What Happened to Don Geronimo? Why the Longtime Radio Host Was Terminated

The gist:

• Longtime radio host Don Geronimo was fired from WBIG-FM after making sexist remarks about a colleague, Sharla McBride.
• He referred to Sharla, who has blond hair, as "Barbie," and called her "that chick."
• Some fans support Don's firing while others feel it was an extreme reaction.

Washington-based radio host of The Don Geronimo Show has been fired after making sexist remarks about his colleague, Sharla McBride.

Indeed, Don Geronimo, real name Michael Sorce, is no longer employed with WBIG-FM, the radio partner of the Washington Commanders.

So what did Don say that landed him in hot water? Read on for the details of the incident that everyone is talking about — and how the cringey event is tied to Barbie-mania.

According to WUSA9, iHeartRadio, which owns the local D.C.-based radio station that aired The Don Geronimo Show, has confirmed that Don no longer works for them.

The shocking termination happened after Don make what are being described as "disparaging" remarks about Sharla at Commanders training camp in late July 2023.

"Hey look, Barbie's here," Don joked about the blonde interviewer live on air.

"Hi Barbie girl," he doubled down, going on to further insert his foot in his mouth by puzzlingly commenting, "I'm guessing she's a cheerleader." Don also referred to Sharla as "that chick."

Not surprisingly, the sexist off-the-cuff and not-so-funny jokes didn't go down well with his employers, and his job was quickly eliminated.

As Aaron Hyland, iHeartMedia’s D.C. regional president, explained in a statement to The Washington Post, “After an internal review, Don Geronimo is no longer an employee of WBIG. We take matters of this nature very seriously and this behavior does not align with our core values.”

Taking to Twitter shortly after he was let go, Don issued a short statement about how he feels about his termination, saying only that he would be remaining mum until he consulted with advisors, and alluding to "an accurate reflection of the situation" being forthcoming in the future.

While the radio host takes his time to reflect on the incident, Sharla was immediately ready to share her reaction to what was said about her on air.

“When I heard the comments made about me on their radio show, I felt incredibly insulted and embarrassed," she said in a statement, going on to say, "In my 17 years as a professional journalist, I have never been disrespected in such a blatant manner while trying to do my job."

Referring to Don and his producer Crash Young, who was also barred from training camp following the remarks, Sharla further blasted the pair, saying, "Their words were sexist and misogynistic. No woman should experience this in the workplace, and I appreciate the Commanders’ swift response in handling this matter.”

Interestingly, Don found many supporters on social media following his head-scratching and disrespectful comments about a co-worker. Many people felt what he said did not rise to the level of being fired as a result, with one Twitter user saying, "Seriously? Fired for calling someone a Barbie girl. How damn ludicrous."

However, some folks felt the decision to terminate him was completely justified.

No matter where you stand on the decision to fire Don, it's worth noting that this is far from the deejay's first scandal. In 1998, he was arrested for drug possession and driving under the influence, per The Washington Post.

He was also previously the subject of a lawsuit that accused him of harassment.