Atlanta Radio Host Fired for Making Fun of Former Saints Player Steve Gleason and ALS

This is one of those stories that makes you wonder how some individuals can be so demented and heartless as to make fun or a person who has been robbed of his ability to speak by a terrible disease. Apparently a trio of Atlanta radio hosts though it would be a good idea to do just that.

Nick Cellini, Chris Dimino, and Steak Shapiro did a show for 790 The Zone--I say did because they were initially suspended and have since been fired. For some odd reason they thought it would be a good idea to do a skit that poked fun at Steve Gleason.

Non-Saints fans may not be aware of Steve Gleason's story.

He used to play for the New Orleans Saints (from 2000-07). In 2011 he revealed that he was battling ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease; something that essentially attacks your body and takes away every function. Gleason is paralyzed and has lost the ability to speak.

Through the use of a special computer that tracked his eye movements he was able to pen a 4500 word article for Sports Illustrated (is that freaking awesome or what). The radio hosts used that as a spring board into a tasteless and deplorable skit that poked fun at Gleason and his disease.

As if the skit itself was not bad enough, as the outrage began to grow one of the guys was dumb enough to try and defend the ski saying simply "we took a shot, it backfired. Live and learn..."

Yeah. He did.

It goes without saying that this kind of 'humor' is deplorable, classless, tasteless, and just about every other negative adjective you can think of. Oh--and certainly not funny.

The radio station did the right thing and suspended the three hosts pretty quick and eventually fired them--as they should.

There is no telling what made these guys think this was a good idea; maybe it's because they see ESPN personalities like Bill Simmons get away with making an HIV joke (all be it a veiled one) to Magic Johnson with no repercussions.

Hmm...maybe ESPN needs to learn from this radio station on how to handle people that cross the line.

[For more on the story check out this article at NOLA.com]

If you want to donate to Team Gleason and help those affected by ALS go here.