Josh Innes fired from WIP after blasting rival Mike Missanelli

by Ron Sullivan

Josh Innes is out of a job at Philadelphia’s WIP. He was canned on Wednesday, shortly before he was scheduled to go on the air. The Philadelphia Business Journal reported that the reason seemed to stem from Innes’ non-stop gouging of rival station 97.5 and host Mike Missanelli.

Let's all take a minute and ponder the irony of @JoshInnesRadio being fired because of a @MikeMiss975 mistake … pic.twitter.com/64illkOaor

— Ron Sullivan (@CornerPubRon) August 24, 2016

On Tuesday it was reported the Missanelli Show had a long-running bit where white producer Pat Egan would pose as black caller “Dwayne from Swedesboro.” During that day’s broadcast, Innes relentlessly mocked Missanelli as “Soul Man.”

“I know there’s a lot of phonies over there. I didn’t realize the callers that called the show were fake and they stacked the lines,” Innes said of Missanelli and 97.5, according to Crossing Broad.

“And not just fake callers, guys who are WHITE pretending to be BLACK guys. Like, that’s what makes me laugh about all of this. Mr. Soul Man, who is offended by everything…white guilt to the nth degree and he pretends to be boys with all his brothas, HE WOULDN’T LET YOU MOW HIS FREAKIN LAWN on the Main Line. Oh but on the air he’ll pander to you hard and you’ll buy it because you think brothers are actually calling the show. Turns out it’s a WHITE GUY pretending to be black calling the show.”

He also tweeted a photo of a performer in blackface, writing “Caller to the Mike Miss Show …”

Caller to the Mike Miss Show… pic.twitter.com/5l1yp6EaHk

— Josh Innes (@JoshInnesRadio) August 22, 2016

Innes never found a niche in Philly. He ran through a number of well liked co-hosts and would hit on some racial nerves himself. He was suspended in January this year after he called Eagles offensive lineman Jason Kelce, who is white, a “house negro” — but his agent intimated that getting rid of Innes might have been a power play by the new management.

“Josh didn’t forget how to attract an audience in January 2016,” David Brody told Philly.com of his client’s suspension. “He lost a manager who knew how to manage him. He was suspended within 30 days of that managerial change. That has brought us to where we are today.”

Innes, a Baton Rouge native, was brought to Philly by Andy Bloom, who later lost his job in a round of layoffs, Philly.com reported. Spike Eskin replaced him as program director and, the Philadelphia Business Journal reports, Spike’s dad, veteran Philly radio voice Howard Eskin, could take over Innes’ slot as the station searches for a permanent replacement.

As for Missanelli and the faux caller, 97.5 staffers insisted to Crossing Broad that the host had no idea that “Dwyane From Swedesboro” was a creation that was developed when the show was losing in the ratings battle. The bit and caller took on a life of its own. Dwayne even had a Twitter account (it’s been deleted) before it all blew up in their faces.

Ron Sullivan is the co-founder of the Corner Pub Sports website and PubCast, which can be heard on Friday nights from 8-10pm. He is a die hard Philly fan and (after a few beers) states his opinions without hesitation. Follow him on Twitter @CornerPubRon