Boston radio host Fred Toucher delivered the worst on-air eulogy ever, calling Bill Walton a “phony hippie” and making a joke about his death, just a day after the legendary hooper-turned-broadcaster passed away … and suffice it to say, many people are pissed!
Walton — a College and Basketball Hall of Famer, and, when healthy, one of the most unstoppable big men to ever lace up a pair of sneakers — died at the age of 71 after battling cancer.
Most people, especially in the cities where Walton played, were in the mood to remember Bill … just not like this.
Things started to go downhill when Toucher took a caller who suggested the host replay an old show clip involving Walton … where the host hung up on Bill after the 2010 NBA Finals, when the Celtics lost to the Lakers. Bill’s son, Luke Walton, was a member of the Purple & Gold … and Toucher didn’t like that Walton was rooting for the enemy (the Lakers).
Toucher’s cohost resisted initially … saying he wasn’t sure the day after Walton’s death was the time to revisit the decade-plus-old clip.
But, Toucher didn’t agree, saying, “Well, I don’t know, why not? It happened.”
“He called in and was acting a fool about his son on the Lakers,” Toucher said, before mocking Walton’s voice, “‘Oh you know, first of all you gotta buy a Jeep Wrangler.'”
“While he was selling cars, like, make up your mind ya phony hippie. Are you really selling cars or are you all about peace and love?”
“Just go ahead. He’s dead. I didn’t kill him. Go ahead, play it.”
The show then cued up the clip, and pressed play.
Toucher has received a bunch of criticism since … we’ll see if he addresses the controversy on his next show.
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