WFAN’s sister station in Boston is embroiled in controversy after an on-air personality made a racist remark.
A Boston sports radio talk show host is under fire for using an ethnic slur to describe ESPN personality Mina Kimes.
During a segment on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Wednesday, co-hosts Greg Hill, Jermaine Wiggins and Courtney Cox were discussing their “top five nips” as the Boston City Council prepares to discuss a possible ban on “nips” – small liquor bottles – because they are too small to be recycled and are often littered.
Skrewball, Dr. McGillicuddy’s and Fireball were named, when producer Chris Curtis interjected, “I’d probably go (ESPN NFL analyst) Mina Kimes,” with a smile. The other co-hosts continued on.
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In a statement to USA TODAY Sports, ESPN called the comments “uncalled for and extremely offensive,” adding, “there is no place for these type of hateful comments.”
The term Curtis used is an ethnic slur toward those Japanese descent. Kimes, who was born in Nebraska, is of Korean descent. Audacy told The Boston Globe that Curtis accidentally said Kimes’ name and mean to reference actress Mila Kunis, so there is nothing to see here and he was just trying to make a sexist joke. Or something like that.
Wildly offensive content is not a one-station phenomenon in Beantown. Tony Massarotti, a long-time host for 98.5 The Sports Hub, was suspended in February after making racially-insensitive comments. Massarotti implied two Black men that sat next to co-host Michael Felger (who was working remotely over a video feed) might steal his car. He later claimed it was an inside joke while apologizing.
Both stations have had mandatory sensitivity training in the last five years.
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James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jameskratch.
