98.5 The Sports Hub radio host Tony Massarotti was suspended by Beasley Media Tuesday after he made a racist remark on-air last week.
Massarotti made the ignorant comment last Friday and was back on The Felger & Mazz Show Monday afternoon to apologize, but on Tuesday, Mike Felger announced his co-host would be serving a suspension for the rest of the week. Felger began Tuesday afternoon’s show on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston by reading a statement from the station’s owners, Beasley Media.
— The Kirk Minihane Show (@kirkminshow) February 21, 2023
“Beasley Media strives to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, and these comments went against its core values. The company has decided to suspend Tony for the rest of the week without pay,” Felger read. “In addition, all of our on-air personalities at Beasley Boston will be taking sensitivity training to redouble our efforts to create a culture of understanding.”
Last Friday, Massarotti made an offensive remark, attempting to caution Felger who was broadcasting remotely from a room with two Black people in it.
— Dave Cullinane (@davecullinane) February 18, 2023
“I wanna know now who the two guys behind you are,” Massarotti said. “Because if I were you – they can’t hear us, right? Okay, so I would be careful if I were you. Because the last time you were around a couple of guys like that, they stole your car.”
Felger did get his car stolen last November during a trip to New Orleans, so Massarotti’s comment was an attempt at chiding his radio co-host, but it failed miserably. After video of the comment garnered attention on social media over the weekend, Massarotti apologized on Monday, admitting the remark was “hurtful” and detrimental to the cause for racial and social equality.
“I owe everyone an apology,” Massarotti added Monday afternoon. “It’s not who I am, it’s not who we are. I can tell you that until I’m blue in the face. Those of you who know me will believe it. Those of you who don’t, won’t, and you probably shouldn’t. If I saw and heard what you did, I would feel the same way. And you have a right to be upset.”
After announcing Massarotti’s suspension, Felger, who laughed at the racist comment on Friday, admitted he deserves some responsibility for the incident by not condemning the joke in the moment.
“Minorities in this country have to put up with a lot of crap,” Felger said. “And comments like that just make it harder for them and we apologize for that. I feel bad that I personally didn’t do more to correct it in the moment. I had the chance, and I’m just not talking about dropping it either, I had the chance there in the split-second moment to do something and I froze.”
Felger and show contributor Jim Murray, who was also seen laughing in response to Massarotti’s offensive remark, are not facing a suspension, but they will be part of the sensitivity training mandated by Beasley.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com