The Radio Equalizer: Brian Maloney

13 September 2007

Tom Finneran (D-MA) On Britney Spears, Anti-Violence Advocates

BRITNEY'S 'DOPE SLAP'

On Talk Radio, Former Dem House Leader Advocates Violence







By now, sentiment is just about unanimous that Britney Spears botched her performance during Sunday's MTV Music Video Awards. And given Britney's undignified recent behavior, some Americans take pity on her, while many others are sick of hearing about the washed-up pop princess.

But how many people feel the best response to the former teen queen's misbehavior is a physical beating? Does she deserve a black eye?

According to WRKO / Boston morning talk show host Tom Finneran, the answer is YES!

Finneran, a convicted felon and Democrat, was a longtime Massachusetts House Of Representatives speaker. And instead of apologizing, Finneran's lashing out at critics, including a Boston newspaper. Can you imagine the response if a Republican had said this?

From Boston Herald reporter Jessica Heslam's coverage, which includes a transcript:


Here is yesterday’s on-air exchange with Wendy Murphy, an advocate and victims’ right prosecutor.


FINNERAN: “Apparently, rehearsal for her big performance the other night was supposed to begin at 1 O’Clock. She didn’t even get to Las Vegas until 4:30. She’s 3 1/2 hours late on arrival. But - do you think she went right to the stage to rehearse? No. Apparently she decided she was going to go to her hotel room, order some food, order some frozen margaritas…

MURPHY: “Come on, a lot of divas show up late for rehearsal.”

FINNERAN: “Then she comes down an hour later. So it’s 4 1/2 hours late. Diva? You know what she’d be if I was there waiting for 4 1/2 hours? She’d be a diva with a black eye. I’d give her a dope slap….

MURPHY: Oh geez, come on. (Murphy says in the background “that doesn’t bother me).

FINNERAN: I mean, I wouldn’t do it as a guy to a gal.'’


And when Heslam's print version of the story appeared in today's Boston Herald, Finneran went nuts, lashing out at the paper:


This morning on his show, Finneran said the story was blown out of proportion.

When he opened his show, he got nasty, saying the Herald was “maybe the worst newspaper in America” and that he’d talked about his Britney remarks later in the show.

Now, keep in mind that Finneran was reading from yesterday’s Herald yesterday when he was describing the pop star’s MTV Video Music Awards fiasco.

Jane Doe Inc. in Massachusetts says Finneran should apologize. He doesn’t.

“This whole story in the Herald is positively ridiculous,” Finneran fumed. “It was as clear as a bell what I was referencing too.” (Finneran didn’t return my call last night).

Murphy, who is quoted in today’s story, called into his show today, saying that she has said on TV that the women who think convicted pregnant-wife killer Scott Peterson is innocent should be “slapped.”

“Of course he doesn’t mean it,” Murphy said of Finneran. Murphy went on to say it was a “figure of speech” and Finneran always gushes about his kids and granddaughter.

Finneran said the station’s switchboard would have lit up if he’d made innappropriate remarks.


Hey Finneran, a station's switchboard only lights up when a show has listeners.

Hired more as a favor to the local Democrat Party political establishment than for his on- air skills, which are atrocious, "Tommy Taxes" (as he is known locally for his dedication to the Dukakis- inspired ideology of Taxachusetts) has so far struggled to generate ratings.

As a result, could this be a mere stunt? Possibly, but more likely it's little more than a corrupt, washed-up political hack shooting off his mouth.


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