Front Page  »  

KVEC producer getting kicked for soccer comments

May 31, 2015

KVEC 2By KAREN VELIE

Comments made on a local radio talk show Thursday night have turned into a public chastising of producer and on-air sidekick Craig Hill. The incident took place during the 6 o’clock hour of “The Dave Congalton Show” on KVEC 920 AM, which features an “open-line” discussion between Congalton and Hill on current events.

The rebuke began after Congalton asked Hill his opinion of the growing international soccer controversy. according to the podcast.

Hill, hired in April to replace Joe Bowman, then went on a verbal rampage against the game of soccer that angered multiple callers to the show.  Hill repeatedly said he thought the invention of soccer was worse than World War II.

“Soccer, worst thing ever,” Hill said. “World War II and the Nazis, second. There is a direct correlation between the rise of crime and the rise of soccer.”

After multiple listeners told Hill they were repulsed by his comments, he said it was a joke, but then refused to apologize when Congalton asked him to.

After several more negative comments, Hill finally said he was sorry before noting his comments would have been fine on “an NBC sitcom.” Congalton then pointed out that Hill was following each apology up with an excuse.

“Stop, stop, stop right there. You are making excuses for it,” Congalton said.

Congalton declined to comment about the incident on Sunday and referred all queries to KVEC program director Andrew Cannon.

However, Barbara Bolton of Santa Margarita posted this statement on Congalton’s Facebook page:

“I really enjoy listening to your show on my commute home and have done so for years (through Tom, Mardi and Joe). I listen for the traffic reports and the local information I get. I have not fully embraced Craig but have been giving him a chance to get with the program and settle in. Tonight was the last straw. I think I have to turn back to KCBX for the commute home. His comments regarding soccer and Nazi’s was too over the top, and then would not even back down or apologize for what he said. You were right, he just doesn’t get it. It is not a joke. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but my opinion of him is not so good…he is just too annoying to listen to.”

Hill was not on the show Friday and there has been no announcement as to when he might return. Hill previously worked for local FM radio stations in the American General Media group.


Loading...
Subjects:         
Related:


62 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

What Mr. Hill said was both offensive and moronic, joke or not. It has nothing to do with being PC. It’s quite obvious by how he describes himself, basically saying that he’s short and fat that any sport in which a ball or running is necessary, he wasn’t or isn’t very good at and was probably bullied as a child. Mr. Hill seems to be unfamiliar with the KVEC audience with his Shock Jock mentality, which now hopefully he understands will never be accepted…ever. Mr. Congalton asked Craig Hill to kindly apologize for his comparisons but unfortunately, he either isn’t smart enough to realize what he said was wrong OR doesn’t have the capacity in his being to do so. Either way, Mr. Hill not right for Hometown Radio.


0

Yes, thank you! A Howard Stern wannabe. Not the reason I tune in.


0

and your personal attacks are….

Pot meet Mr Kettle


0

Fortunately Dave gets to decide who’s right for Hometown radio and I’m happy to hear Mr Hill on the air again. The Company easy way out is to always run from controversy, but it means a lot that Dave and the Station are standing behind Hill even though it clear to everyone that Hill is the most conservative person in the KVEC building….well….maybe except the Janitor.


0

Instead of KVEC management talking about this I would instead like to hear them say they are not going to sponsor the SLO symphony Pops by the Sea concert again this year, but nothing but silence from them, so much for being a community station.


0

I just listened to the podcast. After the offensive remarks about death, war, and Naziism, this guy went on to say more stupid things in fifteen minutes than most people say in a lifetime. It sounds like he fashions himself a sort of shock-jock comedian type, but unfortunately lacks the talent and the platform. He also is one of the many people in this world that should never talk about sports because of his blatant lack of knowledge of the subject (and I hate soccer, too).


0

And worst of all, he encouraged every other person in the county that has no business discussing sports, to call in and tell us what sport they played in 7th grade. This is what I really fault Craig Hill for.


0

Hill was 100% spot on about soccer. If your kid isn’t playing it’s the most boring sport on Earth.


0

The key word in this controversy is…OPINION. He was asked his OPINION, and expressed it. Seriously….what is the issue.


0

in todays world, if your opinion offends you are bullied into changing it or lose your Job!

Done…that’s the bottom line or todays Tolerance!


0

Oh gee whiz! Seriously? People need to grow a pair. Obviously tongue in cheek comments.


Truthfully, soccer IS the worst sport ever invented. I would venture to say it is not even a sport.


0

Is that the sounds of soccer fans cheering….or the Bus that Mr Hill is about to be thrown under?


I heard the comment and it was a joke, a poor joke just intended to rile people up (talk show remember) but Hill should have noticed Dave’s irritation and quickly apologized for the poor taste joke.


Will be survive the incident?


We will find out on Monday which is great for ratings!


0

“Good riddance to bad rubbish”


Not exactly an intellectual.


0

It’s a PC world. You can’t even make a dumb joke.


0

When you are on a talk show with a long-standing format of civility, there is little excuse for that and no excuse for a failure to recognize and apologize for an offensively dumb joke. If you like that type of humor (sometimes I do), try one of the morning comedy talk radio programs like “Bob & Tom” on 107.3 FM.


0
1 2 3 4