Right-wing Boston talk radio host fired for calling candidate a "fat lesbian"

[wicket]

What a pathetic asshole he is.

Radio host fired for derogatory remark about candidate

WRKO Radio talk show host John DePetro was fired this morning after he made a derogatory remark Thursday about the sexual orientation and the weight of Green-Rainbow party gubernatorial candidate Grace Ross.

"The comments were completely inappropriate, derogatory and will not be tolerated," said Jason Wolfe, a vice president at Entercom Boston, which owns WRKO, in a statement. "I met with our corporate staff last night after listening to the tapes, and we decided to terminate John at that meeting."

DePetro told the Globe today said he was "stunned" by his firing and that he called Grace Ross to apologize for calling her a "fat lesbian." He explained that he was exasperated that Ross and independent Christy Mihos were eating up time during Wednesday's debate. Recalling his remarks on the radio, DePetro told his listeners that he wished someone would "tell the fat lesbian to shut up."

"I didn't violate any laws. There was no obscene language," DePetro said Friday. "I know it's mean but she is technically obese and lives an alternative lifestyle. It's kind of mean. What if someone yelled about Kerry Healey being a spoiled white b---h or Mihos being an arrogant wealthy egomanic."

DePetro apologized on the air after making the remark. Ross describes herself on her campaign website as "a white lesbian living in Worcester" and life-long activist for gay/lesbian civil rights and other "progressive causes."

[bluestateguy]

1. While I should be happy about that

I'm sure some other station will pick him up. These people never end up starving on the streets.

[itsmesgd]

2. is this the family values that they are speaking of

where in the bible did jesus call people names about their lifestyle, I missed that one I guess.

ya gotta love the hypocracy

[Mad_Dem_X]

3. I hope this starts a trend

of calling out these hatemongers and holding them accountable. But, I won't hold my breath.

[liberal N proud]

4. If he would have only called her a lesbian, he would have been OK

But no, he had to call her a FAT lesbian.

:sarcasm:

[Boomer]

5. That's all it takes?

I'm as puzzled as DePetro. In view of the absolutely vile things that so many right-wing talk hosts spew out, "fat lesbian" is rather mild.

Calling a gay woman a "lesbian" is an insult, when she herself openly admits she's a lesbian?

Or was he fired for calling her "fat"? Certainly the reference to her weight is unkind, ungenerous, but enough so to warrant being fired?

Beats me (and I'm a weight-challenged lesbian, myself).

[wicket]

7. He was put on leave in July for this:

DePetro was suspended for two days in July for using a homosexual slur on his show to describe Matthew J. Amorello, who was chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority at the time. Amorello is not gay.

They probably just got fed up with his antics over all.

[Boomer]

8. Okay, that makes sense.

Of course, I was being just a tad disingenous with my last post, because it's obvious that DePetro considers calling someone gay an insult, even when they are unashamedly gay.

As a gay woman, though, I get tired of seeing the word "lesbian" treated as an epithet. Delivered in the wrong tone, any word can be insulting, but it's the tone at fault, not the word. Trying to judge tone and motivation is a slippery slope, however. One way to defuse the stigma of a word is to REFUSE to view it as an insult, regardless of the intent with which it was used.

That's one of the reasons I like the word "dyke." It's a reclaimed word in the political gay community. In fact, I've become so accustomed to it that I sometimes unthinkingly use it in a conversation with people who aren't so acclimated. I have to remember that many people, including gay women, still find it shocking. :evilgrin:

[wicket]

14. "It's a reclaimed word in the political gay community. "

Glad to hear it - it helps take the power of the words away from the homophobes - GOOD!

[Boomer]

17. One of my favorite examples

"Dykes on Bikes" is a California group of gay women bikers. It's such a funny, ephonious title that I just smile every time I hear it.

But I once used the word to describe myself in a conversation with my next-door neighbors and they practically had a fit. Their daughter is gay, and they were the first to welcome me and my partner to the neighborhood, so they are incredibly supportive. But that word just threw them.

I tried to make the analogy that they can use the "N" word, whereas I as a white person, would never do so. In turn, I as a gay person can use the word "dyke" even though they might never do so.

Didn't fly. <grin> So now I try to be a little more circumspect in my language, which is hard to remember to do since I'm so comfortable with them that I tend to drop my "in the company of straight people" manners.

[kenny blankenship]

11. He was suspended this summer for calling Mass turnpike chairman a "fag"

Aaaannd earlier this same year he was in trouble for claiming that Imette St. Guillen, a college student in NYC with family in Massachusetts, who was raped and brutally murdered, genitally mutilated and otherwise tortured, got what she asked for.

So you might say--using the kind of language John DePetro himself was so fond of using--that this radio shock jock only got what he had been asking for.

[Boomer]

18. And NOW they're firing him?

>> ...who was raped and brutally murdered, genitally mutilated and otherwise tortured, got what she asked for. <<

DePetro wasn't fired that kind of vile accusation, but he was fired for calling someone a fat lesbian?

He should have been bounced out the door long before now.

[MannyGoldstein]

6. Not Missed

DePetro was hateful and untalented. It will be pleasing to not hear him while channel-surfing in the morning.

[sallyseven]

10. he was in the Providence R.I. Market and was

a poor radio talk show host then. He skirted the vulgar and obnoxious then. I was glad he left and now I am happy to see him fired. Maybe he can go to Tenn or Alabama ans shill.

[Ian David]

9. In the Boston market, he's expected to SOUND civilized...

and to cloak his bigotry behind polite words.

Consider that Massachusetts is now only about 13% Republicker, the right-wing hosts need to maintain a veneer of respectability.

It's like when the Democrats said, "I was proud to vote for DOMA, to defend traditional marriage. But amending The Constitution is risky and mean-spirited."

[Swamp Rat]

12. HAHA! Now he's a "fired bigot!"

:rofl:

[lukasahero]

13. Interesting how he left out the only other candidate and the possible racial slur

"What if someone yelled about Kerry Healey being a spoiled white b---h or Mihos being an arrogant wealthy egomanic."

Hey, DePetro, why is Deval Patrick not on your list of acceptable slurs? What's that? That particular slur isn't acceptable? No kidding.

Neither should "fat lesbian" nor, for that matter, should "bitch".

[Tracer]

15. Grace Ross laughed when she heard of this a**hole's comment.

She readily admits to being overweight and a lesbian.

What's really ridiculous is that she has plenty of good ideas --- and no forum to implement them.

[wicket]

16. I hope there's a spot for her in the Patrick/Murray administration

:hi:

[Katzenjammer]

19. "she has plenty of good ideas"

She was invited to a local gathering and I felt disappointed when I listened to what she had to say. She seems to be a very conventional thinker. Perhaps she only entered for the election because the Greens need to have a candidate for that office, but from listening to her I didn't get a sense that she'd be worth voting for except as a protest.