Commanders Radio Host Fired for 'Sexually Disparaging' Comments About Female Reporter: 'Look, Barbie's Here'
"This behavior does not align with our core values," iHeartMedia said in a statement confirming the host's termination
Scott Taetsch/Getty
The Washington Commanders' new ownership group took immediate action in defending a female reporter from a series of disrespectful comments made by radio hosts who cover the team.
Don Geronimo and Crash Young of local WBIG "BIG 100" were banned from returning to the team's training camp on Friday while the organization internally investigated their "sexually disparaging" comments towards veteran reporter Sharla McBride.
The remarks were made during an on-air broadcast on Thursday, according to local news outlet WUSA9. Geronimo called out McBride while broadcasting, calling her "Barbie" and comparing her appearance to that of a cheerleader.
"Hey look, Barbie's here. Hi, Barbie girl," Geronimo shouted at McBride, who was also on-site to cover training camp activities. "I'm guessing she's a cheerleader."
Geronimo singled out McBride again later in the broadcast on Thursday, according to WUSA9. "Oh hey. There's that chick that you thought .. said tight," said Geronimo.
His co-host, Crash, responded, "Yeah. I screamed tight when she was .." said Crash before being interrupted.
The broadcasters debated why McBride was "familiar" looking before Geronimo said, "I thought she was a cheerleader."
McBride, a journalist for 17 years, told her colleagues at WUSA9 that she "was hurt and incredibly offended" by the comments. "She called it inappropriate, unprofessional and embarrassing," according to WUSA9's Adam Longo.
McBride added that remarks "like that discredit her as a professional."
A spokesperson for the Commanders told the station, "We have worked hard to ensure that everyone feels safe and respected in our workplace, and we took swift action when we learned that an employee of our partner iHeart made sexually disparaging remarks to and about a member of the media while she was broadcasting live from training camp yesterday."
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The station's parent company, iHeartMedia, confirmed the termination of Geronimo's employment.
"After an internal review, Don Geronimo is no longer an employee of WBIG," President of the Washington DC Region for iHeartMedia, Aaron Hyland said. "We take matters of this nature very seriously and this behavior does not align with our core values."
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