The radio morning team of Kimberly Ray
and Barry Beck was fired on Thursday, a day after the pair described
transgender people as “nut jobs” during a 12-minute segment.
Ray and Beck, hosts of The Breakfast
Buzz on Rochester, New York's 98.9 The Buzz, were fired by
Entercom Rochester, the station's parent company.
“This morning Entercom fired Kimberly
and Beck effective immediately,” Sue Munn, vice president and
general manager of Entercom Rochester, said in a written statement.
“Their hateful comments against the transgender community do not
represent our station or our company. We deeply apologize to the
transgender community, the community of Rochester, and anyone else
who was offended by their comments. We are proud of our past work on
behalf of the local LGBT community and we remain committed to that
partnership.”
During yesterday's segment, the hosts
criticized Rochester for its decision to add transgender health care
benefits to the city's medical plan. The new coverage takes effect
January 1.
“The services that will be paid for
under the new coverage: gender reassignment surgery, psychological
counseling – because you're probably a nut job to begin with,”
Ray said. “That's my opinion.”
As the hosts discussed the topic, they
repeatedly played Aerosmith's 1987 hit Dude Looks Like a Lady.
“The dude can look like a lady and
the city is going to pay for it!” Ray exclaimed. “Your tax
dollars at work.”
“Then, if some woman can go to a
doctor and it be proven that, hey, she's got mental issues because
her rack's not big enough, then, you know what, she deserves a boob
job,” Beck claimed.
“Right, right. If you can prove that
you're a nut,” Ray added.
Ray initially defended her remarks,
saying in a tweet that “Freedom of Speech includes the freedom to
offend others. You aren't granted a right to not be offended in this
life #getoverit #ROC,” but she later deleted the account.
(Listen
to the segment at Towleroad.com.)