KVOR's Johnson said “gay agenda” has “corrupted what rainbows are”

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

While discussing a shooting that left five injured and the gunman, a student, dead at a Cleveland, Ohio, high school, News Radio 740 KVOR's Russ Johnson -- purportedly reading from an Associated Press article -- stated on October 10 that one victim was “transported to Rainbow Babies Children's Hospital.” Then, referring to the gay pride symbol of the rainbow flag, Johnson added during his Afternoon Show broadcast:

JOHNSON: Kind of an odd name, actually, isn't it? These days, I mean, the gay agenda has so corrupted what rainbows are I can't even have a -- I used to like rainbows. Those guys wrecked that. Thanks, guys. That's a topic for another day.

As Colorado Media Matters noted, Joseph Michelli, the former host of KVOR's afternoon slot -- previously called The Joseph Michelli Show -- labeled homosexuality “unnatural” and agreed with a caller who equated homosexuality to “bestiality,” "[p]edophilia," and “necrophilia.”

Colorado Media Matters also pointed out that KVOR guest host and District 5 Republican congressional candidate Jeff Crank failed to challenge the homophobic comments of a frequent caller to The Joseph Michelli Show, including his remark that homosexuality is “a mental illness.”

From the October 10 broadcast of News Radio 740 KVOR's Afternoon Show:

JOHNSON: “Four people were shot and a student gunman is dead after an afternoon shooting inside a Cleveland high school,” reads the AP. “Fourteen-year-old gunman apparently turned the gun on himself after opening fire on the third floor inside a nontraditional public school in the city's downtown. Fourteen-year-old male was shot in the side and transported to Rainbow Babies Children's Hospital.” God, could it be more ugly? Rainbow Babies Children's Hospital. Just the juxtaposition. It's just, it's so horrible. Kids getting shot and going to children's hospital, especially one called Rainbow Babies.

Kind of an odd name, actually, isn't it? These days, I mean, the gay agenda has so corrupted what rainbows are I can't even have a -- I used to like rainbows. Those guys wrecked that. Thanks, guys. That's a topic for another day.