Transcript of Atlanta radio show segment mocking Steve Gleason's ALS affliction

Former Saints player Steve Gleason, with Trombone Shorty and Saints coach Sean Payton last football season. (Erika Goldring Photo)
Steak Shapiro, Nick Cellini and Chris Dimino, radio hosts of "Mayhem in the AM," a sports show for Atlanta's "790 the Zone," made former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason and his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affliction the punchline of their jokes in an ill-advised segment Monday morning. The three hosts, perhaps realizing the gag was in poor taste, awkwardly mocked Gleason in a three-minute segment filled with pauses and uncomfortable laughter.

After a firestorm of outrage ignited on social media following the segment, the three hosts were suspended for their participation. | Times-Picayune columnist Jeff Duncan, a personal friend of Gleason's, has called for the hosts to be fired.

In an audio obtained by New Orleans radio station 106.1-FM, the segment opened by discussing Gleason, who is battling the debilitating disease that attacks motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, atrophying the muscles and eventually causing paralysis. Gleason wrote a guest column in Sports Illustrated on Monday with his eyes, as he is no longer able to move or talk due to the progression of his disease.

"Is he doing like, a media tour?," one of the hosts asked.

"I'm not really sure," another responded. "I know he did this. Joining us right now, Steve Gleason."

Someone posing as Gleason "called" into the show, pausing to breathe heavily before asking Steak Shapiro how his daughter Nola was doing.

"Nola's great, we had a great Father's Day yesterday," Shapiro responded. "Are you listening in New Orleans?"

"I am," the voice responded. "Chris, how was the Jersey Shore?"

At this point, Dimino paused for several seconds before laughing awkwardly and responding "I just don't know if I want to play."

"I wish I could play," responded the voice, before starting a knock-knock joke. 

Despite the apparent reservation, the three hosts continued with the gag for another two minutes.

"Now, Steve, we do knock knocks on Thursdays, we don't do it on Mondays," said one of the hosts. "We just started doing that again. We do it on Thursdays."

"I may not be here on Thursday," the voice said, before starting the joke again.

"Who's there?" a host asked.

"I," said the fake Gleason.

"I who," the host asked.

"I blame Gregg Williams," the fake Gleason said.

The voice had another joke with the punchline "smother me, do me a favor," before ending the segment with one more knock-knock question.

"Knock knock," the voice mocking Gleason said. 

"There's a third one huh?" One of the hosts said. "God help me. Who's there Steve?"

"I'm," responded the voice.

"I'm who?," the host responded.

The voice mocking Gleason said: "I'm going to hell."

"Yes, you are," the host said while laughing awkwardly. "There you have it."

