Job Applicant Sues WAMU/NPR

By Jaded Roberts

Special to the Garlic Times 

 

Joe Johnson, a Washington, D.C. resident, is suing WAMU/88.5 American University Radio, and NPR (National Public Radio) for job discrimination.

 

Johnson was not available for comment.   His lawyer, Charles Whitehead, appeared in District Court yesterday and spoke with reporters.

 

“Our case is simple,” Whitehead said.  “We believe WAMU and NPR discriminate against job applicants with common names.”

 

Standing in front of the courthouse, Whitehead read a list of names of current hosts and reporters with WAMU and NPR. 

 

“Inskeep, Ben Achour, Totenberg, Temple-Raston, Meymo Lyons, Lakshmi Singh, Audie Cornish, Guy Raz."   

 

“Should I go on?” he said.

 

“What about Jerry Edwards?” someone shouted.

 

“He’s the local traffic reporter.  That doesn’t count.”