-FM in Flint, WFUM-TV and the Michigan Channel cable station.

Detroit Free Press, Sept. 24, 2006

Ex-KIRO radio host's trial for fraud ends in a mistrial

Talker says convict me and I'll shot myself and judge declares mistrial

The insurance-fraud trial of former radio talk-show host Mike Webb ended in a mistrial Thursday after a judge determined the jury had been tainted by seeing Webb handcuffed by police following an outburst outside the courthouse a day earlier.
"The taint is too great; it does not afford Mr. Webb a fair and impartial trial. I do not have any choice," King County Superior Court Judge Julie Spector told jurors Thursday after some of them testified that they witnessed or heard about the incident before they were to begin deliberating.
According to a Seattle Police Department report, police found Webb acting "irrational and irate" on James Street and Second Avenue after testimony in his trial concluded just before 1 p.m. Wednesday. A woman told police that Webb had threatened to kill himself if found guilty and that he had access to a gun in his house, the report stated.
When an officer contacted Webb on the street and asked if he would allow police to retrieve the gun from his home, Webb said no, according to the report.
Webb was not arrested, but he was handcuffed and taken to Harborview Medical Center for a mental-health evaluation, according to Seattle police spokesman Jeff Kappel.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

WWL Talk Host Accused Of Murder, Free On Bail

I guess the disguise didn't fool his radio listeners

WWL New Orleans Talk host Vince Marinello, who stands accused of murdering his estranged wife, is free after posting the quarter-million dollar bail.

Marinello, who’s 69, is charged with dressing in a disguise and shooting his estranged wife to death in what amounted to a “hit” in a suburban parking lot.

Mary Elizabeth Marinello, a 45-year-old respiratory therapist, died a day after she was shot twice in the face in the parking lot.

This past July she had filed for a divorce from Marinello after she learned he was still married when they wed.

Investigators say that on August 31, Marinello put on a fake mustache and beard, rode a bicycle to the parking lot he knew she used regularly, waited, then shot her before making his getaway.

Authorities say that in a search of Marinello’s post-Hurricane Katrina FEMA trailer, they found a handwritten checklist of the alleged plans for the shooting.

Radio Ink, September 14, 2006

Curses! KOA fails to block two expletives on show

I'll bet the caller referred to a "fucking cunt"

Oops! A caller this week blurted out a double expletive on "The Mike Rosen Show" on KOA 850-AM. Radio stations, particularly talk stations, are wary of such lapses and use a delay to block off-color language. KOA missed on this one.
A replay of Rosen's Tuesday show is on KOA's website but the offending words involving a sex act and a human body part have disappeared.
Rosen's on-air apology is there, however. "It is our responsibility to have that delay system working," he explained, quickly. "It wasn't functioning the way it should be. We'll try to keep that from happening in the future."
Rosen said on Wednesday he thinks that will be enough to keep the FCC or owner Clear Channel off KOA's back. "If I had said it, we'd be in deep trouble. Normally, our (7-second) delay would protect us."
Weekend highlights

Denver Post, August 18, 2006

Former Houston Talker Accused Of Sex Crime

Why are all these sex perverts right wingers?

Former Talk KSEV-A/HOUSTON host JON MATTHEWS turned himself in at FORT BEND COUNTY (TX) Jail FRIDAY for an alleged probation violation. according to the HOUSTON CHRONICLE.

MATTHEWS, 71, was placed on probation for exposing himself to an 11 year old girl in his home in OCTOBER 2003; he was to avoid alcohol and the viewing of sexually explicit material, but the CHRONICLE reports that MATTHEWS tested positive for alcohol and was "discussing sexual fantasies over the Internet."

MATTHEWS was released on $20,000. bond this afternoon. He faces seven years in prison based on the deferred adjudication sentence he received when probation was granted.

Billboard Radio Monitor

Richmond Talk Host Wins "Annoying" Award

I accept this award as badge of honor

CLEAR CHANNEL Talk WRVA-A/RICHMOND afternoon host MAC WATSON is proud to announce that he has been awarded the honor of "RICHMOND's Most Annoying Radio Host for 2006" by RICHMOND MAGAZINE. "I accept this award as a badge of honor and validation!," WATSON tells ALL ACCESS. "There's no such thing as a bad award."

WATSON will be "annoying" people nationwide on AUGUST 1 when he fills in for GLENN BECK on the latter's PREMIERE syndicated show.

Billboard Radio Monitor, August 2, 2006

Talker Yanked For Homosexual Slur

“A fag is not gay just a sissy boy”

An Entercom talk show host has been suspended after calling a state official a “fag.” John DePetro, late morning host for talk WRKO Boston, has been suspended for two days by the company for referring to Massachusetts Turnpike Authority chairman Matthew J. Amorello as “Fag Matt.” “And I don’t mean gay fag, I just mean the way when you’re a sophomore, juvenile, in grammar school and somebody would say you’re like a sissy boy fag,” DePetro said on-air. “I don’t mean gay fag. I mean like sissy boy. He’s a little sissy boy. Wife wears the pants.” Entercom worked quickly in suspending DePetro, who made the comment on July 17. “This corporation has zero tolerance for racial intolerance,” WRKO and sports WEEI VP of programming Jason Wolfe told the Boston Herald. “Mr. DePetro has 72 hours to think about it.” Wolfe told the Boston Globe that he purposely chose the word "racial" because "people will lump everything in together." Amorello is under fire because of problems surrounding a major tunnel project in Boston. He has faced calls for his resignation since the recent "Big Dig" tunnel collapse there.

