All in the McGee Family Radio

I think it's pretty clear that Jerrel Jones has no intention of keeping Michael McGee, Sr. off his Milwaukee radio station WNOV-AM.

Although he says that McGee is off the air "indefinitely," he's indefinite about what he means by "indefinite."

Jones has announced McGee's replacement. It's none other than the junior version of McGee.

That's as close as he could get to giving the disgraceful Michael McGee his time slot back.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Radio station owner Jerrel Jones said Saturday that he's indefinitely suspending Mike McGee from his radio show on WNOV-AM (860) for remarks he made about the death of Katherine Sykes, the mother of radio talker Charlie Sykes.

Jones would not say how long "indefinitely" might be.

"Forever is a long time, and I don't want to say something that I may not be able to deal with," he said Saturday. "But I do want to make it clear that he won't be on anytime soon."

The show will stay in the family, with McGee's son, Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee, taking over as host of the "Word Warriors" program.

"He was the natural host for this show at least for now," said Jones.

The younger McGee has himself stirred controversy with various remarks he has made about gays and others.

"Controversy is not what I object to. I've had my own share of controversy," said Jones. "His son deserves a chance now to do his own thing."

He said the show with the younger McGee would feature less editorializing and more calls for action and advocacy in the black community.

"We will advocate and do things we should do, but in a manner that's more productive," Jones said.

This makes me sick. It really does.

Jones reveals what he's about.

"He was the natural host for this show at least for now."

If Alderman Michael McGee, Jr. was the natural choice, that tells me that Jones wasn't looking to change the tone of the show.

...After meeting with McGee on Saturday, Jones said: "He's not apologetic, but does realize his timing was not the best. It was a pleasant meeting. He understands what needs to happen."

For more than 12 years, the elder McGee has purchased his airtime on the radio station. Jones took McGee off the air for a short period in 2004 when he used an obscenity on the air.

Jones said Mike McGee has a contract for "Word Warriors" that runs until January and will continue the contract for the show.

"The compromise is that he will continue to pay for the show, but he won't be on it," said Jones.

I think it's disgusting that McGee wasn't apologetic, but it's not at all surprising.

You can count on Junior McGee to be just as unapologetic and just as controversial as his father.

[Michael McGee Jr.] helped lead protests on behalf of Frank Jude Jr., who was beaten by a group of off-duty Milwaukee police officers.

...[T]he Jude protests did not start immediately after the beating, but after a front-page story appeared in the Journal Sentinel months later. At one rally, he called then-Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann a "dumb ass" and used the word "faggot" to label the officers involved.

When that drew complaints from gay leaders, McGee was confronted at City Hall by state Sen. Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee), who demanded an apology.

McGee walked away, but later allegedly bragged to students on a bus trip to Washington, D.C.: "Man, I should have kicked his ass."

There have been plenty of other incidents, including one with police outside a Blockbuster video store in Wauwatosa. Later, McGee was arrested on suspicion of threatening a woman pregnant with his unborn child who had just received a restraining order against him. No charges were filed in that case.

Most recently, a restraining order was issued against McGee ordering him to stay away from Leon Todd, campaign manager for Jordan. In a radio appearance, McGee had said Todd should be "hung" for his "betrayal of the community."

He later gave out Todd's phone number over the air, which Todd said led to harassing phone calls.

Junior McGee threatened the mother of his child in court!

He allegedly said to her, "If you drive by my house, I'm going to kill your ass."

That is not good.

About ten days ago, Junior McGee was on WNOV and offering his plans to stop speeders.

I really want to organize some of these young guys in the community. When they see people speeding recklessly and swerving down the hood man, just start brickin’ em, for real… And start bricking these cars, man, gorilla style… And they are going to learn that you can’t drive down certain blocks and feel that they can be reckless.

Junior McGee did make a lame attempt to back off from those remarks; but it was way too little, way too late.

I expect the McGees to behave like the disgraces that they are.

What's troubling is that so many of Milwaukee's leaders, better people, don't condemn them.

I like this comment from Sheriff David Clarke: "The next intelligent thing that comes out of Alderman McGee's mouth will be the first."