Arkansas radio reporter fired for stupidity
Arkansas radio personality Renee Gork is without a job today. Her crime? Wearing a Florida Gators cap to University of Arkansas football press conference.
I can’t blame radio station KAKS, which bills itself as Hog Sports Radio. I don’t agree with the reasoning given by station management, but I agree with the result.
According to The Associated Press, Gork, a Florida graduate, said she grabbed the hat without thinking Saturday because it was raining. She also said she sent a letter of apology to the university and football coach Bobby Petrino.
“Was hoping to publicly apologize to coach Petrino and UA fans on the show today … but I won’t get that chance,” Gork wrote on KAKS’ Twitter account. “I’ve been fired.”
It appears Gork was fired because KAKS feared she rankled Razorback personnel.
Petrino commented on Gork’s hat after answering a question she asked. “And that will be the last question I answer with that hat on,” Petrino said.
KAKS general manager Dan Storrs confirmed to AP that Gork was no longer working for the station but declined to comment further, saying it was a personnel matter. However, he added, “This radio station is Hog Sports Radio. We are very biased. We support the Razorbacks 100 percent.”
Well, that shows that Hog Sports Radio has no backbone at all. Radio listeners of northwest Arkansas now know they can listen to a filtered KAKS that will step on no toes.
But I don’t cut Gork a break. She could have been fired for stupidity. She said she grabbed the Florida hat without thinking. Well, she’s paid to think. And this wasn’t some tiny matter. This was no patch of scratchy scrub that some people might call a bunker. This was an elephant in the living room.
You don’t wear a Florida hat to an Arkansas press conference. You don’t wear a Texas cap to a Bob Stoops press conference. You don’t wear Sooner gear to a Mike Gundy press conference.
To do so brands you as either brazen or stupid or both.
This is an interesting topic. I think I’ll write my column for Wednesday’s paper about this.
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