Two Hosts Out at KRXO-FM/Oklahoma City for Racist Remarks

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, December 1, 2021 | 6:25am CT

Sam Mayes and Cara Rice

Tyler Media has fired former Oklahoma State and NFL player Sam Mayes, a sports host at KRXO-FM 107.7 The Franchise in Oklahoma City, along with colleague Cara Rice after a 2016 recording surfaced of the pair mocking Native Americans as being "too drunk" and intoxicated from huffing aerosols and paint.

The conversation occurred during a radio station commercial break. The discussion involved host Mayes and Rice, a promotions director at Tyler who also hosted radio shows in the company's network. Speaking about the efforts of Native American activists to change the name of the Washington NFL team, Mayes began the conversation by asking, "What's the excuse for the Natives that they haven't been fighting to get this thing changed forever?" Rice responded, "They've been too drunk to organize." Mayes replied "Hashtag Lysol." Rice then said, "Hashtag gold spray paint out of the trash."

Mayes later said, "For years, I worried that speaking out [against racism] would jeopardize my career due to the color of my skin," Mayes said in his statement. "I was too often complicit in participating in inappropriate conversations not only to keep from making waves in the workplace, but to fit in. This recording is the perfect example of that all-too-often scenario."

He added, "My heart is broken that before the decision to terminate my eight-year tenure at the franchise was made, I was not given the opportunity to make amends, explain my position in the conversation, or agree to participate to help facilitate training that would prevent this kind of hostile work environment to continuing on in the future."