WSBG fires longtime morning host after on-air racial remark
STROUDSBURG — Poconos radio listeners woke up to “Gary in the Morning,” ate breakfast with him, and drove to work with him for 17 years.
Gary Smith, the brash WSBG disc jockey seemingly always in pursuit of a cheap laugh, is off the air and out of a job after invoking the controversial “nappy-headed ho” remark of syndicated radio host Don Imus.
“We reviewed the tape and have terminated him as of Wednesday morning,” said Rick Musselman, executive vice president of the Stroudsburg FM station’s parent company, Nassau Mid-Atlantic.”Gary has done a tremendous amount of good for both African-Americans and whites, but we feel his comments crossed the line.”
Black community leaders bristled at Smith’s irreverent banter on his show Tuesday. Smith repeated Imus’ remarks during an on-air “Phrase That Pays” contest.
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