His comment? He opined that Nicole Polizzi, better known as Snooki, is "fucking ugly."
KOA announced that Tubbs would be disciplined for this slip -- but most folks commenting on the station's Facebook page didn't like the sound of that. Examples below.
Tubbs is hardly a shock jock. To the contrary, he's a steady professional broadcaster who's made support of America's veterans a personal cause. Back in December 2011, for example, he spoke to Westword about his frustration with producers of the TV show Hawaii Five-O for the filming of a scene at a cemetery on one of the islands in a way that disrupted a ceremony for Pearl Harbor veterans in which he participated.
Nonetheless, KOA took his "fucking" slip very seriously, releasing the following statement:We are aware of a recent inappropriate comment that was made on-air by Steffan Tubbs. While Steffan made the comment in what he thought was a private conversation, it was still thoughtless and insensitive and we apologize to anyone whom it offended. We take matters of this nature very seriously and we will take appropriate disciplinary action.The reactions to this edict on Facebook were swift and mostly negative. Here are some examples:
Everyone makes a mistake. Steffan Tubbs is a local hero to our Vets. Give the man the grace we all need.Oh yeah: There was also this:You hear that word picked up by mics on NFL broadcasts. You hear it "accidentally" not bleeped out on music award shows. And you hear it a million times a day in casual conversation on the street. People get all freaked out and offended by the "f" word but watch hours upon hours of extremely realistic violence and gratuitous sex on TV and in movies every day. What a bunch of hypocrites. Suck it up and get over it. He shouldn't have to do anything more than apologize on air and we all move on.
Was it necessary to put THIS (above) message out? Bad taste KOA! Praise publicly. Correct privately.
I love 850KOA, but if "disciplinary action" happens to Steffan Tubbs I will switch stations. Get over it people.
Yawn.....get over it people! Steffan Tubbs does so many positive things in this community, all of you people sitting on your high horse should be ashamed of yourselves!!!!
Really? I have been an HR Regional Manager and an employment attorney for ten years. Balance the severity of the offense (pretty modest here) with his body of work for years, and the decision is not that hard. Corrective action? Sure. Public flogging and termination? No.
It was possibly the GREATEST MOMENT IN RADIO HISTORY!!! I shot coffee through my nose all over my steering wheel! FREE STEFFAN TUBBS!!!!Whatever discipline Tubbs will receive didn't extend to being suspended from the airwaves: He's hosting KOA's morning show right now, as usual. As for Snooki, she's got more important things to worry about: This week, she was eliminated from Dancing With the Stars.
Here's a Good Morning America story about Snooki's elimination.
Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.
More from our Television & Film archive circa December 2011: "Hawaii Five-0 producer's apology to Pearl Harbor vets insincere, says host."
