Lotus Broadcasting has terminated a producer at its FOX Sports Radio Las Vegas sports radio station after social media posts about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk sparked backlash from listeners and corporate partners.
Bobby Machado who worked as a producer at Fox Sports Las Vegas and ESPN Las Vegas, both owned by Lotus Communications, was terminated via social media posts he made following Kirk’s death. On Wednesday, Kirk was shot and killed while making a public appearance at a Utah college. Within hours, Machado used his personal X account to respond to condolences being shared about Kirk. The posts were later deleted and his account as been removed.
“Good f—ing riddance,” Machado wrote in the since-deleted post. “I’ve watched his show way too much — he’s a piece of human s—, and I’m glad as f— the world is without him. F— him all the way to hell. Goodnight!”
The comments quickly circulated on X, drawing sharp criticism. Online users connected Machado to Lotus, which initially placed him on leave Thursday. Later in the day, the station posted Machado was terminated.
But the matter gained traction outside of social media once one of Lotus’s most visible partners, the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, weighed in. Machado served as a producer for the team’s radio broadcasts.
In a statement, the team denounced the comments and emphasized that Machado was not affiliated with the organization.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the abhorrent and deplorable comments made on social media by an employee of Lotus Broadcasting regarding Charlie Kirk,” the team said. “This individual is not an employee of the Golden Knights and has never been an employee of the Golden Knights. Glorifying or excusing violence is vile, unacceptable, and will not be tolerated. We have demanded that Lotus immediately address this matter.”
By Thursday evening, Lotus announced Machado was no longer with the company.
“The individual was terminated immediately and is no longer an employee of our company,” a Lotus statement said. “We extend our sincere apologies for his horrible and offensive words.”
While the company did not publicly identify Machado, Jason Barrett’s Thursday column referenced the posts by Machado and all social media for Machado has been removed.
For Lotus, the message was clear: personal expression has limits when it undermines the standards of the brand and its partners.
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