Top Virginia radio host is FIRED after labeling female sports reporter ‘Barbie girl’ on air, calling her a ‘chick’ and saying he mistook her for a cheerleader
A top Virginia radio host has been fired after calling a female sports reporter “Barbie girl.”
Don Geronimo, a WBIG “BIG 100” radio host, was fired after he mistook Emmy Award-winning reporter Sharla McBride for a “cheerleader” and called her “chick.”
The station’s parent company, iHeart Radio, led an investigation into the on-air comments on Thursday and announced that Geronimo had been fired.
McBride, who works for WUSA9, was at the Commanders’ training camp for work when the “sexist” comments were made about her.
The Washington DC-based journalist said she took a few days off from work to process what happened after crowds of support poured in for her.
Emmy award-winning reporter Sharla McBride was called a ‘cheerleader’ and ‘chick’
Don Geronimo, a WBIG ‘BIG 100’ radio host, was fired. The station’s parent company, iHeart Radio, led an investigation into the broadcast comments on Thursday and announced that Geronimo had been fired
Geronimo called out to Sharla McBride while on live broadcast, “Hey look, Barbie’s here.” Hello Barbie girl.
Geronimo added, “I suspect she’s a cheerleader.”
McBride walked in to report on the team’s training camp activities.
Later in the broadcast, Geronimo saw McBride again while conducting interviews.
Geronimo said, “Oh hey. There’s that girl you thought…
‘I think. I think she’s a sports reporter at Channel 9. Or Channel 7.
“Yes, she’s known,” Crash Young, his producer, replied.
“I thought she was a cheerleader,” Geronimo said.
The presenter was fired after the on-air comments
The reporter wrote on social media: ‘I am humbled and overwhelmed by the amazing support I have received from my fellow journalists over the past 24 hours’
McBride poses with a Barbie doll in 2020
McBride said she took a few days off from work to process what happened
After the broadcast, Geronimo and his producer Crash Young were banned from broadcasting Friday at the Washington Commanders training camp in Ashburn, Virginia.
The commanders also stopped iHeartMedia from broadcasting on the grounds altogether after their “sexually disparaging” comments.
Washington DC Region President for iHeartMedia, Aaron Hyland, said, “Following an internal review, Don Geronimo is no longer an employee of WBIG.
“We take this kind of thing very seriously and this behavior is not in line with our core values.”
McBride thanked people for their continued support during the ordeal.
The reporter wrote on social media, “I am humbled and overwhelmed by the amazing support I have received from my fellow journalists over the past 24 hours.
“I appreciate the commanders for taking prompt action and acknowledging that this behavior is not okay.”
The sports reporter thanked people for their continued support during the ordeal
Her comments come despite a tweet from 2020 in which she had a picture of herself holding a doll and wrote, “Barbie and Ken at your service! Be sure to tune in at 11pm as @schafferwnep puts our plastic to work himself, in this week’s edition of Talkback feedback.”
A Commanders spokesperson said in a statement: “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 as she broadcast live from training camp yesterday.
“iHeart and the individual were not allowed to broadcast from Training Camp today, and we will continue to work with iHeart to address the issue and trust that iHeart will take appropriate action during an internal investigation.”
WUSA9 General Manager Richard Dyer said, “Objectifying women is harmful and disrespectful.
“We’ve heard from the Washington Commanders that they are addressing this situation directly with iHeartRadio. Promoting respect, empathy and equality for all individuals, regardless of gender, is critical to building respect in any workplace.”