Tim Conway Jr. Suspended from KFI-AM for Racist Skit

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Tim Conway Jr.

iHeart/Los Angeles has suspended weeknight talk show host (6:00pm - 10:00pm) Tim Conway Jr. and his executive producer Sheron Bellio over an on-air skit deemed racist and criticized by the presidents of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans.

Reportedly, in the skit Conway pretended to interview Yuko Sakamoto - the wife of local radio personality Vic "The Brick" Jacobs. Bellio's impersonation included a bad Japanese accent even though Sakamoto does not speak with an accent. Bellio shouted "Hiya" and made other martial arts noises and included the line "brought to you by Subaru."

In response, KFI is running anti-AAPI hate educational PSAs and the KFI news team is producing a two-hour on-air special focused on raising awareness of anti-Asian hate crimes. Conway and Bellio have been suspended through the end of the month and both have apologized.

In a released statement Conway said: "Both Sheron and I will be off this week - yep, suspended. We whole-heartedly agreed with that decision and, again, we are both incredibly sorry. We will look forward to returning to the show on Tuesday, June 1st, with a fresh perspective. We believe it's important to take this time to recognize the issue of hate crimes against Asians that have significantly increased over the last few months. In fact, these crimes have doubled in the last month. And over the last year and a half, Asian Americans across this country including in our very own Southland communities, have endured despicable and sickening acts of hate & violence, fearing for their safety and the safety of their families."

Tim Conway, Jr. is the son of the late American television and film comedian Tim Conway, and then wife Mary Ann.