CBS Radio has suspended WFNY "92.3 Free FM"/New York midday hosts JV and Elvis without pay until further notice for the airing of a six-minute prank phone call to a Chinese restaurant on April 5 (the bit was re-aired on April 19), one day after the Don Imus' infamous comment on CBS-owned WFAN/New York about the Rutgers women's basketball team.
In the call (click here for the audio), a computerized voice addresses employees as "Asian lady" and "Chinese man," and requests an order of "shrimp fried lice." The synthesized caller also suggested that he should come to the restaurant "so that I can see you naked… that way I can see your hot Asian spicy ass.” The Dog House hosts also call a male employee a "very nice Chinese man" that "probably can’t drive for sh*t, but who cares.”
Calls for for the duo's dismissal by advocacy group, the Organization of Chinese Americans, rang out before Jeff Vandergrift (aka JV) and Dan Lay (Elvis) re-aired the broadcast on last Thursday's show. In a statement to the press, OCA National President Ginny Gong said, “The blatant racism, sexism, and homophobia in this segment and in the DJs’ other work is appalling. We will be working with our chapters in the New York City metropolitan area as well as our partners in the civil rights community to seek an apology from WFNY and to demand that the DJs and producers who are responsible for airing this racist segment are fired.”
While Vandergrift has already aired an apology this past Monday (April 23), the demand for the duo's termination, along with their producer, remain.
“Following so closely on the heels of the Don Imus incident, it is unbelievable that another CBS Radio affiliate would air such derogatory and demeaning content,” added Michael Lin, OCA National Executive Director. “The right of free speech is being abused by so-called ‘shock jocks’ and their producers to make crass and unnecessary comments at the expense of other peoples’ dignity.”
