Local Radio DJ Booted From Washington Commanders Training Camp After Calling Woman Sports Reporter “Barbie” On Air Is Fired
30.07.2023 - 02:49
/ deadline.com
A DJ from the flagship radio station of the NFL’s Washington Redskins was fired after an incident earlier in the week when he and a partner, broadcasting live from the team’s Virginia training facility, called a local female sports reporter “Barbie” and “a cheerleader” on air while she was on assignment covering the team.
Michael Sorce, known as Don Geronimo, from WBIG-FM BIG 100, was broadcasting live Thursday at the facility in Ashburn, VA, when he and his co-host Crash Young saw WUSA9-TV reporter Sharla McBride walking inside the facility and began commenting on air.
“Hey look, Barbie’s here. Hi, Barbie girl,” Geronimo said live on air. “I’m guessing she’s a cheerleader.”
Later, when Geronimo and co-host Crash Young saw McBride again conducting interviews, they continued.
“Oh hey. There’s that chick that you thought … you said tight?” said Geronimo. “Yah. I screamed tight when she was …” said Young. “I think she’s a sportscaster at Channel 9, or Channel 7…” Geronimo continued. “I thought she was a cheerleader.”
WBIG is owned by iHeart Media, which is in the middle of a three-year contract with the team.
“After an internal review, Don Geronimo is no longer an employee of WBIG,” iHeartMedia’s D.C. Region president Aaron Hyland said in a statement Saturday to media, including WUSA9 and the Washington Post. “We take matters of this nature very seriously and this behavior does not align with our core values.”
From Aaron Hyland, DC region president for iHeartMedia:“After an internal review, Don Geronimo is no longer an employee of WBIG. We take matters of this nature very seriously and this behavior does not align with our core values.” pic.twitter.com/0fDBu20aUN
According to WUSA9, McBride, a veteran sports & news