Sportsnet personality pulled from air after Canada Day Tweet
A Sportsnet radio personality was pulled off the air late this week after a Tweet on Canada Day received a ton of backlash, even from his own colleagues. Joey Vendetta, also known as Joey Scoleri, has hosted a Saturday afternoon show on Sportsnet 590 The Fan in Toronto, and has filled in for other hosts across the lineup for a number of years. He is also the head of Industry Relations at Live Nation Canada.
On Thursday, July 1st, Vendetta put out a Tweet stating "Happy Canada Day. If it's so bad move elsewhere, many others ready to take your spot."
Vendetta received tons of replies, even from those in his industry, telling him the Tweet was insensitive.
Vendetta later apologized, and his Twitter account was then deactivated. Whether the apology was ordered by his employer or something he decided to do on his own is not known. On Saturday, his regular show on Sportsnet 590 was replaced by a CBS Radio show.
Some are comparing this to the way Rogers, which owns Sportsnet, handled the Don Cherry situation near Remembrance Day of 2019. Cherry was fired from Hockey Night in Canada after an on-air rant involving immigrants and poppies. So far, Sportsnet has not said whether Vendetta has been fired or it he'll be back on the air at some point.
![Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) shakes hands with Team Canada forward Sidney Crosby (87) after overtime win by Team Canada during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/medium/531510.webp "Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) shakes hands with Team Canada forward Sidney Crosby (87) after overtime win by Team Canada during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images")
