Controversial radio host Tarsha "Jonesy" Jones has been fired from her popular “Power 99” show after two separate lawsuits were filed against the morning host and Clear Channel Radio. Loraine Ballard Morrill, a Clear Channel Radio spokeswoman, confirmed Monday the network had cut its ties to the air personality with a statement that read: “Jonesy is no longer an employee of Clear Channel Philadelphia.”
The latest suit claims that Jones defamed Philadelphia businesswoman, Tracey Parson, on air on Oct. 14. According to Philly.com, Parson said that families pulled their children out of the four Kiddie Kare day-care centers she owns in the city, almost immediately after callers to the "Jonesy in the Morning" show misidentified her as a mother who had beaten up teenage girls and resulted in her getting death threats, broken windows and a tarnished reputation.
Jones first shot to fame as a singer on classic tracks like “Where I Wanna Be Boy” and AZ and Nas’ song “Sugar Hill.” She has remained in the public spotlight as a radio personality, first on Hot 97 in NewYork where she was the subject of controversy when she and her team aired a spoof song on the Tsunami tragedy in 2004. While she and several team members were suspended for airing that song, she was not fired, although a writer and a producer were let go. Emmis did not pick up her contract when it expired in 2008. Jones also previously worked at Clear Channel Philadelphia rival, Radio One-owned WPHI (then called 100.3 the Beat) in 2004. She was suspended from that station after comments she made on the air created problems for the station and she was later fired.
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