Boston radio host Tony Massarotti is facing plenty of backlash after once again making a comment that was racially insensitive.
Massarotti’s latest gaffe came during Wednesday’s episode of Felger & Mazz on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Referencing a conversation he had with producer Tyler Milliken, the 56-year-old poked fun at his younger co-worker’s age.
“I was having a discussion with Milliken before the show,” Massarotti said. “Gen-Z, which I’ve determined, incidentally, that the ‘Z’ stands for ‘zipperhead.'”
“Zipperhead” is a slur that has been used against Asian people dating back to the Korean and Vietnam wars. The Committee of 100, which promotes issues impacting the Chinese-American community, lists the term in its glossary of anti-Asian terms and tropes, referring to the slur as a “condescending term used to describe individuals of Asian descent,” while noting that it “groups all people of Asian descent into one group and portrays them as both weak and dangerous at the same time.”
It’s possible that Massarotti was unaware that he was saying a racial slur, as it’s not exactly a term that’s used by many on a regular basis. It’s worth noting, however, that this marks the second time in as many years that the Boston radio host has come under fire for making a racially insensitive comment, the first of which came last year while co-host Michael Felger did the show remotely from a hotel, where two Black men were sitting behind him.
“I wanna know now who the two guys behind you are,” said Massarotti. “Because if I were you… They can’t hear us, right? Okay, so I would be careful if I were you. Because the last time you were around a couple of guys like that, they stole your car.”
Massarotti later apologized and was suspended without pay through the rest of the week for the comment. It’s unclear what — if any — consequences he’ll face as a result of the latest incident.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.