Talking Ugly
Al Diamon
On Saturday morning, May 3, Kevin Crocker was hosting his weekly program “Talking Maine” on WLOB radio in Portland (1310 AM and 96.3 FM), when, according to an account posted online, he referred on the air to the host of another show on the station by using profanity and an ethnic slur.According to JJ Jeffery, owner of WLOB, no tape recording of the incident exists, but postings on the Web site As Maine Goes indicate Crocker became enraged at Lou Castaldi, who hosts a fitness show on the station immediately following Crocker’s program. Posters on the site said that near the end of Crocker’s air time, shortly before 10 a.m., Castaldi entered the studio and interrupted Crocker’s show by making a few political remarks. Crocker became angry and asked Castaldi to leave. At some point – the accounts online and from station personnel vary – Crocker, apparently believing his microphone was turned off, launched into a string of insults aimed at Castaldi, including at least one ethnic slur referring to Italians and one swear word.
According to the on-line account of an As Maine Goes poster identified only as “jemhunter,” Crocker “used a lot of vulgarity. He then got a caller that asked him to recind (sic) his [ethnic] remark and he refused to. I was astonished at the entire exchange.”
Jeffrey said he was at the station when the incident occurred by did not hear what was said. He planned to speak with Crocker and Castaldi before taking any action.
“It’s never happened before,” he said. “We have to figure out what to do. We have to think it out. These are great guys. I’m just curious as to what [Castaldi] said to make [Crocker] explode. I’d just like to know what was said, because Kevin is not the kind of guy to lose his temper.”
Station general manager John Van Hoogenstyn said, “Something did happen. I’m not sure what, but if it was what’s said to have happened, it certainly is not to be condoned or accepted. I have to investigate.”
Crocker did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Castaldi said he’d left the studio before the alleged comments were made and did not hear them. But he said he received several e-mails from listeners informing him of Crocker’s remarks.
“I’m trying to be low key,” he said. “I don’t like that word [the ethnic slur], but I’m trying to be diplomatic. I may not have been so diplomatic if I’d heard it. I don’t want to make a big thing out of this, because I don’t want to embarrass the station …. I’m sure it was a lapse of judgement on his part.”
Federal Communications Commission rules ban the use of profanity on the air. If a complaint is filed by a listener against WLOB as a result of this incident, the FCC would investigate, and the station could be fined. Ethnic slurs are not specifically prohibited by the FCC, but other talk-show hosts, most notably Don Imus, have been fired for such comments.
— Filed May 5, 2008
Al Diamon can be e-mailed at aldiamon@herniahill.net.
Views expressed in blogs such as Media Mutt and others published on Down East.com reflect neither Down East's editorial stance nor the views of Down East Enterprise.
Reader Comments:
Here's an update: Late this morning, May 5, WLOB general manager Jon Van Hoogenstyn announced that both Lou Castaldi's and Kevin Crocker's programs were being "suspended indefinitely." Van Hoogenstyn said Crocker's suspension was due to his use of profanity and an ethnic slur on the air. Castaldi was suspended for "contributing to the situation that lead to that profanity and just a general lack of decorum in the studio and on the air."
The general manager said that before making his decision, he interviewed several station employees who were present when the incident occurred and concluded both hosts shared the blame. "Everybody was out of control," he said. "It's not the kind of conduct we can accept."
Castaldi said that when he interrupted Crocker's show, he was only following a suggestion given to him by station owner Jeffrey. "JJ [Jeffrey] told me to go on at the end of [Crocker's show] and shake things up .... I thought we were laughing and joking, until I realized [Crocker] was serious, and I left.
"I've been doing radio and TV for 11 years, and I've never been as angry as I am right now."
Still no response from Crocker.
Al Diamon
I am outraged that WLOB has taken Lou's show off the air. I heard the exchange on the radio, and Kevin Crocker definitely lost his temper. Lou always comes on at the end of Kevin's show to give his opinion on the current discussion, and Kevin knows that he does not mince his words. If Kevin has a problem with that, then he should have said to his management that he does not want Lou to be on his show at all (although IMO it was usually the best part of the show). I have never heard Lou attack anyone personally with ethnic slurs or vulgarity. I can see suspending Kevin's show for a while but not Lou's show. The information I have gotten from his show has changed my family. I will be extremely disappointed with WLOB for not allowing a talk show host to speak the truth and keep the listeners informed. I suspect that there are many others who feel the same. I see Lou as Maine's Michael Savage who tells it like it is. Freedom of speech is a person's most important right and it is what makes America so great. WLOB should not be so PC as to make talk show hosts afraid to give their honest opinion (as long as it is without personal attacks) in fear of losing his job. If it makes someone mad, then that is their problem. If I were WLOB, I would suspend Kevin's show for a month and let him come back. His show does provide useful information also. His ranting came out of a fit of anger and he probably could not control what came out of his mouth. In any event, I implore WLOB to come back to their senses and give Lou back his show so that his listeners are not punished because of another man's inability to control his temper.
