McGreevey "Tribute" Leads To Firing



from the Associated Press :

The public address announcer for the Atlantic City Surf of the independent Atlantic League was fired and the scoreboard operator resigned after making light of Gov. James E. McGreevey's sexual orientation.

Announcer Greg Maiuro dedicated a between-innings rendition of the song "YMCA" to McGreevey during a game on Aug. 17, less than a week after New Jersey's governor announced that he had had an extramarital affair with a man and would resign. The 1970s hit song by the Village People is widely considered a gay anthem.

The following night, scoreboard operator Marco Cerino posted the message "Sponsored by Gov. Jim McGreevey" on the scoreboard when the song was played. Cerino resigned over the incident, the team said.

"Any time anyone speaks representing the Surf, they have to understand that we don't politicize," said team co-owner Frank Boulton. "It's not our place to do so. And it's just disrespectful."

The men left their jobs Monday.

"I was told what I did was wrong," Maiuro said. "I can see where you don't want to mix politics and baseball. I would have been willing to apologize."

Good to know that "YMCA" is "widely considered a gay anthem", which puts the long-standing (and tiresome) 5th inning routine of the Yankee Stadium grounds crew in a whole new light (oh to be in the room when someone explains this to Steinbrenner).

To say that this mixes politics with baseball is pushing it. Mixing baseball with unfunny social commentary might be more to the point. If anyone wonders why more gay politicians (or baseball players) aren't knocking each other over in the rush to come out publicly, look no further.

(Thursday afternoon update from the A.P. :

Gov. James E. McGreevey on Thursday urged a minor league baseball team to rehire an announcer fired after making a joke about the governor's sexual orientation.

In a news release issued by the governor's office, McGreevey thanked the owners of the Atlantic City Surf for their sensitivity and said he appreciates "their desire to separate politics from baseball."

"However, an apology from the announcer should be enough of a response to what was perhaps an unfortunate lapse in judgment," McGreevey said.

The statement was McGreevey's first publicly made, albeit indirect, reference to the substance of his stunning announcement earlier this month that he is gay and had an affair with a man. The governor plans to resign Nov. 15.

The team fired announcer Greg Maiuro after he dedicated a between-innings rendition of the song "YMCA" to McGreevey during an Aug. 17 game. The 1970s hit song by the Village People is widely considered a gay anthem.

"I urge the Atlantic City Surf to reconsider their decision and rehire the announcer so we can move beyond this incident and get back to enjoying America's favorite pastime," McGreevey said.

McGreevey might be a corrupt politician, but this is a very classy move on his part. If the Surf refuse to reinstate Maiuro, perhaps the Governor can find a temporary job for the deposed tannoy barker somewhere in Trenton --- Homeland Security Advisor, perhaps?

Posted: Wed - August 25, 2004 at 10:11 PM      

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