A sports radio star in Washington, D.C., was fired over the weekend after making “Barbie” comments to a female television reporter covering the NFL’s Washington Commanders preseason camp.
Michael Sorce, who goes by the alias Don Geronimo, made the comments towards Sharla McBride of WUSA9.
The Commanders suspended iHeartMedia, the parent company of Sorce’s employer WBIG Radio, from the team’s training camp facilities Friday.
“Hey look, Barbie’s here! Hi, Barbie girl,” Sorce said to McBride while live on-air on Thursday. “I’m guessing she’s a cheerleader.”
Sorce later referred to McBride as “tight” to a co-host.
“Oh hey, there’s that chick you thought … said was tight, I think she’s a sportscaster on channel nine,” he said to a co-host.
Defenders of Sorce claimed he was joking, and that it was part of his job as a radio host to entertain. Still, Sorce was swiftly fired from WBIG radio, the station announced.
Here’s a cut of the audio so you can decide for yourself.
“After an internal review, Don Geronimo is no longer an employee of WBIG,” iHeartMedia’s D.C. Region President Aaron Hyland told the Washington Post in a statement over the weekend. “We take matters of this nature very seriously and this behavior does not align with our core values.”
McBride told ESPN she was hurt by the comments.
“When I heard the comments made about me on the radio show, I felt incredibly insulted and embarrassed,” she told ESPN. “In my 17 years as a professional journalist, I have never been disrespected in such a blatant manner while trying to do my job. Their words were sexist and misogynistic. No woman should experience this in the workplace, and I appreciate the Commanders’ swift response in handling this matter.”
Washington Commanders ban local radio hosts Don Geronimo and Crash Young from training camp after making sexist remarks about WUSA9 sports anchor Sharla McBride. pic.twitter.com/o33tOSOwik
— BoreCure (@CureBore) July 29, 2023
Socre announced on social media that he would not comment on the issue on advise of counsel.
At this time I will not be providing comment on the events of the last few days. I am consulting with my advisors as to my options moving forward, including an accurate reflection of the situation. Thx -d.
— DonGeronimoShow (@DonGeronimoShow) July 30, 2023
The Horn editorial team