DePetro Out At WRKO After Comments Cause Stir

Off The Air... Again

ENTERCOM Talk WRKO-A/BOSTON midday host JOHN DEPETRO has been fired by the station after calling a minor gubernatorial candidate a "fat lesbian" on THURSDAY's (11/2) show.   

In a statement released FRIDAY (11/3), ENTERCOM VP of AM Programming and Operations JASON WOLFE said, "In the context of what [DEPETRO] said and the tone with which he said it, the comments were completely inappropriate, derogatory and will not be tolerated. I met with our corporate staff last night after listening to the tapes, and we decided to terminate JOHN at that meeting. I informed him of that decision this morning. I had told JOHN after his suspension in JULY for describing then-MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE Chairman MATTHEW J. AMORELLO [using] a homosexual slur that any further comments of this kind would be dealt with in a severe way.

I have no doubt that terminating Johnâ??s employment was the right action to take.

“I have no doubt that terminating JOHN’s employment was the right action to take."

All references to DEPETRO have already been removed from the station's website and on-air promos, and the website schedule has replaced DEPETRO's name with "TBA."

The apparent dismissal comes after DEPETRO made the remark about GREEN-RAINBOW PARTY candidate GRACE ROSS, who is openly lesbian. DEPETRO was criticizing ROSS' performance in WEDNESDAY night's MASSACHUSETTS gubernatorial debate when he made the comment.

« see more Net News