CHAMPAIGN- A radio station is apologizing after one of its DJ’s said a word that shocked some of its listeners. The dj known as “Goose” said it on Champaign-Urbana’s Q-96 radio station. He doesn’t work there anymore. He used what a lot of people call the “R” word or retard. Some people who heard it say he went too far. Q-96 has been doing some damage control. The dj in trouble isn’t on the mic anymore but what he said has been hanging over the station’s head. “There were a large group of people out there that were offended,” said Q96 general manager, Corey Berkemann. Amy Armstrong is one of them. Her daughter Larkin has down-syndrome. “At first my mouth fell open because I just I mean were in Champaign-Urbana you don’t expect to hear it on a local radio station,” said Armstrong. He said the controversial word twice and said he didn’t understand why it’s considered offensive. Amstrong just happened to be listening. “He was not getting at all who he was offending and how he was offending,” said Armstrong. “It’s unspeakable to be honest, it just hurts a lot. People should just not say it, they should just get it out of their vocabulary,” said Larkin’s 14 year old brother, Chase Martinkus. Armstrong and other moms called the station. The dj had to apologize every hour on the hour. And it changed how the station operates. “We need to be careful on what we say because there are a lot of different groups of people here in Champaign Urbana and I think we have a greater risk of offending people,” said Berkemann. It’s a lesson learned, one Larkin’s family hopes more people will listen to. “They do understand that you’re making fun of them, and they do understand that they’re the butt of your joke,” said Armstrong. The radio station says the dj does not work there based solely on this incident. It is offering a Special Olympics group free air time to educate the public about upcoming events.
