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radioRick Chase fired after becoming a Christian
A PROFANE American "shock-jock" recently caused a stir in US radio circles by becoming a Christian, declaring his faith on air, and being fired as a result. Rick Chase, of San Francisco's KMEL-FM was fired last October amid growing tension between Chase and management over on-air moral issues and song lyrics. Throughout most of the '90s, Chase was the leading rave/hip hop disc jockey in the Bay Area and was compared to Howard Stern.
A cocaine addict and alcoholic, Chase was renowned for his rude and
irreverent diatribes. After a dramatic conversion his shock-jock
antics then changed to a testimony of freedom from cocaine. He
regularly shared Bible passages on the air. Chase refused to support
Gay Pride Weekend in San Francisco and was blasted for participating
in a Christian rally at a local high school. At Chase's request, KMEL
allowed the broadcaster, whose ratings have remained high even after
his conversion, to have a farewell show to end his 12-year run on the
station, he told Charisma magazine, "I praised God, and I started
crying." 
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Rick was the first DJ to play The Officer Mushroom Theme Song during prime time commercial radio. (My real name is Mel C. Thompson, but my nerd rap name was Officer Mushroom.) His was a strange and complex character, but he genuinely cared. I think, ultimately, the counter-currents in his life, the different strains of thoughts and needs — it was just too much for him.