Ticket 760's Eric Gray Fired

[screamformelongbeach]

Wow, just when you thought the pathetic local radio sports talk scene couldn't become more of an embarrassment....

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/archives/2007/04/richard_oliver_11.html#add_comment

Richard Oliver: KTKR producer fired

OliverExpress-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.

[BacktoBasics]

Hooray hopefully Vex and Creta are next in line.

[angel_luv]

I wish they would move Charlie to the pregame show since I never listen to it and move the Thompsons ( who are awesome, I think) to the post game slot for Spurs games.

[Richard Cranium]

They are on right now.

[Richard Cranium]

I can't stand Charlie Parker talking sports.

[degenerate_gambler]

Hooray hopefully Vex and Creta are next in line.


keep dreaming..


if those two asshats are on the radio today...they'll be there tomorrow too.

[BacktoBasics]

I fear you're accuracy

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I heard Imus needs a couple of extra ranch hands.

[screamformelongbeach]

I can't stand Charlie Parker talking sports.

I can't stand Charlie Parker, period!

[johngateswhiteley]

...all these losers need to be fired. eric gray sucked ass too, so this is good.

[degenerate_gambler]

I can't stand Charlie Parker, period!


hey did you know tommy kramer is is bro-in-law? :sleep

if you didn't he'll let you know about 6 times a segment on his show.

[fatsack]

I can't stand Charlie Parker, period!

i met him in person not too long ago.

he wasn't a bad guy at all.
he was actually very nice and down to earth.

[johnsmith]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Normally I wouldn't laugh at another adult when losing his/her job, but hey, he made the mistake of associating himself with Vex and Walter.

Those two assclowns need to be fired immediately. Although I didn't hear the skit, nor would I have been offended by it because hey, who gives a fuck? but I think Johnsmith is going to start re-writing emails to Clear Channel as of today.


FIRE VEX AND WALT!!!!!!!!!!!!!


And kick their dogs too.

[johnsmith]

It's funny that the Spurs have cut ties with the show.

Probably not real good for business when the shows main subject won't talk to you anymore.


This is priceless.

[maxpower]

I wish they would move Charlie to the pregame show since I never listen to it and move the Thompsons ( who are awesome, I think) to the post game slot for Spurs games.

Just because you don't listen to it is no reason to wish that on those who may tune in :dramaquee :bang

[nacho]

i met him in person not too long ago.

he wasn't a bad guy at all.
he was actually very nice and down to earth.



so was Jeffrey Dahmer

http://www2.jsonline.com/news/2000/y2k/ourcentury/images/CENTURY112.jpg

[Bigzax]

oh my god! sex with mexican women!

[screamformelongbeach]

Kind of ironic that the Iverson skit could be the ultimate downfall of this pathetic show. I heard part of the skit, and it was actually pretty funny. Vexler and Pasacrita (and Parker and Chancellor too) should be fired for their utter lack of sports knowledge, their complete dearth of humor and wit, and for generally being ass-clowns...but not for the Iverson bit.

[scott]

Kind of ironic that the Iverson skit could be the ultimate downfall of this pathetic show. I heard part of the skit, and it was actually pretty funny. Vexler and Pasacrita (and Parker and Chancellor too) should be fired for their utter lack of sports knowledge, their complete dearth of humor and wit, and for generally being ass-clowns...but not for the Iverson bit.

BINGO!

I tuned into today to listen to these assclowns complain that Dallas passed on Brady Quinn (because we don't know what we have in Romo) but didn't mind Houston passing on him (because apparently they know what they have in Schaub, who has started a whole 3 games), then rave about Okoye being a great speed pass rusher for Houston opposite of "Marvin Williams", nevermind that Okoye is a DT (and who is Marvin?). The last couple times I've listened to their show I've caught myself asking "do these guys know ANYTHING about football?"

Then the icing on the cake... Walter complaining how he didn't know who any of the guys the Cowboys took on day 2 were... its called RESEARCH motherfucker, give it a try.

[Whottt.]

This is one time I pray Al Sharpton does his thang!

[screamformelongbeach]

BINGO!

I tuned into today to listen to these assclowns complain that Dallas passed on Brady Quinn (because we don't know what we have in Romo) but didn't mind Houston passing on him (because apparently they know what they have in Schaub, who has started a whole 3 games), then rave about Okoye being a great speed pass rusher for Houston opposite of "Marvin Williams", nevermind that Okoye is a DT (and who is Marvin?). The last couple times I've listened to their show I've caught myself asking "do these guys know ANYTHING about football?"

Then the icing on the cake... Walter complaining how he didn't know who any of the guys the Cowboys took on day 2 were... its called RESEARCH motherfucker, give it a try.

That's par for the course with these numbskulls. During the last college football season, while discussing Rutgers one day, Vexler kept referring to the West Virginia-Rutgers game as a NON-CONFERENCE game.

How on earth do these clowns have on-the-air jobs??

[pooh]

How on earth do these clowns have on-the-air jobs??

Hopefully after all this, they won't HAVE those on-the-air jobs.

[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]

[screamformelongbeach]

Jeanne Jakle unloaded on these ass clowns in today's paper. Nice......
__________________________________________________

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.

[mFFL03]

wow, Dallas' Dunham and Miller show (mornings) does this ALOT....

They mostly do local celebs like Avery, Dirk, Cuban....or they create their own characters, sometimes they do Tiger Woods and Michelle Wi, you never really know.

Alot of ours are offensive, but then again, when you have the best ratings in Dallas, they can't really fire you....

[pooh]

Well they have crappy ratings down here and they need to be fired, especially after this disaster.

[BigZak]

did walter wipe his ass with pooh's book or something?

[screamformelongbeach]

Even Dave Smith, who hosts the show after Tony Bruno on Sporting News Radio, was talking about these squirrelly ass clowns today. He was incredulous that the producer would get the axe, but not the hosts who obviously greenlighted the whole thing and had total control over the content.

[CharlieMac]

Eric was the only funny thing about that show. Sure he was a dick, but he really kept the show going at times.

I know people want to blame the lack of humor on the people that work the show, but the callers blow me away.

HOW MANY JOKES DO WE HAVE TO HEAR MAKING REFERENCES TO "URANUS?"

Remember the Chevy Chase show? Well, 90% of the callers sound like they could have probably written for that show. Seriously, "Uranus" and "Rusty Cacoochie" refernces every time there is a topic wheel?

Lame-ski.