Ruffled Christians from around the world who bombarded Seattle Public Schools with ferocious emails last week.
They were furious about a teacher who refused to call colorful eggs "Easter eggs," but insisted they be called "spring spheres," of all things.
(photo: feckless talker, Dori Monson)
It was based on a call to The Dori Monson Show KIROFM m-f, 12-3p) from a 16-year-old allegedly named "Jessica," (last name withheld) who said she was corrected by the teacher when she'd tried to fill plastic Easter eggs with treats for 3rd graders at her volunteer job.
Of course this was red meat to the feck-free Monson, Seattle's last, red meat radio winger. Pious man that he is, he pumped it with a trumpet, heaping his normal ration of anti-Seattle scorn and "outrage" on the Board, the teacher, and all the rest of us unchurched, Seattle, latté-lapping, hippy scum.
Ho-hum, another day on the radio with The Master of the Puny-verse.
Problem is: there's no proof it ever happened. There's nothin' but the word of an alleged 16-year-old talking on the phone to Dori.
The Stranger News Editor Dominic Holden due diligenced the story and so far, no one can confirm it ever happened. Missing in the piece (and apparently to the "reporter" who wrote it for KIRO's mynorthwest.com) are the ID's of the school, the teacher, the 16-year-old, an the father of the 16-year-old.
Those are pretty big parts of the "news story," so where the hell are they? The reporter, KIRO website (mynorthwest.com) Editor Stephanie Klein, didn't have any sources (!) May we underscore that, please? She's not protecting sources... she doesn't fucking have any!
(photo: sourceless reporter, Stephanie Klein)
So she referred Holden to Dori, who's not answering emails.
Jesus.
"We haven’t been able to verify that it happened," says Seattle Public Schools spokeswoman Teresa Wippel. She says district officials contacted all 88 schools in Seattle last week, asking if any employee could confirm or deny the "spring sphere" story. "Generally when we put out some question, we usually do get some kind of confirmation from people. But it has been silence so far."
News Chick (morning lady Linda Thomas) picked it up, but unlike the "news" story that went viral, was careful to write that the story couldn't be verified. She also added this:
Incidentally, I love Dori and his "outrage." [quotation marks Linda's(!)]: He finds some interesting stories to be outraged about on his show from noon to 3 p.m. every day.
Holden writes:
Not only an affront to fundies ignorant that decorated eggs predate Jesus by thousands of years, the politically-correct term also concerned liberals who thought educators couldn't distinguish a sphere from an ovoid."
"It’s a good story," insisted Klein to Holden, comparing it to the phony War on Xmas stories dragged out every year in the season. But, she said, she "'got a lot of flack' for not naming the school or the people involved." Indeed.
The School District is left with the bag of dogshit flaming on its doorstep.
Holden adds that school district policy from 1983 says that "no religious belief or non-belief should be promoted" by its employees. He adds:
In the district's defense, Wippel says people believed Seattle schools are "somehow to blame for denigrating Christianity in some way," adding, “We can't respond to that because we don’t even know if it happened. I would love to tell you I was able to verify it, because then we could put it to rest on way or the other."
Meanwhile Dori, the self-proclaimed watchdog of everybody he disagrees with is onto the next "outrage." Upcoming from the microwave: "The strange story of the girl who mutilated a cat so she could go to Lady Gaga concert."
(And whoon hell hired this so-called editor who wrote a news story with no sources? Does she edit herself?)
Sigh.
Posted by: Mike D | April 19, 2011 at 01:53 AM
I don't care if that KIRO web broad had all the facts or not, I'm totally with Dori on this one.
These damn liburuls want to take the Lord Jesus Christ out of the schools.
Read your goddamn bible, people! Easter eggs have been around since Jesus and his gal-pal, Mary Magdalene hardboiled and dyed some eggs one night after trying some mushrooms. Next morning, Big J got the munchies, and Mary made him a glob of chocolate that Jesus said looked like a bunny rabbit.
Now these fuckin' schools want to throw out this beautiful story!
Fuck that shit.
Posted by: Itchy | April 19, 2011 at 05:10 AM
Is this the "news site" trying to compete with the Seattle Times, KOMO and everybody else on the Internets? shame on 'em. Bad enough having someone like Monson spouting off with out proof, but the once mighty KIRO news doing it? sad, shameful.
Posted by: Lawrence Fishkiller | April 19, 2011 at 07:03 AM
Santa is for everyone, not just the Christians...
