Richard Oliver: KTKR producer fired

[Spurs Brazil]

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/

Richard Oliver: KTKR producer fired
Express-News columnist Richard Oliver is in Denver for tonight's Game 4 in the first-round playoff series between the Nuggets and the Spurs. He sends along the latest news and notes:

Tough talk

The fallout from last week's controversial skit on "Sports Talk San Antonio" on KTKR-AM 760 came down hard today when the show's executive producer, Eric Gray, was let go by the station.

In an internal e-mail to station employees, obtained by the Express-News, Market Manager Matt Martin announced the move, adding that Gray's duties would be "temporarily absorbed by current staff members until further notice."

The program's co-hosts, Walter Pasacrita and Jeff Vexler, have been removed from all pregame and postgame programming by the Spurs. Both, however, are scheduled to be back on the air this afternoon. Pasacrita has delivered sports updates throughout the day on WOAI-1200 AM, where he serves as sports director.

Vexler, responding to an e-mail, refused to comment on his situation.

George King, operations manager for KTKR, said, "Our station's policy is we don't comment on any employee matters."

The station is under fire after the broadcast of an alarming segment that included a faked interview with Denver guard Allen Iverson. In the bit, which ran just before Game 2, an Iverson impersonator responded to questions with answers perceived as inflammatory and racist. Gray produced the skit.

In the aftermath, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich bowed out of any further weekly appearances on KTKR, at least through the postseason.

According to several people who heard the broadcast, including sources close to the station, the fabricated chat included references to Iverson and teammate Carmelo Anthony providing the Spurs something from their own "special stash" before Game 1, which Denver won. The segment also included a mention of Iverson and other players cruising the River Walk looking for sex with "Mexican" women.

[SsKSpurs21]

LOL, eric gray got fired for being a mavs fan.

[BruceBowenFan]

damn i can't believed they fired him, i did not see that coming

[DarrinS]

http://blogs.ipswitch.com/archives/You're%20Fired.jpg

[jn77]

In "Post-Imus" pc land that bit should never have aired. I am not sure it would've gone over well if th Imus thing hadn't happened. I did radio for a while...That bit was horrible on so many levels. Glad the Spurs and the station responded the way they did.

[SenorSpur]

These guys are truly some "dumb shits"

[dimsah]

Market Manager Matt Martin
Market Manager Matt Martin
Market Manager Matt Martin

[bendmz]

won't be long before the other two corn dogs are gone.......

[GrandeDavid]

I never knew who Eric Gray was, and guess I'll never know who he is.

[The_Worlds_finest]

I never knew who Eric Gray was, and guess I'll never know who he is.

dust in the wind...like the mavs

[Solid D]

I did not hear the fake interview but the minute I heard about it, I thought to myself, that sounds like something Eric Gray would come up with. I had gotten the impression Eric had been trying to make the Ticket in SA similar to the Ticket 1310 in Dallas with a over-the-top approach. They do stuff similar to this at that station.

The insertion of beeps into taped interviews to make them sound like a censored profanity (when it really isn't) is another example of something that could have upset some coach or player who might have overheard it and been offended.

[pooh]

Remember they use to do that when they would bring out Frank Callendo from Mad TV, saying "oh we're going to have John Madden on." But this, unlike Callendo's was entirely different. They all should be let go. If you're blaming all three, then you should fire all three, not just one.

[pooh]

Radio skit puts producer out of a job

Web Posted: 04/30/2007 10:40 PM CDT

Richard Oliver
Express-News

DENVER — The fallout from last week's controversial skit on KTKR-AM 760, which included a fabricated interview with Denver Nuggets guard Allen Iverson, came down hard Monday when an executive producer was let go by the station.

The dismissal of Eric Gray, who oversaw "Sports Talk San Antonio" and created the inflammatory segment, was announced to employees in one of two internal e-mails obtained by the San Antonio Express-News.

Matt Martin, a Clear Channel Communications vice president and market manager for KTKR, declined additional comment when reached, but was succinct in a note to staffers.

"As you might be aware," he wrote, "on (Wednesday) during "Sports Talk San Antonio," an on-air parody was aired that may have been viewed as insensitive. KTKR does not condone or approve inappropriate content or language."

The skit, which involved an Iverson impersonator answering questions on the air, included references to drugs, seeking sex from "Mexican" women on the River Walk and the accidental shooting of a homeless man who turned out to be an "illegal alien."

