Mjcpr
8/15/2006, 02:27 PM
What a tool....I've always hated that idiot.
Local radio talk-show host is banished from casinos
Local radio talk-show host Michael DelGiorno -- who has railed against Indian casinos and gamblers on his show -- has been banished from Creek Nation casinos after he allegedly was caught taking poker chips following a losing hand at blackjack, tribal records show.
DelGiorno also was told to leave a Cherokee Nation casino on the same day last year after a dealer complained that he had made sexually inappropriate remarks, records show.
DelGiorno hosts a morning talk show on KFAQ (1170 AM), where he often discusses his views on religious and social issues. A biography on the station's Web site pictures DelGiorno standing in front of a flag-draped map of the United States with the headline: "One Nation Under God."
Reached Monday, DelGiorno denied any knowledge of the incident until he was informed that a tape existed. He then said his station's corporate policy prohibited him from commenting.
"I don't know anything about that. I haven't even heard that rumor," he said initially.
"Pulling a bet at the table? We are going to have to go through corporate. I would love to give my side of the story."
Responding to a request by the Tulsa World, the Creek Nation released the report Monday and allowed a Tulsa World reporter to view a casino surveillance tape.
An incident report dated Aug. 29, 2005, from the Creek Nation Casino at 81st Street and Riverside Drive states: "A patron ID as Michael Howard Del Giorno sitting at a blackjack table was caught on tape by surveillance pulling his bet. . . . Michael was then advised of the incident in which he advised he didn't realize he had done that. A 30-day ban was issued along with a request for a permanent ban."
The tape shows DelGiorno sitting at a blackjack table with what appears to be about $30 worth of poker chips placed as an ante. DelGiorno looks at the cards he is dealt and then lays additional chips down.
DelGiorno and a player to his left push all of their chips and cards in to the dealer after losing the hand.
The tape then shows DelGiorno taking several chips back from the dealer's pile, briefly placing them in the ante circle, then taking them off the table and leaving.
The Creek Nation Office of Public Gaming held a hearing Sept. 20 and issued an order banishing DelGiorno from the tribe's casinos for five years, the maximum allowed under the tribe's code, records show.
DelGiorno did not appear at the hearing, according to a letter to him from the tribe.
About three hours before the incident at the Creek Nation casino, DelGiorno had been told to leave the Cherokee Casino in Catoosa. A report of that incident was obtained by the Tulsa World last week.
The incident report, dated Aug. 29, 2005, states that DelGiorno and another man who were playing poker began cussing at the dealer because they were losing. The men also made sexually inappropriate remarks to a male dealer about a nearby female dealer, the report says.
A statement from the male dealer says: "Mike makes a comment to me and I quote, 'Are you the only one that hasn't f----- (name redacted) at this place? What are you like gay or something?"
When the female dealer heard about DelGiorno's remarks, she began crying and told her supervisors, the report says.
"While talking to Mr. DelGiorno I explained the situation and told him that he was to be escorted out and this was considered his last warning," states an e-mail from a casino security supervisor to another employee.
"He then said he had never used any profanity toward any employees or made any rude comments and that he felt unwelcome in the casino and would not be back."
DelGiorno has made frequent references on his show to Indian casinos and gaming.
On a show March 29, 2005, five months before the casino incidents, DelGiorno berated a woman who identified herself as a Cherokee Indian. The woman told DelGiorno how gaming revenues help provide social services for tribal members.
"It's good for you, Peggy, but unfortunately I'm not a Cherokee, so what's going to be in it for me once the economy goes broke? Are you guys going to take care of me, Peggy, when all these businesses go under and they can't advertise and then I lose my radio job? . . . You just raked in all of the money of the white men, and you made this whole economy go broke. I want to know, are you going to take care of us?"
When the caller asked DelGiorno whether he had been to the Cherokee Nation's casino, he replied: "No, of course not, honey. I don't believe in gambling."
He later ridiculed another Cherokee Indian caller's grammar with an Indian war cry, saying she was speaking "Cherokee phonics."
On a Nov. 30, 2004, show DelGiorno railed against the societal problems caused by compulsive gambling.
"After Joe Schmo, A-hole, goes in and loses all his money, and then we have to pay for all his kids and pay for all his medicine and pay for all his food, they still say we're not giving him enough because they are sick, they are problem gamblers," he said.
On his show Aug. 5, 2004, DelGiorno used an ethnic slur to describe Indians, stating: "I think it's a lie from the pit of hell that you can gamble and tax your way to economic prosperity, but the Injuns and your governor, they feel differently."
