Don Geronimo, a sports radio host in Washington, D.C., was fired this weekend over comments he made to a female TV reporter.
Geronimo, real name Michael Sorce, referred to WSUA9 reporter Sharla McBride as a “Barbie” while covering the Washington Commanders training camp last week.
“Hey look, Barbie’s here. Hi, Barbie girl,” Geronimo shouted toward McBride on air last Thursday. “I’m guessing she’s a cheerleader.”
WJFK’s Don Geronimo in his studio/Getty Images
Geronimo made the comment while speaking to co-host Crash Young. When he later saw McBride again, Geronimo said Young had thought she was “tight.”
“Yah. I screamed tight when she was …” Young said, prompting Geronimo to say he thought McBride was a “cheerleader.”
In response, the Washington Commanders barred iHeartMedia – the parent company of Geronimo’s WBIG Radio – from the team’s training camp. WSAU9 reported that Commander’s owner, Josh Harris, and team president Jason Wright did not appreciate the comment.
“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,” a team spokesperson told the station on Saturday.
Miss Ratchaburi poses for a photo at the pink carpet during the “Barbie” premiere in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 19, 2023. (Matt Hunt/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
iHeartMedia’s D.C. Region President Aaron Hyland later confirmed to the Washington Post that Geronimo had been let go.
“After an internal review, Don Geronimo is no longer an employee of WBIG,” said Hyland. “We take matters of this nature very seriously and this behavior does not align with our core values.”
McBride admitted to ESPN of feeling “insulted and embarrassed” by Geronimo’s comments.
“When I heard the comments made about me on the radio show, I felt incredibly insulted and embarrassed,” she told ESPN. “In my 17 years as a professional journalist, I have never been disrespected in such a blatant manner while trying to do my job. Their words were sexist and misogynistic. No woman should experience this in the workplace, and I appreciate the Commanders’ swift response in handling this matter.”
Geronimo tweeted he would not be commenting on the situation.
“At this time I will not be providing comment on the events of the last few days. I am consulting with my advisers as to my options moving forward, including an accurate reflection of the situation,” he wrote on Sunday.
At this time I will not be providing comment on the events of the last few days. I am consulting with my advisors as to my options moving forward, including an accurate reflection of the situation. Thx -d.
— DonGeronimoShow (@DonGeronimoShow) July 30, 2023
Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.