Don Geronimo, a host for WBIG-FM, the radio partner of the Washington Commanders, was fired last week over disparaging remarks he made about Sharla McBride, a reporter for WUSA-TV.
Geronimo, whose real name is Michael Sorce, was let go by the station after the Commanders banned him from training camp following his on-air comments about McBride, who he referred to as “Barbie” and a “chick,” adding that she thought was a cheerleader.
On Monday night’s CNN Tonight, Alisyn Camerota played the remarks and asked CNN sports anchor Rachel Nichols for her thoughts on the comments and whether or not they warranted Geronimo’s firing.
“This wasn’t just some offhanded comment. This was very extensively demeaning her, talking about how she looked, that she’s tight, that she’s a chick, I thought she was a cheerleader. This is a working journalist. This is a person who came to work that day. And this is what happened to her,” said Nichols. “And it’s just so frustrating when you hear this kind of stuff because we ask women in TV, all of us, and specifically in sports TV, look attractive, right? You tell people, you want to be TV-ready, you want to be presentable, and then you criticize her for looking attractive. That is a tough position to put a woman in.
“It’s just frustrating if you are working hard to have respectability, to show that you know your stuff, to have someone who’s a voice of the team, that’s what he was, he was a team broadcaster, say these things about you, and then you were expected to be in on the joke, which is also really frustrating because then you have to be a partner to someone demeaning you, and that’s worse.
“So, I’m really happy to see that everybody involved saw this for what it was.”
Camerota then asked Nichols about her own personal experiences regarding misogynistic comments, to which the former ESPN reporter noted that she was well aware of Geronimo’s reputation before his latest offending comments.
“I’ve been called sideline Barbie, which was really fun,” said Nichols. “I have — you know, look, I grew up in the Washington, D.C. area, and I have listened to this radio host, Don Geronimo, since before I was a teenager. He has a history of lewd comments about women. And I think that’s part of the context that might be missing from some of the national stories here.
“This wasn’t done in a vacuum. He wasn’t let go of his job in a vacuum. Not only does he have a personal history, but more importantly, Alisyn, the team has a history that they’re battling with here.”
Nichols then noted the substantial amount of allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse that took place during Daniel Synder’s reign as owner of the Commanders. Now that the team is under new ownership, they’re looking to leave those sleazy allegations and anything that reminds them of that time, behind.
