WGRF (97 Rock)/Buffalo Fires Morning Co-Host For On-Air Racial Jokes

Co-Host Fired

CUMULUS Classic Rock WGRF (97 ROCK)/BUFFALO has fired "THE MORNING BULL" co-host ROB LEDERMAN and suspended his co-hosts, including RICH "THE BULL" GAENZLER, after jokes about female Black celebrities' skin color drove a major advertiser on the show to pull its ads.

The segment on WEDNESDAY's show involved LEDERMAN comparing the skin tones of celebrities like SERENA WILLIAMS, HALLE BERRY and GAYLE KING to how they like their toast. ESPN BUFFALO BILLS stringer MARCEL LOUIS-JACQUES caught the exchange on 97 ROCK and posted it to TWITTER, prompting sponsor ROSWELL PARK to pull its ads and PEGULA SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT, owner of the BILLS and BUFFALO SABRES, to fire GAENZLER from his in-game hosting duties at SABRES and BANDITS games.

A statement issued by CUMULUS MEDIA to ABC affiliate WKBW-TV read, "CUMULUS MEDIA operates from a clearly-defined set of programming principles and there is no question that ROB LEDERMAN’s comments made on THE MORNING BULL Show are in direct violation of those principles. We swiftly terminated him and suspended the remainder of the show’s on-air talent. We apologize, and deeply regret the incident."

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