Easter egg hunts are for everyone too. The kids aren't too fussed about anything other than toys from one, candy from the other...
All I know is that Easter eggs will always be "Easter Ovoids" to me from now on!
I doubt that Dori had a fake story from a fake Jessica, but ya' never know for sure.
If Jessica wanted her last name and school witheld for whatever reason...
KIRO honoring that privacy request opens the door to the conspiracy theory of "Spring Sphere Gate".
Posted by: Rat_Bastard | April 19, 2011 at 08:04 AM
Chalk one up for the religious right who found a willing ally in the opportunistic showboatman Monson. As if the schools don't have enough problems w/out having these religious mouthbreathers down their necks. Say it's true (which I doubt) and they'd let them do Easter eggs, the Atheist/Muslim Coalition would be breathing down their necks. Best let them have their no-religion policy, their Springy ovoids and f***k 'em all!
Posted by: Santa Ria | April 19, 2011 at 08:10 AM
I wonder how many chalkboards it took Mr. Hood to get this blog just right.
Posted by: ProgBlogJunky | April 19, 2011 at 08:15 AM
On a serious note, this really does need to be investigated and resolved in some fashion.
If the story is true, KIRO/Bonneville need to give the public at least some evidence that the facts/sources exist.
If the story is not true, KIRO/Bonneville needs to apologize and discipline/terminate those involved.
If it's not a true story, then KIRO/Bonneville is guilty of deliberately broadcasting/web-publishing phony stories. That is a very serious violation of their public trust and of their FCC license.
Mr. Hood: don't let the story drop. Seattle Times: Please get invovlved.
Posted by: Itchy | April 19, 2011 at 08:37 AM
It's a word against word situation if "jessica" comes forward and the school is named...
It sounds like just one school employee in question that can deny that it happened.
Not sure if there is a way to prove this story as legit.
Dori does often stop callers from saying things because of liability and he allowed Jessica her story.
It wasn't slander since the school wasn't mentioned unless it's slander against the school district.
Interesting situation.
Posted by: Rat_Bastard | April 19, 2011 at 08:49 AM
Or... Actually, I think Jessica said that she asked about her Easter eggs being OK in a group meeting so there must be witnesses.
(if true)
Posted by: Rat_Bastard | April 19, 2011 at 09:08 AM
Hey Hood! beat up on Dori all you want, he can take it. Leave the girls alone, you bully. Stephanie Klein did nothing to you. it is unfair that you put your hate for Dori on her.
Posted by: Baloo | April 19, 2011 at 09:43 AM
It's very, very common in the radio business for shows to "spike" themselves with pre-arranged calls.
The onus here is not on SPS to prove a story false - it's on KIRO and the Monson show to prove it's true. This would be the case ("innocent until proven guilty," and all that) even without Monson's long history of histronics and of misrepresenting show content in the service of entertaining radio.
Monson has demonstrated endlessly (and to great personal enrichment) that he is a despicable human being. Nothing new there. But for KIRO to run with this as a "news" story based on one anonymous caller, for the explicit purpose of promoting Monson's show, is an affront to anyone who's ever been in the same time zone as real journalism.
Dave Ross must lay awake nights wondering how soon he can retire.
Posted by: Pete | April 19, 2011 at 09:44 AM
If Dave Ross really cared he would have walked away when management insisted on putting Puke Burbank on his show. Dave is as big a whore as anyone else on KIRO. I no longer listen to KIRO and won't unless they become a news station again.
Posted by: gerry0416 | April 19, 2011 at 10:36 AM
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=459668
"Seattle school renames Easter eggs 'Spring Spheres'"
"A sophomore at a local private high school thinks an effort to make Easter politically correct is ridiculous"
These are statements of fact and yet no proof is presented, and none exists. Required words such as "allegedly" and "according to.." are missing.
MyNorthwest.com must issue a correction and say that these are unsubstantiated claims. This is wildly unprofessional.
What kind of retard figures that something told to Dori Monson over the phone is verified fact? The one place where I've heard some of the dumbest things ever uttered by man.
Posted by: Andrew | April 19, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Dave and Luke had some decent regard for eachother since the TBTL days. I think Dave knows he's going to retire in the not too distant future, that he's at the farther end of his professional arc, and doesn't mind working with people who will inevitably take his place.
And Dave's old schtick was very much AM radio. I think even he realizes that FM is a dangerous place for enlightened talk radio, and know he needs someone manning a turret in order to survive.
