Marty Tirrell, Larry Cotlar Radio Argument Includes 12 On-Air F-Bombs

HuffPost tipster D.J. alerts us to this profanity-laced argument that was heard live on the air during a commercial break of a Des Moines radio show. Apparently the mics were still hot as the station cut to commercials, and what transpired was unfortunate. The Des Moines Register reports:

Listeners of Des Moines sports radio station KXNO heard a profane argument between broadcasters Marty Tirrell and Larry Cotlar on Friday morning that included Tirrell's use of the "F-word" at least a dozen times.

The argument -- apparently over media credentials used during last week's Iowa high school boys' basketball tournament -- took place just moments before the beginning of an NCAA basketball preview show.

The Reigster has much more on the backstory. Read it here.

-OR-

Listen to the argument below. (Graphic Language)

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Comments

[blaharumph]

always check that your mic is faded --- BEFORE.

[Bingolong]

My favorite part ?

"Gooood Morning Central Iowa"
LOL

Almost as fakey as morning TV "News" shows.

[Siren]

Bachman my dog is smarter than you and better looking too.

[FrTown]

this is the radio version of Billo the clown's tirade decades ago.

[Wiseronenow]

First, Senator Grassley and now this guy. Iowa is a wild and crazy town. Who would have thunk it.

[Wiseronenow]

What's with folks from Iowa? First Senator Grassley tells folks of AIG to go off themselves and then he said, the taxpayers are sucking the tit's of Wall Street and now this radio guy. Never knew Iowa was such a wild and crazy place.

[dalkowski]

Meh.

[dudervision]

I actually know Larry from my days in DM TV. He's a heck of a good sports reporter and it sounds like Tirrell just went nuts. Obviously they forgot a key rule of doing live talk radio, ALWAYS ASSUME THE MIKE IS OPEN!

[ronspri]

I worked for marty when he first came to dm from the east coast. This believe it or not is his standard demenor. He's a rageaholic and the worst manager on the anger scale I ever worked for out of over a dozen, hands down. He needs to get a grip and come back when he realizes he and his problems are not the center of the universe and that people beyond him deserve respect.

[LooktotheLeft]

Unfortunately, these sorts of "broadcasters" were the rule rather than the exception during my AM radio heydays of the 70's and then my 25 plus years in broadcasting in both the civilian sector and 21 years in the Air Force. People like this, narsacistic, type-A, bombastic, and mean-spirited, were a primary reason (at least for me) why broadcasting was never as much fun as it could've been. Not sure why broadcasting seemed (and still seems) to attract this type to its profession....other than the inability for these types to curb their respective egos.

[LooktotheLeft]

So, what do these guys plan to do next? Tough economy to be an out-of-work broadcaster. I was a broadcaster for nearly 25 years and something I was taught, diligently, by my broadcaster professors during my college days: always leave profanity OUTSIDE the studio doors because you never know when a mic might go live.

[OldKnute]

Seems like your Professors were Smart,,, SMART,,, guys with GOOD advice.



Thank you!

All the best

Knute

[LooktotheLeft]

Thanks. Yea, they were smart (my professors)...and old school when it came to the fundamentals of broadcast ethics. As we can see from the story of these two, such ethics must have fallen on deaf ears.

All the best to you as well.

[blingbling65943]

Too funny,

Now that I think of all the times I've gotten fired, I'm glad they were never on tape.

[claytonbell]

Nobody gives a

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Exactly.

[MurrayAbraham]

True, ... true.

[mandoboy]

and that's why you read the article.

[LooktotheLeft]

lol !!!!

[max]

he thought he was off mic....so what?

[LooktotheLeft]

Never bring profanity into the studio....never. Studio 101: always assume the mic is "live"
Many, many, many, many people have been fired for much less.

[ebanks84]

That's the way normal people on radio talk, I guess :)

[LooktotheLeft]

Far from it. "Normal" people (whatever that is), in a radio studio, DON'T talk like that. Trained people, people with bounderies, class, sophistication, professional acumen, and a sense of propriety, and common sense..don't talk like that in a radio studio.

[NoMercy]

Silly. The worst words are regularly said on French TV in prime time, and society doesn't collapse.

[slaxx]

actually, if they're said regularly, they are no longer curse words.

but speaking of which, why do we have curse words? what purpose do they serve?

[FrTown]

To makes us feel good immediately after.

[LooktotheLeft]

Not like this they aren't

[Palmz]

Sounds like the boardrooms across America every morning.

[LooktotheLeft]

...which is NOT "on the airwaves"