The Root DC is reporting that WPGC has ousted its weekday-morning hype man, Darian "Big Tigger" Morgan. (CBS Radio, owner of WPGC, fired legendary radio host Donnie Simpson last January after 17 years as host of The Donnie Simpson Morning Show.) Morgan, who was ousted from the show on his birthday, confirmed the news via Twitter:
FYI @WPGC & I have agreed 2 part ways. The BigTiggerMorningShow W/ Free is no more! Thanx 4 ya support & stay tuned! Now Back 2 my Bday:) RT
Chris Jenkins writes:
Tigger, a native New Yorker who started working at PGC nearly 20 years ago as an intern, started his morning show about 18 months ago and was in a fierce rating battle with Hot 99.5, WIHT. He has been a fixture in DC-area radio for more than a decade.
In an internal memo snagged by DCRTV, Jason Kidd, WPGC’s new program director wrote: "I want to let you know that Tigger will no longer be hosting mornings on WPGC. Tigger has been a huge part of WPGC over the years. He started as an intern at PGC back in 1993 and eventually moved into nights in 1996. He came back later in the 2000s for afternoons and then, most recently, mornings. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors."
Luckily, Big Tigger has multiple streams of income. Over the years, Big Tigger served as co-host of BET's Rap City, with Big Lez and Joe Clair, and host of Rap City: Tha Bassment. He was also co-host of 106 and Park and BET Style. In May 2003, Morgan began his three-hour syndicated radio show Live in the Den With Big Tigga, which can be heard in 66 U.S. markets and three countries.
We saw him yesterday at the Washington Wizards season opener, spinning for the game (he is the organization's "Official DJ" and spokesperson for its charitable organization, Wizards Care). He also organized the Streetcorner Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS in addition to addressing issues of literacy and self-esteem.
Word on the street is that there's a noncompete clause at WPGC. We're sure when the time expires on that clause, he'll land nicely. Big Tigger's tenor will be missed.
Read more at The Root DC and Radio-Info.com.