UPDATE: Color of Change has launched a petition regarding Bill Handel’s comments asking KFI and iHeartMedia to fire him
Bill Handel, host the popular Bill Handel Show morning on KFI 640 in Los Angeles double downed on his calling Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson a “cheap sleazy Democrat whore“–by standing by his original comments and clarifying he should have called her a “media whore.” #SorryNotSorry.
Handel’s comments were made Monday morning at the top of his show after the beginnings of a fierce social media backlash that included TVOne’s Roland Martin and journalist Shaun King chiming in.
Stunning scoop from @Jasmyne Cannick! Top L.A. Morning Radio Host Calls @RepWilson a “Whore” https://t.co/7Qwl5wTsky https://t.co/SiZeMJ8FnU
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) October 23, 2017
Bill Handel’s original comments were made the morning of Friday, October 20 during his regular segment with political strategist John Thomas.
In responding to comments from Thomas about Rep. Wilson blasting President Trump for telling the pregnant widow of a Sgt. La David Johnson killed in Niger that her 25-year-old husband “knew what he signed up for” Handel said, “I’m far more upset with her because that is a cheap affectation–she’s a cheap sleazy–ah–Democrat whore is what she is. Okay–no excuse me–I’m being too generous to her.”
When Thomas, to his credit, tried to correct Handel and tone down Handel’s rhetoric, Handel repeated the slur by saying, “I would add the word whore. There are a few other words I could throw in there but I want to stay working here.”
There has been no response to Handel’s comments from the National Organization of Women (NOW), Women’s March or any of the other organizations that typically come to the rescue of and defend (white) women.
KFI CONTACT INFO
Greg Ashlock
President, West
iHeartMedia
gregashlock@iheartmedia.com
(818) 566–6301
Robin Bertolucci
Program Director
KFI
robinbertolucci@iheartmedia.com
(818) 559–2252
UPDATE:
.@RepWilson spoke up on behalf of a grieving family. This has got to stop. https://t.co/m5NIREbLzy
— Tom Perez (@TomPerez) October 23, 2017