Joke is no laughin matter

ANNE RACKHAM
Associate Editor


RANDI BAROCAS
Staff Writer

The "John & Ken Show," which originates during afternoon "drive time" (3 p.m. to 7 p.m.) in L.A. on KFI-AM (640), was recently syndicated in several other markets, and has been airing at 10 p.m. weekdays on KTAR, with rebroadcast on the weekends.

But after a Jewish joke told during the show on Thursday, April 17, prompted complaints at KTAR and at the Anti-Defamation League in Phoenix, KTAR canceled the show's rebroadcast last weekend. KTAR's new general manager, Chris Gallu, said he was reviewing KTAR's contract with KFI to decide whether to cancel the program completely in Phoenix.

The joke, told by the show's co-host Ken Chiampou, was: How can you tell how many Jews you can fit into a Volkswagen? Throw in a quarter.

"I'm still getting complaints. I've answered the phone myself and personally apologized," said Gallu, who joined KTAR on April 16. "I thought (the joke) was mean-spirited, totally uncalled for; it was awful."

During the broadcast, the show's hosts had been discussing a recent arrest in Los Angeles, captured on film, in which some 15 allegedly illegal immigrants had been crammed into a car and then filed out, explained co-host John Kobylt. Chiampou told listeners he was reminded of a joke he'd seen in a "Truly Tasteless Jokes" book, and his partner, Kobylt, insisted he tell it.

"We weren't like telling Jewish jokes. There was no malice intended. ... There was no organized attack on Jews or anything," Kobylt told the Jewish News, adding that the show is a "sort-of stream-of-consciousness thing."

Kobylt offered that perhaps while listeners in the L.A. area are used to the show's brand of humor and therefore understand the hosts' lack of malice, listeners in the show's new markets, including Phoenix, are not yet accustomed to the style of material and could misunderstand it.

"I hope we never get to that situation where that (sort of material) is a small thing to us," countered Arizona regional ADL director Joel Breshin. "I don't think remarks like that contribute to community well-being."

Breshin said he spoke to Kobylt and asked him to apologize for the joke, but Kobylt "was really not sympathetic to anything I had to say." Breshin last week was urging more Jewish people to call the station and complain and was planning to write a formal protest letter to KTAR.

"I don't think we're over-reacting," Breshin said. "I think we're trying to nip something in the bud. ... It's really not a very nice joke. Why should we consent to even hear it?"

Gallu said he listened to a tape of the entire "John & Ken" show for Friday, April 18, and found it "lacks sensitivity in dealing with difficult issues."

"It's pretty immature," he said. "I don't like it."