Cumulus Media Classic Rock “97 Rock” 96.9 WGRF Buffalo has parted ways with morning host Rob Lederman after comments made on this morning’s show where he compared how he likes toast to the skin tones of black women such as Serena Williams and Halle Berry.
Shared on Twitter by ESPN reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques from a since deleted podcast of the morning show, the backlash led to multiple advertisers quickly pulling their spots from the station. In a statement regarding the comments a Cumulus spokesperson stated, “CUMULUS MEDIA operates from a clearly-defined set of programming principles and there is no question that Rob Lederman’s comments made on The Morning Bull Show are in direct violation of those principles. We swiftly terminated him and suspended the remainder of the show’s on-air talent. We apologize, and deeply regret the incident.”
WKBW-TV reports that the remainder of the morning show have been suspended. Cumulus has wiped the entire airstaff of WGRF from the station’s website.
Lederman and Rich ‘Bull’ Gaenzler have hosted “The Morning Bull” together since the retirement of Larry Norton in 2015. He had been part of Norton’s morning show since 1982. Gaenzler has been fired from his position as in-arena host for the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and National Lacrosse League’s Buffalo Bandits due to the comments.
Didn’t hear this live but internet keeps receipts. @97RockBuffalo morning hosts compared how they like their toast to black women’s skin tone. So just in case y’all missed it too, take a listen pic.twitter.com/6nVolu5a23
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) March 24, 2021
A statement from Roswell Park: pic.twitter.com/X5ThVOmzYr
— Roswell Park (@RoswellPark) March 24, 2021
— Pegula Sports & Entertainment (@PegulaSE) March 24, 2021
