49er's PR Director fired after tape leak

[abomb]

Wow. I will save the Jeff Garcia/*********** jokes to the professionals (ryanwb).

49ers' personal foul
Team's in-house training video includes lesbian porn, racial slurs, barbs at Newsom
Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross, Chronicle Staff Writers

It was meant to be funny -- but no one is laughing now in the San Francisco 49ers' front office over an in-house training film that featured off- color racial jokes, lesbian porn, a spoof of gay marriage and a trio of buxom, topless blondes frolicking with team public relations director Kirk Reynolds.

The 15-minute video, some of which was filmed in the City Hall office of Mayor Gavin Newsom -- who comes in for a few unsubtle swipes -- was intended as a primer on how players should handle the media in diverse San Francisco.

Instead, it's turned into a team embarrassment -- with PR man Reynolds looking for another job.

The video, said team lawyer Ed Goines, "is absolutely contradictory to the ideals and values of the San Francisco 49ers."

Even Reynolds is conceding he pushed the envelope a bit too far.

The video, which was sent anonymously to The Chronicle, was shown to players last August during training camp in Santa Clara. It opens with Reynolds seated behind Newsom's desk, impersonating the mayor and speaking directly into the camera about this "beautiful, diverse and tremendous city."


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/01/MNGHQD1IOT1.DTL

A-Bomb

 

[Kel Varnsen]

"Remember, the National Football League is the most highly visible sport on the planet,'' Reynolds says as he signs the check.

"You do something controversial, you say something controversial, it will have an impact on this team. So remember, be mindful of your actions."

 

[40yearfan]

Whatever happened to our sense of humor? I guess the PC police have everyone running so scared, we can't even enjoy a good irreverant spoof.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Whatever happened to our sense of humor? I guess the PC police have everyone running so scared, we can't even enjoy a good irreverant spoof.

Yeah, the photo of the PR Director with the three topless chicks in a huddle is hilarious. And I'm sure the racial jokes were a laugh riot as well.

Anyone with the position of PR Director who participates in something like this either got his degree from a Cracker Jack box or has absolutely no brain in his head. Doesn't he realize that the PR person is usually the one who gets fired? Moron.

 

[Russ Smith]

If I hadn't been busy at work I was going to post it. The funniest part of this whole story is when he was first fired the 49ers categorically denied that it had anything to do with the tape!

Uh huh, sheer coincidence I'm sure.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Yeah, the photo of the PR Director with the three topless chicks in a huddle is hilarious. .

Not hilarious. Hot. How can that be wrong?!?! Im in the wrong century I guess lol

 

[Redheart]

Yeah, the photo of the PR Director with the three topless chicks in a huddle is hilarious...

Women just don't understand a man's needs.

Who amoung us has not stood half-naked in a huddle with three topless chicks as part of our job???

 

[conraddobler]

I'm all for fun, joking, keeping things from getting too serious but it's important to use your brain now and again.

How many times do people have to get busted because of video tapes before they undertand it's like an answering machine? You can't take it back once it gets out there and these days it will get out.

I've often said that you could make a great living just being the no guy. Start a company that basically is in the advice business and that's it.

1000$ per call and you could advise all kinds of famous rich people. 100$ a pop for lesser mortals like this guy with less service provided.

The call goes like this, hey conrad it's Ray Carruth, you know of the Panthers, Hey Ray what's up?

Well it's like this, I got this girlfriend of mine pregnant and I don't like her and don't want to give her all this money, how bout I hire someone to kill her?

Ray, I think that's a bad idea, I'd have to say no on this just pay the support and my assistant will email you the math on this.....

Ok if you say so, really I shouldn't hire someone to kill her? Nah Ray let's just forget the moral part of the arguement and go straight to the federal butt buddy system to provide all the reasons we need not to do this.

Thanks Conrad! No problem Ray.

Or

Bam Morris here.... Hey Conrad need some help here. My buddies think it's a bad idea to fill my trunk with weed and speed through Texas at 100 miles an hour in a big body Benz.... I think it's ok what do you think..


