Has the relevance of the shock jock come to an end?
Image: Image: YouTube, Graphic: Thango Ntwasa

There is a lot to remember about the 2010s. Reality TV's dominance on the small screen. Millennials and Gen Xers who took to nightclubs in semi-formal regalia as they fist-pumped the night away. But most of all, what shone was the radicalisation of just about everyone whether it was through Fees Must Fall or Me Too. The adage of never speaking about “politics, religion or sex” was thrown out the window for thoughtful conversations about difficult topics.

As protesters, activists and keyboard warriors took the spotlight, the importance of shock jocks slowly started to evaporate in the new media landscape. Gone were the days of waiting for a specific hour to catch the opinions of controversial stars on the airwaves. Now it's all about how quickly you can call out problematic behaviour and have the responsible parties cancelled.

This week, the news mill has seen the likes of Gareth Cliff become less of a sharpshooter and more of an edgelord. A shock jock whose bark is only echoed by the bite of misinformation.

Shock jocks have been revered for their unabashed opinions that are as controversial as they are poignant. Often they are lauded for saying the things many never dare utter in public. Nevertheless, this fearless spirit made them voices for curious audiences who could laugh, cry or cheer along since the conception of shock jocks in the late 60s.

Alongside Cliff, media personalities like Wendy Williams shot to international fame for no-nonsense radio interviews — especially for hour-long wrangles with R&B legends such as Whitney Houston. She also famously referred to Destiny's Child as “Beyoncé and the girls” when most highlighted how the singer's father ensured the spotlight was always on her. This growing fame would catapult Williams into the spotlight with her very own daytime talk show where she would continue to share titbits of topical entertainment news. This would include homophobic rhetoric, mocking the death of stars and her views that Aaliyah's statutory relationship (and alleged marriage) to R Kelly was her own doing, as the-then 15-year-old consented to marrying Kelly, who was 12 years her senior.

Much like the gossip blogging made famous by the likes of Perez Hilton and the fictional gossip mafia of the Gossip Girl series, Williams' style of presentation has spiralled into influencing many other copycats to share unabashed opinions on entertainment industry figures. This includes the likes of South Africa's self-appointed “Pope of Pop Culture” Musa Khawula, who unlike Williams could not stay out of reach of the law's mighty arm while disseminating his latest scoops.

Gossip blogger Musa Khawula appeared in court where he abandoned his bail application.
Image: Picture: Kabelo Mokoena

These radio hosts don't just go on to peddle harmful rumours and opinions, but have the ability to shape how people think. The author of Shock Jocks: Hate Speech & Talk Radio, Rory O'Connor, said in an interview that “they deliver this toxic mix of pseudo-journalism, misinformation, hate-filled speech, jokes” allowing them to play peekaboo behind the veil of reportage.

While many are looking to their opinions as a voice for the voiceless, they end up using the platform to champion their own opinions instead.

What's nothing new is that shock jocks turn backlash into coins as seen with controversial figures such as Michael Savage releasing books including Liberalism is a Mental Disorder. Howard Stern, whose blazing hot topics included masturbating to Aunt Jemima product boxes as the only black woman he's ever romanced. However, what many have done in light of being censored or told they are wrong is jump ship and open their own podcasts.

Gareth Cliff's Cliff Central was one of the few groundbreaking channels in South Africa that would allow a lot more freedom for what Cliff was hoping to express. However, this has not kept him out of trouble with Sparrow Gate when he championed the opinions of racist Penny Sparrow among other scandals. Following in his footsteps is contentious podcaster MacG, who garners millions of views despite his often inappropriate content, including making light of Amanda du-Pont's violent relationship with TV host Jub Jub.

Penny Sparrow was found guilty of hate speech after describing black people as 'monkeys' in a social media post in 2016.
Image: Gallo Images

Andrew Tate arrives at the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism in Bucharest, Romania, on April 10 2023.
Image: Inquam Photos/Sabin Cirstoveanu via REUTERS

But this is a global sensation that has ushered in the “manosphere”, which refers to male-orientated podcasts that encourage misogyny and sexism, platforming accused human trafficker Andrew Tate as well as fitness fanatics Fresh and Fit, who host a podcast promising to turn “simps (sympathetic men who show affection to the opposite sex) into pimps”. Thanks to teen boys and young men looking for affirmation, they led the pack of podcasters who treated the airwaves as a digital mancave.

Stars like Cliff, MacG and Williams may all come from different walks of life but tread the same path to fame lined with acerbic intentions. As misinformation and ignorance come to define how we all communicate with each other, their brash style of expression becomes a staple that keeps many in the dark. Without the keen and sharp perspectives they are known for, shock jocks are just another form of rage baiters dying for another problematic 15 minutes in the limelight. Video may have killed the radio star, but when it comes to this ilk of celebrity, it seems their lustre has been buried by a collective consciousness.