Do you agree with Air America Radio's decision to suspend Randi Rhodes?

[BuyingThyme]

On edit, watch here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x113908

[DarienComp]

1. I voted yes. But only if it's a temporary suspension.

[merwin]

5. i agree

[MadBadger]

2. No I do not..

[olkaz]

3. It's ridiculous and contradictory.

Either make her accountable for all the ad-hominem attacks during her show, or let this stupid remark go. It's ludicrous. It has to be one or the other.

And this is coming from somebody who cannot stand Rhodes.

[MADem]

7. Is this for the fucking whore/fucking David Duke in Drag remarks?

I think the woman has a substance abuse problem, or something. That sort of invective is simply "loss of control."

[MadBadger]

Why would you say she has substance abuse problems?

what from that video would show that at all?

[MADem]

19. Because she knows the FCC rules, and someone with her experience should

be sharp enough to be able to walk the fine line between being "controversial" and being "fucking stupid."

People who are "fucking stupid" often aren't, actually, but they're under the influence of something, either drugs or booze, that cause them to suspend decent judgment and act impulsively.

[BuyingThyme]

23. FCC? WTF?

[Cooley Hurd]

27. She wasn't on air at the time...

:shrug:

[MADem]

30. Thank you for clarifying that for me--I was under the impression that she was. NT

[BuyingThyme]

37. Please watch. (Everbody.)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x113908

[BuyingThyme]

38. Dupe.

So here's a picture of a rainbow trout:

[2rth2pwr]

83. That's a red herring.

[MadBadger]

28. She wasnt on air when she made the remarks at a separate event.

[ronnykmarshall]

94. It was an AAR sponsored event.

If she would have said "Obama is really fucking pimp daddy", what would you say then?

[Cali_Democrat]

41. Screw the FCC

nt

[Yes We Did]

77. She wasn't broadcasting! She was at an event... not on air....

[MADem]

107. It was an event sponsored by an affilate station of her parent network.

It doesn't matter if she was On The Air or not. She was representing her employer (AAR) at the event, and her employer has a right to suspend her as a consequence of her foul language if he so chooses. She's got two choices--accept the suspension, or quit. She hasn't been fired, she's just been suspended. She's luckier than Imus on that score.

[olkaz]

13. Diagnosing from a video, is that you, Bill Frist?

You are amazing.

[MADem]

24. What part of "I think"--an opinion--somehow translates to a decisive diagnosis, pray tell?

You're less than amazing, and not too swift with the old English language, there pal.

Unless no one is allowed to have an opinion, save you--is that it?

:crazy:

[olkaz]

33. "I think the woman has a substance abuse problem"

Even though you don't like me, I still think you are #1.

And I think everybody should have an opinion. I looove opinions!

Edit: I noticed up in the thread that you didn't realize she wasn't on the radio at the time. I can see making this mistake if that's the case.

[MADem]

46. I don't like or dislike you. I don't know you.

I love opinions too. They make political forums more interesting.

[BuyingThyme]

17. It was a scripted stand-up routine.

[MadBadger]

31. I guess I should come to that conclusion when Hillary was unhinged screaming "SHAME ON YOU!!"

[monmouth]

39. I thought the same thing, alcohol seems to be "making her life unmanagable."

That time she fell, then made up the story of those events. Not good.

[BuyingThyme]

9. I think she did a pretty standard self-deprecating

stand-up routine.

[illumn8d]

20. Actually you summed it up better than my response

[Whisp]

44. I wasn't sure how to answer the poll, but I think you are right. n/t

[whistle]

4. Has AAR given a reason yet and has Randi publicly responded?

[BuyingThyme]

6. I don't know, but I think the guys who runs Green 960 in SF will be making a comment soon.

I don't' have a link, but that's the station which hosted the event and I know they stream online.

[whistle]

55. All that AAR has said is that they objected to what Randi said at some event

[BuyingThyme]

67. ..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5372360

[illumn8d]

8. This poll needs a 'don't care' option

The funniest part, is that this is the sort of stuff she says all the time, I don't see why this surprises anyone.