The program's co-hosts, Walter Pasacrita and Jeff Vexler, who also have control of on-air material, received no apparent discipline from the station. Both were on the air for Monday's talk show and avoided mention of the controversy.

Pasacrita, also sports director for WOAI-AM 1200, provided scheduled sports updates throughout the day.

The Spurs, however, have cut all ties with Pasacrita and Vexler, including forbidding their involvement with any of the team's programming for postseason games. Additionally, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has pulled out of his weekly call-in sessions with the station.

Vexler, in an e-mail, refused comment. "I'd love to," he said, "but I can't."

Pasacrita couldn't be reached for comment.

George King, operations manager for KTKR, cited station policy forbidding any discussion on employee matters. Martin, in his e-mails to personnel, issued a similar gag order, directing all interview requests to his office.

Eric Sebastian, director of media relations for the Nuggets, said the team was aware of the situation. Over the weekend, Iverson expressed irritation over the skit.

"We're pretty satisfied with the way the Spurs handled it," Sebastian said. "They're a first-class organization in the way they operate."

Gray's duties, Martin told his employees, would be "temporarily absorbed by current staff members until further notice."

[email protected]

[kris]

No comment and pretending like it never happened?

Why not just say we're sorry for airing the skit and it was insensitive so we apologize.

At least address the situation.

That's just stupid. It already came out so there's no use in the no comment card.

[Solid D]

I agee kris. Even though Gray created the copy and served as the synergist in the deal...Vex and Walter carried through with it. They should accept responsibility for their part in it and apologize.

[pooh]

It's as if they're getting a "pass" and Gray is the fallguy in this, it's dumb. I would be shocked if Vex and Walter are allowed to skate through this.

[jaespur21]

i heard it and thought it was outlandish but not racist....every1 knows AI has had some moments with the media and didnt he beat up a girl or something with a gun. they just took it a little too far.
sux they got fired...it wasnt too bad whit i have no doubt carmelo and AI smoke weed....IF its ok to kill any1 who snitches whats wrong with this skit which was obviously outlandish.
just a mexicans view on it

[Slinkyman]

they all need to be fired, not because of that skit but because they suck in general. honestly, i think they should have been fired for stealing the 'man laws' bit, no talent hacks!

[Ocotillo]

They have a tough job. I know it's not physically hard to do what they do and talking about sports for a living should be a piece of cake but, coming up with fresh things to keep a show interesting in a one team market has to be tough. I could listen to Spurs talk all the time but most of the audience wants to hear about other things like the Cowboys or even baseball.

When things get slow they end up going for the sophmoric humor and this time it blew up in their faces.

They may not lose their jobs over this but they are not talented enough to survive on their own merit either. KTKR probably doens't pay for sh*t either.

[Drive Like Jehu]

I know this has been covered by the media for the past several days. Has any Clear Channel station even mentioned it or are they all involved in a news blackout? Yesterday afternoon 760 didn't mention it at the top of the show and 1200 focused on fiesta being crowded (I was shocked at that breaking news).

[S_A_Longhorn]

Eric Gray's MySpace page shows he is clearly milking it, calling himself the "Don Imus of SA". Vex and Walter are funny, and while I think Walter's comments are way off base, he does offer an East coast point of view. He's is clueless when it comes to college football.

Vex is still inexperienced, but I do like listening to his thoughts. The show is funny, although I didn't hear this specific skit. They've done this before, and I believe Eric Gray was trying to emulate the Ticket in Dallas, which supposedly does this all the time.

Whatever they do, I pray they don't bring back "G-rated" Don Harris and his kiss-ass interviews with Pop.

"I'm embarrassing and distancing."

[pooh]

I don't think they'll bring back Don what with the radio station and tv station owned by two different companies after the end of the year. Don's show was the worst. I also checked out Eric's Myspace page. I'm still surprised that Vex and Walter were on again today. What do they have to do to get fired?

[Bigzax]

well, while looking for eric gray's myspace,

i found stacies!


stacie! (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=88848709)

so it wasn't a total waste!

bout to wax my carrot,
i'm a dirty wabbit...

[pooh]

The sad part is, Vex and Walter will probably come out it with just a warning which is so wrong. And another sad part will be that others will just simply forget about it and let it slowly fade away...and they shouldn't. After Imus made his blunder, the media and press never let up. That is what the stations and paper here should do until they're fired.

