Monday, June 17, 2013

Atlanta radio hosts fired for mocking former Saints safety Steve Gleason, who has Lou Gehrig's disease

Three Atlanta sports radio hosts were fired over an on-air sketch that made fun of former NFL player Steve Gleason and his plight with Lou Gehrig's disease.
ESPN affiliate 790 The Zone gave the cast of "Mayhem in the AM" the boot hours after they mocked Gleason in an "interview" using a fake, robotic voice in place of the ex-New Orleans Saints safety. Gleason, who is confined to a wheelchair, lost the use of his voice due to ALS and speaks through a computerized speech device.
The tasteless bit was broadcast following Gleason's special appearence on Sports Illustrated's Monday Morning Quarterback. Using a machine that tracks his eye movement to type, the 36-year old Gleason wrote a 4,500-word column touching on everything from his debilitating disease to his taste in music, even a possible link between ALS and pro football.
"Mayhem in the AM's" Steak Shapiro and Chris Dimino responded by taking a call from "Steve Gleason," who was played by co-host Nick Cellini. The cringeworthy segment included knock-knock jokes by a voice that at one point asked Shapiro and Dimino to "smother me, do me a favor."
The voice also said "I blame Gregg Williams," the former Saints defensive coordinator who was suspended all of last season for his role in the Bountygate scandal.


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