Billboard Radio Monitor, July 19, 2006

Limbaugh Detained on Drug Investigation

Now we know why Daryn Kagan broke up with El Rushbo. He can't keep it up!


Rush Limbaugh was detained for more than three hours Monday at Palm Beach International Airport after authorities said they found a bottle of Viagra in his possession without a prescription.

Customs officials found a prescription bottle labeled as Viagra in his luggage that didn't have Limbaugh's name on it, but that of two doctors, said Paul Miller, spokesman for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

A doctor had prescribed the drug, but it was "labeled as being issued to the physician rather than Mr. Limbaugh for privacy purposes," Roy Black, Limbaugh's attorney, said in a statement.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement examined the 55-year-old radio commentator's luggage after his private plane landed at the airport from the Dominican Republic, said Miller.

The matter was referred to the sheriff's office, whose investigators interviewed Limbaugh. According to Miller, Limbaugh said that the Viagra was for his use, and that he obtained it from his doctors.

Investigators confiscated the drugs, which treats erectile dysfunction, and Limbaugh was released without being charged.

The sheriff's office plans to file a report with the state attorney's office. Miller said it could be a second-degree misdemeanor violation.

Limbaugh reached a deal last month with prosecutors who had accused the conservative talk-show host of illegally deceiving multiple doctors to receive overlapping painkiller prescriptions. Under the deal, the charge, commonly referred to as "doctor shopping," would be dismissed after 18 months if he continues to submit to random drug tests and treatment for his acknowledged addiction to painkillers.

Associated Press, June 27, 2006

Local radio personality arrested on six sex-related charges

Another sex crazed talk show host

A Shreveport radio talk show host is being held in Caddo Correctional Center without bond following an investigation into computer-aided solicitation for sex.

The Caddo Parish sheriff's office arrested KEEL 710 AM personality Mike Sieve about 5 p.m. Friday. Sieve was booked into the parish jail on one count of attempted aggravated rape, two counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and three counts of computer-aided solicitation for sex, according to police booking records.

Caddo sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Chadwick said she was unable to release further information about Sieve's arrest but that the investigation has led to more arrests. More details will be available Monday, Chadwick said.

Sieve has also dabbled in acting, including small roles in local productions such as Kevin Costner's "Mr. Brooks" and the FX Network TV show "Thief."

Sieve, a Shreveport native and 1986 graduate of Loyola College Prep, has worked on and off in radio and television since 1986, according to a biography on www.710keel.com, which redirects to KEEL's current site, keelam.com. Sieve has also worked in Ruston, Lafayette, Savannah, Ga., and Greenville, S.C., the site said.

Repeated calls to KEEL and to the Clear Channel Inc. headquarters in San Antonio were not returned Saturday. In addition to KEEL, Clear Channel owns Shreveport stations KWKH 1130 AM and FM stations Kiss Country 93.7, K94.5 Hit Music Channel, KVKI 96.5 and 99X The Rock Station.

Shreveport Times, June 19, 2006

Holy @#%!: F-Word Slips Out On WABC

KABC’s technicians caught the s-bomb, but weren’t quick enough to catch to f-bomb

Legendary DJ Dan Ingram, 71, inadvertently uttered an obscenity on the air during a live interview on ABC’s news/talk WABC New York, according to reports in both the New York Daily News and the New York Post. The slip of the tongue came during the station’s annual Memorial Day “Rewound” feature program, which included an interview between Ingram, WABC host Mark Simone and Allan Sniffen of the New York Radio Message Board.

According to the Post’s account, WABC’s digital-delay system worked properly, but there was a very short time lapse between two separate instances where Simone tried to bleep Ingram’s conversation: "He was talking about unsuccessfully suing some Florida DJ who stole his name," and how a "fucking court" wouldn't let him appeal, Sniffen told the newspaper.

"Mark Simone tried to bleep him," the Post’s report continued, noting that Ingram had been bleeped “seconds earlier for an S-bomb and WABC's digital-delay system didn't have time to re-buffer.”

The Daily News quoted WABC PD Phil Boyce as calling the incident "unfortunate.... We're still figuring out what to do about it, if there's anything we can."

Boyce also told the Daily News, "We've been running a talk station for a long time without any problems," and that there was no malfunction of the equipment. "I think it's just that no one was expecting it with Dan."

Uttering an obscenity over the air can be subject to FCC fines, but the Commission can only act on such an incident if it first receives a fully documented listener complaint.

