On Monday (June 18) three hosts (Nick Cellini, Steak Shapiro, and Chris Dimino) of an Atlanta sports talk radio show aired a segment making fun of former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason.
Now, a sports talk show making fun of a player is not really news...
However, Steve Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in 2011.
In a recent column in SportsIllustrated.com, that he wrote using his eyes, this is how Gleason described living with ALS:
"I am well into the disease progression. I am unable to walk, talk or eat. In some ways, this stage of the process is less frustrating than previous stages. I often feel normal. I forget that it's weird to eat through a tube or be in a wheelchair. Still, I can't deny that it's a struggle," he wrote.
Now, a sports talk show making fun of a player is not really news...
However, Steve Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in 2011.
In a recent column in SportsIllustrated.com, that he wrote using his eyes, this is how Gleason described living with ALS:
"I am well into the disease progression. I am unable to walk, talk or eat. In some ways, this stage of the process is less frustrating than previous stages. I often feel normal. I forget that it's weird to eat through a tube or be in a wheelchair. Still, I can't deny that it's a struggle," he wrote.
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According to ESPN.com, "During the segment, two of the on-air personalities took a call from a third host who pretended to be Gleason by using a voice that sounded automated -- mimicking another ALS patient, world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking.
The host pretending to be Gleason told a series of jokes and eventually asked the two others to do him a favor by smothering him."
The host pretending to be Gleason told a series of jokes and eventually asked the two others to do him a favor by smothering him."
The reaction to the segment was swift and overwhelmingly negative. Twitter and Facebook lit up with fury aimed at the radio hosts and for support of Steve Gleason and his Team Gleason foundation. The station suspended the hosts and then terminated their employment.
I'm not here to say that anyone should be fired or lose their means of making a living...that's not my point. My point though, is that these three men had a means of connecting with thousands of people on a daily basis and they chose to insult a man living with a crippling and incurable disease-and by extension, they insulted everyone else who are in similar circumstances...all to get a couple of laughs.
Since the aftermath-all have apologized for their actions~one seemed very contrite and one, well not as much.
Your Microphone is On
Listen, before I sound too sanctimonious with you-I know I have said and done extremely hurtful things in my life to the people around me. I've made fun of people I shouldn't have. I've said words I wish I could take back. I've also stayed silent when I know I should have spoken up.
So, I am taking this time, once again, to remind myself that since my microphone is on...what do I want my message to be? Do I want it to be a message of hate or one of love? Do I want to lift people up or tear them down?
I know what I want my message to be...what about you?
I'm not here to say that anyone should be fired or lose their means of making a living...that's not my point. My point though, is that these three men had a means of connecting with thousands of people on a daily basis and they chose to insult a man living with a crippling and incurable disease-and by extension, they insulted everyone else who are in similar circumstances...all to get a couple of laughs.
Since the aftermath-all have apologized for their actions~one seemed very contrite and one, well not as much.
Your Microphone is On
Listen, before I sound too sanctimonious with you-I know I have said and done extremely hurtful things in my life to the people around me. I've made fun of people I shouldn't have. I've said words I wish I could take back. I've also stayed silent when I know I should have spoken up.
So, I am taking this time, once again, to remind myself that since my microphone is on...what do I want my message to be? Do I want it to be a message of hate or one of love? Do I want to lift people up or tear them down?
I know what I want my message to be...what about you?
Keywords: Steve Gleason, ALS, atlanta radio hosts, 790 the zone, positive message, rommel anacan, relationship difference, team gleason, nick cellini, steak shapiro, chris dimino, love and hate
