Three personalities who were fired by Free FM 106.9, including afternoon host John London (left), have filed suit against station owner CBS and magician Penn Jillette (right), also a host on the station, according to a press release issued by the plaintiff’s lawyers today (June 6). London and co-hosts Dennis Cruz and Chris Townsend claim in the suit they were fired after they defended Mother Teresa from comments made by Jillette. Jillette said on his April 7 show that Mother Teresa had a “weird kink that I think was sexual about seeing people suffer and die.” London, whose program followed Jillette’s, offered $5,000 to any listener who killed Jillette, and an additional $2,000 “if there’s some suffering attached to it.” When Jillette heard what London had said, he called CBS radio president Joel Hollander and demanded that he fire the three. The three claim they each had a “no-cut” contract that ran through Oct. 19, 2007. The trio’s attorney, Stephen Bickford of the law firm of Nossaman, Guthner, Knox and Elliott, said he found it ironic that the head of CBS Radio would “support Jillette’s trashing of Mother Teresa over those wishing to defend her through a humorous spoof, especially since Jillette preaches the gospel of free speech. I guess he’s in favor of free speech for himself, but not for others.”
John London, others sue CBS, Penn Jillette
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