ESPN Suspends Post's Kornheiser By Thomas Heath Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, July 16, 2002; Page D02 ESPN has suspended radio and television host Tony Kornheiser for one week without pay for making remarks that were critical of management during his radio program, sources familiar with the situation said. Kornheiser, a Washington Post reporter and columnist for more than 20 years, said yesterday he did not know the reason for the suspension. "You should ask them as to why this happened," Kornheiser said yesterday. "I was notified by my agent on Friday afternoon. He said, 'You have been suspended by ESPN and don't go to work.' " The suspension started yesterday. Kornheiser, whose annual financial package with ESPN is worth more than $500,000, has criticized the network's personnel decisions on his radio show. Sources said ESPN management was unhappy with comments Kornheiser made during commercial breaks that aren't heard on the radio but are broadcast on the Internet. ESPN spokesman Dan Quinn declined to comment, saying the company does not discuss personnel matters. Kornheiser is the host of an ESPN sports-talk radio show from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each weekday that is broadcast on 243 stations and reaches 1.35 million listeners each week, according to Quinn. The show has been on ESPN since January 1998. He also co-hosts a nightly half-hour, television sports show on ESPN called "Pardon the Interruption" with Michael Wilbon. Wilbon also writes a column for The Post. Both are on a month-long vacation from the newspaper. "Pardon the Interruption" first aired last October and has a Neilson rating of .43, which means it reaches about 370,000 homes, Quinn said. Chris Moore of ESPN radio is filling in for Kornheiser's radio spot, while Miami Herald columnist Dan LeBatard is Kornheiser's temporary replacement on the television show. LeBatard has hosted "Pardon the Interruption" previously. Max Kellerman of ESPN worked with LeBatard yesterday. Wilbon is on vacation from the show this month. At least six ESPN radio employees have been disciplined in recent weeks, including two firings for what the network believed was unacceptable conduct in dealing with staff personnel, according to sources. Rob Ades, Kornheiser's agent, yesterday declined to discuss the reason for the suspension, saying: "I'm still cloudy on this. We're dealing with it." Kornheiser said he is in the second year of a five-year contract for his ESPN radio show. He said his contract for the television show is less than the length of the radio show, but includes options that could extend the contract. Kornheiser yesterday said he plans to return next week when the suspension is over. "I have a contract to go back [to]," he said. Looks like TK finally pissed off the suits at ESPN... wonder how long his radio show and PTI will stay on the air? Too bad, I enjoy PTI... but not over the past two weeks with replacements oh, and please, none of the "who cares, he sucks" juvenile responses... no need to waste our time with that.
Sorry to waste your time, but he does suck. He should be suspended for not knowing jack about sports. The guy's that have been replacing him the last week or so have been tons better.
Thats too bad I have really come to like Tony. What people need to relize is he openly admits he does not know everything about sports, and his show uses sports to talk about larger issues. Then again the people who dont relize this are the same ones who keep asking him how he is doing when they call in. Sounds to me that ESPN is trying to make a point to its "help" dont say anything bad about the network. Even if it is true
I had read somewhere else that supposedly one of the 6 fired was Kornheiser's (now former) radio producer. This is an interesting move by the network. Couple that with the fact that Kornheiser's show is the weakest on the network and Tony has a problem. Many ESPN affiliates carry a combination of Mike & Mike, the Game- *blank* Shows, Dan Patrick, & some weekend and overnight progamming. For example the sports station in my building carries Mike & Mike, Dan & Dibbs, GameNight, Todd Wright and their weekend programming. 1150 KZNE in College Station carries Mike & Mike, Dan Patrick on tape delay (2-5p), GameNight, Todd Wright and weekend progamming. 1300 in Austin carries a lot of ESPN too, but they don't carry Kornheiser's 3rd hour so they can carry Rome Live. Hell, even their NY Flagship ESPN Radio 1050 dropped Kornheiser this week so they could put a local show on in his timeslot. As for PTI, when Wilbon and Kornheiser is there its a great show. If one of them is gone then its an OK show, and when both are gone (as it has been the past 7 shows) the show is not much better than UnScripted. Rob
Yes, TK's producer, Denis Horgan Jr., was fired due to breaking ESPN corporate policy. He used inappropriate language in an e-mail to a friend! In addition, someone on Dan Patrick's radio show was fired as well. If all companies enforced their e-mail policy so strictly, I'm sure many, many, many people would have been fired from their jobs (including myself)! It was b/c of this firing that TK has gone on the offensive against ESPN over the past 2 months... In fact, his "Internet show" was cancelled b/c he would regularly curse on the show... At the time of the initial firings, TK was told that if he cursed even once on the Internet show, it would be cancelled... Well, I was listening live about 6 weeks ago when he dropped an "s-bomb" on the internet show... His boss called up during the same segment and told TK they had to have a meeting after the show... Next day TK announces that the Internet show was over... Surprising that ESPN is jerking around with its radio talent. In my opinion, the show has become rather dull with Michael Kay in his place. Kornheiser's great ability to make fun of himself and his "old man charm" made the show a refreshing change from the normal 100% sporting format of other radio shows.
Why can't they say **** on the radio? The word must be too obscene, right? It's POOP...Remember that South Park with the **** counter... Why is America so much more censored than other European countries? Just wondering...
the sad fact was that it wasn't even on the radio, but rather his internet show (which is the studio banter broadcasted during radio commercial breaks only over the internet)... it was the only reason i listened to TK's show... to hear what the <b>actually </b>thought of the topics they spoke about on the radio!
I dropped Dan LeBastard an e-mail following his attack on retaliation in baseball. He said nothing is more childish than watching baseball players retaliate. My e-mail was full of expletives. I can't repeat what I wrote here but I finished off with "if you allow Roger Clemens to bean you in the face with a 95 mph fastball, I will visit you in the hospital and say 'yes Mr. LeBastard, you were right, baseball players are childish'. I hope you would enjoy consuming meals through a straw for the rest of your life. Unlike a baseball player, you could go back to your crappy job"
According to the NY Radio Message Board Michael Kay is being considered as Kornheiser's <b>National</b> Replacement. Wow. That's a big blow to Tony. If that were to happen I wonder if ESPN would keep PTI around or if they would want to rid themselves completely of Tony.
