Editor’s note: The article contains language that will be considered offensive by some readers.
Community radio station KMUD has severed its relationship with program host and self-styled comedian Jason Robo after he made hostile and racist remarks aimed at members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors this week.
Robo, who hosts the show “Comedy for a Change,” appeared before the board at its regular meeting on Tuesday, where the officials were scheduled to vote on keeping a vaccine mandate for new employees, which was ultimately approved on a 3-2 count.
The radio host began his comments with off-color remarks laced with conspiratorial tones.
“Trying to find the truth in this world is like trying to find a kid at John Wayne Gacy’s house, you got to dig for it,” he said, making an allusion to the convicted serial killer and sexual predator.
He then pointed direct words at county supervisors, among them a Latina woman and a United States Marine Corps veteran.
“You should resign, (Nora Vargas). I can’t wait for your arteries to clog. They’re not doing it fast enough. And (Nathan Fletcher) you should kill yourself… a dishonorable discharge would be you blowing your brains out,” Robo said while at the lectern. “And then ‘Lemur’, as I like to call Terra Lawson-Remer, you little monkey, I’d like to see you hang from a tree.”
He then proceeded to make a racist remark at San Diego Public Health Director Wilma Wooten, a Black woman.
“And then Wooten, you’re a f–king Aunt Jemima,” Robo said.
Supervisor Vargas stepped in to cut off the speaker’s tirade.
“You are not allowed to talk to her that way. You are not allowed to talk to her that way. No. Absolutely not,” the official intervened before calling on the next speaker.
The incident is not an isolated case, as the San Diego County Board of Supervisors members and Wooten have been the target of hostile public comments from individuals and groups opposing vaccine mandates.
The Times-Standard tried to contact Robo for this story but did not hear back before our publishing deadline.
On a YouTube video titled “Jason Robo censored NBC7 interview on ‘rascist’ (sic) Aunt Jemima SD Supes allegations”, posted on his personal channel on Nov. 4, he is asked by a local TV reporter if he is racist. To which he responds his past partner of 10 years was Black and Cherokee.
When pressed by the reporter if he understands how calling someone “Aunt Jemima” can be hurtful, he thinks about the question and responds “What they’re doing is hurtful, and so if I want to lash out and make personal attacks it’s because they don’t pay attention to us.”
In response to a request for comment, KMUD news director Lauren Schmidt replied with a press release stating the station had been made aware of Robo’s comments and was taking action. The statement was also signed by station general manager Katie Phillips.
“The volunteer programmer in question has little to no direct relationship to the station, as their pre-recorded show is submitted,” the statement partially reads. “We would like to be clear that their opinions do not reflect our values. While these statements were made on an outside platform, we have begun the discussion into their future as a volunteer.”
When asked to confirm whether Robo’s program was still airing or not, Schmitt responded “Robo is no longer a programmer.”
“KMUD categorically condemns racism and misinformation. While we understand the importance of free speech, we recognize the difference between that and hate speech… Our staff, volunteers and programmers work together to create a better, just and sustainable world through our broadcast and aim to inform, educate, entertain and inspire the listening community through quality programming,” the release continues.
Robo has hosted his show “Comedy for a Change” since 2016. It regularly aired on Saturdays from 2 a.m. through 4 a.m. The earliest link to his program on the KMUD website is dated Oct. 8, 2016.
Despite the cut ties with Robo, the station’s website has not been updated and still displays his show on its regular air time on its schedule page as of the time of this writing.
The KMUD slot was not Robo’s only incursion into the airwaves. As an undergrad he hosted a political program titled “Unstacking the Deck” on Humboldt State student radio station KRFH which later made the jump to a television format on Access Humboldt from 2010 to 2012.
This is also not the first time Robo has been booted from a platform over racist speech. San Diego online news outlet Times of San Diego reports Robo was banned from the Los Angeles-based performer group Rampantly Comedy earlier this year. The comedian does not appear to have had any high-profile show dates in the past.
In the political realm, Robo ran for a seat on the Blue Lake City Council under the slogan “fit to serve” in the 2020 elections, placing fourth out of four candidates, taking 18.27% percent of ballots cast. As a student legislative vice president at Humboldt State, he was impeached for misconduct in 2008.
Mario Cortez can be reached at 707-441-0526.
KMUD ends relationship with programmer after hostile, racist display