Bam.... I'm gonna agree with your friends here and say don't do it.... there will be an extra 2k charge for waking me up at 3:00 am to ask a question like this, however you are going to thank me later and be better off for it.

Or

Hey Conrad, Bill Clinton here.... Theres this intern that is seriously seriously flirting with me and you know me any suggestions?

Yeah DNA is forever.... Naked is better even though it takes time to get dressed it's worth it.

 

[vince56]

Whatever happened to our sense of humor? I guess the PC police have everyone running so scared, we can't even enjoy a good irreverant spoof.

I'm with you, this is nuts.

 

[Metcalf Rules]

It was meant to be funny -- but no one is laughing now in the San Francisco 49ers' front office over an in-house training film that featured off- color racial jokes, lesbian porn, a spoof of gay marriage and a trio of buxom, topless blondes frolicking with team public relations director Kirk Reynolds.

If they wanted a laugh, why didn't they just pop in a 49ers game film from last season?

I wonder if Kevan Barlow thought it was better than "The Longets Yard."

 

[Russ Smith]

To me the key here is the tape was shown to players LAST AUGUST, but they just fired the guy now. That shows you the real issue here, the 49er organization had no problem with this tape until it was leaked to the local media, then suddenly it was inappropriate because it was suddenly out in the open.

 

[Sandan]

Whatever happened to our sense of humor? I guess the PC police have everyone running so scared, we can't even enjoy a good irreverant spoof.

There is a difference between irreverent and plain stupid

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

To me the key here is the tape was shown to players LAST AUGUST, but they just fired the guy now. That shows you the real issue here, the 49er organization had no problem with this tape until it was leaked to the local media, then suddenly it was inappropriate because it was suddenly out in the open.

Well, it makes sense-- a teams' PR person is supposed to shape, mold, and uphold its public image. Once the tape was leaked, that gentleman failed to to his job because a tape of that nature is sure rile the public's ire and damage image of the organization.

Also, 40 it is not so much about being PC but an appropriate way to conduct business and that is definately not acceptable in the business world. I am sure most of us can attest to the fact that just talking about racial jokes, and topless women can get us fired if someone is offended.

My real question is, wouldn't the PR guy have to have gotten approval for the video from his superiors? It seems to me that the organization would not give free range for one of its employees to produce any video they wanted?

 

[Dr. Jones]

Allright... would someone smarter than me find the unedited version??? thanks.

 

[Dr. Jones]

My real question is, wouldn't the PR guy have to have gotten approval for the video from his superiors? It seems to me that the organization would not give free range for one of its employees to produce any video they wanted?

Or give them access to PacBell Park and the Mayor's office.

 

[Russ Smith]

Well, it makes sense-- a teams' PR person is supposed to shape, mold, and uphold its public image. Once the tape was leaked, that gentleman failed to to his job because a tape of that nature is sure rile the public's ire and damage image of the organization.

I just don't buy nobody in the organization knew about it until it was leaked, in other words it was OK by the 49er organization until it became public, then it was suddenly inappropriate?

Gary Radnich has been all over them for this he's the one who publicly called them out for first denying the firing was related to the tape and then he basically said how come it was OK for 10 months but now that it's leaked to the media it's grounds for firing? Note, he's not arguing it's not grounds for firing, just asking why wasn't the guy fired in August when the tape was shown to the players at a team sponsored event, namely training camp?

 

[40yearfan]

If you read the responses on this thread, the older guys don't have a real problem with it while the younger generation show outrage. That's how our society has changed in just a few short years. Believe me people, this type of thing happened on a regular basis and the people involved had no problems with it. Doesn't it amaze you that NONE of the players have complained about it and they were the only ones this tape was made for? If it didn't bother them, why should it bother us? It wasn't made with us in mind.

 

[conraddobler]

If you read the responses on this thread, the older guys don't have a real problem with it while the younger generation show outrage. That's how our society has changed in just a few short years. Believe me people, this type of thing happened on a regular basis and the people involved had no problems with it. Doesn't it amaze you that NONE of the players have complained about it and they were the only ones this tape was made for? If it didn't bother them, why should it bother us? It wasn't made with us in mind.

