By Illinois Review
Mark Vargas, host of Mark My Words on AM 560 The Answer, resigned late Tuesday afternoon after weekday host Shaun Thompson went on a vile, racist rant after calling-into Black and Right this past Saturday evening, calling co-host Verlon Galloway a “moron with the taffy apple head,” as the two sparred over the US debt-ceiling deal, which President Joe Biden signed into law earlier in the day on Saturday.
In his resignation letter addressed to the station, Vargas wrote,
“As a minority, I was shocked to hear Shaun Thompson, host of The Shaun Thompson Show, call into Black and Right Radio this past Saturday evening and spew despicable and racist rhetoric aimed at co-host Verlon Galloway – referring to him as a ‘moron with the taffy apple head.‘
This vile and disgusting behavior does not represent my values. The phone calls and texts that I have received over the last few days only echo the shock and disgust that I felt while listening to Saturday’s show. It’s hard to listen too – and for very good reason.”
Moments before Thompson phoned into Saturday’s show, Galloway stated that it’s too risky to not pass the debt ceiling, given the state of the economy and all the global debt.
Galloway then gave a number for the debt that included US national debt and private debt – triggering Thompson to go on a hate-filled, vile rant.
Rather than having a conversation like an adult to discuss serious issues facing our country like the debt, Thompson, instead, tore into Galloway – leveling personal attacks and repeatedly calling him “stupid” and a “moron.”
Thompson continued his hate-filled rant aimed directly at Galloway, telling the co-host, “you’re a disgrace, you shouldn’t go near a microphone, you’re too stupid.”
But Thompson wasn’t done attacking Galloway live on air, even going a step further and telling the black co-host, “80 percent of you people are morons; 80 percent of you idiots who pretend to be Republican.”
Even telling Galloway at one point during the segment, “Do me a favor, go back to the Democrats where you belong…go back to the Democrats moron…”
The attack prompted Galloway to shout back, “Never been a Democrat…I’ve never been one!”
As Vargas pointed out in his resignation letter,
“It’s one thing to create a brand insulting people – it can, if done right, result in entertaining radio – but Shaun’s behavior crossed every line. A spirited debate and disagreement on the issues can be spirited and entertaining – but never hateful. But Shaun was anything but spirited. In fact, he was vile.”
Vargas then concluded his letter by saying,
“And while Shaun continues to be one of the most promoted and celebrated on-air radio personalities at the station, I cannot in good conscience continue hosting my radio show, sharing a microphone and a studio with an individual that’s so full of anger – and can say such terrible things. Therefore, I resign, effective immediately.”
Vargas’ resignation was immediately accepted by station management who stated, “Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. Thank you for your contributions you made to the station over the past two years.”
As an American of Mexican descent, Vargas has experienced and witnessed racism firsthand. And his father, who is a truck driver, still experiences it – even today.
Over the past two years, Vargas has welcomed a string of high-profile guests to his Sunday evening radio show, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani; former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik – who was in charge of the NYPD on September 11, 2001; Newsmax host Eric Bolling; Dinesh D’Souza; famed lawyer Alan Dershowitz; President Trump senior advisor Jason Miller; longtime Trump confidante Roger Stone; Civil Rights leader Alveda King, niece of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; former US Gen. David Petraeus; and Hollywood actor Terrence Howard.
Michael Reagan, son of former US President Ronald Reagan joined Vargas on the anniversary of D-Day, calling into the show from Normandy where they were commemorating his father’s address at Pointe du Hoc.
Reagan also called into Vargas’ show from the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, where they were celebrating President Reagan’s 111th birthday.
Thompson was live on air on Monday just two days after his hate-filled weekend rant, hosting his Chicago-based show from Naples, Florida, where he lives a majority of the time. Both Thompson and Chicago Morning Answer host Dan Proft share the Naples studio, where Proft now lives full time after selling his downtown Chicago condo and purchasing a home close to the beach in southwest Florida.
When he’s not on Chicagoland airwaves during the weekdays, Thompson, a Florida-based realtor, runs his Naples real estate firm.
In addition to his role as editor-in-chief of Illinois Review, Vargas will continue to make appearances on Newsmax TV, and he’ll continue to write for his Newsmax column called The Potomac Perspective.
