Honolulu Morning Show Suspended After Mocking Homeless People

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, November 17, 2020 | 11:04am CT

Slick Vic Harris and KreZ Oshiro

Honolulu's Island 98.5 has pulled two of its morning drive DJs off the air following backlash over insensitive comments made about a local musician's struggle with homelessness and hunger as a child. The head of iHeart Radio Honolulu apologized for the remarks and said the situation was being addressed internally.

"The on air comments made by DJs "Slick Vic" Harris and "KreyZ" Oshiro this past Friday were highly insensitive and do not represent the values of Island 98.5 or iHeartRadio Honolulu and our commitment to the communities we serve," said Chuck Cotton, iHeartRadio Honolulu's president. "Slick Vic and KreyZ Oshiro are no longer part of the Island 98.5 Wake Up Crew."

Cotton declined to comment further on the status of Harris and Oshiro, citing privacy reasons surrounding personnel matters.

During a segment of a fundraising telethon benefitting the Hawaii Foodbank on Friday, musician Paula Fuga shared a moving story about how she struggled with homelessness and hunger as a child. Harris and Oshiro immediately made light of the situation. Harris joked, "Now, is it straight from a trash can, or do you put it on a plate first?" Moments later, an emotional Fuga responded saying, "You're going to make me cry. What a jerk. Kids, even as an adult, don't be jerks that make fun of you and your pain. You know what I mean? What the hell is your problem?" Harris then apologized as Fuga walked off the stage without singing another song.