Gay Sports Radio Host Seth Dunlap Fired in Wake of Homophobic Tweet

The latest development in the saga of New Orleans sports radio host Seth Dunlap and the anti-gay tweet that called him a "fag" is that the radio station Dunlap worked for, WWL Radio, has terminated his employment after claiming that their investigation into the tweet indicates that Dunlap sent ou the offensive tweet himself.

An article at Nola.com reported that Dunlap's firing was confirmed by the former radio host's lawyer, Megan Kiefer.

As reported earlier here at EDGE, the Sept. 10 tweet responded to a comment Dunlap had made by hurling the slur at him.

"Which of these 5 'overreactions' isn't actually an overreaction?" Dunlap asked.

Someone at WWL radio evidently used the station's own Twitter feed to respond: "That you're a fag"

Dunlap subsequently took leave from his hosting duties.

WWL Radio claimed that Dunlap demanded almost $2 million in the wake of the tweet, saying if his demand was not met he would embark on a "scorched earth" campaign against the station.

WWL Radio also said that its investigation identified Dunlap's cell phone as the source from which the offensive tweet was sent. Dunlap denies this, and his attorney maintains that Dunlap had no access to the station's Twitter account. The attorney also says that the station involved law enforcement only after offering Dunlap much less money than the host asked for.

Media reports say that Dunlap was having money problems with credit card debt and personal loans. New Orleans police are reportedly looking at the case as one of "possible extortion," the article said.

Dunlap proactively and voluntarily submitted to, and passed, a lie detector test that his attorney says clears him. An announcement at the time presented Dunlap's action as follows:

It has been fifteen days since WWL tweeted from its official twitter account calling its employee, Seth Dunlap, a "fag". Seth has been patient with Entercom Communications during this time, largely withholding public comment in an attempt to allow the investigation to ensue and in hopes of fair and amicable treatment. To date, Entercom has not apologized to Seth for this incident.

That announcement added:

Due to the lack of any evidentiary updates from Entercom, Seth voluntarily submitted to a polygraph test administered by a certified and licensed expert polygraph examiner. The results of the testing, which have a 95 percent accuracy rate, concluded that Seth was truthful during the polygraph testing, and completely exonerated Seth from any involvement in the offense tweet whatsoever.

Shortly after Dunlap's announcement regarding the lie detector test, the station put out a statement of its own in which it said that it had conducted an investigation and was referring the matter to the police. The station's statement read, in part:

WWL has completed its investigation into the highly offensive, unauthorized tweet sent from WWL's Twitter account on September 10, which directed a homophobic slur at Seth Dunlap. WWL conducted this investigation with the assistance of an external digital forensic firm and outside counsel and expended considerable internal resources both in New Orleans and on our corporate staff.

We determined that the most appropriate next step is to involve law enforcement. At this point, the investigation is in the hands of law enforcement and it is not appropriate for us to comment any further on the substance of our findings.

Local news station WLOX reported that security video recorded Dunlap going into his office and shutting the door shortly before the tweet was sent out.

Dunlap continued to maintain his innocence following his termination. According to his attorney, Dunlap anticipates that the investigation will prove his innocence. His attorney addressed the issue of his firing, saying that "The action of Entercom wrongfully terminating Mr. Dunlap has compounded his damages," Nola.com reported.

This is not the first time that a public figure has been accused of engineering an anti-LGBTQ attack against themselves. Earlier this year, former "Empire" cast member Jussie Smollett faced charges related to allegations that he paid two men to assault him.

Smollett has stuck to his story that two men attacked him, placed a noose around his neck, poured an unknown substance on him, and told him he was in "MAGA country." But police in Chicago – where the alleged assault supposedly took place – say that Smollett fabricated the incident, seeking attention and a boost to his career.

Charges against Smollett were initially dropped, but a special prosecutor has now been appointed to pursue the case.

Smollett was cut from the final episodes of the show's fifth season and written out of the series entirely when "Empire" returned for its sixth and final season.