Radio Jocks Cower In Wake Of Imus Scandal

This was before Opie and Anthony's latest broadcast atrocity, before two other New York shock jocks lost their show for a racist prank, even before Don Imus' threat of a $120 million lawsuit over his April firing.

Philadelphia morning radio host Michael Smerconish spent a week filling Imus' vacant MSNBC television slot. He saw it as a great opportunity — for success or disaster.

"I almost felt like a Hollywood writer when McCarthy came to town — not that I'm a communist," joked the conservative WPHT-FM host. "There are people making great work out of tracking every word said these days."

Smerconish settled in, did his usual show and emerged unscathed. But his concern is shared by broadcasters from coast to coast as a strange sound echoes across the nation's airwaves: radio hosts walking on eggshells, trying to avoid Imus' fate.

Jeff Vandergrift and Dan Lay could not, and now they're scrambling for work.

The co-hosts of "The Dog House with JV and Elvis" were permanently pulled last weekend from WFNY-FM for an offensive prank phone call, replete with ethnic and sexual slurs, made to a Chinese restaurant.

Their dismissal demonstrated how heightened awareness by advertisers and management, coupled with offended listeners no longer content with "slap on the wrist" punishments, has turned the DJ's chair into a hot seat in recent weeks.

Attorney Ron Kuby, who doubles as morning drive-time co-host on WABC-AM, succinctly expressed the dilemma facing the radio personality circa 2007.

"In my contract, there's a provision that I can be terminated for offending any significant part of the community," said the left-leaning lawyer. "But if I'm not offending someone every day, I'm not doing my job."

Even the most unapologetic of hosts were now apologizing — although not sincerely enough to spare them a suspension. Gregg "Opie" Hughes and Anthony Cumia were excoriated for laughing as a homeless man fantasized about raping Condoleezza Rice and Laura Bush during the bad boys' XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. program.

Hours before their Thursday apology, the pair had griped about the crackdown on content when an ethnic joke was censored from their syndicated New York-based terrestrial radio program. What was next, wondered Cumia — "getting called out by a chicken for doing 'why does a chicken cross the road' jokes?"

What was next, it turned out, was a 30-day suspension when management questioned the sincerity of their apology. "Our on-air talent must take seriously the responsibility that creative freedom requires of them," the company said Tuesday.

That was a different message than the one delivered three years ago to O&A. After two firings in four years, they sat down with satellite radio executives ready to lie about their rehabilitation.

Instead, Hughes told The Associated Press back then, "We heard over and over again, 'Guys, just go crazy."'

Those days, like Imus, are gone.

On New York's WFAN-AM, the longtime epicenter of the Imus universe, the roster of his temporary morning replacements included ex-NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, tennis great John McEnroe and television muckraker Geraldo Rivera.

Nothing too shocking, or too shock jock-ing.

"The Imus episode has launched a new chapter in our questioning of what's acceptable on the radio," said Tom Taylor, publisher of the trade publication "Inside Radio." "There's a greater level of scrutiny. You see it all over the place. You see it with the 'Jersey Guys."'

That's outspoken WKXM-FM host Craig Carton and sidekick Ray Rossi, who continue to push the envelope — their latest on-air feud pits the pair against the New Jersey State Police. But the post-Imus atmosphere killed one of their bits: "La Cucha Gotcha," where listeners were encouraged to turn in illegal immigrants.

It was April 4 when Imus made his infamous slur about the Rutgers women's basketball team; eight days later, he was canned by CBS Radio despite repeated apologies. Imus is planning a $120 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against his ex-bosses.

The firing of Imus, a nationally known host with an audience of millions, put his broadcasting colleagues on notice: offended listeners were far less likely to accept an apology or even a suspension.

When JV and Elvis were initially suspended, Asian-American groups were quick to say nothing less than a firing was appropriate. And when their show was jettisoned, the same groups were quick to take credit.

"This action by CBS Radio would not have happened without the efforts of a broad, nationwide coalition who said 'Enough is enough,'" said John Tandana, an officer with the Organization of Chinese Americans.

Despite the media attention and the elevated sensitivity, veteran radio programmer Eric Logan says another incident is lurking somewhere around the dial.

"It's unavoidable in American culture," said Logan, now executive vice president of programming at XM. "In the process of balancing the ratings with what's right, performers are encouraged to entertain, and along the way, they offend or hurt people's feelings.

"It happens all the time," he said. "And I don't see it changing."