[Bigzax]

when are sharpton and jackson scheduled to arrive?

[King]

They don't even have a new program director in place, so they may just be in a holding pattern until they get that settled.

[MavTalker]

What kind of man will let his buddy get fired when he was part of the whole issue that went down? Vex and Walter should have been man enough to leave with who ever they wanted to fire. How do they sleep at night?



http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p55/RackTheMouse/Misc/mavtalk-fire-1.gif

[nbascribe]

I was in the Richmond, VA/Washington, D.C. markets when i heard about the skit.

A friend of mine emailed it to me and I listened. Utterly classless and I can't believe Walter and Vex allowed this to go through.

I've only talked to Matt Martin twice on a story i wrote about KSJL. I cannot speak for him or what the management would do with Vex or Wally. I have an inkling of what would have happened if the Gorilla was still in the midst of running the show. It would not have been pretty if this happened under his watch.

Without a PD running the show at WOAI/KTKR running things, skits like this were bound to happen.

G. Moore

[pooh]

Jeanne Jakle: Duo goes silent on apology

Web Posted: 05/01/2007 04:54 PM CDT

San Antonio Express-News

Sometimes silence isn't golden. It's gutless.

You'd think after serious repercussions followed a local radio skit that insulted and degraded everyone from Denver player Allen Iverson to the Spurs to Hispanics to the very city of San Antonio, the hosts at the helm of the offending KTKR show — "Sports Talk San Antonio's" Walter Pasacrita and Jeff Vexler — would, at the very least, voice an apology on the air.

But no. I heard nary a word about the incident during the pair's four-hour afternoon show Monday.

This on the very day the Express-News ran a front-page story by sports writer Richard Oliver about the sketch, which featured an Iverson impersonator who reportedly made the Nuggets guard sound like the worst kind of drug-addled boob.

Those who heard it said there were references to Iverson and teammate Carmelo Anthony providing the Spurs something from a "special stash" that made them lethargic during their first game against Denver.

The fabricated chat also was said to mention Iverson, with his teammates, cruising the River Walk looking for sex with "Mexican" women. And firing a celebratory shot into the air with the bullet hitting a homeless person — but it was OK because he turned out to be an "illegal alien."

The bits were so insensitive that the Spurs cut all ties with Pasacrita and Vexler. Coach Gregg Popovich also pulled out of weekly call-in sessions with KTKR.

Granted, the producer blamed for creating the offensive sketch was fired, but that shouldn't have been the end. The guys at the reins of the show, Pasacrita and Vexler, were in the position to humbly take some lumps as well on the air — in fact, people undoubtedly would have liked them better if they had — but they stayed mum.

If the station's owners, Clear Channel Communications, ordered them to keep quiet, they were wrong, too.

Competing station
Instead, competing station KTSA — specifically afternoon host Chris Duel — did what KTKR's duo should have done. He devoted an hour to the matter and invited callers to comment.

The majority of callers indicated the skit had crossed the decency line and that the Spurs showed class by denouncing it.

When I contacted Duel after the show, he said he was surprised to tune in to Monday's KTKR show and discover that Pasacrita and Vexler "ignored the elephant in the room."

"We're all human," Duel said. "We all make mistakes in judgment now and then. This can be forgiven. But to assume your listeners didn't see the front page of the Express-News is the epitome of denial. They should have expressed regret for any offense they caused their listeners, the Spurs and Allen Iverson."

Blame all around
As for the producer getting tagged as the sole person responsible for the skit, c'mon! The hosts aren't just vacant-brained figureheads, are they? Aren't they capable of showing a little judgment when it comes to their show?

Not only was it obvious that the sketch was insensitive, even racist, but it was out-and-out stupid, particularly in the recent aftermath of the Don Imus crack that ended that veteran's career.

Leave it to the pros
Frankly, I think these silly radio skits featuring impersonators and other devices should be kept to a bare minimum, period. Let's face it, the writers of most of them are not the skilled comics of a "Saturday Night Live" or "Tonight Show."

Instead of being funny, the skits usually register as juvenile, with writers frequently mistaking crassness for humor.

Chicken chatter
But that's another subject for another day. This column is about the poor and unsatisfactory response to this inflammatory matter by the "Sports Talk" hosts and Clear Channel Communications.

