I’ve never liked “shock jock” radio, those morning shows with multiple hosts spending four hours, with minimal rock music, trying to be funny, at the expense of others.
Rarely, if ever, are the announcers the butt of those jokes. That indignity is reserved for listeners … usually via phone call.
The scenario of seeking laughs by embarrassing individuals on-air has always bothered me. It’s an uncomfortable “humor” completely lacking in compassion, sensitivity or empathy.
AND THAT’S what made a recent incident on Buffalo’s 97 Rock a national story.
A week ago Wednesday, Rob Lederman, one of three hosts on the station’s “Morning Bull” show, instigated an unthinkable exchange in which he related toaster settings to the skin tone of black women.
Before the day was over, Lederman, also a stand-up comic and owner of a comedy club in Williamsville, had been fired and co-hosts Rich “Bull” Gaenzler and Chris Klein were suspended.
Equally significant, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and two subsidiaries canceled their substantial advertising with the station.
The story really got its legs when Marcel Louis-Jacques, the Bills beat reporter for ESPN, sent out the 45-second clip to a country-wide audience via Twitter.
On it, Lederman admits, “I might get in trouble for this …” then proceeds to ascribe toaster settings to black women “I find to be attractive.”
“… I will never go to a Serena Williams level. But I am very comfortable at a Halle Berry level. I need a little bit of mulatto still coming through.”
Then Klein, who laughed at the bit along with Gaenzler, put the name Gayle King on a tee to give Lederman a full misogynistic swing.
“Gayle King is not even on my toaster level,” he said dismissively of the 66-year old co-host of CBS This Morning.
AFTER HIS tweet, Louis-Jacques, who is black, followed up with another citing the “undeserved stigma attached to dark skin. For Rob to take something undesirable like burnt toast and compare it to the skin color of any person is reprehensible.”
And Berry quickly followed up, tweeting the comments were “disgusting” and adding, “It’s ridiculous this type of nonsense is still being broadcasted across airwaves. ALL Black women are beautiful and worthy, Rob Lederman.”
Scrambling to apologize, Lederman admitted he was “horrified” by his words and said, “I want to sincerely apologize for hurting people with my foolish and ignorant comments. I 100% understand why people are justifiably angry. I made a mistake and it’s hard to look myself in the mirror, but I want to acknowledge it. I apologize from the deepest depths of who I am. Please know my comments were ignorant, but not meant to be hurtful.”
Meanwhile, Gaenzler has already lost three jobs with his future at 97 Rock still uncertain.
He was fired as arena host at Sabres and Bandits games and the owners posted on Twitter, “All organizations across the Pegula Sports & Entertainment umbrella strongly condemn racism in all forms. We are deeply disturbed by the comments made this morning by a co-host on Rich Gaenzler’s radio show, they were unacceptable, inappropriate, and there is no place for them in our community.”
In addition, the University at Buffalo dropped Gaenzler as public address announcer for its athletic events.
Clearly, his failure nine days ago was not stopping Lederman’s racist routine while Klein’s guilt was goading him on by tossing out King’s name.
BUT THE real villain is Lederman.
He’s not some 23-year-old punk trying to make a name for himself the first time in front of an open microphone. He’s been a celebrity comedian for decades.
That he merely “made a mistake” is laughable. A mistake is losing your car keys or forgetting to turn on the oven. This was a major career-risking, advertising-losing, reputation-trashing gaffe.
He should have known as his words “I might get in trouble for this” indicate.
My first boss at the Times Herald was a colorful character named Mike Abdo. He was a man of limited education but vast wisdom. He had a saying, “Make the second-guess your first-guess.” His point was, if you’re contemplating doing something risky, listen to that other voice telling you it’s not worth it.
Lederman didn’t and ended 30 years at the station in less than one disastrous minute, likely endangering the financial future of his Williamsville comedy club and, in collateral damage, jeopardized Gaenzler’s opportunity to earn a broadcast living in Buffalo.
Lederman reportedly has been generous with his time for various charities. But as for “learning” from his mistake, that train has probably left the station.
Two words for him: Michael Richards.
Yes, Kramer, from Seinfeld.
After the show ended its run, he returned to stand-up comedy. But while performing at a Hollywood Club in 2006, he was heckled by two black men who said he wasn’t funny.
Richards blistered them with a searing rant of racial epithets and profanity. Via social media, the exchange went viral, virtually ending his performing career.
He’s been pretty much out of public life for 15 years.
(Chuck Pollock, a Times Herald senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)
