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November 3, 2006

Former R.I. talk host DePetro fired

BOSTON -- Former Rhode Island radio talk show host John DePetro has been fired after making a derogatory comment about the weight and sexuality of Green-Rainbow party gubernatorial candidate Grace Ross.

An earlier report from The Associated Press said only that he had been suspended from WRKO-AM.

"In the context of what he said and the tone with which he said it, the comments were completely inappropriate, derogatory and will not be tolerated," Jason Wolfe, vice president of AM programming and operations, Entercom Boston, said in a statement.

Wolfe said he met with corporate staff last night after listening to the tapes and they decided to fire DePetro. He said DePetro was informed this morning.

The Associated Press reported earlier that Ross, who is openly gay, laughed when she heard about DePetro's remarks. "Big, fat? I guess that's supposed to be his way of saying he doesn't like somebody." She said it's not her place to say whether DePetro should be fired, but called the comments "wildly inappropriate."

DePetro, an Ocean State native, left Rhode Island's WHJJ-AM for WRKO in 2004. In July, DePetro was suspended by station management for using a slur normally aimed at homosexuals in reference to Matt Amorello, the former chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.

-- The Associated Press and projo.com staff

Posted by Jack Perry  at 12:13 PM | Permalink

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Ben | November 3, 2006 1:59 PM link

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