Looking back at Katrina: Cleveland radio blames the victims

[BobcatJH]

A look at the negativity far too many people harbored, this time on a local level.

I've written before about Mike Trivisonno (Triv, for short), whose drive-time call-in show dominates the Cleveland airwaves. Triv's show, if you've never listened, is an exercise in ignorance, bigotry, pessimism, sexism and racism cloaked in the guise of a sports talk program.

In the recent past, Triv has said those with HIV working at restaurants should be appropriately "labeled." He called his African American producer a "nigger" in jest. He said foster parents scammed the system to take advantage of monthly stipends for special-needs children. He generally blames the poor for their condition, telling poverty-stricken women to stop having children, calling the poor lazy.

With his hateful past as a backdrop, would you suspect anything different from Triv in the wake of the terrible devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina? Of course not.

Driving home yesterday in the steady rain caused by the remnants of Katrina, I landed on Triv's show. No more than 30 seconds had passed when Triv began talking about the people living in the disaster area. If they knew Katrina was coming, he yelled, why didn't they leave? If you know you're living in a hurricane-prone area, he continued, why don't you move?

Earlier in the show, someone had called saying that the people in New Orleans – given the voodoo mysticism – somehow deserved the tragedy that had befallen them. Later, when pressed on the issue (and, for fairness' sake, many callers rebutted those charges), Triv gave a no-answer that said a lot about his lack of character.

Triv launched into a lecture about whether "the Lord" was responsible for the weather, for storms like Hurricane Katrina. He didn't know, he said. And then he said we – the listeners, everybody – didn't know either. So call Triv on the fence for the notion that the destruction of much of the Gulf Coast – and the tragic loss of life – was an act of God.

Caller after caller spewed one ignorant, bigoted opinion after another. As those trapped died and many remained stranded to our south, the phone lines at WTAM were jammed with individuals blaming those trapped there for their predicament. Arguing that they shouldn't be required to provide their hard-earned money to help those living in a doomed city. Bemoaning the victims' collective stupidity for not realizing they chose to live in a hurricane zone.

All the while, Triv said nothing. Well, nothing more than repeatedly making the tortured point that if we rebuilt New Orleans, it would only be destroyed again thanks to another devastating storm. Why rebuild, Triv? Why did we choose to rebuild Chicago after 1871? Why did we choose to rebuild San Francisco after 1906? Why did we choose to rebuild Ground Zero after 2001?

For the same reason we will choose to rebuild the Gulf Coast after 2005. Because we're Americans, Triv, that's what we do. We move on. We learn from our mistakes. We build upon them. We don't let setbacks prevent us from progressing as a people. It's our tradition. It's our national character. This, sadly, is something your loser, woe-is-me, pessimistic following will never comprehend.

When pushed on what he would have done in response to last December's tsunami, Triv provided his philosophy on foreign aid: Help everyone in America, fix every problem here and then, only then, should the United States help abroad. If he's so willing to ignore those affected by Hurricane Katrina, Triv, I'm assuming, is against aid of any kind – foreign or domestic.

It was reported yesterday that Cleveland is no longer the poorest big city in America. Having fallen to a still-terrible twelfth, the city by the lake – if Triv's show is any indication – has risen on another shameful list: America's most pessimistic, closed-minded cities. As someone living in the area and who has always loved Cleveland, it pains me to say that.

Former Cleveland radio talker Bruce Drennan used to close his show by saying, "I love ya, Cleveland!" After yesterday, I wish I could say the same.

[rodeodance]

1. OHIO seems to have so many entrached people who listen to this crap.

[MiaCulpa]

2. Cleveland

I'm originally from Cleveland, and still visit often, never heard of 'im. There are a lot(unfortunately)of Limbaugh wannabes out there and it sounds like this is one of them. I wouldn't hold it against the city, as I know that isn't what's in the heart of most Clevelanders. At least the east side. ;)


"If they knew Katrina was coming, he yelled, why didn't they leave? If you know you're living in a hurricane-prone area, he continued, why don't you move?"

These are such ignorant statements, that surely it's for the "Rush" effect. Sickening, and I'd tell that station so, in fact I will. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[YOY]

4. I'm from the West Side

and I know a few tools who listen to him. Desparately clinging to their jobs and spoouting stupid RW/Fox rhetoric. It makes me shudder when I visit my folks. The sheer lack of closedmindedness in the minds of many Clevelanders is scary. Most of those who listen to Triv are those who prefer the distraction over the reality of NE Ohio life.

There are alot of good folks on the West side, but a whole bunch of idiots as well. (Especially in Parma and down in Medina.)

[sandnsea]

3. "against aid of any kind"

That's the truth of it. I've never known a person who whined about helping America first not to turn right around and bitch about helping people here too. They didn't get/take any help in their lifetimes and by god nobody else is going to get any either.

[gratuitous]

5. Maybe we should set the Cuyahoga on fire again

Just to remind Triv and his listening audience that Cleveland has also been the beneficiary of the generosity of the American people, too.

[sakabatou]

6. That F'ing SOB...

[zbdent]

7. I have to laugh ... Triv said that the morning drive was the epitome

of radio jobs ... a la Howard Stern ...

Triv was kicked off his "morning drive" job at WNCX years ago ... which just recently hired his ex-partner from WTAM Kim M. (don't know the spelling) for the morning shows ...

I did get to rub his nose in the dirt earlier this year ...

In 1999, after my Steelers lost to the fledgling Browns, and while I was still listening to Triv (more because I wanted to see him whine about the Browns), I made a bet with him on the air ... The Steelers would WIN another Superbowl before the new Browns would ever get to the Superbowl.

He excitedly took the bet.

This year, I was the first caller on his show after the Superbowl. He picked up my call with the statement "I knew this day would come ..."