This whole thing is pretty cut and dried.

Until a few years ago this did go on all the time, along with topless golf, strippers at meetings off color jokes and on and on and on.

By and large it's up to the set of people to determine if it's offensive or not subject to some pretty horrible civil penalties if the wrong person gets offended but the important difference here is huge.

The 49ers are a public entertainment entity that derives their income from fans. A PR director that creates fan outrage even in 10% of them is utterly incompetent and deserves to be fired.

 

[Dback Jon]

A lot of older guys didn't think slavery was wrong or more recently that chasing your secretary around her desk when she didn't want it was wrong either.

Great point. Times change, 40-year, and usually for the better. While the PC police sometimes gets out of hand, on the whole, we are a better country for it. Straight white males may be a little worse, since they have lost some of their power/privledge, but the rest of us have benefited from the notion that everyone is deserving of being treated with respect and dignity.

 

[40yearfan]

A lot of older guys didn't think slavery was wrong or more recently that chasing your secretary around her desk when she didn't want it was wrong either.

The point is basic here.

The tape was fine if it never gets leaked, it did so at the very least he's incompetent for letting anyone get a copy.

Gimme a break CD. You really think we believe that slavery was OK? As for chasing a sec. around the desk, I never did that and I have been in a management position for the past 30 years. We might have had a few bad apples, but the majority of the men in my generation treated women with respect. You protected them rather than harrassed them, held doors open for them, and complimented them for their value in the workplace. Most people don't realize how valuable a girl Friday is until they leave.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

I just don't buy nobody in the organization knew about it until it was leaked, in other words it was OK by the 49er organization until it became public, then it was suddenly inappropriate?

Gary Radnich has been all over them for this he's the one who publicly called them out for first denying the firing was related to the tape and then he basically said how come it was OK for 10 months but now that it's leaked to the media it's grounds for firing? Note, he's not arguing it's not grounds for firing, just asking why wasn't the guy fired in August when the tape was shown to the players at a team sponsored event, namely training camp?

I think the organization knew about it, and figured if it never hits the public it would be fine. But, once it hit the public it is a PR disaster, therefore PR person is fired to "ease the public" with a sacrificial lamb.

That is why it makes sense to me, the PR rep is supposed to help keep up a good image with the public and its natural to fire him since that is the main function of his job;to make 49ers look good.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

I have been in a management position for the past 30 years. .

40, if some one in your business made a tape like this that represents your company and features employees using racial jokes and topless women don't you think you would have to fire him?

It is not about being PC it is about being PPC (proper professional conduct) of which that is not.

Producing that video was an incredibly stupid proffessional choice and somebody had to be held accountable and since you cannot fire the owner they fired the PR director.

 

[40yearfan]

Great point. Times change, 40-year, and usually for the better. While the PC police sometimes gets out of hand, on the whole, we are a better country for it. Straight white males may be a little worse, since they have lost some of their power/privledge, but the rest of us have benefited from the notion that everyone is deserving of being treated with respect and dignity.

Dback, in your instance, I have to agree with you. I just feel that this tape was made with no malice in mind and was an attempt to inject humor into a serious subject. People listen to Chris Rock and are not horrified by his complete lack of PC. I feel this guy should be given leeway also.

 

[Camshaft]

I'm with you 40yearfan. Humor has gone down the tubes with political correctness. Humor in a politcally correct society is like talking to a bureaucrat. Heck, it's like my doctor. First he has me cut out smoking. Next, he has me cut out drinking. Then, he has me cut out sex. Now, he has me cutting out paper dolls.

 

[Mulli]

Dback, in your instance, I have to agree with you. I just feel that this tape was made with no malice in mind and was an attempt to inject humor into a serious subject. People listen to Chris Rock and are not horrified by his complete lack of PC. I feel this guy should be given leeway also.

Leeway on something like this? In San Fran? Where they invented PC?