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89X
Radio
listeners
respond
to
"B" Word
billboard
article.
Fan says,
"Why
don't
they
(Detroiters)
worry
about
fixing
their
g** da**
city,"
By
Karen
Samuels/Tell
Us
Detroit
 October
14, 5:45
AM EDT
Regular
listeners
of
alternative
rock
radio
station
89x may
not be
surprised
by the
billboard
on East
Jefferson
that
uses the
“B”
word, to
proclaim
“It’s
Friday
B!#ches!
“ The
language
used to
reference
women is
a bit of
culture
shock
for this
baby
boomer
and is
likely
to anger
those
who
fought
for
women to
be
respected
and
treated
equally.
But
David
Hunter,
89X
Program
Director
and
morning
show
co-host,
says the
billboard
is “not
meant to
be
offensive
or
derogatory”
and that
the “B”
word “is
a fairly
accepted
term of
endearment”
used to
promote
the
show.
Hunter
conceded
that the
morning
show can
be a bit
racy but
said
listeners
call in
upset
when
they
don’t
hear the
“It’s
Friday
B!#ches!”
shout
out.
If you
are not
a fan of
alternative
rock,
are not
between
18 and
34 years
of age,
then it
will be
news to
you that
89X
has been
using
the “B”
on the
Friday
morning
show for
several
years
according
to
Hunter
who said
the term
just
caught
on as
part of
popular
culture
and has
to be
taken in
context.
Councilwoman
Alberta
Tinsley-Talabi
told
Tell Us
Detroit
she has
received
over a
dozen
phone
calls
asking,
“Why in
our
community?”
The
Councilwoman
said
“What
kind of
messages
does
this
send out
to children,
why
should
we have
look at
this
profane
message.”
She
added,
“We
don’t
want
this in
Detroit”.
However,
billboards
are
public
displays
that you
can not
turn the
dial
away
from
when you
ride
down
street.
89X
listener
Cheryl
Gosselin
said,
"If
Detroit
is
suddenly
so
worried
about
it's
image,
and what
these
billboards
are
sending
to our
children,
why are
the
citizens
not as
worried
about
the
massive
amounts
of
graffiti
which is
displayed
so
prominently
all over
our
cities
buildings?
Or the
many
abandoned
and half
destroyed
empty
buildings?
Or the
crime
which is
all over
the
city.
Seems to
me
people
pick the
tiny
things
to worry
about
and
ignore
the
larger
issues
at
stake.
And it
seems
sad to
me, to
waste
such
time
energy
and
money on
this,
when all
the
efforts
could be
put
toward
something
so much
more
worthy."
89X
billboard
fan
Krystal
Bruce
writes
on
Facebook,
"look at
what
they had
for a
mayor
and they
think
that shi**
offensive?
Fu**
them.
Why
don't
they
worry
about
fixing
their
god damn
city,
pull the
dic**
out of
their
as***
and
bit**
about
something
important.
I say
put more
up, piss
them the
fu**
off.
Obviously
it was
approved
or else
you
wouldn't
be
allowed
to put
them up
everywhere.
FU**
THEM."
The
billboard
appears
in
several
locations
in the
area.
This 89X
Radio
billboard
appears
on the
south
side of
Jefferson
Ave. in
downtown
Detroit
as
you’re
heading
west,
just
before
Rivard,
near
schools
and
church.
If you
travel
along
I-94 or
Southfield
near
Telegraph
the same
billboard
appears
in
addition
to
several
other
locations.
You’ll
notice
that the
“B” word
is not
fully
spelled
out, but
filled
in with
symbols.
Hunter
said
this was
done
deliberately.
When
asked
how
parents
should
explain
the
billboard,
Hunter
said he
has two
young
boys,
and that
blurring
the “B”
word is
for
those
who
might be
offended.
As for
those
who can
read,
Hunter
says
they
have
probably
heard
worse.
Free
speech
is a
treasured
right
and
limitations
on it
are set
by
community
standards.
So where
does
Detroit
weigh in
on this?
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