Dear MN Vikings, KFAN — Firing Paul Allen Would Be Stupid

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Paul Allen - Minnesota Vikings radio broadcaster, KFAN host
Credit: Paul Allen - @PAOnTheMic (X)

In case you haven’t heard: Paul Allen — radio voice of the Minnesota Vikings — is in some “hot water”.

Allen has been a weekday host at KFAN Radio even longer than he’s been play-by-play voice of our favorite football team. He started calling Vikings games in 2002, four years after he was hired as KFAN’s newest sports talk show host (1998).

That’s nearly three decades working in this market. In his three decades here, PA has become one of the most beloved non-player sports figures to ever come through this market.

Voice of Minnesota Vikings in hot water over paid protesters joke

So… what did PA say that made him go viral for all the “wrong” reasons”? Don’t worry. It wasn’t anything hateful and there are no dreaded “-ist” tags attached to his name forever, because of this.

Last Friday, Paul Allen made a joke in passing about whether or not ICE protestors get hazard pay — “In conditions like this, do paid protesters get hazard pay? Those are the things that I’ve been thinking about this morning”.

I know the clip is 40 seconds long, so you might think the quote above it is missing context. It’s not. Most of the video is other people talking. There’s nothing else that could be mistaken as “controversial”.

Of course, that didn’t stop Awful Announcing‘s post from going viral. At the time this article was originally posted (Jan. 28 – afternoon) it was up to 1.5 million views on X alone, and counting.

PA taking time off after pushback on paid protesters joke

How hot is the water at KFAN, following Paul Allen’s paid protestors joke on Friday? Well, it’s hot enough to where Monday’s show began with a recorded apology statement, followed by an announcement that he was taking a few days off.

“I made a comment on Friday about protesters and the weather that was insensitive and poorly timed, and I’m sorry. It was a misguided attempt at humor, and while it was never meant with any ill intent or political afront, I absolutely and wholeheartedly want to apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by it.

Nine to Noon doesn’t formulate political opinions. We don’t bash or praise political discussions or even focus on political issues. This timeslot always has been a sports-based space built to entertain, where we talk about sports, offer an escape from the heavy stuff and give listeners the distraction they need from the heavy stuff.

As I have stated many times before, we serve you, not the other way around. We are very fortunate and thank you for counting on us for as long as you have. It means more than you will ever know. My best was lacking Friday and for that I am sorry.

I’m taking a few days off, but wanted to express these thoughts and my sincere apology with you, before I do.”

Paul Allen – KFAN Radio (Friday)

Monday’s “Nine to Noon” on KFAN was hosted by local fantasy football expert, Paul Charchian. Local Packer fan Dave Sinykin sat in PA’s chair Tuesday. Both “Charch” and “Sinny” are regular substitutes at KFAN. Sinykin hosts his own weekend shows at the station.

For days, the internet has been piling on Paul Allen for his comments, to the point where many loyal KFAN listeners, Minnesota Vikings fans and even his own friends are starting to worry about the job status of inarguably the most legendary local sports broadcasting voice of this millenia.

Chad Hartman comes to Paul Allen’s defense

One of the few radio colleagues around town who has come to bat for Paul Allen during his time of crisis is former KFAN turned WCCO radio host Chad Hartman, son of late local media/sports legend, Sid Hartman.

Chad retweeted PA’s apology in a quote tweet urging everyone to cut his friend some slack, calling Allen’s joke “a mistake”.

Personally, I think calling what Allen said a “mistake” is being WAY too critical. In fact, I would have advised PA to stay business as usual. The last thing he should have done is issue an apology statement.

Yes, the Minneapolis area is reeling right now, after two people were shot and killed by ICE agents over the past two weeks. But Paul Allen is the wrong target for people’s anger.

Related: Sam Darnold Decision Created Schism Inside MN Vikings Organization

If you are looking for information or opinions on whether or not protesters in the Twin Cities are paid, go somewhere else. There are lots of other websites for you to get that and it’s irrelevant to THIS story.

If PA gets cancelled over this, it might go down in history as THE softest thing to ever get someone canceled during the cancel era… and that is saying something.

Hey KFAN, MN Vikings… think before you do something stupid

The only reason Allen’s paid protestors quip reached so many people is because politically charged social media accounts are pushing anything and everything they can get their hands on right now locally.

So I am writing this article to URGE those inside the Minnesota Vikings organization and at iHeartRadio (parent company of KFAN) to THINK before they make a stupid knee-jerk decision that everyone involved will almost IMMEDIATELY regret afterward.

I’ve been critical of PA in the past too. It wasn’t for something this dumb, but it does add context to my plea today. Because the online vitriol you are receiving right now is nothing compared to what will happen if you disengage all of those listeners who are loyal to Paul Allen.

Combine that fall in listenership with all of the animosity you’d receive from the other side of the political spectrum, whether they listen to PA or not… and this is NOT a move you even want to entertain, and it certainly wouldn’t be just.

The VAST majority of KFAN listeners were not offended by what Paul Allen said last Friday, not that it should matter if they were.

Point being: The last thing either the Vikings or their radio partner want to do next is overreact to the online mob, which in this case, is in the vast minority on the issue at hand.

Let cooler heads prevail, let PA take whatever time he needs, and get him back on air sooner than later. Because this can’t blow over until he is back in studio.

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