Ramblings' Journal: Entire radio morning show staff suspended over tsunami slurs

January 26, 2005

Entire radio morning show staff suspended over tsunami slurs

The entire staff of the WQHT Hot 97 Radio morning show in New York City was suspended indefinitely this afternoon, after an ongoing uproar over a bit the show's staff did to the tune of "We Are The World."

The bit ridiculed victims of last month's Indian Ocean tsunami disaster in the most vile terms, including racial slurs and with crass jokes about children watching their parents die.

"What happened is morally and socially indefensible," said Rick Cummings, president of Emmis Radio. The station is owned by Emmis Communications Corp .
"All involved, myself included, are ashamed and deeply sorry. I know the members of the morning show are truly contrite. They know their actions here are inexcusable," Cummings said in a statement.
The piece used racial slurs to describe people swept away in the disaster, made jokes about child slavery and people watching their mothers die.
"You can hear God laughing, 'Swim you bitches swim,'" was one line in the song, sung by staff of the show to the melody of the 1985 famine relief song "We Are the World."

The station declined to say when host Tarsha Nicole Jones, known on the air as "Miss Jones," would return to the air, or even if she would at all.

Here's hoping that she doesn't. What they did shouldn't pass for humor, but unfortunately, in today's society, there are those who would find their song funny.

Posted by mhking at January 26, 2005 02:41 PM

Comments

Ms. Info made it clear that she wasn't a part of it and didn't agree with it. She shouldn't have been suspended unless it's because of the on air argument between her and Ms. Jones

Posted by: DarkStar at January 27, 2005 08:52 PM

I think what happened on the miss jones show is just a small part of how radio shows have become disrespectful. Because the people put up the disrespect that these shows have given for so long they seems not to care what they do and who they hurt just to get a cheep laugh. I think is time for some changes, and these radio host should be thought a lession. what happen to those people was a tragedy and we need to come together and pray for the nation.

Posted by: Debbie at January 28, 2005 10:57 AM

I'm glad they were suspended but we need to look a little further into why some fool thought this song would be funny. A lot of young black people in NYC are not only anti Semitic but anti Asian. Where the heck did that come from?

Posted by: kimberley at January 28, 2005 05:23 PM

I believe that Miss Jones is getting everything that she deserves I have been listening to the station for a while, and have said time and time again she is going to say the wrong thing. And look she did not prove me wrong.. Let her stew in her mistake that way she can build a heart for someone to think that shit was funny has no HEART. Having her come back will now solve the issue...
Keep her off the air

Posted by: tooty at January 28, 2005 10:43 PM

What is going on with buju was he involve with bogle's death and if so, that's so fucked up because i am a jamaican and buju was the one that "BUST" Bogle with a very popular song called "bogle a run the place night and day".Get the facts right and let me know peace, keep it jiggi

Posted by: Dave at September 26, 2005 09:28 PM