Star of the radio
team Star & Bucwild is planning his highly anticipated return to New York
City, but the radio personality is facing legal action from former employer Hot
97 (WQHT).
The brass at Hot
97, a station under Emmis Radio, claims that rival Clear Channel is trying to
put the shock jock back on the air early, an act they say violates a non-compete
clause.
In addition, Emmis
claims that on May 15, 2003, the jock’s last day, Star violently yanked
pictures off the office walls and allegedly assaulted the station manager, the
culmination of a long term run of "offensive, inappropriate and tortuous
acts."
According to the
New York Daily News, Wyatt Cheek, Star’s manager, said the lawsuit was
“slanderous, ridiculous allegations whose main purpose is damaging his
career.”
According to Emmis,
Star cannot legally compete with Hot 97 no earlier than March 5, 2005, but the
radio personality and Clear Channel want him in New York by January.
Cheek also claimed
that a station suspension after the death of Aaliyah was a staged event between
Star and Hot 97.
“You will
also see Emmis’ own role here. In the Aaliyah case, for example, Star’s ‘suspension’
wasn’t a punishment. It was an arrangement with the station. It was done for
appearance, to enhance their publicity ‘bump,’” Cheek claimed.
Hot 97 denied the
claim and said that incident was one of many that lead to his termination.
Star made it clear
that he intended to tear down his former employer.
“Emmis can
only prolong the inevitable. I will have them programming country music six
months after my return,” he said.
And as he waits
for the non-compete clause to expire, Star will take his antics nationwide in
a new deal with cable TV network Music Choice.
The company will
be using bits from the duo’s morning show on WPHH in Hartford, Connecticut and
Star and Buc will also be heard on Music Choice’s internet service starting
in October.
Music Choice has
been known mostly for music and a graphics package which includes facts about
artists and their songs.
" Our studies
show about 60% of cable subscribers use our music channels now, and we expect
that figure to grow,” said Karen Doler, a spokeswoman for Music Choice.
Music Choice currently
has 45 channels available on cable and satellite television, plus seven internet
only channels.