Billboard Radio Monitor, May 31, 2006

The Shot Not Heard Around the World

This wasn't the case of a talk host going bad, but someone screwed up big time when Barry Bonds broke Babe Ruth's homer record (714,the most for a left handed player). Also, I am a Giant fan so I guess there are some sentimental reasons

The broadcast went dead at the worst of all moments, and thousands of Bay Area fans listening on radio missed Barry Bonds' 715th homer.
They could not hear the radio account Sunday because the microphone of play-by-play announcer Dave Flemming stopped working at precisely the wrong time.
Flemming had begun the call at the beginning of Bonds' fourth-inning at-bat before his hand-held mike quit during the broadcast on the Giants' flagship station, KNBR.
"Three-and-two. Finley runs. The payoff pitch, a swing and a drive to deep cen ..." — that's all Northern California listeners got when Bonds passed Babe Ruth to move into second place on the career homers list.
"We apologize to the listeners on the radio," Giants executive vice president Larry Baer said. "We're as surprised as any of the fans listening. We have no idea what happened. Normally you have two calls of record — television and radio. Duane Kuiper made a great call on FOX Sports Net and that will be the call of record, the call that goes to the Hall of Fame."
The listeners were left with only the loud reaction of the crowd. Flemming's partner, Greg Papa, immediately grabbed another headset and finished the call a short time later — apologizing for the technical problem.
Flemming had no idea initially he'd gone off the air.
"I'm disappointed," Flemming said. "What can I do about it now? I made the call. It just didn't go over the air."
Flemming still found humor in it all.
"If you only heard the rest of the call. It was an unbelievable call," Flemming said. "Too bad we don't have the proof."
The station, which certainly had been planning for this moment for months, was left to replay the television call — and that's what KNBR will have to rely on for years to recap the moment.
"The mike just cut out," program director Lee Hammer said, noting he couldn't pinpoint what went wrong.

AP, May 29, 2006

WWPR New York Fires Morning 'Star' For On-Air Threats

Poor Premiere. They lose their top African-American host. So what do they do. They go out and sign Whoopi Goldberg

Clear Channel R&B/hip-hop WWPR (Power 105.1) New York has fired Troi Torain, the “Star” in the Star and Buc Wild Show, for making a series of threatening on-air comments directed at the daughter and wife of a competing personality. The termination came after City Council members publicly condemned the morning man during a Wednesday (May 10) afternoon news conference at City Hall.

The dominant player in one of New York’s top-rated 18-34 morning shows launched his tirade on May 3. The targets: Gia Casey, wife of rival WQHT (Hot 97) weekend personality DJ Envy, and the couple’s 4-year-old daughter.

“Yes I disrespected your seed,” Star reportedly said. “If you didn’t hear me, I said, I would like to do an R. Kelly on your seed, on your baby girl. I would like to tinkle on her.”

The contempt got more serious: “Where does this kid go to school? I got 500 bucks for that information.” And, “I will come for your kids. I finally got the information on [DJ Envy’s] slant-eyed whore wife.”

Star, who calls himself “the hater,” also said that he carries a gun.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Clear Channel New York market manager Rob Williams said: “Power 105 finds the comments alleged to have been broadcast by Troi Torain to be wholly unacceptable. We have removed him from the air pending a full investigation.”

Arthur's Comments About Quebec Cabbies Draw Fine

If you want to chat with your driver, hire a limousine

Comments made by now-MP ANDRE ARTHUR when he was a talk show host on the old CKVL-A/MONTREAL have come back to haunt him, as a QUEBEC Superior Court judge slaps him with a C$220,000. judgement for insulting Arab and Haitian cab drivers.

ARTHUR and the station's then-owner METROMEDIA CMR will have to pay over C$300,000. in aggregate for the NOVEMBER 1998 show, which drew a lawsuit from the QUEBEC ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL TAXI DRIVERS for saying that he couldn't understand what cabbies are saying because he could not speak what he described with the "n-word." He called taxis a "Third World" form of transportation, suggested that the drivers bribed their way to licenses, and their cars are dirty and garbage-strewn.

All Access, April 24, 2006

Murphy, Dick Broadcasting, Target Of Lawsuit

You mean there's a difference between charged and convicted?

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that North Carolina woman has filed a lawsuit against area morning deejay Jack Murphy, alleging that Murphy made defamatory statements about her on his radio show.

Verla Englert alleges in the lawsuit that Murphy – who does mornings at WKZL-FM – made false statements in April 2005 about her criminal record. The suit also names Dick Broadcasting Co. Inc., which owns the station.

According to the suit, Murphy said that Englert had been convicted eight times for assault with a deadly weapon.

A web site for the North Carolina Department of Correction does not list any convictions for Englert for assault with a deadly weapon. She was charged in 2000 with assault with a deadly weapon, but a prosecutor dismissed the case, records show.

In 2004, she was found guilty of simple assault, a lesser offense than assault with a deadly weapon.

The lawsuit says that Englert sent a letter to the station in June 2005 saying that Murphy's comments were false. The comments, Englert maintains, were not retracted.

Radio Ink, April 24, 2006

Phony Doctor Arrested on Sex Counts

This has nothing to do with a talk radio host. But I had to publish it anyway.

MIAMI — A 76-year-old man claiming to be a doctor went door-to-door offering free breast exams, and was charged with sexually assaulting two women who accepted the offer, police said Thursday.

One woman became suspicious after the man asked her to remove all her clothes and began conducting a purported genital exam without donning rubber gloves, investigators said.

She phoned the Broward County Sheriff's Office and the suspect fled. He was arrested at another woman's apartment in the same Lauderdale Lakes neighborhood on Wednesday, a sheriff's spokesman said.

The white-haired suspect, Philip Winikoff, carried a black bag and claimed to be visiting on behalf of a local hospital.

He told the women that "he was in the neighborhood offering free breast exams," sheriff's spokesman Hugh Graf said.