[BuyingThyme]

12. The language she used was completely different from that of her show.

I think that's what's pissing people off. They're not used to seeing this.

[illumn8d]

26. Well the FCC would be on her if she used that language

But it matches the general tone of what I have heard on her show. She says a lot of stupid shit. I agree with her on principal of a lot of what she says, but I really don't like how she says it.

[mckara]

10. As Long as Sam Seder Does Randi's Show...

She can stay on suspension indefinitely!
His shows are much better than hers!

[tishaLA]

14. *nods*

[Teaser]

11. where's "I don't care?"

.

[DearAbby]

15. I voted yes

If she was representing Air America, she had no business saying the things she had. If it were her private time, she would be within her rights. I am disappointed, I like Randi. But in this situation she was wrong. I am glad it is only temporary.

[otohara]

16. Sam is Doing A Fine Job Of IGNORING

the subject today!

That's radio for you, the plan is to "make it go away", God, please make it go away!

[BuyingThyme]

58. He just made a comment to the effect that he's familiar with

the atmosphere of comedy clubs and the like and thus does not agree that her actions necessarily reflected negatively on AAR. (Lots of paraphrasing here.)

[tularetom]

18. I voted no on general principles - what horrible sin did she commit?

Fail to genuflect to the anointed queen of the democratic party?

OMG - pull out her fingernails. water board her ass. We can't have anybody say anything hillarity might disapprove of.

And I don't particularly enjoy Randi. In fact if Rachel Maddow and Tom Hartman weren't on I'd never listen to air America.

[khaos]

21. Nope.. AAR lost a listener

the rest is crap anyways ;-)

[BuyingThyme]

34. How 'bout Randi's show?

[kerry-is-my-prez]

22. yes- if it's temporary. Can people stop using the word "whore" when referring to women.

It's especially galling when a fellow female uses it. I don't care about someone using the "F" word, however.

[MADem]

49. Sexism is the last bastion, apparently. NT

[H2O Man]

25. No n/t

[apocalypsehow]

29. No.

n/t.

[Scout]

32. i used to like Randi, but she lost me a long time ago.... n/t

[crankychatter]

35. who listens to air america?

good grief

yeah she needed a 'time out'

you can't go hollerin' like that... when you're representing an employer

[azmouse]

36. Sadly, I had to vote yes.

I think she needs a timeout to get her head together.
I'll happily listen to her again when she returns.

[BuyingThyme]

47. You realize we're talking about a stand-up comedy routine, right?

[azmouse]

56. I realize that.

And I'm concerned that once again someone who called Hillary names gets shut up.

But maybe in the current political climate she should have toned it down.
If she or anyone called Obama the 'N' word (even in a comedy routine) I'd be upset too.

[David__77]

40. No way.

Solidarity with Randi!!

[BuyingThyme]

42. Solidarity for stand-up comedians.

[David__77]

54. Indeed.

We need our comedians. They play an indispensable role.

[Bonobo]

43. So if she calls someone an "asshole" or "dickhead", does that get her kicked off?

[rodeodance]

45. Calling women whores!!---Democrats

[skooooo]

48. Is Mike Malloy any less controversial?

I dont' think so. I like them both.

[tridim]

63. Malloy is far more controversial

Neither should be silenced for speaking their minds.

Randi should quit AAR and join NovaM where the management doesn't censor their talent.

[BuyingThyme]

68. I think Malloy simply points out controversy.

He's gentle and caring beyond the comprehension of many people. In my mind.

[yurbud]

50. Youtube video: it was part of a comedy routine after ferarro's racist comments

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DfdhWi5MILo

[yurbud]

51. probably hit too close to home when she called her the next Lieberman

[Political Heretic]

52. Obama supporter, and yes.

[mmonk]

53. No.

It wasn't said on the air so it was her words, not AAR's.

[StrongBad]

59. But it was at an AAR public function, no?

[mmonk]

92. True but does this mean radio show hosts

can be silenced or censored at all meet & greet affiliate functions? This function was given by the affiliate, not AAR.

