Radio Host Don Geronimo Fired After Calling Female Reporter ‘Barbie’ & ‘Cheerleader’ At Commanders Training Camp

A sports radio host in D.C. was fired after he made sexist comments about a female TV reporter on-air. 

Michael Sorce, more commonly known as “Don Geronimo,” made remarks about Sharla McBride, who is a reporter for WUSA9, while she was covering the Washington Commanders.

Geronimo spoke to McBride while he was on the air with co-host Crash Young saying, “Hey look, Barbie’s here. Hi, Barbie girl. I’m guessing she’s a cheerleader.” 

He continued to speak about McBride when he later saw her again and said that Young described her as “tight.” He was cut off before he could finish his sentence as he was saying, “Yah. I screamed tight when she was.…”

iHeartMedia was banned by the Commanders from their training camp facilities on Friday. The two have had a partnership since 2022. 

A few days after the incident, iHeartMedia fired Geronimo. In a statement by the D.C. president of iHeartMedia, Aaron Hyland, he announced the company’s decision. “After an internal review, Don Geronimo is no longer an employee of WBIG. We take matters of this nature very seriously and this behavior does not align with our core values.”

McBride gave her own public response to the harsh comments made about her stating she was “hurt.”

She told ESPN, “When I heard the comments made about me on the radio show, I felt incredibly insulted and embarrassed. In my 17 years as a professional journalist, I have never been disrespected in such a blatant manner while trying to do my job. Their words were sexist and misogynistic. No woman should experience this in the workplace, and I appreciate the Commanders’ swift response in handling this matter.”

The Commanders similarly spoke about the incident maintaining that they do not support what was said about McBride. “We have worked hard to ensure that everyone feels safe and respected in our workplace, and we took swift action when we learned that an employee of our partner iHeart made sexually disparaging remarks to and about a member of the media while she was broadcasting live from training camp yesterday.”

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Originally, Geronimo took to Twitter on Sunday to announce that he was not going to make any comments about what was said. “At this time I will not be providing comment on the events of the last few days. I am consulting with my advisors as to my options moving forward, including an accurate reflection of the situation. Thx -d,” he wrote.

However, on Wednesday, he released an official statement sending his apologies to McBride. In his first tweet, he said, “Last week, during my live radio show, I used some inappropriate words in a way that hurt someone deeply. I deeply and sincerely apologize for the pain I caused WUSA sports reporter Sharla McBride. Here is the statement I issued this morning containing my full apology.” 

Then an hour later he shared a written out announcement that read, “My attempts to be humorous and topical backfired, and I needlessly deprecated a professional colleague… I have reached out to Ms. McBride to apologize. When she feels ready, I hope that we can have a conversation and that I will have the opportunity to reiterate my apology in person.” 

Geronimo did deny that he said she was “tight” and claims that “my producer used the word “tight” – a common term in the broadcast world that refers to seamless production – to describe a technical aspect of our show that day.” 

He ended the apology but saying, “I am better than this, and I promise to demonstrate that going forward.”