Vexler and Pasacrita seem to enjoy coming up with nicknames — they spent Monday's show asking callers to suggest funny ones for Spurs vets. A reader e-mailed her own tag for "The Ticket 760" hosts.

"I have made it a point in recent weeks NOT to listen to 760 when the Squirrels are on," wrote Dian Beaudoin. "I love Jim Rome, JT the Brick, Siciliano and others in the line-up, but the Squirrels are often inappropriate and offensive, especially to female listeners."

Squirrels, hmm?

After neglecting to own up Monday to something so inflammatory that ran on their show, I think "chickens" would be more appropriate.
[email protected]

[xXx]

anyone offended, other than allen iverson, needs to get a life.

[steppy]

Yeah, time to let this one die. Bigger fish to fry in the world.

[FromWayDowntown]

It is ridiculous that Pasacrita and Vexler just pretended like nothing ever happened and moved on. Each of them particiapted in the skit and each of them is, therefore, complicit in its offensiveness, I think.

Saying that this wasn't offensive or that those who take offense to it should get a life strikes me as the epitome of our society's movement away from civility and decency. Sure, it might be an overreaction for me to feel offended by it. But I'm certainly aware of the fact that Allen Iverson was offended by it -- AI has far more basis to be offended than I do. I just think it's incredibly sad that we've devolved into a society where we find humor (or in this case, go looking for humor ) in mocking a guy who has done a great deal to shed behaviors that might have stereotyped him in the past. It might not be offensive, but aside from being totally unfunny, it's far from decent. If you're having to resort to erroneously making fun of a guy in order to add entertainment value to your show, then I wonder about the value of the show in the first place.

Jakle is right -- Pasacrita and Vexler (or those above them) are flat-damned chicken for not addressing this head on and accepting responsibility for it.

I'd anticipate that there will be an apology today, but when it takes a week and a slew of columns to get anyone to admit that there is a need to apologize for that skit, the apology seems awfully hollow.

[Taco]

I listen to STSA Daily

I think they should have made some sort of comment, good, bad or other

but to ignore it, is just wrong

[degenerate_gambler]

Jakle is right -- Pasacrita and Vexler (or those above them) are flat-damned chicken for not addressing this head on and accepting responsibility for it.

I'd anticipate that there will be an apology today, but when it takes a week and a slew of columns to get anyone to admit that there is a need to apologize for that skit, the apology seems awfully hollow.



If those two pole smokers haven't addressed it by now on the air, they never will.

[sprrs]

I'm suprised Vexler and the other guy didn't get the ax too.

[Drive Like Jehu]

Is anyone else disgusted by the Clear Channel corporate holdings that continue to allow themselves to be scooped by the other news outlets?

They have ignored what has become a "front page" story. They have a civic duty as a member of the fourth estate. The longer they choose corporate self interest over their responsibility to the public, the more their credibility will erode.

[S_A_Longhorn]

well, while looking for eric gray's myspace,

i found stacies!


stacie! (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=88848709)


WOW! Some of the pics of Stace are completely see-thru! Unbelievable!

As for Walter & Vex, they cut off some calls that called about the 'incident'. The very first caller on Tuesday asked, "Where' Eric?" Vex & Walter both said "He is gone." And then as the caller began to talk about the incident, they faded him out as Walter said we are talking about Spurs basketball right now. Good thing they have that 7-second delay these days. Another called actually complimented them about them being "strong", and the quickly diverted the subjoect back to Spurs basketball.

I like the show, but it is crap they completely ignore the issue. Eric being fired is fine by me, but The Ticket being silenced is ridiculous.

I'll stop listening until they are gone or they address the issue. But since it is a week later, I doubt the will address it.

[Sii]

why would anyone expect them to say anything when its pretty clear their bosses have told them not too? One of the clear channel guys was even quoted the other day saying it was station policy not to comment on this type stuff. I dont think this decision is in Vex or Walters hands

[pooh]

Everyone should keep calling in and bugging them until they do give a statement or eventually fired, which they really should be. If you listen to them now it's like nothing has ever happened. Even Imus had the balls to at least talk about it while the heat was on him, I guess Vex and Walter are really chicken.

