According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 66 year old Ralph Barbieri is claiming Cumulus wrongfully terminated him after finding out he had Parkinson's and Diabetes. Cumulus representatives did not comment in the newspaper story. Barbieri's attorney said KNBR management had told him he was being fired because he came to work late and wasn't preparing properly for his show. Barbieri is asking for $10 million in damages.
According to the paper, Barbieri was interviewed on KGMZ-FM and said that in 28 years, he had never once come in early to prepare for his show, nor did he need to do so. He said that after he revealed his medical conditions in 2011, Bungeroth and Hammer would tell him he sounded unenergetic and tired on air, and needled him for having to use the restroom often because of his medication and for being late because of medical appointments. At one point, he said, Bungeroth yelled at him, "What you're doing on air sucks."
"I have never been talked to like that in my life, professionally," Barbieri said. "I had been there 27 years and you've been there four months? Show me a little respect."
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