Rick Chase fired after becoming a Christian

A PROFANE American "shock-jock" recently caused a stir in US radio circles by becoming a Christian, declaring his faith on air, and being fired as a result. Rick Chase, of San Francisco's KMEL-FM was fired last October amid growing tension between Chase and management over on-air moral issues and song lyrics. Throughout most of the '90s, Chase was the leading rave/hip hop disc jockey in the Bay Area and was compared to Howard Stern.

A cocaine addict and alcoholic, Chase was renowned for his rude and irreverent diatribes. After a dramatic conversion his shock-jock antics then changed to a testimony of freedom from cocaine. He regularly shared Bible passages on the air. Chase refused to support Gay Pride Weekend in San Francisco and was blasted for participating in a Christian rally at a local high school. At Chase's request, KMEL allowed the broadcaster, whose ratings have remained high even after his conversion, to have a farewell show to end his 12-year run on the station, he told Charisma magazine, "I praised God, and I started crying." CR

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