[Drive Like Jehu]

From Richard Oliver's Mailbag
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA050207.olivermailbag.2edf7982.html




I find it particularly interesting that a program so eager to spew its opinions each day clammed up so handsomely when confronted with the kind of scrutiny it focuses everywhere else.

Station management, which was quick to offer up the young Gray as a sacrifice, gutted the program of even further legitimacy by scampering away from the controversy without any explanation — or immediate apology.

[pooh]

Richard Oliver's Mailbag: Radio skit drawing plenty of interest

Web Posted: 05/02/2007 07:01 PM CDT

Richard Oliver
Express-News Staff Writer

During the mid-1990s, as the co-host of a morning sports talk show in Corpus Christi, I learned a valuable lesson the hard way.

Never open your mouth wide enough to accommodate your foot.

On many occasions, I did just that on “Drive Time Sports,” and found myself spitting out shoelaces, dirt and more apologies than a ballroom full of cross-eyed dancers.

It’s a lesson that carries particular relevance these days in the wake of the ill-conceived decision by “Sports Talk San Antonio” staffers to produce and run a controversial skit a week ago today.

The segment, put together by now-dismissed executive producer Eric Gray, included a faux interview with Nuggets guard Allen Iverson, and spurred ferocious response from the Spurs, Nuggets and fellow Express-News columnists hereand here.

The Spurs, in particular, took action to disallow co-hosts Walter Pasacrita and Jeff Vexler from having anything to do with the team’s programming, and head coach Gregg Popovich backed out of his weekly call-in sessions at the station.

The broadcasters, however, kept their jobs.

It also spurred response from you:

I’m thrilled to see that someone — specifically the Spurs — has finally said “enough” to the so-called humor of Walter Pasacrita and Jeff Vexler. Their inappropriate “skit” about the Nuggets this past Wednesday and the Spurs’ reaction has finally confirmed what I’ve thought for months now: that an otherwise excellent sports talk radio station is severely damaged by these Squirrels.

I have made it a point in recent weeks not to listen to 760 (AM) when the Squirrels are on. I love Jim Rome, JT the Brick, (Andrew) Siciliano and others in the lineup, but the Squirrels are often inappropriate and offensive, especially to female listeners. I vowed weeks ago to exercise my right not to listen to 760 in the drive-time hours, until they’re gone.

Cheers to the Spurs organization for standing up for what’s right and drawing the line when professional and ethical principles are violated. What goes around comes around, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer pair.

And I’m not even much of a Spurs fan.
– Dian Beaudoin, Schertz

I find it particularly interesting that a program so eager to spew its opinions each day clammed up so handsomely when confronted with the kind of scrutiny it focuses everywhere else.

Station management, which was quick to offer up the young Gray as a sacrifice, gutted the program of even further legitimacy by scampering away from the controversy without any explanation — or immediate apology.

Mr. Oliver, thank you for your column. I am far from a (prude), but I feel Vexler and Pasacrita have been pushing the moral line for quite some time. It would not hurt KTKR one bit to find replacements for both.
– Jerald Kinney

Though I have been forced to switch the dial from the program on occasion, specifically during similar occasions to that which ignited the controversy last week, I actually like Vexler and Pasacrita personally.

A quick apology, and recognition of a boundary crossed, would have eased most of the vitriol over this.

As an example, remember just a few weeks back when KENS sportscaster Joe Reinagel found himself in hot water because of a public, drunken incident. After a short hiatus, Reinagel stood before cameras and offered a profound, sincere apology.

San Antonio forgave him. The Ticket might consider the lesson today.

These clowns have a history of cloddish behavior. I caught their show one day when they were making crude comments about Tiger Woods’ wife. I called the station and complained.

It seems that it is not just jocks that are insensitive and crude. When is management going to clean up their act?
– John H. Lundquist

John, you and I will wait together on this one.

Great coverage about the KTKR programming. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like that horrible skit will change much. That show has become impossible to listen to and rarely reaches a level of discussion above what my 4- and 5-year-olds banter back and forth.

My wife and I have always appreciated your appearances with Charlie Parker and hoped this incident would force them to give you or other intelligent talent the chances to raise the bar on KTKR. With all the bad moves they’ve made over there, it’s about time they make a good one.
– Mike, San Antonio

Believe me, Charlie Parker can make anyone sound good. It would be interesting to know what that longtime veteran of local broadcasting is feeling these days. Even though he’s gagged by station management from letting us know.