97 Rock Fires Long-Time DJ Slick Tom Tiberi Over A Facebook Post Involving Donald Trump
His Fans Have Taken To Facebook To Get Him Reinstated
By: Frank Housh
Buffalo radio listeners have been listening to “Slick Tom Tiberi” spin classic rock at Buffalo’s 97 Rock for 25 years. His signature, guttural baritone was silenced, however, on July 16th when he was summarily terminated.
Tiberi was fired following what appeared to be a coordinated social media campaign demanding that 97 Rock’s owner, Cumulus Media, fire him for a post including Donald Trump.
The controversy surrounded Tiberi’s re-post of an image on Tiberi’s personal Facebook page of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky smiling and taking a photo with faked images of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in adjacent caskets.
In the public letter, Tiberi acknowledged the photo was in poor taste but that he removed it on his own initiative following the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Trump in Pennsylvania. Tiberi describes the campaign to fire him “a well-organized hit job” by a group of “right wing extremists.”
Tiberi emphasized that the post was on his personal Facebook page on which he had been “posting politics for a long, long time.” To make clear that any opinions expressed on his Facebook page are his are his own, there was no mention of 97 Rock and he described his job as “Head Chef at Greasy Ernie’s Burrito Emporium & Taco Haven.”
In an interview with The Buffalo Hive, Tiberi explained, “I didn’t mean anyone any harm. I took it down without anyone asking me to immediately after the assassination attempt.”
The social media campaign seeking his termination, Tiberi alleged, included a screenshot of the deleted post and intentionally created the false impression the post was made after the July 13, 2024, attempt on former President Trump’s life.
The Buffalo Hive contacted Cumulus Media to clarify the circumstances of Tiberi’s termination. We received no response.
Tiberi’s fans have pushed back on his termination and are using social media to pressure Cumulus Media to reinstate Tiberi. When asked about his next move, Tiberi said, “I’d like to finish my career in radio. We’ll have to see what happens.”
Employers firing or disciplining employees for private speech has been a critical issue since the advent of social media. Although every case is different, legal experts generally agree that the determining fact is whether the employee is in the public or the private sector.
Courts have routinely held that the guarantee of freedom of speech in the workplace is meant to protect public employees against government action and generally doesn’t apply to private employees.
Frank Housh is The Buffalo Hive’s Managing Editor.
17 thoughts on “97 Rock Fires Long-Time DJ Slick Tom Tiberi Over A Facebook Post Involving Donald Trump”
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Great post on an important topic. Tom Tiberi should be immediately reinstated.
Cmon who cares about politics! Since the morning show got fired …and I understand why! Tom’s the only show I listen to on 97. Long time listener
Don’t fire Slick- please reinstate him
I don’t agree with Tom on his political views, but I don’t it against him. I chuckle sometimes when he says things that I don’t agree with because I know that I’m right. Anyway, the guy kicks ass on the 7:00 shift. Why don’t you please reconsider your decision and reinstate him. Then I can go back to listening to him instead of my same old Spotify. We all need a little bit of humor along with tunes, some of which I haven’t heard in a dogs age.
Please add my name to the list of people asking for the reinstatement of Slick Tom. We listen nightly for his show. I had been wondering where he went. We certainly will follow him whoever he goes.
97 Rock had an ill-advised knee-jerk reaction to a smear campaign. Firing Slick Tom is like hiring Dylan Mulvaney to sell Bud Light.
He has made derogatory comments about Trump on air. Play music that’s what people want to listen to.
What he does on his own page should be of no reflection on his work place or employment. Reinstate Tom Now!
Freedom of Speech ! 🇺🇸👍
He was singled out and the man deserves his job back. Did not do anything wrong at all and my opinion is that if it’s not fixed or repaired within 30 days, then a lawyer should be contacted
Regardless of your political affiliation posting photos of any political leaders mock death is in poor taste and he should have known better, actions have consequences and the company has every right to remove him from his position. He is a representative of the Brand and that’s a direct reflection on them. Gotta be smarter
Bring Tom back,that’s his personal post and he took it down. He makes the evening show so worth listening too! We all make mistakes give him a chance 25 yrs is a lot of time to throw away!
Bring back Slick Tom…..
Yeah Steve, I agree. I didn’t agree with what was done but see it all the time on the internet and what about the Last Supper mockery for the olympics. They didn’t fire the person responsible.
We need Slick Tom back!!!
Definitely reinstate Slick TOM! I’ve been listening to him for years! He is a staple for 96.9 ! His personality & his way with the callers & his voice make for our own Casey Kasem ! /Wolfman Jack ❣️ I mean ,,, I like listening to him, and it’s looks like THERE’S more than just me listening! SO, For the sake of 96.9 radio stations future and it’s listeners I hope who every makes the decision will keep this on mind.
Libs started this Cancel Culture and when one of them gets fired … fair is fair
I guess the woke cancel culture is a two way street. I applaud the results. Playing the same music over & over got old a decade ago.
Reinstate him immediately, post was on his personal page.
Cumulus firing him is wrong!
They have lost a long time listener