Woody and Wilcox suspended without pay

Alex DeMarban
alex@alaskanewspapers.com

April 15, 2008 at 2:00PM AKST

Woody and Wilcox are off the air for “an indefinite period of time" for making innappropriate comments about Native women, according to a statement posted Tuesday on the Web site of 100.5 KBFX The Fox, a classic rock radio station in Anchorage.

"KBFX wishes to apologize to everyone in our audience and the community who was offended by the insensitive and inappropriate comments alluding to native women made during the Woody and Wilcox program broadcast on April 9, 2008," the statement says.

“The station has decided to suspend both radio hosts for an indefinite period of time during which they will both participate in sensitivity training,” the statement says.

“That training will also be made available to all other staff members.  Woody and Wilcox's compensation for the period of time they are suspended will be donated to an appropriate charity. We are confident that what was said was an isolated incident, and it in no way reflects the views of KBFX station personnel."

The two morning show hosts, known for their raunchy banter, drew a hailstorm of criticism after one of them made a statement April 9 suggesting that real Alaskans have “made love to the Yukon and peed in a Native woman,” said listener Michelle Davis, who filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission after hearing the comment.

The two were playing off an old saying that is also offensive, Davis said.

It goes: ”You’re not a real Alaskan unless you’ve peed in the Yukon River, made love to a Native woman, and killed a bear,” Davis said.  

Program director Joe "Crash" Allen, reached Tuesday, would not provide the names of Woody and Wilcox. He said the studio is still investigating the incident but he would not provide further information beyond the station's statement on the Web.

The radio station's Web site is: http://www.1005thefox.com/main.html.

Woody and Wilcox's Web site for their radio show is: http://www.woodyandwilcox.com/pages/Woody&Wilcox.html.

KBFX is owned by Clear Channel Communications Inc., based in San Antonio.