Winikoff was not a doctor, Graf said. He worked as a shuttle driver for an auto dealership.

LA Times, April 21, 2006

Boston Area Talk Show is Jailed in a Swindling Case

Host of show entitled "Estate Planning with Jerry Battista" was apparently planning his own estate.

He allegedly bought a Jaguar and new clothes, spent thousands on strip clubs and lavish trips, but now a Marshfield lawyer, Gerard Battista, is spending time in the Plymouth House of Correction.
Prosecutors from the state Attorney General's office alleged yesterday in court that Battista, 58, had swindled $1.2 million from four of his clients and had used the money for personal expenses.
Battista, who is the host of two radio call-in shows on WATD 95.9 FM in Marshfield, was hired by a couple in July to assist them with the sale of their house in Cohasset and the purchase of a property in Florida, Rice said.
Battista’s show -- Estate Planning with Jerry Battista – was carried by WATD on weekends.
State police assigned to Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly's office arrested Battista at Logan International Airport after his return flight from El Salvador, where he had been visiting his wife's family.
He pleaded not guilty in Plymouth District Court yesterday on one count of larceny by a single scheme over $250. He was held on $500,000 cash bail and was ordered to surrender his passport.

Boston Globe, April 19, 2005

San FranciscoTalk Host Fired Over Death Threat

Another month another naughty talk host canned at KIFR

CBS Radio talk KIFR (Free FM 106.9) San Francisco has fired a talk show host and two staffers after an on-air reward was offered to have fellow station talker/comedian Penn Jillette killed.

Local host John London, his producer Dennis Cruz and sports reporter Chris Townsend were suspended last Friday (4/7) and subsequently fired over weekend, according to the San Jose Mercury News, for spending two hours on April 5 complaining about Jillette’s Free FM syndicated show where he labeled Mother Teresa a fraud. At the beginning of his show the following day, London remarked, “$5,000 to the person that kills Penn Jillette. If he suffers, I’ll make it $7,000.”

Jillette’s remarks centered on a bit where claimed that Mother Teresa has set up refuges for dying people for her own “sexual kink” and “sexual kicks.” He also said, “Mother Teresa is a bad person” and called Paris Hilton “much too moral” to play the deceased nun in an upcoming movie.

London told the Mercury News his offer was “obviously sarcastic,” and that he was “sickened” by Jillette’s remarks. “What he said wasn’t satire. He raped her morally, when she couldn’t respond.”

The fired talk show host said he was told that Jillette, whose show preceded London's, received death threats as a result of his own words about Mother Teresa and claimed that the station had a “dump button” and could have edited his (London’s) remarks.

“What I said may have been in bad taste,” London added. “But it wasn’t illegal, as they are claiming.”

A spokesperson for the station declined comment and told the paper, “It’s a personnel issue and we don’t comment on them.”

Just last month, KIFR fired local host Darian O’Toole after allegedly rambling in what some have referred to as an incoherent state and falling asleep on her show.

Billboard Radio Monitor, April 11, 2006

Officials Concerned Over AZ Talk Host’s Call To Kill Border Crossers

Officials in Phoenix still don't get the joke that Brian James was trying to make about shooting Mexicans.

As reported in the Mohave Daily News, Talk host Brian James of KFYI Phoenix suggested recently on the air that a solution to the immigration problem in Arizona would be to kill illegal immigrants as they cross the border. Two local officials feel those remarks may have intensified racial tensions in the state and they expressed that concern in a letter sent Friday to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.

Brian James, who’s a fill-in talk show host with KFYI, said, “What we'll do is randomly pick one night every week where we will kill whoever crosses the border. Step over there and you die. You get to decide whether it's your lucky night or not. I think that would be more fun.''

He said he would be ‘‘happy to sit there with my high-powered rifle and my night scope'' and kill people as the cross the border. He also suggested that the National Guard shoot illegal immigrants and receive ‘‘$100 a head.''

In a letter to Martin, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard and US Attorney Paul Charlton called the remarks irresponsible and dangerous.

‘‘At no time during this hour did Mr. James disavow violence or indicate he was joking,'' the letter said. ‘‘This type of threatening and inciting speech is dangerous and totally irresponsible for anyone, particularly a licensed body using public airways. We are deeply concerned that, given the intensifying conflict over immigration in Arizona, this speech may lead to violence. Tempers are short on both sides, and the situation is highly volatile.''

Goddard and Charlton urged Martin to consider sanctions against KFYI for what they say was an abuse of public airwaves.

Radio Ink, April 10, 2006

KFYI/Phoenix Host's Immigration Comments Draw Protest

KFYI PD Laurie Cantillo claims that the host, who talked about shooting illegal aliens was careful to say that he and the station do not advocate violence.


A fill-in host at CLEAR CHANNEL Talk KFYI-A/PHOENIX has drawn fire from protestors angry over a MARCH 8 show in which he raised the idea of shooting illegal immigrants as they cross the border from MEXICO into the U.S.

The ARIZONA REPUBLIC reports that the ARIZONA INTERFAITH NETWORK held a rally on the state Capitol lawn MONDAY to protest host BRIAN JAMES' comments, in which he said "what we'll do is randomly pick one night - every week - where we will kill whoever crosses the border, Step over there and you die. You get to decide whether it's your lucky night or not. I think that would be more fun."

