UK, epidemia di commentatori radiofonici sboccati

Tempi incredibilmente duri per i presentatori della radio in Gran Bretagna. Questa volta è capitata a Sam Mason, presentatrice di uno show pomeridiano a BBC Radio Bristol, emittente locale del circuito BBC e a Jon Gaunt, commentatore per il network sportivo TalkSport. Gaunt si sarebbe lasciato andare a commenti poco rispettosi nei confronti di un consigliere della giunta comunale londinese, discutendo con lui di un progetto di legge che punta a vietare alle coppie fumatrici di adottare un figlio. Gaunt ha definito "nazista" questo progetto e il suo programma è stato sospeso in attesa che si compia l'indagine interna.
La vicenda di Sam è ancora più strana perché la gaffe non è stata pronunciata in onda. Al punto che la drastica decisione presa dai dirigenti dell'emittente pubblica britannica farà sicuramente discutere. La Mason è stata "pizzicata" mentre, al telefono, ordinava un taxi che andasse a prendere la figlia a scuola. «Mi raccomando,» ha chiesto però al centralinista l'incauta anchor-woman, «non mandatemi uno di quegli indiani col turbante, mia figlia ne rimarrebbe choccata.» Per sua sfortuna era indiano anche il centralinista, che ha registrato la telefonata e mandato il nastro a un quotidiano. Dopo aver letto della sua annunciatrice razzista, la BBC l'ha subito dichiarata persona non grata e ha troncato tutti i rapporti.

BBC presenter dismissed for 'turban' remarks

London, Nov 11 (PTI) A BBC radio presenter has been sacked for allegedly making racist comments about Asian-origin taxi drivers during an off-air phone conversation in which she asked a cab operator not to send a "guy with a turban".
Sam Mason, who presents the BBC Radio Bristol's afternoon programme, was suspended on Friday. She was then informed by station officials on Saturday that she would no longer work for the BBC. Mason, 40, allegedly told a Bristol taxi firm "not to send an Asian driver to pick up her daughter".
She reportedly told a taxi operator: "A guy with a turban on is going to freak her out." When her request was refused, she is alleged to have said: "You've managed it before." The taxi worker was outraged and recorded the conversation, and passed a copy to The Sun newspaper.
A transcript of the conversation, published in The Sun, records how she ordered a taxi to take her 14-year-old from her Clifton house to her grandparents' home.
A BBC spokesman said: "Although Sam Mason's remarks were not made on-air, her comments were completely unacceptable and, for that reason, she has been informed that she will no longer be working for the BBC with immediate effect."

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TalkSport suspends Jon Gaunt for 'Nazi' jibe

November 11 2008, The Guardian
TalkSport presenter Jon Gaunt has been suspended by the UTV-owned station after he called a London councillor a "Nazi" during a live debate. Sony award-winning Gaunt, who writes a column for the Sun, also called the councillor an "ignorant pig" during the discussion about a local authority plan to ban smokers from fostering children.
A TalkSport spokesman said the station had received a number of complaints about the broadcast and had "taken the decision to suspend Jon Gaunt whilst the matter is investigated". "When we have all the facts at our disposal, we will take whatever action, if any, that we deem appropriate," he said.
Gaunt made the comments in a debate with Redbridge councillor Michael Stark last Friday. He later issued an on-air apology for the remark. Gaunt's agent, Nick Canham of MPC Entertainment, said: "Jon welcomes the investigation. The very nature of his show is quite bombastic on a regular basis. "He apologised on air immediately. He regrets using the term but it was a slip of the tongue. He meant to say 'health Nazi' and he clarified it very quickly in the conversation.
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