KRBE January 30, 2026 Broadcast Removed After Policy Review
Screenshot of the podcast listing and promotional caption as displayed following the January 30, 2026 broadcast.
On January 30, 2026, during the 7 a.m. hour of The Roula Show with Eric on 104.1 KRBE, a segment aired live involving a birthday cake purchased from a local bakery.
During the broadcast, a host described waiting approximately twelve minutes while a bakery employee wrote a birthday message on a cake. According to the on-air commentary, the employee apologized and stated that her arthritis had made it difficult to complete the writing.
What followed was several minutes of discussion about the appearance of the lettering.
On air, remarks included:
- The cake “looks ridiculous.”
- It resembles “serial killer chicken scratch.”
- “Any one of us could do better than this in 30 seconds.”
- “My 8-year-old son could have written it better.”
- Comments suggesting the employee’s hands appeared to be trembling.
The cake was displayed on camera and cut live during the show while the commentary continued.
At one point, a host stated:
“I don’t want them to know that I shamed her for taking so damn long.”
The bakery employee was not named during the segment.
The segment did not remain limited to the live radio airing.
It was later included in the station’s “Best of The Roula Show with Eric” podcast feed under the title:
“7a Prank Call Critter Chimney Sweep, Eric’s BDay Money and Scoop 01-30-26.”
Clips were distributed across major podcast platforms and social media accounts with the caption:
“I mean, the thought is what counts, right? Happy birthday, @ProducerEric!”
The content was tagged #BirthdayCakeFail.
The episode listing remains searchable in certain podcast archives. However, when selected, the audio no longer plays and indicates it has been removed.
The Documented Timeline
- January 30, 2026 — Segment airs live during the 7 a.m. broadcast.
- The segment is distributed digitally and shared across platforms.
- A formal concern is submitted.
- February 5, 2026 — A written response is received from Cumulus Radio Station Group leadership confirming the segment was removed because it was “not consistent with station or company policy.”
- The segment is no longer playable on primary platforms.
- To my knowledge, no public on-air clarification or social media statement accompanied the removal.
Screenshot of February 5, 2026 email response from Cumulus Radio Station Group confirming the segment was removed and cited as “not consistent with station or company policy.”
Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world. The city’s identity is closely tied to hospitals, pediatric care, research, and families living with chronic medical conditions.
In the weeks prior to the January 30 broadcast, the station promoted charitable initiatives connected to children’s healthcare during the holiday season.
That context invites reflection.
When a broadcast includes repeated commentary about a worker’s arthritis — and is later determined internally to be inconsistent with policy — it raises questions about tone, consistency, and transparency in publicly distributed media.
This post is shared for transparency.
Media organizations revise or remove content as part of editorial practice. That is not unusual.
What invites discussion is when content:
- Aired live
- Was packaged and branded for digital distribution
- Was later removed after internal review
but without a public clarification explaining the change.
Public distribution carries public impact.
Public removal invites public explanation.
This documentation is not about confrontation.
It is about awareness and consistency in how medical conditions are framed in public broadcasts.
If you believe local media should maintain consistent sensitivity when discussing medical conditions — and that corrections of widely distributed content deserve public clarity — I invite you to review the documented timeline and decide for yourself.
My goal is awareness, not confrontation.
If you would like to read more about this issue or add your name in support of thoughtful dialogue around disability awareness and media standards, you can do so here:
https://www.change.org/Requireradiostationstoupholdprofessionalstandards
Public trust is strengthened when transparency accompanies correction.
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