Speaking of FM and agism, which gets me to wondering, how much younger is Dori's new producer than Phil the Junkie? This new guy is 27 y/o if I recall. I'm surprised there hasn't been some kind of class action lawsuit against Bonneville, because I don't know how you prove age discrimination, but if presenting to the court a parade of old people leaving and young people entering is how you make your case, they surely have a case.
Posted by: Andrew | April 19, 2011 at 11:21 AM
I think we need to see Jessica's birth certificate. That girl is no more trustworthy than Obama.
Posted by: South Tacoma | April 19, 2011 at 12:44 PM
Sounds like a 'Premiere On Call' - type shenanigan.
Posted by: Mike D | April 19, 2011 at 12:55 PM
I'm just trying to figure out why I enjoy listening to Curley fill-in during Sori's show, but can't stand Curley during his own time slot.
But, yeah, KIRO shouldn't make stuff up. If they did. but I'm not saying they did. Just sayin'.
Posted by: Mysterion | April 19, 2011 at 01:57 PM
Mysterion -- it's because he's filling in with Jessica and they are absolutely hilarious together! It's light and breezy but it's like you're sitting down having a conversation with a really funny friend. At night, he's by himself or with Mike West and they talk about serious issues. He's not good with those.
BTW, Ron and Don are now teasing they will disclose "the future of their show" at 4:15 today.
Posted by: Tarses | April 19, 2011 at 03:10 PM
Maybe "Jessica" is... Jessica Gottesman.
Posted by: Marsha Toles | April 19, 2011 at 04:04 PM
as much as i dislike Curly , a John and Jessica Show replacement of Monson would actually be an improvement. Jessica does soften Curley's obnoxiousness a bit and unlike Dori they do have a chemistry together . the Jessica and Dori pairing sounds completely fake and forced. Maybe because they're both east coast big city people (Gman from New York and Curley from Philly)...... sure why not? make it Jackass and Jessica from noon to three, have security escort Dori clean out of the building and then put someone good in the 7 to 10p.m. spot , which is a much nicer time period for listening to talk radio.
Posted by: Tommy008 | April 19, 2011 at 05:12 PM
Tommy, you are so smart. Jackass and Jennifer. That would attract a lot of people who like the show "Jackass."
Curly could perform all sorts of stunts and Jennifer could describe them. Brilliant.
Posted by: Thomasina | April 19, 2011 at 06:45 PM
I think Dori is like Glen Beck. Doesn't personally believe a word he utters, but laughs at the suckers in the audience all the way to the bank.
He probably had enough socked away to move to Brazil one of these days.
Posted by: Kelly | April 19, 2011 at 07:08 PM
I think I found the caller.
Her name might be Jessica Bowen.
She won a Merit Award at a Seattle Christian School. She sounds like she could be the person.
http://www.seattlechristian.org/
Posted by: Jangmi | April 19, 2011 at 07:16 PM
Ah, a Christian School. That would explain why she would believe a story about easter eggs being spheres of the devil.
Posted by: scottinseattle | April 19, 2011 at 07:19 PM
Why would you put something like that out there if you don't know that she is the child involved Jangmi?
If you are going to drive a bus over a child, know for a fact you are attacking the right kid.
Scott, you are not much better, if at all.
Posted by: South Tacoma | April 19, 2011 at 10:36 PM
This 'Colorful Spheres' story doesn't pass the smell-test.
I might buy it if some teacher had said let's call it "Holiday Eggs" or "Egg Hunt" but there's no reason to avoid both the word 'Easter' and the word 'Eggs.'
I guess its possible some little high school religious twat called to complain. But I'd also suggest the whole thing was just manufactured in the KIRO/Bonneville so-called 'news' room.
The head honcho at KIRO is Carl Gardner. Someone needs to hold his feet to the fire and insist he clear up this matter and explain their 'sources' for this 'news' story.,
No wonder Bonneville decided to discontinue the "newsradio" logo.
Posted by: Itchy | April 20, 2011 at 06:00 AM
Monson isnt as bright as he thibks he is ( which is beyond smart -brilliant), since hes been poohpoohing Trumps prersidential talk as publicity stunt. He doesnt just say Trump might run but its probably a publicity stunt, his tone and words are to the effect that there is no chance of the run happening - a complete, contemptuous dismissal. Trump will run and is already making moves that it isnt a joke- moves of course that politically savvy people are picking up on, like Politico.com but not Monson. He isn'r picking any of this up of course. No he sits smug in his absolute certainty that Trump won't run, and tells us so, whenever he brings the man up. He will very soon be made to look a fool. won't be the first or last time
Posted by: Tommy008 | April 20, 2011 at 08:50 AM
On the Easter Egg story: look, it doesn't matter who the kid is or whether she actually called it in. Goodness knows that when I was sixteen I did my share of prank calls. (I got put on the air on KVI once, long before the Internet, by claiming to the nighttime producer that I was picking the station up in Chicago.) Or it could have been an adult, or even a Bonneville employee, posing as a kid to fake an entertaining call. There's precedent for that, too.
