Atlanta Radio Show Hosts Suspended After Mocking Steve Gleason on Air
By Josh Sanchez
Former New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason blocked a punt against the Atlanta Falcons during their first game back at the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina, which left the community searching for recovery. Gleason was a big part of jumpstarting the franchise’s return to glory and a he provided a major lift to the city.
Unfortunately for Gleason, ALS has severely affected the way he now goes about his life and it has left him unable to do a lot of everyday tasks that we all take for granted.
So when a trio of Atlanta radio show hosts mocked Gleason during an on-air skit, they should have expected all of the backlash that came their way. The hosts from Mayhem In The AM this morning on 790 The Zone upset a lot of their listeners by making fun of Gleason, and the ill-advised skit has now led to their suspensions.
“We deeply regret the comments made by Mayhem In The AM this morning on 790 The Zone regarding former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason,” Rick Mack, Senior VP and General Manager said in a statement released by the radio station. “790 The Zone, Lincoln Financial Media, our sponsors and partners in no way endorse or support the unfortunate and offensive commentary concerning Mr. Gleason this morning. The members of the show involved with this incident have been suspended indefinitely pending further management review of their actions.”
One of the hosts, Nick Cellini, also took to his Twitter account to apologize:
I have not yet heard the skit, but it is never okay to mock someone in Gleason’s condition.
Let’s hope that the buffoons from Mayhem in The AM never get on the air again. To mock a person who is struggling to hang on to their life is as low as it can get and it is really unfortunate that someone would think it is okay to stoop that low.