MADISON (WQOW) -- A Madison radio host whose sexual comments about Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch sparked complaints, said Wednesday his remarks "might have been a little too crude."
In a post on his radio station WTDY web site, John "Sly" Sylvester wrote he would send a letter to Kleefisch to explain his Monday on-air segment.
In that segment, Sylvester did a mocking impersonation of Kleefisch's cold-calling of Illinois businesses to try to lure them to Wisconsin. During the impersonation, Sylvester attributed sexual acts as a factor in Kleefisch's election. Later in the segment, during a discussion of high speed rail, Sylvester made another sexual reference to Kleefisch.
Click here to listen to the comments
During his radio show Wednesday, Sylvester said his remarks were meant as a metaphor. Sylvester said he was trying to make a point on the folly of Kleefisch's business recruitment attempts.
"I didn't need to take it the sexual reference part."
"I took no offense," said his co-host Crystal McKenzie, who said the remarks were tongue-in-cheek.
Click here to listen to Wednesday's WTDY radio segment.
In response to the Monday comments, a representative of the Republican Party of Wisconsin called them "offensive" and demanded an apology.
A representative of the American Cancer Society also criticized Sylvester's Monday radio segment. A podcast previously posted on the radio station web site included Sylvester's referencing Kleefisch's colon cancer, and discussing with McKenzie whether Kleefisch wore a wig or just had a poor hairstyle.
"I'm not mocking her cancer," Sylvester said on-air Wednesday.
Kleefisch told a Milwaukee television station she planned to address Sylvester's remarks Wednesday.
