WRKO host suspended for calling Turnpike chief a derogatory slur

[Rob Trovato]

Was the word "faggot"?

WRKO host suspended for calling Turnpike chief a
derogatory slur
By Mark Shanahan, Globe Staff  |  July 18, 2006

WRKO suspended talk-show host John DePetro today for
using a slur for "homosexual" in reference to Turnpike
Authority chairman Matthew J. Amorello.

The morning host, who calls himself "The Independent
Man," was suspended for two days after using the
epithet on the air during a discussion of Amorello's
conduct following the ceiling collapse of the I-90
connector. DePetro called Amorello "[expletive] Matt,"
adding, "I don't mean gay [expletive]. I mean like
he's a sissy boy. He's a little sissy boy."

Neither DePetro nor Amorello returned calls late
today, but WRKO program director Jason Wolfe said the
station has "zero tolerance for racial intolerance...
Mr. DePetro has 72 hours to think about this." Wolfe
said he purposely chose the word "racial" because
"people will lump everything in together."

The conservative talk-show host, who's been on the air
at WRKO for three years, made the comment while
talking about Amorello's decision to bring his wife,
Charlotte, and spokeswoman, Mariellen Burns, to the
funeral of Milena Del Valle, the woman who was killed
when the ceiling panel collapsed. DePetro said his
WRKO colleague Howie Carr calls Amorello "fat Matt"
and then said it should "[expletive] Matt." 


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