Show The Door To Leo The Lip
September 20, 2006 on 5:51 pm | In Local, Main |Well, that’s it. I’ve had about enough. Last night L.A. Steel (a.k.a. Leo Nadeau) lost it. I rarely tune into his wretched Tuesday night show on Q-103 unless there is a power failure or unless I am in the car (in both cases the Lakeville station is about the only form of entertainment available). But even by Leo’s own low standards, his pathetic diatribe exceeded the bounds of decency and he embarrassed himself beyond the point of redemption.
It was a typically unfocused and uninformative discussion. The dialogue centered on a controversial speech given in Germany by Pope Benedict XVI about Islam and the resulting furor in the Muslim world. Perhaps Leo thought he was being cute, but no one in the room cooed when he called the Pope “a moron and a Nazi.”
Even Leo’s hyperventilating co-host, Leila [last name unknown to me], urged caution, telling her colleague the context of the Pope’s remarks were unclear to her and, dare I say, to Leo. No matter, Leo proceeded to declare that the pontiff spoke the words in a deliberate attempt to defame all Muslims.
Before I go any further, full disclosure is in order. I am not a Catholic, but my wife and children are. I have written critically of Leo’s show on a couple of occasions and in a recent episode he branded my employer, The Lakeville Journal Company, “a tin-horn Zionist paper” for not reprinting a press release sent in by a friend and colleague of his. - TC
Now back to Leo The Lip. First to the substance of his ludicrous comments. I learned a long time ago that speaking directly to people’s motives is rarely productive. I don’t know if the Pope intentionally tried to hurt Muslims, but there are a lot of scholars and objective Vatican watchers who think the words he quoted from a medieval Byzantine emperor were justified and reasonable.
Others, including the Muslims who reacted by burning churches on the West Bank, torching the Pope in effigy and murdering a nun in Somalia, do not. As any thinking person knows — and you can agree or disagree with him — the Pope is not “a moron,” but a scholar. As for the Nazi characterization, I won’t even lower myself to comment. And note the hypocritical irony of Leo’s condemnation of words offensive to Muslims and reacting with comments that are equally appalling to Catholics.
The real question is why Q-103 general manager Joe Loverro allows this kind of hateful invective to continue. The disclaimer at the beginning of the show — “the views expressed on this show are not necessarily those of the station or its management” — is woefully inadequate. And it is telling that the show is not listed among those on the station’s website.
Of course, it’s a free country and I would never question Leo’s right to spew his bilge from the rooftops or on his website. But that doesn’t mean Joe is obligated to support it by giving Leo precious air time.
Right-wing pundit Ann Coulter came under heavy criticism when in a fit of idiocy she wrote of Muslim terrorists, “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.” For that piece of brilliance she was rightfully fired from her gig at National Review Online. Leo deserves no better.
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Writing about Leo is a waste of your blogspace.
Hatred and political animosity go hand-in-hand and run deep, as we all know too well. Some people are just looking for a fight; without conflict, their sense of purpose is nil.
Playing the “Nazi” card is always the last resort of a rhetorically inept moral cripple.
Comment by Doug Richardson — September 20, 2006 #
Does anybody listen to this guy’s (L.A. Steele, aka Leo) show on Q103?
Comment by Janet Manko — September 20, 2006 #
Terry…
It might be hard to remember, but even privately owned radio station, WQQQ FM, are Licenced to operate and serve local communities. Local talk shows used to be a part of almosts all stations. In todays radio world, very few independent, local stations exist. Very little local programming exisits.
As much as Leo might infuriate you, as much as you might disagree with him, it is percisly the vision of public media, to present differing views, howeeeeever objectionable those views might be to you or anyone else.
Leo and Lilia host a show they produce on CATV 6, I don’t agree with alot of what Leo says, but, I agree with his right to say it!
As long as community broadcasting standards are not breached…profanity, sexual content, etc…its is Leo right, and WQQQ’S charge by the FCC to present diverse progamming!
My charge by the Public Service Commision in Connecticut, is to present to the public, unedited, what is presented to me to play. As long as it meets the standards that the Cable Advisory Board (a local board), it runs unedited!
There should be more, quite frankly, shows on mainstream broadcasting that offer differing views! There is always the option to not turn it on!!!
So my advise Terry…next Tuesday night, put on robinhoodradio.com instead at home, or put a CD in the player in the car!
A show listenership is what determins if it stays on-air in mainstream broadcasting. Just don’t make the mistake of banning someone from the air because you think they are bad…as free people, we deserve better than that.
