Business feels fallout from KLBJ flap

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A local small business owner said he is caught in the crossfire after KLBJ canceled the "Todd and Don Show."

The phones have been ringing off the hook at JP Mortgage Services Inc. in North Austin.

Chris Penders of JP Mortgage Services has also received dozens of e-mails from KLBJ listeners who are angry about the "Todd and Don Show" being canceled. Now, many are boycotting his business because he advertises with the station.

Penders has also gotten a few calls from people who said they are boycotting JP Mortgage Services Inc. because he advertises with a company that allowed one of their on-air personalities to use a racial slur during the show.

On Monday, KLBJ canceled the "Todd and Don Show" after co-host Don Pryor used a racial slur more than 30 times within an hour. Pryor later apologized, claiming he was he was using sarcasm. However, those on both sides of the debate over the show's cancellation and whether or not the "w" word should be used on the radio are now boycotting KLBJ advertisers for different reasons.

"The only thing I can assume is that. since I am there at the top of the Web site, that's why they are coming after me,” said Chris Penders.

Chris Penders has owned and operated JP Mortgage Inc in Austin for nearly 20 years. He has 18 employees, and as a small business owner, he is worried.

"This is not like this is JP Morgan Chase, we don’t have levels of vice presidents that we'll just layoff mid-management,” said Penders.

Since the announcement the "Todd and Don Show" would be dropped from KLBJ, four of his customers dropped him and rescinded transactions to refinance their homes.

"We will close our doors, we will," said Penders. "We can't lose $20,000 or $30,000 a month."

The calls and e-mails have been non-stop.

"They are furious,” said Penders. “These people perceive that KLBJ has knuckled under a request from a group."

That group the U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association of Austin considered a boycott of the station but decided against it when the show was canceled. The same group came under fire when a video on their Web site negatively depicted gays. The video was later removed.

Never much into debating, Penders said he just wants to get business back on track.

"I'm the pedestrian on the sideline and I'm the one getting hit,” said Penders. "I can't just pull my advertising, I have made a comitment."

Penders feels the best way to advertise to the demographic he needs to reach is through the station.

KLBJ canceled the show on Monday. Co-host Don Pryor will be reassigned to new "off-the-air" duties and co-host Todd Jeffries will return after his unpaid suspension as the station's news director and will continue to appear on the air.

This reaction comes after Pryor used a derogatory word to describe undocumented workers on July 14. Pryor used the word w*****k more than 30 times during the hour-long show on Wednesday. Click here to listen to the entire broadcast, unedited.

Jeffries, who co-hosts the show, did not say the word, and in fact, tried to stop Pryor, but was being held responsible for the remarks because, managers said, he should have done more to stop Pryor.