XM Shock Jocks Apologize for Sex Comment
Filed at 12:00 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) -- XM Satellite Radio shock jocks Opie and Anthony apologized Friday for airing a homeless man's crude comments that he'd like to have sex with Condoleezza Rice, Laura Bush and Queen Elizabeth.
The remarks were made on their show Wednesday by a guest the duo call Homeless Charlie. As the name of each woman came up, the guest said he would like to have sex with her -- using language not fit for print.
Opie and Anthony laughed as they imagined Rice's ''horror'' while describing a violent sexual encounter in which Rice is punched in the face.
Washington-based XM condemned the remarks.
''We deplore the comments made on Wednesday's 'Opie & Anthony Show,''' XM spokesman Nathaniel Brown told The Associated Press on Friday. He would not say whether XM planned to take disciplinary action.
Opie and Anthony, whose full names are Anthony Cumia and Greg ''Opie'' Hughes, apologized to listeners on Friday's show.
''We apologize to the public officials for comments that we made on our XM show on May 9th. We take very seriously the responsibility that comes with our creative freedom and regret any offense that this segment has caused,'' they said.
Because the show airs on satellite radio, there are no federal restrictions on its content. According to XM's Web site, the radio service has parental controls that allow users to block access to channels that frequently contain explicit language. Those channels are designated with an ''XL'' notation.
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I heard part of Wednesday's broadcast, but I didn't hear the part they had to apologize for. I did hear the apology this morning, and frankly the article doesn't do the delivery justice.
4 comments:
Free speech is one thing, but even free speech has limits. And advocating rape -- and that is what their comments do -- goes over the line. XM should fire them immediately.
Well there is the end of freedom of the speech and the beginning of everyone has to be politically correct. While I totally deplore what Don Imus and Opie and Andy;s comment there is the option of not listening to them. I guess now they will attack the comedy channel for not being politically correct. What a shame.
(1a) Rape is funny. I give money to RAINN every year just so I can say that. Celebrity rape is even funnier (unless they use rape to become a celebrity; vis a vie Tawana Brawley)
(1b) They didn't make the comment, and XM isn't going to fire them.
(2a) ::sigh:: Their names are Opie and Anthony. Greg "Opie" Hughs and Anthony "Anthony" Cumia. This isn't Mayberry.
(2b) Do you really deplore Don Imus's comments sir? Do you? He made a reference to a movie and the media went nuts. Why don't you deplore the racist remarks that Reverand Al Sharpton made toward Mitch Romney? Why should he be allowed to keep his job and his standing in public?
Maybe if a Mormon raped a race-bater while a homeless man watched, and it was broadcast on Sirius, the human race would finally have equality.
RAMONE!!! Even the homeless aren't hungry enough to dine at that Y.
RAMONE!
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