Two New Jersey radio hosts have been suspended after repeatedly describing the state’s attorney general, a practicing Sikh, as “turban man” and “the guy who wears a turban” on the air.
WKXW hosts Dennis Malloy and Judi Franco made the comments on Wednesday while discussing Gurbir Grewal’s recent order to temporarily suspend marijuana prosecutions in the state. Grewal is the first Sikh attorney general in US history.
Malloy wondered aloud: “Is that highly offensive?” Franco responded: “To me? No. To people who wear turbans? Could be.”
Malloy added: “If that offends you then don’t wear the turban and maybe I’ll remember your name.”
Announcing the suspension several hours after the remarks aired, station officials said in a statement: “We have taken immediate action and have taken them off the air until further notice.”
Condemnation of the remarks was swift, with the state’s Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, describing them as “abhorrent and xenophobic”. The New Jersey senator Cory Booker called for people to “denounce this ignorant and outrageous attack”.
The New Jersey ACLU added in a tweet: “Racism isn’t cute. It’s just racist.”
The pair, who have been on the air for more than 20 years, mix day-to-day banter with conservative politics and jokes on topics such as “political correctness” and the NFL anthem protests. They were both inducted into the New Jersey Broadcasters Hall of Fame last November.
Grewal was born and raised in New Jersey to Indian immigrant parents and served as the county prosecutor for Bergen county before being appointed attorney general by Governor Murphy in January.
Practicing Sikh men, who traditionally wear a beard and dastaar (turban) have routinely become targets of name-calling, slurs and even violence since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, often being erroneously confused with Muslims.
“This is not the first indignity I’ve faced and it probably won’t be the last,” Grewal said in response to the radio hosts’ comments. “Sometimes, I endure it alone. Yesterday, all of New Jersey heard it. It’s time to end small-minded intolerance,” he wrote in a tweet.
Neither Malloy or Franco could be immediately reached for comment.
