Radio & Television News Association

Friday, September 15, 2006

Mayor Villaraigosa Calls KFI-AM Hosts John & Ken ‘Hate Mongers’

From LARadio.com

(Excerpts from the story)

September 15, 2006: Eleven Latino djs and personalities were honored yesterday for their support of the march for immigrant rights this past spring. The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) hosted the luncheon to honor individuals on tv and radio for their support of the Latino communities. The eleven radio personalities were commended for providing a concerted voice and publicizing the March 25, 2006 march in Downtown Los Angeles that drew about half-a-million protestors. But the big story from yesterday’s luncheon was the Mayor of Los Angeles calling out KFI’s John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou as ‘hate mongers’ for their ongoing rants about illegal immigration.”


...The Mayor talked about how [the rally that happened on] March 25 has changed the community...

...And then the Mayor seemed to divert from his prepared speech. “Don’t let the hate mongers – and let me just take a moment with the cameras rolling – John & Ken, two people who get on the radio every day who share a commitment of dividing America, who demonize our immigrants, who single out people like [KTTV reporter] Tony Valdez because he has the courage to talk about immigration, a duty to stand up and speak out fairly on the issue. Let us say to that – shame on you. Shame on you for dividing America.”

...John & Ken blasted back. The KFI hosts quickly responded to the Mayor’s charges. John and Ken were doing a remote broadcast from the Lido Theater in Newport Beach, to discuss and then screen a new documentary film entitled Border War: The Battle Over Illegal Immigration. The pair were interviewed on KTLA/Channel 5 after watching a tape of the Mayor’s remarks and the piece aired near the top of the Channel 5 10 p.m. news.

...John didn’t refute the Mayor’s premise. “He’s saying we’re dividing? He’s exactly right – we are dividing. It’s American citizens versus those who are breaking the law and costing us tens of millions of dollars.”

...Ken had more choice words for the Mayor. “It was like a declaration of war. There was emotion, and passion, and anger in his voice. He did the same thing that all politicians do.” Rolling his eyes, Ken said that the Mayor “refers to the United States as a ‘nation of immigrants.’ And he completely only talks about immigration, never dividing it into the categories you have to divide, there are legal immigrants, and there are illegal immigrants.”


(Read the entire story at http://www.laradio.com)

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