The difference here is that the Bonneville Seattle news room, without any publicly disclosed sourcing, elevated this to a "factual" news story, and by doing so caused a bunch of public employees to waste their time (and our tax money) responding to the inevitable shitstorm of outrage from people who couldn't find Seattle on a map.
The irony is that this is exactly the sort of waste of public employees' time and our money that Monson would in other circumstances be all over. But since he, and his employer, caused it, crickets.
Posted by: Pete | April 20, 2011 at 09:36 AM
Brietbart "journalism". No facts, just innuendo.
Posted by: Coiler | April 20, 2011 at 10:18 AM
At a Christian school, the students were instructed to call them Spring Spheres?
Now that doesn't pass the smell test.
Posted by: Erictheeditor | April 20, 2011 at 11:56 AM
Tommy i would believe you about Trump except that he is a know master of publicity, has a show on NBC where btw didnt he say he will announce on the final episode if he will run or not? Also on the face of it, as with ross perot, these people are not cut out to deal with the morass that is our govt, re meetings, the glacial pace of change, and the entrenched machine in washington dc that actually runs govt. I do not rule out the possibiity he will run, and i welcome that he has knocked palin off her imagined perch, however i think it is less than 50%
Posted by: dave (not dave ross) | April 20, 2011 at 01:24 PM
Also the other story that seems suspect to me is that Dori took a week off to help his wife with chores around the house? It's easy for me to imagine him listening to curley do his show better with more entertainment and involving sidekicks in a way that monson cant seem to do. Did dori take a week off because he found out he had been had with the easter hoax?
Posted by: dave (not dave ross) | April 20, 2011 at 01:28 PM
I could believe Trump would go all the way and put his name on the big ticket - for the sake of publicity. And if he wins, he becomes "the most powerful man in the free world". It's a win-win.
Someone commented that Trump will have lots of harsh things to say about the other candidates once they announce their candidacy later this years or early next year. I'll be breaking out the popcorn for that.
Posted by: Andrew | April 20, 2011 at 01:33 PM
Does anyone else think Curley is a natural fit for the noon ta three? He's such a better fit for FM, and his chemistry with Gottesman is smooth as butter. Conservative yes, but with a generally positive outlook, not attempting to villainize his fellow man just because he happens to differ with them. And the energy. He could provide enough power for a small town with his enthusiasm.
Advertisers want to be associated with someone like John Curley. The fifteen years of local notoriety and charitable work not withstanding, John Curley is confidence, and confidence begets strong sales. Happy people spend. Depressed and worried people save for the apocalypse. Curley's brand, his personality are good for business.
I just hope KIRO management has the wisdom to see what they have in hand, and make the right decision at this crossroads, and choose a path of long term growth rather than a slow demise.
Posted by: Andrew | April 20, 2011 at 01:56 PM
@Tarses and Andrew: I agree with you. Curely in the afternoon with Jessica is a good thing. And the interplay between Curely and Jake is also a lot more fun than it usually is with Dori.
Hey, KIRO: You still have a couple of days to get the locks changed. Keep Curely at Noon, let Frank have 7pm back, and give Dori a going-away basket of spring spheres. Everybody wins!
Posted by: Mysterion | April 20, 2011 at 03:29 PM
hey KIRO even Tommy008 is in favor of Curley and Gottesman as a replacement for the small man. Jackass and Jennifer Show. I agree he fits better in this time slot, talking trivia and nonsense with the G woman. Still obnoxious but its the afternoon for Christ sakes. Obnoxious plays better in the afternoon. In the early evening people dont want obnoxious or abrasive. They want none of that. Frank at 7 is much better than Curley at 7, although i'd prefer a third choice.
Posted by: Tommy008 | April 20, 2011 at 04:01 PM
sorry- Jackass and Jessica
Posted by: Tommy008 | April 20, 2011 at 04:11 PM
so let's get this straight we are now asking for what will basically be a seven hour block that will be the ron and don format, works for me LOL
Posted by: dave (not dave ross) | April 20, 2011 at 04:16 PM
Jessica and Curley from 12-3... I'll vote for that one. Hopefully someone at KIRO is "listening".
