Washington Blade - Friday, December 5, 2003
Christopher Seely

Defensive end Patrick Kerney issued an apology on Wednesday, two days after questioning why there isn't also a "World Cancer Day" and saying sarcastically, "People who get cancer - it's usually their fault," though "AIDS - it's just bad luck" during his weekly on-air visit to an Atlanta-area radio station.

Kerney's comments stemmed from an ongoing discussion that the station's DJs - Larry Wachs and Eric Von Haessler, known as the "Regular Guys" - were having about the Showtime movie "The Reagans" and whether it was fair for the film to attribute the rise of AIDS in the United States to former President Ronald Reagan.

"The Reagans," a controversial documentary yanked by CBS, aired last weekend on Showtime, CBS' sister cable network.

The radio station made part of the broadcast available to the Blade.

"By the way, did you know that white conservative heterosexual males brought AIDS to the country?" Wachs jokingly asked Kerney, who responded that he "did not know that," which prompted further comments from the Falcons defensive end.

"OK, I come up the elevator and I'm already in a pissy mood cause we lost, and I see that it is World AIDS Day today," Kerney said.

Von Haessler then cautioned Kerney to be careful not to make comments that would create controversy.

"Look out pal," Von Haessler said. "Don't hurt yourself. You've got a career."

Shortly after the warning, Kerney continued, asking why there isn't a "World Cancer Day."

"People who get cancer - it's usually their fault," Kerney said sarcastically. "And AIDS - it's just bad luck."

Wachs then prodded Kerney to monitor his speech.

"I agree with you, but, you know, Jeremy Shockey - OK, enough said," Wachs said.

Jeremy Shockey, a tight end for the NFL's New York Giants, apologized in September 2002 for comments he made on Howard Stern's syndicated radio show that he hoped there were no gays in the NFL.

"I probably wouldn't, you know, stand for it," Shockey said. "They're going to be in the shower with us and stuff, so I don't think that's gonna work."

Shockey subsequently apologized for the comments, saying, "Whatever I did to offend people, I apologize."

Kerney followed suit, in a statement released Wednesday by the Falcons after being asked about his comments by the Blade.

"During a recent radio program, I made some comments which may have offended some of the listeners," Kerney said in the statement. "It was never my intent to do so. I did not mean to make light of any life threatening illnesses. I apologize if anyone was upset."

But the apology, like Shockey's, rung hollow to Jim Buzinski, founder and editor of Outsports.com, a popular sports site for gay fans that was the first to report Shockey's earlier comments.

"They are apologizing only if they upset people and not because what they said is wrong," Buzinski said. "It is a pattern when it comes to homophobic comments, à if nobody bitched, they wouldn't apologize."

The radio station, 96 Rock, did not apologize and likely will not because station officials believe the statements made Dec. 1 were not anti-gay, according to Tim Dukes, program director for 96 Rock.

"We are not mean-spirited people here," Dukes said. "I don't believe that you can have an agenda against gay people if you count gay people amongst your friends."

DJs Wachs and Von Haessler have gay friends, Dukes said. But the duo also has a long history of run-ins with gay listeners, including an apology issued last year after they discussed on air the playground game "Smear the Queer."

Local gay activists accused the talk jocks of possibly inciting attacks against gay youth, prompting the station to issue a recorded statement opposing violence.

Response to that apology provides another reason the station won't respond now, Dukes said.

"When we did that previously our sincerity was doubted and it just backfired on us," Dukes said. "I certainly don't want to do something and then the people I'm trying to please doubt its sincerity."

The DJs and their producer, Tim Frasier, did not respond to interview requests by press time.

Comments homophobic?

Kerney's remarks insinuated that people who contract HIV deserve what they get, according to Gloria Rutherford, a PFLAG member who heard the broadcast and complained to 96 Rock and the Atlanta Falcons.

"My son is gay and it really annoys me that they keep doing this stuff because some big old redneck is out there, and my son is out there," Rutherford said. "He could get hurt or picked on because somebody has a misconception based on something these guys say."

But 96 Rock's Dukes said the comments were not anti-gay or against people with AIDS.

"There was nothing that suggested that people who got AIDS deserved it," Dukes said. "I think he was implying some people get it, some people don't. There was nothing about the gay community or gay individuals."

Kerney, a Falcon since 1999, declined interview requests through Susan Bass, vice president of communications and community relations for the Falcons.

"It was clear he didn't mean to offend anybody," Bass said. "Knowing him the way I do, I know he didn't mean any malice by it. We're glad that he apologized if he offended anybody."

But Kerney's statements can be characterized as homophobic despite the absence of the word "gay," Buzinski said.

"He never said the word 'gay' but I think in this country, AIDS still equals gay," Buzinski said. "There is still a feeling that somehow they are the same thing."

The Atlanta Falcons do not sponsor any AIDS- or HIV-related fund-raisers, Bass said.

"Our focus for community outreach is on youth athletics and physical fitness à not any type of health organization," she said.

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