Following the broadcasting of a tasteless skit focusing on former New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason and his battle with Lou Gehrig's disease, 3 popular radio hosts in Atlanta, Georgia have been relieved of their duties. The 'Mayhem in the AM' program that broadcasts over ESPN Radio's 790 The Zone in Atlanta has been discontinued after hosts Chris Dimino, Nick Cellini and Steak Shapiro pretended to have Steve Gleason as a telephone guest on the show and along with the bit not being funny in the least, the hosts also struck a nerve with a large majority of the public.
LISTEN TO The Inappropriate Skit
Gleason was recently a guest columnist for Sports Illustrated's Monday Morning Quarterback, a column written on a weekly basis by SI columnist Peter King. With King on vacation, the 36-year-old former special teams standout typed a 4,500-word piece using his eyes concerning his current A.L.S. condition and how there may even be a possible link between Lou Gehrig's disease and professional football.
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Learning of the article, the trio of Atlanta radio hosts thought it would be funny to have Nick Cellini call-in to the show pretending to be Gleason. Included in the distasteful skit were knock, knock jokes that had the Gleason-impostor asking the 2 hosts to "smother me, do me a favor." Being that the Saints are one of the Atlanta Falcons' biggest rivals, the fake voice also put the A.L.S. disease on former Saint defensive coordinator Gregg Williams saying "I blame Gregg Williams." Williams was suspended by the NFL for the entire 2012-2013 season for his involvement in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal.
Understandably upset with the actions of the broadcast trio, the radio station and General Manager and Senior Vice President Rick Mack issued a statement expressing the station's sincerest apologies for the unplanned actions of the on-air talents.
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. 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.
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Not opposing the decision to relieve him of his duties, Steak Shapiro voiced his regret for involvement in the skit noting that it was surely inappropriate to poke fun at someone dealing with such a terrible disease.
"You walk a fine line trying to be somewhat on the edge," Shapiro said to CNN. "We blew it. We blew it in a huge way. The pressure is to try to do a good radio show, and that wasn't a good moment. It was a horrible moment. [New Orleans] is a place I understand their passions and their heroes. And to make fun of those, it's an awful thing. I feel awful about it."
Gleason revealed he was battling A.L.S. in 2011 and as he continues to deal with the awful symptoms, he's become a hero in New Orleans and around the United States. Addressing the recent comments of the Atlanta hosts, Gleason wanted those supporting him to know that he forgives the inappropriate comments and notes that all people make mistakes at some point in their lives.
"Regarding the DJ skit in Atlanta yesterday. I would like to thank the public for their support," Gleason wrote. "'Defend Team Gleason now has been officially redefined. Additionally, the DJs have provided genuine apology. Received and accepted. We have all made mistakes in this life. How we learn from our mistakes is the measure of who we are."
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Team Gleason is an organization named in honor of the eight-year NFL pro that is focused on someday finding a cure for this terrible disease. The organization is also fixated on helping those diagnosed with A.L.S. to find the proper equipment, technology and care they need to live through the condition in the best way possible. As he continues to be a model human being, Steve Gleason given the honor of announcing the Saints' Third Round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft this past April. Watch the video here.
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