It has been good not hearing all the negativity. Andrew nailed it, Curley and Jessica sound good together...it has been a fast program.
Posted by: Ceily | April 20, 2011 at 04:18 PM
hey KIROfm suits! the public is speaking.... we want Curley and Gottesman yukking ut up with Jake from 12-3 not dreary old Dori with his "size" issues.......lets have security escort the small man clean out of the building........ how about a headliner piece on this grassroots movement Michael?....just sayin'.......
Posted by: Curley and Gottesman to 12-3, on 97.3 !!!! | April 20, 2011 at 04:28 PM
KIRO, listen to me (and I know you monitor this blog), the absolute worst move you could make in programming would be to get rid of Dori Munson. He is the heart and soul of your station. He generates passion and controversy and without him the station would be (in a word) BLAND.
He is an immense talent and he is head and shoulders above anything presently on the radio (including bloviating Limbaugh). The fact that certain posters on this blog drnegrade him is a compliment to his ability to stir the pot among all listeners. John Curley is an acceptable substitute for short periods of time, but he'd get old real fast. Jessica should stick strictly to news and do no interacting.
Posted by: StarTheWonderDog | April 20, 2011 at 04:59 PM
you're standing in front of a steamroller, mutt!
Posted by: Curley and Gottesman to 12-3, on 97.3 !!!! | April 20, 2011 at 05:03 PM
denigrate
Posted by: Curley and Gottesman to 12-3, on 97.3 !!!! | April 20, 2011 at 05:05 PM
Fluffy and mindless isn't my thing, but I'll take it over dishonest and grossly irresponsible any day.
Posted by: Pete | April 20, 2011 at 05:16 PM
A KIRO with Burbank to Curley to R&D is FM radio that an FM audience will listen to start to finish, all day long. Fast, upbeat, informative, funny. That's how you're going to win, and it's how you've been winning.
Reminds me of a funny incident not long ago, during Dori's "fastfastfastest 15" where he launches into the first news item, then throws to the Jake(?) the producer, then cuts of Jake to make a comment of his own, and rambles on for so long that by the time he's done listening to himself talk the fasffastfastest 15 is over and I don't beleive they even got to a single other news story. The guy's ego is so massive that he just busts the axles right off the wagon and brings everything to a grinding halt.
I was enjoying Curley so much this past week that I've been forgetting to switch to MSNBC for Chris Matthews. True story.
Posted by: Andrew | April 20, 2011 at 05:19 PM
I agree, Dave (not Dave Ross) ~ we've heard nothing but complaints from posters about KIRO moving away from news, and now you want even more radio-lite? And add another KIRO news veteran to the list of those leaving... Tony Miner is ditching his latest stint as news anchor for R&D and heading north to KGMI in Bellingham.
Posted by: No-News KIRO | April 20, 2011 at 05:19 PM
even Jake the Poodle seems to be more free to trot out and frisk around with Curley...in other words he doesn't really seem to be the Poodle anymore with the C man.....when he's with Monson he doesn't seme to have a pair and is constantly cowering under the overbearing presence of Monson's 800 pund ego...........
Posted by: Curley and Gottesman to 12-3, on 97.3 !!!! | April 20, 2011 at 06:16 PM
You people are all nucking futs. I suspect many of you are jealous, small minded little radio people that resent Dori's success at KIRO as none of you ever made it "big".
Dori is great talk radio.
Don't listen to these few devoted whiners and wieners. They are just hoping that Dori leaves KIRO to satisfy their dreams of moving up from Centralia, Yakima, Wenatchee or some other 3rd world city to Seattle.
(but they are funny in their blather)
Posted by: South Tacoma | April 20, 2011 at 06:26 PM
nice try, Dori.
Posted by: Andrew | April 20, 2011 at 07:23 PM
I believe Mr. Monson's time has past. I for one would not miss the "hour number twoooooooooo"... how moldy is that!
I just don't hear anything new on the show. Having said that, I'm not jumping up and changing the station, I listen to it daily, but, again, not for anything new or newsworthy. I don't know him as anyone other than a radio person, I hardly think he rivals Rush, that's just silly; Dori Monson isn't known outside of the Seattle area. He sounds angry not edgy, sour and inflammatory. That gets old...just nothing "fresh" in style or substance.
Interesting conversation ....
Posted by: Ceily | April 20, 2011 at 07:27 PM