JAMES told the paper that the remarks are being taken out of context and that "I do not in any way advocate shooting illegal immigrants.... I am not at this point, nor was I then, advocating shooting anyone. I was simply trying to make a point." PD LAURIE CANTILLO told the REPUBLIC that JAMES was careful to say that he and the station do not advocate violence.

Radio hosts suspended for abusing Indian

You must admit those Indian phone reps are a bit obnoxious

Star and Bucwild, the hosts of a popular morning radio show in the United States, were suspended by their station for making an abusive and threatening call to a call centre employee in India.
Power 99 FM in Philadelphia told rediff.com that it suspended the duo for a day, January 12, 2005 after receiving an unprecedented number of protest emails.
The live segment occurred on December 15, 2004, when Star, whose real name is Troi Torain, made a call to inquire about a product known as Quick Beads.
The call was handled by an Indian call centre employee who identified herself as Steena.
Midway through the call, Star became abusive, calling Steena a 'bitch' and a 'rat-eater' before threatening to choke her.

IST, December 10, 2005

Beck would Kill Michael Moore for Cash…But he’s only Joking

Those leftist wackos at Media Matters Made Me Do it. I was just doing comedy. Can’t those Commies take a joke

Responding to Media Matters For Americas claims that Glenn Beck said he wanted to kill Michael Moore, Beck yesterday on his show said the comments were taken out of context, and offered this clarification. "The Media Matters website is this George Soros website that takes on anyone who’s a conservative. They’re taking me on because two days ago I was talking about the things you would and wouldn’t do for $50 million. And I said I’d lose a digit. So I was going down all the things I would and wouldn’t do, for instance I wouldn’t cheat on my wife. I wouldn’t do anything with my family that wasn’t building them up, oh, and I wouldn’t murder anybody. But then I started pondering out loud, because this show, a lot of it is comedy, I questioned out loud, well wait a minute, if it’s Michael Moore, would I kill Michael Moore for $50 million. And I think I came up to the solution that I would kill him for $10 million. And Media Matters has printed, out of context, me wondering, well, could I choke him with my own hands. They had selected excerpts, they didn’t have the context that it was, ‘what would you do for $50 million.’ And it was comedy. It had none of that. They also didn’t put in there where I said, this is clearly wrong, where I came out of the comedy mode. But they’re doing this, so all of our stations, just beware, you’re going to get these leftist wackos, who don’t even listen to this show, writing your station and saying Glenn Beck wants to kill Michael Moore. Yeah, like I really want to kill Michael Moore."

RadioInk.com December, 10, 2006

The Radio Business is Not a Contact Sport

We suspected something was wrong when Mike’s picture was taken off the website

The on and off relationship between WIP 610-AM and Bristol native Mike Missanelli is off again, as the mid-day host was fired on March 21, 2006.
According to a source familiar with the situation, the reason for the firing was because Missanelli got into a fight with a producer during a live remote during Friday's St. Patrick's Day show.
Missanelli's first stint at WIP was from 1992 - 2003. He surprised many when he left WIP to do mornings on rock station WMMR 93.3-FM. His stint at WMMR lasted around a year, then he rejoined WIP for the second time in July 2005, replacing Steve Martorano on the mid-day show with Anthony Gargano.
By Monday night, Missanelli's picture was taken off the station web site.

Kentucky Sports Talker Fired After DUI

Maybe he thought he was running away from an angry listener?

Talk WVLK-A/LEXINGTON, KY sports talk host TIM WOODBURN has been fired after his arrest for DUI and running from police, reports the LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER. WOODBURN entered a not guilty plea MONDAY after his arrest SATURDAY and asked CUMULUS for a 30 day leave of absence to go to rehab but was fired instead. LEXINGTON police allege that WOODBURN cut off a police cruiser, then procceded to drive erratically and refused to stop when the police car turned on its emergency lights, finally stopping, whereupon he got out of his car and ran away. The report says that WOODBURN was arrested when he fell while trying to scale a fence. WOODBURN tells the HERALD-LEADER that he plans to enter rehab in COLORADO on MARCH 26.

Florida Host Sued For Defamation

I didn't call him a pedofile. I just said he should stay away from young boys

GENESIS Talk WAMT-A/ORLANDO host DOUG GUETZLOE is being sued by a local businessman for on-air comments that the plaintiff had tried to "pick up young boys" and was "trolling for children." The ORLANDO SENTINEL reports that RICHARD MASK of WINTER GARDEN, FL has filed suit over the JANUARY 10 "GUETZLOE REPORT" show on WAMT, on which GUETZLOE said that MASK had been seen talking with two children in a trailer park and warning that "I don't know what his problem is, but he needs to stay away from young boys." GUETZLOE denies that he said MASK is a pedophile, telling the SENTINEL that "you have to take my comments in context."

St Louis PD Accused Of EMail Harassment

"I can tell you that I have done nothing. Anything that has been alleged, I absolutely deny it"

CH Holdings talk and sports KTRS St. Louis PD Al Brady Law has been accused of e-mail harassment by a former employee, according to the Toledo Blade. Clear Channel talk and sports WSPD Toledo, Ohio, morning show producer Meghan Smith has filed a complaint against Law with Toledo police, accusing the station's former PD of e-mail harassment. Law spent just less than two years at WSPD before he joined KTRS in late October. Smith says that Law has sent "several harassing and menacing e-mail messages to her over the last year and a half," according to the police report. "The most recent message was on [Feb. 9] and was laced with vulgarity and words she interpreted as threats," the report went on to say. Law denies the allegations. "I can tell you that I have done nothing. Anything that has been alleged, I absolutely deny it," he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Darian O'Toole Meltdown?

