Guess it is JV & Elvis' turn
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Vicki Shu Smolin, President, OCA-New York: 646-263-6044
Florence Chen, President, OCA-New Jersey: 201-755-3260
Jeannette Wang, President, OCA-Westchester & Hudson Valley: 914-552-0078
John Tandana, Executive Vice President, OCA-Long Island: 347-728-2612
OCA EXPRESSES OUTRAGE OVER 92.3FREE FM RACIST AND SEXIST RADIO SEGMENT
April 22, 2007 – Today, the New York metropolitan area chapters of the Organization of Chinese Americans – New York, New Jersey, Long Island and Westchester/Hudson Valley – expressed their outrage over a recent segment aired on WFNY 92.3Free FM that involved a prank call to a Chinese restaurant. In a letter to Thomas Chiusano, the station’s President and General Manager, OCA called for an immediate apology by the hosts of the racist, vulgar and sexist segment, JV & Elvis, their producer and the station. In addition, OCA demanded for the immediate firing of JV and Elvis and their show’s producer.
In the segment, the caller begins by telling the first restaurant employee, “I would like some Asian food, son of a bitch” as well as to the second employee, “I would love to have lots of Asian food, son of a bitch.” The caller then tells a the restaurant’s female employee, “Should I come to your restaurant so I can see you naked? “ and continues, “That way, I can see your hot Asian spicy ass.” As the caller goes on, he tells yet another employee that he would like some “flied lice,” but not “some old dung” and indicates that “I am training in Kung Fu, bitch” before ending with “Tell that hot Asian girl answering the telephone, I’d like to tap her ass.”
OCA-NY President, Vicki Shu Smolin,citing the letter, reiterates, “What is especially disturbing to the Asian American community is that the segment first aired on April 5 – just a day after Don Imus referred to the Scarlet Knights, the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, as ‘nappy-headed hos.’ Even more infuriating is that after CBS rightly fired Don Imus on April 12, JV & Elvis aired the segment AGAIN on April 19. It is apparent that not only did JV & Elvis not learn anything from the Don Imus scandal, but CBS and CBSRadio decided that Asian Americans are easy prey for racist radio broadcast.”
Ms. Florence Chen, President, OCA-New Jersey adds, “New Jersey is home to numerous technology, manufacturing and telecommunication firms and home to nearly three-quarters of a million Asian Pacific Americans. Until we are satisfied with the actions of 92.3FreeFM, we will be calling on the strength of the Asian American market to urge advertisers to pull their support.”
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Mr. John Tandana, Executive Vice President, OCA-Long Island continues, “Once again, radio has tried to gain ratings to the detriment of Asian Americans. The segment lasted over six minutes, the entire time, casting Asian Americans and women in a demeaning manner. Asian Americans have and will continue to contribute immensely to this country’s economy, intellect and culture. We will not allow talk radio to spread stereotypes that hurt our community.”
Ms. Jeannette Wang, President, OCA-Westchester/Hudson Valley affirms that “If the executives of CBS, CBSRadio and 92.3FreeFM do not fire the DJs and their producer, they are sending a very strong message to the Asian American community that they do not care. A strong signal must be sent that this type of broadcasting is unacceptable.”
The OCA Chapters are urging its members and colleagues contact the following individuals to demand the apology from and firing of JV & Elvis and their producer:
Thomas Chiusano, President and General Manager, WFNY 92.3 Free FM
[email protected]
40 W 57th St, Fl 14
New York, NY 10019-4001
(212) 314-9231
Leslie Moonves
President & CEO
CBS
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019-6188
John Mainelli, Program Director, WFNY, 92.3 Free FM
[email protected]
WFNY-FM
40 W 57th St, Fl 14
New York, NY 10019-4001
(212) 314-9230
Karen Mateo, CBS Vice President of Communications
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
(212) 846-7638
[email protected]
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Founded in 1973, OCA is a national non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans. With a national headquarters in Washington DC and over 80 chapters and affiliates across the country, OCA embraces the hopes and aspirations of the nearly 12 million Americans of Chinese and Asian/Pacific Islander ancestry in the United States.
