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Shock Jock Enrique Santos Becomes a Lobbyist

Radio personality Enrique Santos isn't exactly known for his social consciousness. He has made fun of everything from domestic abuse to racial tension -- but he swears he's serious about one thing: obesity. The blunt, pudgy host of  98.3 FM's Spanish-language radio show Enrique y Joe just started lobbying for...
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Radio personality Enrique Santos isn't exactly known for his social consciousness. He has made fun of everything from domestic abuse to racial tension -- but he swears he's serious about one thing: obesity. The blunt, pudgy host of  98.3 FM's Spanish-language radio show Enrique y Joe just started lobbying for city legislation to protect heavyset folks from discrimination. (He calls it prejudice "based on size.")

It's not that his cause isn't legit. People lose jobs because of their weight, and that's obviously screwed up. The question is more like: Why is Mr. Poop Jokes getting politically correct on us all of a sudden?

Allow him to explain. According to the DJ, he and a muscular buddy signed up for Shaq 24-Hour Fitness in Coconut Grove three months ago. A staffer then accused Sanchez of using his friend as a personal trainer, which is against company policy. He says the interaction went like this: The manager gestured toward Santos and said, "It's obvious there is personal training going on here... look at you." Then he pointed toward Santos's in-shape friend and said, "And look at him."

That was it. He wasn't denied a membership. Nor did they skimp on services available to him. (Where are the Hurt Feelings Police when you need them?)

Santos, who organized a protest outside the gym this past weekend, is now working with Miami city commissioners to "add vocabulary" to an existing city ordinance. Sure, he has a reputation for being crass. "But there's a time and a place for everything," he says.

"Look at Arnold Schwarzenegger," he adds, comparing himself to the politician. "He used to be in action movies, but you don't see him shooting people as Governor."

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