Howard come back, we need you in San Francisco

Whatever's on the mics or in the coffee at CBS Talker KIFR (106.9 FREE FM)/SAN FRANCISCO is spreading. On FRIDAY, (2/24) midday personality DARIAN O'TOOLE was interviewing comic DAVE ATTELL, and was reportedly slurring her words. 20 minutes into the show, DARIAN was replaced with a "best of" show. You'll recall that back on JANUARY 12th, afternooner JOHN LONDON went on a rant that included calling and airing a conversation with CBS RADIO Chairman/CEO JOEL HOLLANDER, and slamming the rest of the talent on FREE FM. LONDON was on the air the following day, and ALL ACCESS has learned that O'TOOLE was expected to return to the air today at her normal time, 10a (PT), but TURI RYDER is in her place telling the audience that "DARIAN is a little under the weather."

Maryland Talk Host Apologizes For Hitler Comparison

Why do some talk show hosts have to keep comparing people to this guy

KTEN TV reports on February 25, 2006 that WFMD Frederick, Maryland Talk host Blaine Young has apologized for comparing the president of the Frederick County Commissioners to Adolf Hitler. Young said growth opponents led by Commissioner "Lennie" Thompson tend to blame real-estate developers for county problems in the same way Hitler blamed Jews for Germany's prewar economic decline. Thompson responded by called Young "an unmitigated liar."

DJ caught in payola investigation

Entercom programmer has become the posterboy for Payola

Former top 40 WKSE (Kiss-FM) Buffalo, N.Y., PD Dave Universal says he feels like he has become the poster boy for payola.In an interview that aired Thursday evening (Feb. 16) on ABC News’ "Primetime," the deposed Entercom programmer defended the practices that led to his firing, saying that he was simply encouraged to make money for his employer. The ABC report expanded on the widespread investigation by New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer regarding alleged payola in both the record and broadcasting industries.Universal estimated that record companies typically paid about $100,000 a year to get songs played at Kiss-FM. "I did really well," he said. "I was Entercom's golden boy for a long time."

Billboard Radio Monitor, February 18, 2006

Well Prostitution is Legal in Nevada

Now I understand why I couldn't understamd anything Eddie Floyd was saying

HiatusRGJ.com reports that KBDB Reno talk host Eddie Floyd has decided to take a hiatus from his show after being indicted and pleading not guilty to charges of conspiring to grow and distribute marijuana and launder the money through his businesses. In a statement, Floyd said, "I am not giving up radio, I'm just taking a hiatus for the benefit of the station and the people who work there. I am doing this reluctantly, but considering the situation I am faced with, I think it is in the best interest of the operation of the station and its advertisers that I step aside and stay off the air."

RadioInk.com February 12, 2006

Muslim Group Seeks Apology From KFIs Handel

Hey, I was named the Top Local Talk Host of 2004 by Radio and Records Magazine. I can say anything I want.

A Muslim civil liberties group demanded an apology yesterday from KFI Los Angeles talk host Bill Handel for allegedly making fun of a stampede that killed hundreds of Muslims during an annual pilgrimage. The Council on American-Islamic Relations asked for an apology from Handel, who allegedly made fun of the deaths during a Jan. 12 segment he called the "Annual Stampede Report." CAIR quoted Handel as saying, "This is Mahmoud Nolan. Hajj in the Sky. There is an accident ... Ali lost his sandal on the on-ramp to the Martin Luther King Jr. freeway ..." "The deaths of hundreds of people engaged in religious observances is no laughing matter," CAIR spokeswoman Sabiha Khan said in a statement. "KFI needs to distance itself from Mr. Handel's unbelievable insensitivity by issuing a formal apology and a reprimand."

RadioInk.com, January 27, 2006

KCRW Personality Arrested After Teen is Drugged at Club

Even button downed public television hosts are sometimes accused of behaving badly. If this story is true KCRW host is in a heap of hot water

The LA Times reports that Grammy-nominated KCRW-FM Santa Monica radio host Chris Douridas was arrested recently outside an area bar on suspicion of drugging and trying to kidnap a 14-year-old girl. Douridas, 43, was arrested shortly after midnight Jan. 6. Witnesses reported seeing Douridas put a substance into the victim's drink and carry her out of the bar. Douridas was arrested and later released by police after posting $1-million bail. "Chris has been with us for 15 years, during which he has interacted with thousands of people, men and women of all ages, and has been entirely appropriate at all times," said Jennifer Ferro, assistant general manager at KCRW. "We believe in Chris as a person, and we think he has strong character. And we also think people are innocent until proven guilty."

Orlando Programmer Busted On Computer Porn Charges

I was just going to meet with her in order to find out more about the kinds of music 14 year old girls like to listen to... Really

Clear Channel top 40 WXXL (XL 106.7) Orlando PD Adam Cook, whose real name is Gary Wheeler, has been taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies in Cook County, Fla., and charged with violation of the Computer Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act of 1986 and transmitting computer pornography. The 48-year-old Wheeler was arrested on Jan. 10 when he arrived at a local park to have sex with a 14-year-old girl he met in an Internet chat room. The "girl" was actually a detective, who had been in communication with Wheeler since May, according to the arrest report. They met in a Yahoo Florida chat room, where Wheeler used the name "acook1067." On Jan. 8, Wheeler made plans to meet the girl for sex, according to the report.

