Radio host axed for Islam slam lands a Hub gig
Boston Herald ^ | 11/15/05 | Jay Fitzgerald
A Virginia talk-show host who was fired from his last full-time radio gig for calling Islam a “terrorist organization” was tapped yesterday to replace bad-boy Jay Severin as host of WTKK (96.9-FM)’s coveted afternoon drive-time show.
Michael Graham, who was canned this summer by WMAL in Washington, D.C. for repeatedly making the anti-Muslim remarks and refusing to apologize for them, said yesterday he believes his controversial comments reflected reality – and still do in the wake of recent terrorist bombings in Jordan.
“I stand by it,” said Graham, 42, a former stand-up comedian and GOP political consultant who officially took over Severin’s afternoon slot yesterday on the all-talk WTKK.
Islamic groups said they’re disappointed with the decision by Greater Media, owner of WTKK and other Hub radio stations, to hire Graham.
“When you describe one-fifth of the world’s population to be a member of a terrorist organization, that amounts to bigotry,” said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Hooper’s group was the first to demand that WMAL punish Graham this past summer after he made the inflammatory on-air remarks about Islam.
Hooper said his group will be closely monitoring Graham’s show to see if he makes similar controversial comments in Boston.
Zainab Al-Suwaij, executive director of the American Islamic Congress in Boston, said Graham “totally doesn’t understand Islam,” noting that the vast majority of Muslim citizens in Jordan were outraged by last week’s lethal terror bombings.
She said that Graham’s description of Islam as a “terrorist organization” is a form of “hate speech.” Peter Smyth, chief executive of Greater Media, said he thinks Graham learned his lesson in Washington and will “not be demeaning” to groups on WTKK.
“I think he’s a very bright guy,” said Smyth, adding the audience reaction to Graham’s recent two-week tryout to replace Severin was “incredibly positive.”
Graham, a native of South Carolina, said he was “very excited” about hosting a show in Boston and wants to focus on local and national issues.
In July, Graham called Islam a “terrorist organization” nearly two dozen times on-air after the London terror bombings, arguing that not enough Muslims were condemning the attacks, proving there was something wrong at the core of the religion. |