Janet
As as longtime frequent listener and of Italian hertiage of Crocker's show, i am not offended by Kevin Crocker's comment on Italians. Actually i think it was funny. Heck, my Maine wife calls me that every so often when she gets mad at me.
Let Castaldi and Crocker make up and get back on the air.
JVerdi
Skowhegan
Both men were unprofessional in their approach. I have heard Ray & Ted go after an issue as hard as anyone but they never come close to crossing a line.
Air time, whether on radio or televsion is a precious thing and a real privilege for those who have a luck to have it. I cannot believe that Kevin and Lou represent the best of what Maine has to offer.
Lou is simply rude and should have been booted off the station a long time ago. I have emailed several times about his terrible attitude and nasty approach.
Kevin seems to know a lot but does not have the right personality for such a show. His information is good, but his show is boring.
I doubt either one will be missed much past this weekend.
Too bad Ray can't do a couple of hours on Saturday by himself and just let him go.
That Ted is a funny one.
When I saw the story on Channel 13, I was afraid it was Ray & Ted who were fired,, but I should have known better. Ray is too much of a gentleman to act in such a way.
Lou looked like a little kid crying wolfe on Ch 13. He is not a victim. He is a rude little man who got what he deserved.
It started here, well on As Maine Goes, but Al Diamon picked it up and that prompted Channel 13 to do a story. Then the Press Herald did a story on this issue. The a couple of weeklies hit with a story.
As Diamon goes, so goes the Maine media.
I have both shows on in the back ground while doing Saturday morning chores. Lou has done this for years, but....over the past year it has taken a nasty and insulting tone. It used to be funny, with some digs to lameness of both democrats and republicans.
About a year ago I noticed a change. Some staffer was in studio from the chamber of commerce. He ripped her and the chamber a new one...it was embarassing all the way around. But this paled by the ugly fillibuster in question.
I heard that kevin wanted the mikes pulled and have the station go to break or something. It didn't. That's when Kevin used the f-bomb and slur.
Bad scene....the station should have intervened a long time ago as Lou has been getting more ane more out of line all the time.
Lou has been doing this for a very long time. Mr Jefferey created a show around this called "Lou lets Loose", mainly from Lou's rants at the end of Kevin's show. Who is kidding who? Lou's show has been very beneficial to me personnally, his rants were the absolutely refreshing.
Lou is a very crass man who lacks the decency that would be demanded of someone in his position. Lou is a smart man who knows exactly what he has done, taken Kevin Crocker a guy just trying to help people off the air.
If you saw Lou's tv interview and read his newspaper interview, the stories did not match. What is the truth Lou? Can you tell the truth?
I am a big fan of Kevin Crocker. He told the truth every Saturday morning. Lou ruined it.
Lou does not deserve any more air time anywhere until he grows up and acts like a man, not a tantrum throwing baby.
Grow up Lou. We needed Kevin to continue spreading the truth about Maine's government and you caused his departure.
You should be ashamed of yourself but you are too self-absorbed to understand that. Lou, apologize to WLOB and Kevin and maybe you both can come back.
Stop acting like a spoiled brat.
Um the comment that Al hear it first was incorrect!!! WE hear in Tampa Florida at a Clear channel station were listening on line and heard it first and contacted WGME!!! So you line of So go maine media so goes the world, is wrong its so go maine media heard in tampa by a few former mainers so goes the world!.......
THEY ARE JUST WEEKEND TALK SHOW HOSTS!!! THEY MEAN NOTHING!! YOU ALL ACT LIKE THEY ARE THE NEXT BEST THING SINCE SLICE BREAD! YOU ALL ARE A BUNCH OF INBRED SIMPLE MINDED FOLKS......MORONS!!!
Hmmm, what would someone have to do to make YOU call them a racist slur? No matter what you think of Lou Kevin's use of the G D F G shows how he thinks. We use the words that we think with, Kevin showed his racist side. What if Lou was black and was called the black racist word? Would all of you be so ready to say that he "deserved it"? I don't think so. I am Italian and I am OFFENDED by that word. It is a racist word spoken by racists who run out of civil words to use. Someone said that Kevin was spreading the "truth" you're darn right he is, he's telling everyone who agree's with him what a racist minded person they are. Keep spreading the truth and MORE businesses will NOT come to Maine. I pity you people, such small minds, such big mouths. Did you ALL serve in Vietnam like Lou did? Did you all get injured while you were in the service like he did? Did you all nearly get captured by the Soviet Union like he and his shipmates did? I mean, I know all of this about him from listening to his shows? Did ANY of you actually listen to this war hero? Of course you all "honor" our fighting men and women buy NONE of you had the nerve or sense of self to actually SERVE and now you hide behind posting under the anonymous banner. I have chosen anonymous because, being Italian, I don't want you racists to know me, but we ALL know who YOU are.