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MJ gets 3 air talents fired!

F

fmradioisdead

Guest
Yes the all mighty MJ just threw another temper tantrum and got 3 really good jocks blown out of 93-3 WFLZ. He was upset over a bit done on Club 93-3, which aired at 10pm on Fridays. The bit was a parody cross promo for the MJ morning show, that made reference to his daughter being on crack as a joke. It comes across very obvious that this was only a bit for entertainment purposes only, and a retraction break aired after, reinforcing that is was only a bit! This was clearly not a fire-able offense, NO FCC regulations were broken, just MJ's ego.
 
Kovacs, Lunchbox, and Big Kris.

I think the audio is on one of their myspace pages.
 
I heard Bubba talking about it today. He said he listened in on his way home and heard them do do the bit. Bubba knew it was a bit, but I guess the FLZ night boys didn't know they'd be taking a chance. I understand MJ upset about them busting on his daughter, but it was a bit. In this biz we all get our chops busted from time to time. But there is a line that’s undefined...
So was it freedom of speech/bit, or did they go to far?
 
fmradioisdead said:
This was clearly not a fire-able offense, NO FCC regulations were broken, just MJ's ego.
Click to expand...

Apparently, it IS a "fire-able offense" since the three WERE canned. What they said wasn't only in poor taste, it was just plain stupid. I am sure a radio job in Topeka awaits them.
 
I didn't hear the comments until now. Wazzie, it was in poor taste.
 
Sorry...I'm with MJ on this one. As far as I'm concerned family members are civilians so to speak. I am not aware of any M.J. bits that went after the family members of fellow employees. Maybe a firing is a bit severe, a suspension may have sufficed, but I don't know all the players involved.
 
MJ's in the right here. I don't care if it's a bit or not; going after the kids, especially making a joke like the one Kovacs & Co. apparently made (I haven't listened to it yet), and especially a joke about the daughter of that station's most renowned personality (ego notwithstanding), crosses what I think is an unwritten code of on-air ethics, so Schnitt had every right to go to Tommy Chuck (i presume) and ask for their termination. As for the bits in general, Kovacs had been making parodies of the MJ morning show on Club 933 Interactive as well as his other air-shifts for years, so the parodies in themselves are nothing new. But what happened Friday night as I had stated before was too far below the belt to tolerate.
 
I didn't hear it but nobody needs to get fired for a joke. An intentional insult, yes but a joke no. It is hard enough to make it in these tough economical times when you have a job, it is near impossible without one. Suspend them, put them on probation, forty lashes with a wet noodle but don't take their livelihood over a joke. That's some bull. Full disclosure: I have no kids and have no idea how I would have fealt if I were in the MJ's shoes. As the World's Greatest Uncle, I love my niece and nephews like I imagine I'd love my own children and you'd have to come after them pretty hard for me to get mad enough to ask for your termination. But, then again, I have pretty thick skin.
 
Wow. Punishment given was perfect timing here for CC. I mean what better way to just cross off three checks from the company payroll? Pure genius... Nothing said violated FCC policy, guess it just violated CC policy....whatever that is.
 
Just goes to show that if you make a small amount of money, the company owns you, but if you make really BIG money, you own the company. I don't blame MJ for being upset about his daughter being targeted for a bit, and I don't blame him for going to the PD, that's why you have a chain of command. However if they were fired because MJ demanded it (assuming arguendo that this happened in a vacuum) then it sounds a bit like the tail wagging the dog, I mean who's working for whom? However, this is the state of radio today where you have a handful of anointed superstars earning (and make no mistake, MJ works his butt off) mega salaries and the clout that goes with it, while the "little people" have to live in fear that anything they say or do can cost cost them their jobs. It may not seem right, especially to guys who find themselves suddenly out of work, but that's where we're at for now and the immediate future.
 
This is a tough one for me. The guys that were let go are friends of mine. I think a joke, even if it is a joke, about someones kids is crossing the line. Make jokes about MJ all you want. I did it when I was in that building. MJ I am sure has thick skin enough to handle those jokes. But you go after someones kids? No one wants to see that.

