Offensive Radio Show Tsunami Parody Sets Off Strong Protests
By John Toscano

Photo www.xanga.com Liu (c.), at protest.

One of the cruelest and most mindless radio talk show broadcasts in memory, a parody of the recent tsunami disaster in which hundreds of thousands perished, led to broadcasters being suspended as local lawmakers and others loudly denounced the insulting, insensitive and cruel joke.

City Councilmembers John Liu and James Gennaro and Assemblymember Jimmy Meng led a rally in front of the studio, demanding the broadcasts be investigated by the Federal Communications Commission. Their protest led to advertisers withdrawing from the offending show, Hot 97 on WQHT-FM.

Liu (D–Flushing), whose district is heavily populated by Asian Americans who felt themselves insulted in the “Tsunami Song” parody, declared: “If the FCC was able to fine CBS $500,000 for a wardrobe malfunction, then it can certainly penalize WQHT-FM for the really sick stuff coming out of the mouths of their shock jocks. [The] Tsunami Song is not only demeaning to the victims and survivors, but also a smack in the face of those helping with the relief effort and an affront to the dignity and humanity of us all.”

(The wardrobe malfunction reference was to the incident during last year’s Super Bowl halftime show when singer Janet Jackson briefly exposed one breast.)

Meng, whose district also covers Flushing, stated: “At a time when virtually the entire world has come together to help in the tsunami tragedy relief, employees of Hot 97 have come up with this song. We are disgusted and demand immediate action by the Federal Communications Commission.”

Gennaro (D–Fresh Meadows) weighed in, “New York will not tolerate this kind of hate speech. This song is an outrage. I am calling on all the advertisers of the show to stand up for the 200,000 lives lost in the tsunami and remove their ads and support for this shameful broadcast.”

Among others involved in the protest, Councilmember Leroy Comrie (D–St. Albans) stated, “This sends the wrong message to our youth, those who are the most influenced by the hip hop culture and Hot 97.”

Councilmember Charles Barron (D–Brooklyn) declared, “For someone to market these negative, despicable and deplorable images of people who have suffered so much is a travesty of justice. People of good will must condemn this.”

Also among the protestors were Asia Media Watch and the Organization of Chinese Americans.

Organizations to pull their advertising included McDonald’s Corporation; tax preparation company Jackson Hewitt and Sprint.

The Tsunami Song was set to the tune of “We Are the World,” which in 1985 rallied efforts for famine relief. The parody first aired January 18 on the Hot 97 show hosted by Miss Jones, a very popular DJ.

Miss Jones and her entire morning team were indefinitely suspended after Liu and the others raised their voices in protest. Rick Cummings, president of Emmis Radio, which owns Hot 97, issued a statement apologizing for the offensive broadcast.

“What happened is morally and socially indefensible,” Cummings said. “All involved, myself included, are ashamed and deeply sorry.” Miss Jones also offered an on-air apology.