The Audio Of 790TheZone Making Fun Of Steve Gleason (UPDATE: They've Been Fired And They're Responding- As Are The Falcons)

((HT: 790TheZone/106.1 The Ticket-NewOrleans))

Update--6:45pm: Lincoln Financial, owner of the station released a statement that included the mention of the three people involved have been terminated. OSG Sports will continue updating this story as it develops.

Here's the statement:

"We deeply regret the offensive programming that aired this morning on “Mayhem In The AM” on 790 The Zone, related to former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason and his battle with ALS. We suspended the three individuals involved immediately following their comments and have since terminated their employment. 790 The Zone, our owners, sponsors and partners in no way endorse or support this kind of content. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Gleason, his family and all those touched by ALS."

— Rick Mack, 790 The Zone Sr. VP & General Manager

Here's the two minutes...thanks to chria225


And here's a little cleaner version...


Here's the recap from the front office on the suspensions...

"We deeply regret the comments made by Mayhem In The AM this morning on 790 The Zone regarding former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason. 790 The Zone, Lincoln Financial Media, our sponsors and partners in no way endorse or support the unfortunate and offensive commentary concerning Mr. Gleason this morning. The members of the show involved with this incident have been suspended indefinitely pending further management review of their actions."

Rick Mack 790 The Zone Sr. VP & General Manager

OSG sources are telling us that the Atlanta Falcons received a phone call from the NFL over the bit. The future relationship the Falcons have with 790 is in play. The current relationship was somewhat dicey and acrimonious to begin with and this may seal it. There, simply, has to be a clause in the contract having to be the equivalent of a "morals" or "breach" to end the airings.

Sources also say the team has been looking for an excuse to get out of the deal, and this will do it.

The media relations departments all know each other and could black ball their coverage across the board and render them useless as a media entity in town.

Currently, they are an ESPN Radio affiliate, but on-air talent in Bristol this afternoon has taken the station to task with one host saying: "Whoever greenlighted this is the biggest idiot ever born."

More when we know more...

1920 UPDATE: Rodney Ho from the AJC caught up with Cellini and Shapiro...

Shapiro admits that he, as someone who went to school in New Orleans, admitted the bit was "ill-advised."

Cellini, on the other hand, thinks he was let go unceremoniously. He told Ho that Lincoln Financial wasn't investing in the station, and that "he said he got a response from Gleason through a third party and heard that he was okay with the apology that he gave." Where that apology was given is unclear, but if it's the Twitter apology that might be a bit of a reach.

From the article:

The dismissal, despite the circumstances, came as "a relief, really," Cellini said. "That station is a sinking ship."
His contract, he said, was up in November and he figured even then, it wouldn't have been renewed.

Ultimately, this was an excuse, Cellini said, for the station to cut salary and insert a cheaper syndicated morning show, Cellini said. "Mike & Mike" will likely be on tomorrow morning.

From Cellini's Twitter as of 1830:

No one made me apologize earlier, no one made me reach out. I was ignorant and it was the right thing to do. Got what I deserved..

An update: we all got wacked. I apologized to Michel Gleason, she understands it was a stupid joke. I'll do my best to help Team Gleason

Ho is still waiting to hear from Dimino...

Steak Shapiro posted the following on his Twitter feed:

What is so ironic is that I went to Tulane, love New Orleans and love the @steve_gleason story, what a moronic 2 mins, I am truly sorry....

18 yrs ago @chrisdimino named the radio station, I helped start it, today it ends but so grateful, hate if I disappointed anyone....

I love the people and city of New Orleans, always have, always will, @team_gleason I will work tirelessly to make this up to you....

Actually, what happened today has nothing to do with irony...

It's poor judgment...
Very poor judgment...

And there are a certain amount of people that will think the only reason you're truly sorry is that you got caught...
Nationally...

2130 UPDATE: The Falcons came out with a statement of their own...

“The Falcons are disappointed in the comments made about former Saints player Steve Gleason on a local Atlanta radio station Monday morning. The content concerning Mr. Gleason was completely inappropriate and is not representative of the views of the Falcons organization, nor does it represent the way we conduct our business on and off the field. To single out Steve the way he was this morning is totally lacking in taste and discretion.”

2145 UPDATE: Dimino addressed the situation on his Twitter feed...

Don't reach out to all the people I need to. I am in that process as we speak. Friends and family and most importantly those I know I hurt

I have so.many people I have to apologize to. I know this is not who I am...but it is who I am today. An apology here means nothing if I...

Every reference to the three and the show including bios, excerpts, and promotion have been removed from the 790TheZone website...