Should they have been fired? I dont think so. That is someone throwing their weight around. Suspension would have been more appropriate but I am not the one calling the shots . What happened sucks for all involved. There are no winners here. No one saves face. No one gained any respect. This is a loss for FLZ period.
 
FiveStar said:
Just goes to show that if you make a small amount of money, the company owns you, but if you make really BIG money, you own the company. I don't blame MJ for being upset about his daughter being targeted for a bit, and I don't blame him for going to the PD, that's why you have a chain of command. However if they were fired because MJ demanded it (assuming arguendo that this happened in a vacuum) then it sounds a bit like the tail wagging the dog, I mean who's working for whom? However, this is the state of radio today where you have a handful of anointed superstars earning (and make no mistake, MJ works his butt off) mega salaries and the clout that goes with it, while the "little people" have to live in fear that anything they say or do can cost cost them their jobs. It may not seem right, especially to guys who find themselves suddenly out of work, but that's where we're at for now and the immediate future.
Click to expand...

Interesting point, FiveStar. I have wondered at times myself if the person that's running things over on Gandy is Schnitt and not Dan DiLoreto. I recall listening to his show one morning and relating the story of him single-handedly shutting down a presentation that someone was going to make to some of the sales staff about some purses, stating that these so-called parties were a round-about way to funnel money into terrorist groups--or something to that effect. So, yeah, I guess you can say the tail wags the dog from time to time.
 
ALL THE POST ON HERE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE MENTALITY OF THE SHOW. THAT SHOW HAS BEEN ON FOR YEARS DOING THE SAME TYPES OF BITS WITH CALLERS AND OTHER PERSONALITY'S.

NO ONE ELSE HAS TAKEN THE BITS PERSONAL, THEY KNOW ITS ALL IN GOOD FUN. SO WHY DID MJ? MAYBE BECAUSE BUBBA HEARD IT AND LIKED IT?
 
If I did a show where I wasn't offensive to other people, and fellow jocks pulled this stunt on me?, sure..I'd head to the front office.

If I made my living ripping into others..well, I'd be p o'd but would take my medicine.

But MJ has made a career out of trashing just about everyone in sight...friends,non friends, celebrities, etc... You name them, hes trashed them. Then he turns around and goes right wing five hours later?

Sorry. Gotta go with the fired threesome. Tasteless? probably. Suspensions? Yeah.

Termination because MJ complained. Nope. Not right.
 
If someone made fun of me...ok. Gotta have thick skin in this business, he gives it out he has to be able to take it as well. But the second you make fun of my wifes and kids, those are fighting words. I dont care where you are or who you are. Same thing happened in NY to Star. Make fun of the person, all day long. Leave the family out of it.
 
BUBBA SAID IT BEST... HE PUTS HIS KIDS ON THE AIR DAILY... HE PUTS HIS WIFE ON THE SHOW HOURLY... DON'T MAKE YOUR FAMILY PART OF THE SHOW IF YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO BE TALKED ABOUT..

COME ON PEOPLE!!! THIS WAS AN OBVIOUS JOKE!!!!! IF YOU ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THE BIT ITS APPARENT THAT IT WAS A JOKE AND NOTHING MORE!!!

IF BUBBA WAS NOT IN TOWN, THIS WOULD BE A NON-ISSUE!! POLITICALLY THIS WAS THE DUMBEST MISTAKE THEY COULD MAKE ON THE PART OF MANAGEMENT TO TERMINATE THESE GUYS. NOW BUBBA HAS MORE TO BASH MJ ON, INSTEAD OF THIS NEVER BEING AN ISSUE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
 
Bubba can do whatever he wants to. Him being back in town has nothing to do with this situation. The fact that he makes those across the street bashes is a little juvenile to me. Id be pissed if I got thrown under the bus the way he kinda did. But that is his show. I like Bubba.

The simple fact is that these guys should not have been fired in my opinion. Suspended, YES!!! It was a joke and I know none of them meant any malice. I have worked a bunch with the 3 that were let go and they are all good dudes.

But you cant attack someones family. Even if they are on the show. Its just wrong. Even a joke about his wife I could almost see letting go. But his kid who doesnt know any better...no way. You gotta know where the line is.
 
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