Radio Billboard, January 11, 2006

Hot 97 Morning Personality In Hot Water

She's hot, she's got great ratings, but she is also bad. Miss Jones first made the HBB website when she performed the utterly tasteless "Tsunami Song" after the horrible Tsunami trajedy in South Asia in December of 2004. Now she's taking on the head of the NY Transit Union after the short lived transit strike in the summer of 2005.

Hot 97 Morning Personality In Hot Water With NY PoliticianThe New York Daily News reports that Hot 97 morning host Miss Jones made some critical on-air comments about Transport Workers Union head Roger Toussaint and striking New York City transit workers which have gotten her in trouble with city council member Yvette Clarke. Clarke is calling for a boycott of the station's advertisers and wants Jones fired. Jones, meanwhile, was criticized last year for airing a parody about tsunami victims in Asia. In a recent broadcast of Jones' show, she reportedly labeled transit workers as uneducated and overpaid persons who got their jobs by making poor career choices early in life. She also reportedly called Trinidad-born TWU local president Toussaint "a dumb coconut who probably doesn't have a green card." "It is my intention to bring this issue to my colleagues in the City Council and introduce a resolution calling for the permanent removal of the Miss Jones in the Morning show and the economic boycott of Hot 97 and its advertisers," said Clarke, who was angered by Jones' comments. "It was nearly a year ago that I joined other New Yorkers in denouncing Miss Jones and Hot 97 for airing a parody that ridiculed tsunami victims. Clearly, the outcry, demonstrations and resulting suspensions did not provide an impetus for cultural sensitivity from these individuals."

RadioInk.com November 5, 2005

Even Liberal Hosts Screw Up

A popular liberal talk show host in Seattle was canned when KIRO found out that he may have been involved in an insurance scam. The following item was reported on December 23, 2005 in Blatherwatch, a blog that covers the Seatle talk radio scene.

WEBB FACES CHARGES

After an investigation into alleged auto
insurance fraud, extremist Seattle talk show host
Mike Webb has apparently been charged with
criminal offenses, according to Blatherwatch, a
liberal talk radio blog.

For his scoop, Blatherwatch honcho Michael Hood
obtained public documents that detail the
allegations:

In papers filed Dec. 5 in King Co. Superior
Court, and obtained by BlatherWatch; KIRO talk
host Mike Webb (9p-1a) was charged with the crime
of Fraudulent Insurance Claim in an alleged $5982
scam against a car insurance company.

According to the Court's Superform, Michael
Kenneth Webb, 50 years old a KIRO radio talk show
host and a Virgo, is also the subject in an
investigation of forgery.

The papers were gleaned from public court
records. Charges were generated after an accident
June 28 involving Webb in his 2000 Lexus GS-3 and
his subsequent alleged dealings with GEICO.

A Certification For Determination of Probable
Cause describes in detail the fruits of the
investigation by Seattle Police Detective Randal
Woolery and GEICO investigator Bill Brown that
led to the criminal charges against the
flamboyant talk host.

Webb is the same liberal host who last year
demanded President Bush and several of his
Cabinet members face "execution" on war crimes
charges. Previously, we've written extensively
about Webb and his background.

She Needed to Supplement her Low Radio Income

Apparently, this Canandien talk show host was not making enough money for her on air gig. So she did a little work on the side for one of her callers. This was reported in the December 12 edition of Radio Ink On-line.

Radio Host Charged With Fraud

Police say a Toronto, Canada, radio host has been arrested after a listener was allegedly defrauded out of $70,000 by someone posing as a psychologist.

Authorities report that the woman hosted a health and wellness show on CHIN and went by the name of Alexis Daniels. At the end of each show, she would give out her telephone number so she could be contacted.

In July 2003, the victim went to the woman's business where she was allegedly told that the psychologist would be able to help her with her depression.

Police say the woman demanded and was paid $70,000 for counseling sessions. Five months into it, she told her patient she was not a licensed psychologist in Canada but was in the process of becoming a citizen and getting her credentials recognized.

I Thought that My Wife's Engine Needed and Overhaul

The Boston Globe Reported on this item on May 11, 2005. I wonder what the station did when the commercial break was over and the hosts was on his way to jail?

Lawyer For Missouri Radio Host Denies Client Poisoned Wife

The Boston Globe reports that the lawyer for James Keown, who's accused of poisoning his wife by spiking her Gatorade with antifreeze, says Keown was "deeply in love" with his wife and has no idea how she was poisoned.

Attorney Adam A. Kretowicz adds that Keown "absolutely denies that he had any involvement in her death. They were deeply in love with each other. He has no information as to how this occurred."

Keown was arrested Monday during a commercial break at the radio station where he works.

Let's Rope Us Some Mexicans

Its hard to imagine that a radio host doing a "sell and swap" show in Cedar City Utah can get fired for making a racial slur, but this is what happened to Paul "Sarge" Fice after he blurted out a remark insulting to Hispanics. Here' how is was reported on Billboard on line on May 10, 2005.

