'Mayhem In The AM' Fired: Radio Hosts Mocked ex-NFLer With Lou Gehrig's Disease (VIDEO)
"Mayhem In The AM" fired their hosts Monday after the three men mocked ex-NFL player Steve Gleason, who has ALS, a degenerative disease that prevents him from speaking or moving. The shock jocks had a prank caller call the show pretending to be Gleason and ask to be smothered.
"Knock knock?" the fake Gleason asked, imitating the robotic voice he uses since Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients require a computer to talk. It's also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
"Who's there?" one host answered.
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"Smother."
"Smother who?"
"Smother me, do me a favor," the fake Gleason said.
The call provoked outrage on the part of ALS sufferers, their families and supporters, who swarmed the show's Facebook page to call for the men's firing. Soon after, the Atlanta radio station complied.
"We deeply regret the offensive programming that aired this morning on 'Mayhem In The AM' on 790 The Zone, related to former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason and his battle with ALS," station general manager Rick Mack said in a statement. "We suspended the three individuals involved immediately following their comments and have since terminated their employment. 790 The Zone, our owners, sponsors and partners in no way endorse or support this kind of content. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Gleason, his family and all those touched by ALS."
The shock jocks apologized as well.
"My apologies to everyone. It was a stupid attempt at humor that backfired. Emphasis on stupid," Nick Cellini tweeted. "We took a shot, it backfired. Live and learn."
"I have so many people I have to apologize to. I know this is not who I am...but it is who I am today," Dimino tweeted. "An apology here means nothing if I... Don't reach out to all the people I need to. I am in that process as we speak. Friends and family and most importantly those I know I hurt."
"I love the people and city of New Orleans, always have, always will, @team_gleason I will work tirelessly to make this up to you," Shapiro wrote. "What a moronic 2 mins, I am truly sorry.... ALS not a joke, bit or game. 20 yrs on the air, 2 bad mins on a show, look at the whole picture I hope. Zone was a great ride!!"
Gleason played for the New Orleans Saints between 2006 and 2006. He authored the "Monday Morning Quarterback" column at SportsIllustrated.com and also started Team Gleason, which helps those with ALS "live productive, inspired lives by providing access to life-affirming events and assistive technology until a cure is found," according to an article he wrote earlier this year.
Gleason and his organization declined to comment on the controversy, saying it would distract from the important work of Team Gleason.