Creek Nation documents (http://www.tulsaworld.com/Multimedia/2006/delgiorno/delgiorno2.pdf)
TW Article (http://www.tulsaworld.com/NewsStory.asp?ID=060815_Ne_A9_Local37323)
Local radio talk-show host is banished from casinos
Local radio talk-show host Michael DelGiorno -- who has railed against Indian casinos and gamblers on his show -- has been banished from Creek Nation casinos after he allegedly was caught taking poker chips following a losing hand at blackjack, tribal records show.
DelGiorno also was told to leave a Cherokee Nation casino on the same day last year after a dealer complained that he had made sexually inappropriate remarks, records show.
DelGiorno hosts a morning talk show on KFAQ (1170 AM), where he often discusses his views on religious and social issues. A biography on the station's Web site pictures DelGiorno standing in front of a flag-draped map of the United States with the headline: "One Nation Under God."
Reached Monday, DelGiorno denied any knowledge of the incident until he was informed that a tape existed. He then said his station's corporate policy prohibited him from commenting.
"I don't know anything about that. I haven't even heard that rumor," he said initially.
"Pulling a bet at the table? We are going to have to go through corporate. I would love to give my side of the story."
Responding to a request by the Tulsa World, the Creek Nation released the report Monday and allowed a Tulsa World reporter to view a casino surveillance tape.
An incident report dated Aug. 29, 2005, from the Creek Nation Casino at 81st Street and Riverside Drive states: "A patron ID as Michael Howard Del Giorno sitting at a blackjack table was caught on tape by surveillance pulling his bet. . . . Michael was then advised of the incident in which he advised he didn't realize he had done that. A 30-day ban was issued along with a request for a permanent ban."
The tape shows DelGiorno sitting at a blackjack table with what appears to be about $30 worth of poker chips placed as an ante. DelGiorno looks at the cards he is dealt and then lays additional chips down.
DelGiorno and a player to his left push all of their chips and cards in to the dealer after losing the hand.
The tape then shows DelGiorno taking several chips back from the dealer's pile, briefly placing them in the ante circle, then taking them off the table and leaving.
The Creek Nation Office of Public Gaming held a hearing Sept. 20 and issued an order banishing DelGiorno from the tribe's casinos for five years, the maximum allowed under the tribe's code, records show.
DelGiorno did not appear at the hearing, according to a letter to him from the tribe.
About three hours before the incident at the Creek Nation casino, DelGiorno had been told to leave the Cherokee Casino in Catoosa. A report of that incident was obtained by the Tulsa World last week.
The incident report, dated Aug. 29, 2005, states that DelGiorno and another man who were playing poker began cussing at the dealer because they were losing. The men also made sexually inappropriate remarks to a male dealer about a nearby female dealer, the report says.
A statement from the male dealer says: "Mike makes a comment to me and I quote, 'Are you the only one that hasn't f----- (name redacted) at this place? What are you like gay or something?"
When the female dealer heard about DelGiorno's remarks, she began crying and told her supervisors, the report says.
"While talking to Mr. DelGiorno I explained the situation and told him that he was to be escorted out and this was considered his last warning," states an e-mail from a casino security supervisor to another employee.
"He then said he had never used any profanity toward any employees or made any rude comments and that he felt unwelcome in the casino and would not be back."
DelGiorno has made frequent references on his show to Indian casinos and gaming.
On a show March 29, 2005, five months before the casino incidents, DelGiorno berated a woman who identified herself as a Cherokee Indian. The woman told DelGiorno how gaming revenues help provide social services for tribal members.
"It's good for you, Peggy, but unfortunately I'm not a Cherokee, so what's going to be in it for me once the economy goes broke? Are you guys going to take care of me, Peggy, when all these businesses go under and they can't advertise and then I lose my radio job? . . . You just raked in all of the money of the white men, and you made this whole economy go broke. I want to know, are you going to take care of us?"
When the caller asked DelGiorno whether he had been to the Cherokee Nation's casino, he replied: "No, of course not, honey. I don't believe in gambling."
He later ridiculed another Cherokee Indian caller's grammar with an Indian war cry, saying she was speaking "Cherokee phonics."
On a Nov. 30, 2004, show DelGiorno railed against the societal problems caused by compulsive gambling.
"After Joe Schmo, A-hole, goes in and loses all his money, and then we have to pay for all his kids and pay for all his medicine and pay for all his food, they still say we're not giving him enough because they are sick, they are problem gamblers," he said.
On his show Aug. 5, 2004, DelGiorno used an ethnic slur to describe Indians, stating: "I think it's a lie from the pit of hell that you can gamble and tax your way to economic prosperity, but the Injuns and your governor, they feel differently."
Creek Nation documents (http://www.tulsaworld.com/Multimedia/2006/delgiorno/delgiorno2.pdf)
TW Article (http://www.tulsaworld.com/NewsStory.asp?ID=060815_Ne_A9_Local37323)