[StrongBad]

97. I don't think this was a case of censorship

It's not like Randi made a thoughtful, well put together argument that for whatever reasons didn't jive with the corporate execs at AAR - thus causing her suspension. She instead acted extremely unprofessionally and embarassed herself (and thus the station) with her anger and mean spiritedness.

She's lucky she didn't get fired. Imagine a co-worker going off like that at a company party or event.

[BuyingThyme]

60. It was, however, and AAR event.

[Fluffdaddy]

57. Yes...GOD YES

Uncalled for

[Capn Sunshine]

61. Know what the worst part of this is?

It adds to the conspiracy theory that crossing the Clintons costs you your job. Ask David Shuster.

I'm not defending her comments, but in context it fit pretty well.

[BuyingThyme]

66. If this costs her her job, I'll take it to the streets.

(Or at least be really really mad.)

[tridim]

62. I don't give a shit what AAR does, but IMO Randi should quit.

She's their cash cow.

[TTUBatfan2008]

64. Yes...

Those comments were hurtful and unnecessary, especially coming from someone that has defended the Clintons like crazy during the RW attacks of the 90's.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

65. Yes, unfortunately....

It's sad, because she has talent and for years her show was top notch. I listened for 7 years, back from the Florida days of her show.

However, I really fear she may have gone off the deep end as of late.

It's very sad.

[cottonseed]

69. The downside of civility is that it must be applied equally.

I agree with the decision.

[BuyingThyme]

70. Even to stand-up routines?

[cottonseed]

75. I'll give a pass to those - and people over 90.

[BuyingThyme]

79. Randi is one of those. (The former.)

[eleny]

71. I hope it's temporary - and I believe that they are in their rights to suspend

I voted yes. Randi went too far and probably violated her contract. I hope she learns a lesson from this and reigns herself in. We don't need to lose her voice completely.

Btw, Gobama.

[yourguide]

72. Obama supporter here and they should have suspended her.

"Corporate shill" would have been fine...whore is a big no no.

[LowerManhattanite]

Randi’s a good person and generally on the right side of things...

...but she f*cked up here. Kathy Griffin (a gifted comedienne and monologuist who does contorversial and “blue” material with aplomb) could have pulled that off with a sense of irony and NOT sounded so damned caustic and hateful.

This primary season is wearing people out. She (Randi’s) been skating the edge for weeks and her agitation was starting to get the best of her. Agitation won and she sh*t the bed here. With that, she’s been suspended from the air temporarily I hear.

She needs to then unequivocally apologize, think before she speaks and then move on.

I say this as someone who's worked in NY radio for the last 22 years. I genuinely like her even as I find her abrasive and at times boorish. But again, what happened with her is a spillover of what we're seeing across progressivism online, on TV and on radio. The bruising primary season has warped everyone a little and it evidently got to her too. Now of course, there was indeed a campaign mounted to knock her out of the box online by an activated core of supporters of Sen. Clinton (See the kind of over-the-top NoQuarterUSA for the story), but taking that as the nuttiness that it is, Randi still bollixed up that routine. It was just coarse and as it was at an AAR function (not some five-minute set at “The Yuk-Yuk Hut”) she was under the thumb of management and the whims of complaining listeners who got wind of the screw-up.

Take the time Randi, take a breath and come back wiser.

[BuyingThyme]

78. Spilling over? Over the top?

That's what I want to see in a stand-up comedy routine.

[LowerManhattanite]

89. Much as I love Randi...

...Stand-up is NOT the best thing she does. A pro could have worked the same terrain and even deployed the same words and gotten away with it. As I said—Kathy Griffin would have nailed that. Randi, while having dabbled in stand-up, is NOT a seasoned pro at it, and it showed. It came off gruff and caustic and only called attention to her limitations.

Plus, she was at an AAR-sponsored function, thus leaving her exposed to the network's wrath and the pressure of that motivated group of online scalp-hunters who could influence advertisers.

