Black Lives Matter: 97.5 Agreed to Apologize for “Dwayne from Swedesboro”

Black Lives Matter activists in Philadelphia say that 97.5 The Fanatic has agreed to give written and on-air apologies for a series of incidents in which a white producer called into Mike Missanelli’s radio show pretending to be a black man known as “Dwayne from Swedesboro” and playing into racial stereotypes.

The group met with producers, some of whom have been suspended over the matter, on Friday morning, said Asa Khalif, a local Black Lives Matter leader.

“It was good,” Khalif said. “I was very pleased with the outcome of the meeting and I look forward to the rest of the dialogue as well. We touched on some really heavy-hitting things.”

Khalif said “the atmosphere today was one of peace,” and that the station listened to the group’s grievances. The producers agreed to apologize on air and in a public statement, he said.

Khalif had initially planned to protest at the station. He said on Friday that Black Lives Matter thinks actions like that are necessary sometimes, but that it can also “come to the table” and work things out without demonstrations.

Missanelli has maintained that he did not know “Dwayne from Swedesboro” was a fake caller, and other staffers at the station have confirmed this.

Representatives from the radio station didn’t return phone calls Friday afternoon.

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