KOA's Steffan Tubbs Calls Snooki "F***-ing Ugly" Unaware Mic Was Live

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From 9 News:

Listeners to KOA radio during the Tuesday morning drive heard a little more than the news.

Morning host Stefan Tubbs made a comment during a commercial break about television celebrity Snooki which he thought was off air.
Tubbs' microphone was still on when he made the comment calling Snooki ____-ing ugly.
Listeners are commenting on the station's Facebook page.

more (http://www.9news.com/news/local/article/362311/346/Denver-radio-host-drops-F-bomb-on-air)

[Rob]

Posted on KOA's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/850koa):

"We are aware of a recent inappropriate comment that was made on-air by Steffan Tubbs. While Steffan made the comment in what he thought was a private conversation, it was still thoughtless and insensitive and we apologize to anyone whom it offended. We take matters of this nature very seriously and we will take appropriate disciplinary action."

[SirKit]

"Appropriate disciplinary action" would be to let it go. I am so sick of all the politically correct statements that have to emanate from the collective Powers-That-Be. I can appreciate that anyone who is or has been on the air should have enough couth and common sense not to drop the "F" bomb anywhere near a microphone, fer chrissakes! But holier-than-thou rollers (aka "HR") should not throw stones when most of them have most likely been just as guilty of inappropriate actions at times. I mean really, can't we all just "grow up" and realize that shift happens. It was a mistake. It's not the end of the world.

I have no idea who Snooki is, and, with a name like that, I probably wouldn't want to know. He very well may be ____-ing ugly. Hopefully, if he's such a celebrity, he can easily enough let the remark slide off his back without giving it a second thought. HR, get a clue. Most people make thoughtless and insensitive comments from time to time. That's what we do (though most of us know better than to do it near a microphone, at the office or around strangers.) But again, I think the appropriate action is to not make a mountain out of a molehill - just sigh, and let it go.

Oh, and I have no connection to Steffan Flubbs whatsoever. Just my personal, insensitive opinion. I know, I should learn to kneel down at the altar of almightly business. We wouldn't want to lose advertisers, much less a listener. OMG. Spineless!

[Rob]

Most of the listeners posting on KOA's Facebook page agree saying that they think that it's no big deal and he shouldn't face any punishment at all.

I agree as well.... it's not a big f-ing deal. :o

When I was working in radio, we said all kinds of things while our mics were off that would probably cause an uproar. Haha.

I'm sure Steffan Tubbs will make sure his mic button is off during breaks from now on and not rely on his producer to have it potted down.

On a personal note: I've always found it interesting how violence is okay, but yet nudity and the "seven dirty words" are still so taboo in the US media... I visit the UK a lot and they are a lot more free in their broadcast media. Most of the seven dirty words are allowed... and nudity as well. Violence is the thing that is a bit more taboo there than here. The strange thing is I find that in normal culture, the British swear less than we do here in the states.

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From All Access:

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CLEAR CHANNEL Talk KOA-A/DENVER has issued an apology for a comment insulting a reality TV star, including an expletive, that accidentally aired TUESDAY morning.

NBC affiliate KUSA-TV (9NEWS)/DENVER reports that morning co-anchor STEFFAN TUBBS did not know his mic was open during a commercial break when he called reality TV personality NICOLE "SNOOKI" POLIZZI "f--king ugly."

On its website and FACEBOOK page, KOA issued a statement saying, "We are aware of a recent inappropriate comment that was made on-air by STEFFAN TUBBS. While STEFFAN made the comment in what he thought was a private conversation, it was still thoughtless and insensitive and we apologize to anyone whom it offended. We take matters of this nature very seriously and we will take appropriate disciplinary action


more (http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/123825/koa-apologizes-for-accidental-airing-of-insult-wit?ref=rss)http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/allaccess/radio-news/~4/6kkAFmDbxHk

[radioguyindenver]

I completely agree that radio management is canning too many good people in radio for simple mistakes like Steffan's. Fear has completely overtaken common sense. I pray I never utter a single word that would get me fired. Luckily I haven't done so since I said the s word in college.

That said I think Steffan will probably get a pass on this. If you read the Facebook posts, most of them are positive about him and suggest that, due to his popularity, he won't suffer any significant consequences. If I am right this will only prove popularity sometimes is more important [ratings] than rules.

Many of the posters on Facebook also compared Steffan’s off-air comments with those of Rush Limbaugh’s daily on-air commentary. The overwhelming majority said while Steffan’s comments were not offensive to them, Rush’s daily show is and that it, the show, should be yanked off the air, not Steffan.

Now I’m no fan of Steffan’s or CMA in general, nor am I a big fan of Rush, but I will say this. If Rush had said what Steffan did on air (I know the show is tape delayed so I am only speaking hypothetically here) the outcry would be so huge it would become talk radio fodder for weeks.

Steffan will probably dodge a bullet here. I guess it’s good to be in the popular club. My only question is KOA published an apology for the matter...has Steffan?

And just remember, TREAT EVERY MICROPHONE AS IF IT IS HOT*ALWAYS!!! It’s radio 101.

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

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