Radio hosts mock man with ALS

[lucyanna girl]

http://news.yahoo.com/ga-radio-hosts-fired-mocked-ex-player-als-225620775.html



ATLANTA (AP) — The cast of an Atlanta sports radio show has been fired after mocking a former NFL player who has Lou Gehrig's disease, a station official said Monday.

The show, Mayhem in the AM, was broadcast on 790 The Zone Monday morning. In a statement, General Manager Rick Mack said the station regrets comments made about ex-New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason.

The 36-year-old suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS patients lose the ability to speak and move, which has happened to Gleason.

The station lists the hosts as Nick Cellini, Steak Shapiro and Chris Dimino. But Mack didn't give the names of those fired.

During the segment, two of the on-air personalities took a call from a third host who pretended to be Gleason by using a voice that sounded automated — mimicking another famous ALS patient, Stephen Hawking.

The host pretending to be Gleason told a series of jokes and eventually asked the two others to do him a favor by smothering him.

All three took to Twitter Monday evening to apologize to fans and others who criticized the segment. Listeners and critics turned to the station's Facebook page to call for the hosts' termination.

Gleason played for the Saints between 2000 and 2006. Team Gleason, an organization named after the former NFL player, is geared toward finding a cure for ALS, raising awareness of the disease and connecting patients to technology, equipment and services tailored to fit their needs.



I simply cannot imagine how anyone could think this was funny!

Penny

 

[EMom]

I cannot express my level of disgust for these people. If it wouldn't make me as despicable as them, I'd wish them and their families a slow, painful death from ALS. Maybe then they'd have a clue and an ounce of compassion. I lost an amazing relative to ALS and it was worse than cancer, AIDS or any other disease I can imagine. If you have not known someone with ALS, you cannot begin to fathom the horror.

I cannot believe they did not know in advance that this went beyond crossing the line. I have to believe they are simply sorry they now have to pay the price for crossing that line. They are lower than dirt.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Completely awful and I’m glad the host was fired. I lost my grandfather to ALS when I was eight years old. He was a pediatrician and had four kids of his own. He was a wonderful grandfather to my siblings and I (my cousins were all born after he died, unfortunately). I have many happy memories of playing with him. Unfortunately, my youngest sister only remembers him as he was when he was the sickest with ALS. It is an awful thing to remain sharp of mind but lost all of your body functions.

 

[wiigirl]

Just horrible....

 

[Tiggeroo]

I once heard Howard Stern make fun of a mentally ill person. It bothered me deeply. Yet he never seems to pay for things like this. I glad they lost their jobs.

 

[rwdavis2]

I once heard Howard Stern make fun of a mentally ill person. It bothered me deeply. Yet he never seems to pay for things like this. I glad they lost their jobs.

Unfortunately our society finds mental illness entertaining. Just watch an episode of Hoarders: Buried Alive and you'll see.

 

[ilovepcot]

I wish everyone involved in that little fiasco could spend an hour in the home of an ALS patient...one that is quite advanced in the disease process. They'd never be the same again and none would leave dry eyed. I had the pleasure (yes, their kind attitudes made it a true pleasure) of caring for two different ALS patients and it made me view life differently.

 

[DisDance]

I have NO tolerance for people who make fun of others with special needs. A few weeks back I saw a tweet that was meant to be humorous, but I found it extremely offensive. I tried private messaging the group who tweeted but couldn't because they do not follow me, I tried reporting them to twitter but couldn't. It was such a hassle

 

[powellrj]

my MIL died 6 years ago from ALS, she was only 88 pounds and 5ft 10 when she died, its not a laughing matter.

 

[EMom]

I wish everyone involved in that little fiasco could spend an hour in the home of an ALS patient...one that is quite advanced in the disease process. They'd never be the same again and none would leave dry eyed. I had the pleasure (yes, their kind attitudes made it a true pleasure) of caring for two different ALS patients and it made me view life differently.

True. I would be hard pressed to think of any illness worse than ALS and it's got to be one of the most horrible ways to die. Our relative was the most vibrant, full of life person ever and kept a great attitude during the illness. These radio people should live one day as a person with ALS. One day. Anyone who would make fun of someone with ALS is a loathsome creature. God forbid it ever touch their family.

 

[Robinrs]

They played a snippet of the show on the local news today... I'm so glad they fired those idiots. http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/22614451/ga-radio-show-suspended-for-mocking-als-patient

What's really sad is I used to work with one of the guys on Comcast Sports, Nick. He's really a great guy, what made him do such a stupid thing?

My co worker's Dad died last year from ALS, her pain is so fresh. These idiots need to pray they never feel that pain personally, it's mind boggling how they found that appropriate.

 

[Buckalew11]

They played a snippet of the show on the local news today... I'm so glad they fired those idiots. http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/22614451/ga-radio-show-suspended-for-mocking-als-patient

What's really sad is I used to work with one of the guys on Comcast Sports, Nick. He's really a great guy, what made him do such a stupid thing?

My co worker's Dad died last year from ALS, her pain is so fresh. These idiots need to pray they never feel that pain personally, it's mind boggling how they found that appropriate.

My DH lost his grandfather to ALS. Last year a longtime client lost her sister to it.
Like the PPs, I have no idea why or how they thought this would be a good segment to do.

Robin...the link you posted...Denise Dillion used to do our news in Knoxville. It was good to see her after all these years.

 

[Lynne M]

It's bad enough to make fun of disabled/dying people in general. But to mock a specific person who is dying? Who will likely see or hear what you did? And whose friends/loved ones might see it?

Those are some sick people. Something is seriously, seriously wrong with anyone who would do that. Ugh.

 

[indimom]

It's bad enough to make fun of disabled/dying people in general. But to mock a specific person who is dying? Who will likely see or hear what you did? And whose friends/loved ones might see it?

Those are some sick people. Something is seriously, seriously wrong with anyone who would do that. Ugh.

I agree completely!

I just can't fathom how they ever thought this would be well received/funny?

 

[tar heel]

I can't feel sorry for those idiots.

My mother died of ALS. In her case the disease progressed rapidly. My doctor said she was "lucky" that it did.

Does anyone remember when Rush Limbaugh made fun of people with Asperger's Syndrome?

 

[Robinrs]

My DH lost his grandfather to ALS. Last year a longtime client lost her sister to it.
Like the PPs, I have no idea why or how they thought this would be a good segment to do.

Robin...the link you posted...Denise Dillion used to do our news in Knoxville. It was good to see her after all these years.

Love Denise Dillon. She's the anchor on the weekends here!

I can't feel sorry for those idiots.

My mother died of ALS. In her case the disease progressed rapidly. My doctor said she was "lucky" that it did.

Does anyone remember when Rush Limbaugh made fun of people with Asperger's Syndrome?

Rush is losing advertisers and MILLIONS for his company due to his words.