I spent three years working on TV with and dealing professionally with hundreds of stand-ups. My perspective comes from that experience as well as from my years in radio. Is some of the way she's being handled here unfair? Yes, I think so. Did she f*ck up? Yes, I think so as well. And as it's a super-heated time and tempers are short, one thing begets another. ugly screw-up...slight over-reaction.

Here's hoping cooler heads prevail on both ends and folks breathe a little and come back wiser and better.

[BuyingThyme]

91. Actually, I think she did nail it.

[WilyWondr]

73. No way

As I have been saying for 2 days.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/whore
whore (hôr, hr)
n.
1. A prostitute.
2. A person considered sexually promiscuous.
3. A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.

or go to

http://news.google.com/news?oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wn&ned=us&q=whore

to see how many google news stories use
the word "whore" to refer to prostitutes.Not many.
:crazy:


I cannot wait to hear her first show when she comes back.

[BuyingThyme]

74. Just in case people thought Ferarro might be working the streets.

[WilyWondr]

86. or even sexually promiscuous

[Catherine Vincent]

76. I agree wtih it.

Whether she was joking or not.

[Sweet Pea]

80. Hell yes.

Kick her ass off.

[BuyingThyme]

81. Why?

[silverojo]

82. It's from a fucking stand-up routine!

If she'd said it on air, then suspend her ass. But anything goes in stand-up. Lighten up, AAR!

[BuyingThyme]

84. I'm with you.

Then again, if you attack somebody in the audience with racist remarks...

[cooolandrew]

85. I think all it needed was an apology. Randi loves her country and acts out of that love.

[DerekJ]

87. Did she break any laws?!!, Was that by any means discriminatory or hate speech?!!

Look I am not saying the network has no right to suspend her. Its their network they can do whatever they want with it.

But, since when is calling anyone a whore grounds for suspension.
Comedy skits call setting presidents whores, assholes, and every curse you can think of. Why can't they insult a nominee?!!


Stupid.
P.S:
That goes both way (let her call Obama an asshole, I don't care).

Edit : Typo

[mrJJ]

88. Not cool

She has a right to her opinion but if she said what has been stated on the air she should get a temp suspension. But ONLY a temp suspension.

[BuyingThyme]

90. She said it on stage during a stand-up comedy routine.

[Upton]

93. The defintion of whore

1. A prostitute.
2. A person considered sexually promiscuous.
3. A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.

Maybe I'm missing something, but it sure looks to me like Hillary fits that third definition. I won't even address Ferraro because it's obvious what she's become. Maybe some don't want to hear it, but Randi spoke the truth.

[BuyingThyme]

95. I think the word has offensive connotations in all contexts.

But lots of words do.

[ronnykmarshall]

98. Just as long as they're not said about Obama, right?

[BuyingThyme]

99. Some words are uglier than others.

[ronnykmarshall]

100. Nice try.

Still didn't answer my question.

[cali]

96. I could give shit

I can't stand her. She's not very bright or terribly well educated. She's shrieky and obnoxious, but the suspension thing is hardly of consequence to me.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

101. NO, but i say dump her because her show sucks

She egotistical, over-the-top, talks over callers, is rude to them when she misses their points, talks shit about candidates w/o giving specifics ("I've heard things about Edwards.."), bashes the other hosts, repeats the same topic for three hours-sometimes for multiple days

I've tried to like her, but I just can't get into the show

[DesertRat]

102. It was at an AAR sponsored event

They have every right to suspend her.

[workinclasszero]

103. Hell no!

I bet McCain and Hillary are good with it though!:puke:

[BobbyK]

104. No Fu...ing Way!

Air america is supposed to stand against everything we hate about the lock step marching, right wing nut networks and shows. This is so against all we believe in. If they don't put her back on, I'll stop listening. Randi is the most educated, and most able to sway others type of show personality out there. It was a stand up routine, and she was speaking truth to power!!

[BuyingThyme]

105. Welcome to DU, BobbyK!

:hi:

[BobbyK]

106. thank you

thanks for the welcome