Matt Siegel is opening up about the moment that ended his four-decade run at Kiss 108. The former Boston radio host now says he regrets how he handled the 2021 controversy.
What We Know: Siegel mocked Demi Lovato after the singer announced in 2021 that they were changing their pronouns. The comments ultimately led to Siegel’s firing from Kiss 108 after more than 40 years in Boston radio. Now, while appearing on The Boston Globe’s Say More podcast, Siegel discussed the incident and the events that followed. He explained that his program director warned him during a commercial break not to continue discussing the topic. However, Siegel said he pushed forward and rejected the warning. Looking back, he said he wishes he had handled the situation differently.
What They Said: “We go to a break. The phone rings, and it was my boss, the program director, who never called during the show. He was very laissez-faire about my work. Never called. He calls and he goes, ‘Don’t go there. Do not go there.’ Believe me, if I could have that to do over? Oh my God! I just went the other way. ‘Don’t tell me what to do. I know what I’m doing.’ And, obviously, I didn’t know what I was doing!
“Looking back on that moment, there’s no question it was just some kind of personality flaw. I made a bad choice. I got mad. All I had to do was say, ‘Ok, boss. I’ll talk about something else.’ You know how many times I’ve looked back on that day? Like a million. I had this thing in my head of ‘Don’t tell me what to do. I’m Matty in the Morning. Don’t tell me what to do.’ I’m an idiot.” -Matt Siegel
What Remains Unclear: Siegel’s comments don’t provide additional details about the internal decision to end his tenure at Kiss 108. Likewise, he didn’t identify how management handled the situation immediately afterward.
What It Means: Siegel’s latest comments mark a significant reflection on the incident that abruptly ended his Boston radio career. More than five years later, he has taken responsibility for ignoring his boss’s warning and said he has repeatedly revisited the decision. His remarks also provide additional context about what happened behind the scenes before his departure from Kiss 108.
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