Radio host Mike Bell suspended for Jessica Mendoza rant
Atlanta radio host Mike Bell has been suspended by his radio station for going on a nasty Twitter protest of Jessica Mendoza calling an MLB playoff game for ESPN.
Bell was suspended from Wednesday-Friday this week and is not scheduled to return to his work at 92.9 The Game in Atlanta until Monday. In his rant, Bell called Mendoza “T–s McGee,” which is an “Anchorman” reference. He also said her analyzing a baseball game on TV was “beyond ridiculous.” You can see all of his tweets here.
Bell wrote the following apology on CBS Atlanta’s website:
As some of you may have heard, I said something really stupid on Twitter last night directed at Jessica Mendoza, the analyst on last nights ESPN Wild Card broadcast. What I said was hurtful and I want to take this opportunity to say to Jessica that what I said was dumb and hurtful and I apologize for putting that garbage on Twitter. I have reached out to ESPN so I can have the opportunity to speak with her and hopefully apologize to her in person.
As someone who knows how hard it is to get a career in sports broadcasting started, I know what I said was totally insensitive and demeaning to Jessica and to all the women working in this industry, including the many women I work with here at CBS Radio Atlanta, who I also owe a big apology to.
I also want to express my apologies to our advertisers and sponsors, and to our sports team partners. They have all made a commitment to this radio station and I let them all down big-time.
Moving forward, I can honestly tell you that I fully understand how hurtful the things I say on-air and social media can be. There is no place for that kind of stuff on our show. I will be more mindful and respectful in how I express my opinions and hope I become a better talk show host, but more importantly a better person.
This has been a real eye-opening experience and I hope I can put the lesson learned from it to good use.
Bell also recorded the apology, and the recording was played on-air Wednesday.
Bell lashing out at Mendoza is a clear example of sexism. Mendoza has won two gold medals for the US Olympic softball team and is perhaps the greatest softball hitter in history. She clubbed 50 home runs and hit .416 during her college career at Stanford. She hit .432 with an absurd .865 slugging percentage over two stints with Team USA. And anyone actually listening to her analysis and not focusing on her gender can tell she knows her stuff when it comes to analyzing and talking baseball.
It’s unfortunate Mendoza has to face this kind of sexism, but this is part of the territory when one breaks gender or racial barriers.