PS…by the way…I totaly disagree with the Tin horm Zionist comment…I can say I have never seen you or Janet with a Tin Horn!!
Keep up the great work, and continued much success to the Journal, its a terriffic asset to the community…a local, independent, locally owned paper, we are lucky to have it here.
Marshall
Comment by Marshall Miles — September 21, 2006 #
Marshall,
Thanks fo your kind words about The Journal. I agree diverse views need to be heard. And the view that the Pope’s comments were uncalled-for and hurtful deserves to be heard. But this is the kind of viscious name-calling that adds nothing to the debate. As such, I would not allow it on my radio station. We certainly would not print it in our newspaper. If we did we would incur the wrath of advertisers and readers (and rightfully so). But for some reason, few people care about Leo. Perhaps it’s because of the old maxim “If a tree falls in the forest …”.
Comment by Terry — September 21, 2006 #
Bigotry and hate-speech need to be quickly and forcefully condemned as Terry has done. Talk of “diversity” and offering “differing” views does not excuse slander and lies, but does allow bigotry, hate-speech, slander, and lies to creep into the mainstream media.
Comment by Rick Howe — September 21, 2006 #
Rick and Terry I agree about hate-speech. As I said in my first reply
“As long as community broadcasting standards are not breached…profanity, sexual content, etc…its is Leo right, and WQQQ’S charge by the FCC to present diverse progamming!”
But I do feel the mainstream media is sorely lacking in differing viewpoints!!!
Marshall
Comment by Marshall Miles — September 22, 2006 #
Response to Janet Manko:
Yes, Terry Cowgill.
Comment by Nardis — September 23, 2006 #
The point really isn’t whether anybody is listening. Our public institutions (and that includes community media outlets such as Q-103 and The Lakeville Journal) should discourage such hateful name calling, be it from the left or right, at every turn.
I know Leo is thinking that I want to censor him, but if he wants to start his own radio station or newspaper he is welcome to do so. And he can put his hate speech on his existing website.
But responsible media outlets have no obligation to give him a platform. Remaining silent just because he has few listeners isn’t an option for me. An important principle is at stake here.
Comment by Terry — September 24, 2006 #
The First Amendment affirms the right all people have to speak their minds; no, it does not extend to yelling “fire” in a public gathering or Hi, Jack! in an airplane.
This God given right allows discourse. I do not agree with LA Steele. I agree with many of the comments concerning his show as posted here. However, he does have that same God given right to express his views. Remember Mike Flint? I loved his show, as did many others. There were also a lot of people in the Q103 listening area that thought he was the southbound end of a northbound horse. Welcome to America; if you don’t like Steele and his views: turn it off. Or, better yet, tune in to hear what the leftists in this country view as the correct world order.
I vote to keep him on the air, and hopefully, someone from the other sides of the poltitical spectrum will get their airtime, as well.
Comment by Paul Bartomioli — September 29, 2006 #
First i want to thank marshal miles for doing the commentary on my high school football games. Best moment had to be 2006 berkshire bowl, hearing Josh Martin scores! on the video.
To the subject at hand…
I have known mr nadeau for a few years. Kinda.
I had him as a sub in high school a few times, one time for in school suspension (got caught doin a school prank)
I’m not here to voice opinions about him or his beliefs…what i will say is talking with him changed my life. Whether he is right or wrong, politically correct or insensitive isnt the issue. The issue is he asks questions.
Now i ask questions.
i dont always agree with what he says, but i understand why he says it. He talks to a lot of people, in a lot of different places. I am sure anyone with his knowledge would say the same.
Ok, so it was disrespectful to call the pope a nazi.
But did he get anyone killed for it?
How come we arent yelling at the pope for angering the muslim community and creating such a mess where a nun is murdered and churches burned.
And paul, The first amendment is not a God given right.
I agree with you tho, keep him on the air, and get a counter show.
People need to hear both sides of an argument before making a decision or opinion. Whether it is the 9/11 conspiracy, Iraqi war, illegal aliens, or even the this.
Comment by Joshua — April 27, 2007 #
Joshua,
We disagree. I don’t hear Leo asking many questions. I do hear him calling people names and accusing them of being criminals.
There is a reason why Leo has few listeners and no advertisers. He adds little to the debate.
However, I’m glad you had a positive experience with him and shared it with my readers. Thanks for doing that.
Comment by Terry — April 27, 2007 #