KSUBs Sarge Let Go After Mexican Roping Saddle Comment

Former California Highway Patrol Trooper Paul "Sarge" Fice has been fired from his job at KSUB in Cedar City, UT, after making an on-air joke that offended at least one listener.

Last week on his buy, sell and swap, Trade-io program, a man called to sell a "Mexican roping saddle." Fice joked that the saddle probably could be used to "rope Mexicans'' coming across the border.

Later in the program an unidentified woman called in and said Fice's comment offended her.

KSUB fired Fice on Friday.

Fice says he's disappointed that he was let go and that he meant nothing derogatory by his comment.

This is Why You Don't See Armstrong Williams on TV Anymore

Probably the biggest "Host Behaving Badly" story in 2005 was the disclosure that right wing talker and columnist, Armstrong Williams, was on the take. As reported in the USA Today in January, 2005, Armstrong was being paid by the Bush Administration to promote Education Department programs.

Education Dept. paid commentator to promote law

Seeking to build support among black families for its education reform law, the Bush administration paid a prominent black pundit $240,000 to promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge other black journalists to do the same.
The campaign, part of an effort to promote No Child Left Behind (NCLB), required commentator Armstrong Williams "to regularly comment on NCLB during the course of his broadcasts," and to interview Education Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that aired during the show in 2004.
Williams said Thursday he understands that critics could find the arrangement unethical, but "I wanted to do it because it's something I believe in."
The top Democrat on the House Education Committee, Rep. George Miller of California, called the contract "a very questionable use of taxpayers' money" that is "probably illegal." He said he will ask his Republican counterpart to join him in requesting an investigation.
The contract, detailed in documents obtained by USA TODAY through a Freedom of Information Act request, also shows that the Education Department, through the Ketchum public relations firm, arranged with Williams to use contacts with America's Black Forum, a group of black broadcast journalists, "to encourage the producers to periodically address" NCLB. He persuaded radio and TV personality Steve Harvey to invite Paige onto his show twice. Harvey's manager, Rushion McDonald, confirmed the appearances.
Williams said he does not recall disclosing the contract to audiences on the air but told colleagues about it when urging them to promote NCLB.
"I respect Mr. Williams' statement that this is something he believes in," said Bob Steele, a media ethics expert at The Poynter Institute for Media Studies. "But I would suggest that his commitment to that belief is best exercised through his excellent professional work rather than through contractual obligations with outsiders who are, quite clearly, trying to influence content."
The contract may be illegal "because Congress has prohibited propaganda," or any sort of lobbying for programs funded by the government, said Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "And it's propaganda."
White House spokesman Trent Duffy said he couldn't comment because the White House is not involved in departments' contracts.
Ketchum referred questions to the Education Department, whose spokesman, John Gibbons, said the contract followed standard government procedures. He said there are no plans to continue with "similar outreach."
Williams' contract was part of a $1 million deal with Ketchum that produced "video news releases" designed to look like news reports. The Bush administration used similar releases last year to promote its Medicare prescription drug plan, prompting a scolding from the Government Accountability Office, which called them an illegal use of taxpayers' dollars.
Williams, 45, a former aide to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is one of the top black conservative voices in the nation. He hosts The Right Side on TV and radio, and writes op-ed pieces for newspapers, including USA TODAY, while running a public relations firm, Graham Williams Group.

Host Dukes it Out with Producer

One sure way to get fired in the radio business is to get into a fist fight with a co-worker. This is what happened to radio personality on Philadelphia sports talk station. The following item was reported in the Buck County Courier Times on March 21, 2006.

Mike Off Again

The on and off relationship between WIP 610-AM and Bristol native Mike Missanelli is off again, as the mid-day host was fired on Monday.
According to a source familiar with the situation, the reason for the firing was because Missanelli got into a fight with a producer during a live remote during Friday's St. Patrick's Day show.
Missanelli's first stint at WIP was from 1992 - 2003. He surprised many when he left WIP to do mornings on rock station WMMR 93.3-FM. His stint at WMMR lasted around a year, then he rejoined WIP for the second time in July 2005, replacing Steve Martorano on the mid-day show with Anthony Gargano.
By Monday night, Missanelli's picture was taken off the station web site.
Radio insiders are already speculating on who will replace Missanelli weekdays from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Some wonder if the duo of Kiley and Booms, who were given a tryout a couple of weeks ago might take the mid-day slot and Anthony Gargano would move to afternoon drive with Howard Eskin. Another scenario could be the return of Steve Martorano.
Also, observers wonder if Missanelli could end up on rival station Sportstalk 950-AM, which is in the market for a local morning show. However, 950 is owned by Greater Media Philadelphia, which also owns WMMR.

Host Fired for Making Racial Slur

The following item appeared in many publications. The poor soul, had been working at the St. Louis talk show for just two weeks. Apparently, he mis-spoke, but the program director canned him anyway.

KTRS St Louis Talk Host Fired For Slur Against Rice

As reported by Fox News, KTRS St. Louis fired talk show host Dave Lenihan yesterday for using a racial epithet to describe Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

In talking about the possibility of Rice taking over as commissioner of the NFL, Lenihan used a racial slur that sounded like the word “coup” instead of actually using the word coup. He used the word twice. The fired host called the slur a "slip of the tongue.”

St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 3-23-06