What Happened to James Campbell From 'Dave and Chuck the Freak'?

Anyone who has listened to the Dave and Chuck the Freak show out of Detroit, Mich. is familiar with James Campbell.

The radio staple was with the program for a decade, but no longer will be heard in future broadcasts.

What happened to James? Well, with rumors abounding online, and a Change.org petition demanding his rehire, James has shared his take on the situation. Read on to find out what's really going on with James Campbell on Dave and Chuck the Freak.

To clear up any speculation, James posted a video to YouTube explaining that on Dec. 1, 2023, he was let go from the Dave and Chuck the Freak show.

He claimed the move was "due to budget cuts."

"I'm not happy about it," James said, adding, "That's the industry." He went on to say that it's tough to make money in radio.

"I'm no longer a part of [the show]," James lamented, and said, "It's a bummer."

Fans piled into the comments of the share to voice their agreement. "I appreciate the honest 'look behind the curtain,'" one person said, adding, "I know this couldn’t be easy but the outlook you have on life is something a lot of us should adopt!"

For those who aren't familiar with the program, it's described as basically being irreverent with nothing off limits.

"Our feeling is that nothing is sacred, and you should be able to laugh at everything life throws at you," the show's description reads. "Our show is a show about truth and we’re not going to candy coat anything. We’ll tell you how we feel no matter how many complaints we receive."

And it seems that plenty of complaints now center around James being fired from the show — so much so that his departure has inspired an online petition.

Over 130 people have signed a Change.org petition aiming to get James's job back.

"James Campbell, a vital part of the Dave and Chuck the Freak show, has been unjustly terminated by Beasley Media Group," the petition claimed.

It went on to say, "His unique on-air personality and significant contributions to behind-the-scenes production work have made him an irreplaceable asset to one of their most popular shows."

"The decision to remove him from this role not only disrupts the dynamic of a beloved program, but also threatens its ratings," the petition then outlines.

Finally, the petition says that James's firing is "not just an affront to his dedication and hard work but also a potential detriment to Beasley Media's success given that Dave and Chuck the Freak is one of their highest-rated programs."

With the termination being called "an error in judgement," ultimately, the petition is an effort to get James his job back. However, at the time of writing, it doesn't seem that he has been rehired, as his YouTube bio states he is a "former" radio employee.