Goodbye to opie & anthony? - Wnew pulls them off-air

Gooch · 08-20-2002, 01:10 PM

NYPOST:
RADIO LIMBO FOR UNHOLY JERK JOCKS

By MICHAEL STARR and DAN MANGAN

August 20, 2002 -- "Opie and Anthony's" live radio show was yanked off the air yesterday as WNEW-FM's owner fretted over the shock jocks' promotion of a sex stunt in St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Meanwhile, a federal regulator called for possibly revoking the station's license.

Instead of a new show, a rebroadcast of a previously aired "Opie and Anthony" show ran amid mounting criticism of the foul-mouthed duo's sponsorship of the on-air sex contest that led to the arrests of a Virginia couple and a show producer last Thursday.

"The show is in rebroadcast as the company looks into the matter," said a spokesman for station owner Infinity Broadcasting Inc. The move came the same day that Infinity named its new president, John Fullam.

But Infinity's probe might be superseded by an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission, which is reviewing a complaint about the stunt from the Catholic League advocacy group.

FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said he expected that the FCC probe and possible sanctioning of the station will "be on the fast track," and advocated harsh punishment if WNEW is found to have violated broadcast rules.

"I have received many outraged e-mails and phone calls complaining about" the stunt, said Copps. "I have forwarded each of the complaints to our enforcement bureau for action."

Noting that the FCC is responsible for enforcing laws banning "obscene, indecent or profane" broadcast, Copps said "I take this responsibility with the utmost seriousness."

"If these complaints and press accounts prove true, this commission should consider the strongest enforcement action possible against this station, up to and including revocation of the station's license," Copps said.

Loretta Lynn Harper and Brian Florence were charged with public lewdness after police said ushers saw Harper with her pants down and Florence near her with his fly open just feet from worshippers observing the Feast of the Assumption. Both are free on $500 bail.

Also nabbed, and ticketed on a charge of acting in concert with public lewdness, was "Opie and Anthony" producer Paul Mercurio, who was using a cell phone to provide live, on-air commentary of the frolic.

Opie and Anthony - whose real names are Anthony Cumia and Gregg Hughes - chuckled about the arrests on their Friday broadcast. But WNEW management apologized for the incident.

Joe Zwilling, spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, said "I'll let the FCC determine" what it should do. "I'm doing whatever I can not to give these two individuals any more free publicity."

Kid Afrika · 08-20-2002, 01:26 PM

Welcome Q104.3's newest jocks...

or

Will they move to LA and become shlock jocks?

Danked · 08-20-2002, 01:46 PM

I wanna hear them force out an apology the likes of the Greaseman, Sid Rosenberg, and Billy Staples.

"We know now that anal sex in a Catholic Church is never justified."

Sloatsburgh · 08-20-2002, 01:47 PM

Paul Mercurio producer?? I guess Rick learned his lesson.

Spitfire · 08-20-2002, 01:49 PM

:rofl:

It's funny that out of all the awful stuff they've done on the show, this is what they get in trouble with.

Kid Afrika · 08-20-2002, 02:17 PM

It's funny that people are so pretentious that they would actually get upset by this.

Buttmunch · 08-20-2002, 02:18 PM

I'm going to St. Patrick's to light a candle for them.

Kid Afrika · 08-20-2002, 03:00 PM

You sir, are an ass-eater and a LIAR. :-D

Keyser Soze · 08-20-2002, 03:09 PM

I guess this expedites the OTL merger.

fbd · 08-20-2002, 03:10 PM

if the fcc doesnt take an action that diliberately gets o&a off the air, wnew wont pull them. even through the various fines they've gotten, they earn so much for the company. they're number one in i think 5 markets, and highly rated in about 15 others. they're safe as long as the fcc doesnt pull their plug

PollyannaFlower46 · 08-20-2002, 03:11 PM

This is seriously ridiculous, just because its a church doesn't make it any more of a crime than it was in any of the other places.

Buttmunch · 08-20-2002, 03:13 PM

Quote:You sir, are an ass-eater and a LIAR. :-D

My screen name and my profession have nothing to do with my religious convictions. :fuckoff:

Arpikarhu · 08-20-2002, 03:13 PM

O & A who?

Ken'sPen · 08-20-2002, 03:15 PM

Only Priests should be having sex in church.

I think many people are "outraged" because it was in a church, but I think the police would have been involved no matter what public venue they were caught in...... provided a cop was close at hand when they were discovered.

PollyannaFlower46 · 08-20-2002, 03:19 PM

Its funny because now everyone I know who knows I listen to the show is like all disgusted with me for being amused....an older friend of mine said that he's shocked at my sick sense of humor.... :disappointed:

Buttmunch · 08-20-2002, 03:21 PM

I heard Richard Bey over the weekend ask if it would be funny if someone "took a dump" on a muslim prayer rug for a contest.

I considered my response and decided, YES, it would be a fucking riot.

Corpsegrinder13 · 08-20-2002, 03:23 PM

I hope those contracts they have are garenteed...

Edited By Corpsegrinder13 on Aug. 20 2002 at 11:23

Keyser Soze · 08-20-2002, 03:27 PM

i think people are just outraged it was a heterosexual couple and not a priest and a young boy having sex in church.

PollyannaFlower46 · 08-20-2002, 03:28 PM

Richard Bey as in the Richard Bey show that used to be on UPN?

Buttmunch · 08-20-2002, 03:37 PM

The same Richard Bey.

He is on WABC and has a solo show on Saturday. I figured I could hear some interesting discussions on the whole St. Pat's thing.

All I could think about when he was expressing outrage over this act, was the "content" of his old TV show. I tried to call, but I was in the car and lost the signal.