Randi Rhodes has been a bit of an a-hole

[rusty quoin]

to many of her callers lately.

[Javaman]

1. I have noticed her a-hole quotient has gone up in the last few weeks.

I think she's at the pissed off a the stupid people in the world melting point. Can't really blame her sometimes.

So many people call her bitching and complaining about stuff that makes no sense and would be cleared up if they actually read about the issue they were complaining about.

but on the other hand, sometimes I get a little pissed that she doesn't allow certain callers to finish their comments, but then again, it is her show.

[dwp6577]

2. I agree.

I generally like her message, but she tends to overtalk guests/callers making the point they were trying to make or just making her own point. I'd like Rachael Maddow or Sam Sedar in that slot, but even more....MALLOY!

[corkhead]

3. I was thinking that too. A couple of weeks ago I was listening to her with a caller

who was trying to make a point that she didn't understand. She wrote him off as a kook and dumped the call, when he was making a good point that she would have agreed with, but she was badgering him and wasn't listening well enough to understand what he was trying to say. If I had been that caller, I'm not sure I would be a listener any more after that.

[Johonny]

37. Yes

She likes to talk and talk and talk, but never listens to her callers or guests. Don't like the show and glad they moved it from west coast commute time.

[peaches2003]

86. Know exactly the call you are talking about

I posted on a thread at the time about that caller. Her problem was that she wouldn't shut the hell up long enough to understand what he was saying. She misunderstood his first sentence and tore into him. He should have hung up on her. I think she turns more people off with her attitude and may not be the asset for AAR that she thinks she is.

[KittyWampus]

4. the only calls she is really keen on: type 1- people who drool over her and call her a goddess

type 2- stupid freepers whom she can smack down hard

type 3- are the callers who MAY have a valid point which she hasn't thought of yet. They are the ones she cuts off rudely and talks over.

[snappyturtle]

45. You got it. She turned me off several weeks ago and now I don't turn her on! nt

[burythehatchet]

5. Gave up on her about a year ago

5 minutes is my max, after that I'd rather hit myself in the head with a ball peen hammer.

[LSK]

6. noticed it too

:(

[Loge23]

7. It's a wonder anyone still calls

The way she handles people - people who are sympathetic to the cause - causes me to cringe.
Why would anyone bother calling her at this point?
She's an important voice and a skilled radio host. But even she needs to respect her own customers.

[Ninga]

8. I think she is displaying all the signs of someone who is suffering from hearing themselves

talk too much.

I know what her drill is, and controversy is her watch word....but gee wiz, she sure has gotten on her high horse and has demeaned people for no good reason.

The stuff coming out of her mouth is not cutting edge anymore, but just plain demeaning.

[Ian David]

14. Piss her off: Call and tell her you think divorce laws are biased in favor or women.

Or just call and scream, "Hezz-Bow-LAaAAaAAAaah!"

[Hieronymus]

85. Very well said .. big difference in cutting edge and demeaning. Randi has

become a star fucker on top of everything else... constantly talking about how many famous people she knows, and they all adore her.

[smokey nj]

9. She's been rather insufferable lately.

It's sad, I used to love her show.

[Steven_S]

10. I don't even bother with her anymore...

I think she humped the shark.

[Ian David]

15. I'm not ready to throw Randi under the bus just yet. But I am fed-up with The Young Turks.

I've always hated Lionel.

And Ed Schultz is an insufferable LIEberman-loving asshole.

I'll just listen to my StephCasts (only $4.95 per month when you buy a year in advance... gling!)

And listen to Rachel Maddow, and keep calling XM Radio and swearing at them for putting Ed Schultz in Thom Hartman's spot.

[rusty quoin]

17. I didn't know that Schultz liked Lieberman

That surprises me. I didn't like Schultz at first, but I got use to him. I had to, because I have XM in my truck. But he does get good quest, and I think talk shows need guests, not just the host.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

51. Ed's no Lieberman lover from what I've heard

I think that's some sort of projection to marginalize him as "not progressive enough".

[Ian David]

56. No, he used to go off on these pro-LIEberman rants in 2006.

"It's all about WEE-NING! LIEBERMAN! Oh, I love him! I wanna eat his bunghole like a little brown dungeness crab! LIEberman yum yum yum!"

Fuck Ed Schultz.

I listened to him and he sickened me.

[youthere]

79. With butter, or lemon?

[Tinksrival]

53. He doesn't.

He supported Ned.

edit to add: Yes Randi has been an A-hole again. If I were new to politics and her show I would be totally turned off.

[Ian David]

57. No, Ed Schultz supported LIEberman. I listened to him every day until I hated him too much. n/t

[Colorado Progressive]

69. Big Ed is not a Lieberman fan nt

[tbyg52]

47. Have you listened to The Young Turks since Cenk has been on by himself?

His rants have been great. And he has interesting guests.

I hate Lionel as well. I view him as deliberate sabotage of a progressive radio network.

[madinmaryland]

58. Huh?? Schultz loves LIEberman?

:wtf:

Schultz is for impeachment, and is opposed to the war. Where does LIEberman stand on those issues. Schultz is not a LIEberman supporter.

:wtf:

[Ian David]

74. I was listening on the day Schultz changed his mind and decided to support Impeachment.

I have yet to hear him renounce his BFF LIEberman.

[madinmaryland]

82. I have never heard him supporting LIEberman.

He may have pre-2005, but I've been listening to him since and while he may not have "renounced" LIEberman, he definately is NOT a supporter of Joementum.

:wtf:

[Ian David]

92. Maybe it's worth while to call him and ask, but on the few times I manage to get through...

... the screener tells me that my cellphone signal isn't strong enough.

It's strong enough for Randi.

It's strong enough for Stephanie.

It's strong enough for that giant idiot who substituted for that asshole Lionel.

But Ed Shultz's call screener can't hear me.

WTF.

[TornadoTN]

84. Strangely, I wouldn't have minded to have seen that

"humped the shark" - typo perhaps? :P :rofl:

[jmatthan]

11. I have taken her OFF my Ratings list

I have taken both her and Stephanie Miller OFF my Talk Show Ratings list.

http://TalkShowRatings.blogspot.com

I took her off as she ONLY understands HER point of view, which she expects everyone to accept.

But she is a sycophant as I have heard her drool all over politicians when they are face to face with her, even though I have heard her express quite divergent views about the same individual!

I took Stephanie Miller off because of the way she and her sidekicks handled the Florida tasering!

[riverdeep]

16. Are you kidding me?

You took Miller off cause of the tasering? It's a comedy show. She made fun of the 'don't tase me bro' aspect. They never agreed with the tasing itself. She even apologized several times to emphasize she didn't agree with the way it was handled. With hours and hours of good hard hitting and yes, comedic progressive talk she puts out there, you bail on one incident. It's your prerogative, but at least get your facts straight.
The saying 'the perfect is the enemy of the good' comes to mind.

[Ian David]

20. I think we need to give him a stickectomy.

The stick up his butt has a stick up its butt.

[tsuki]

29. Stephanie gets me going in the morning. Love her show.

And then Thom Hartman. Great Day.

[jmatthan]

30. Those who repeatedly called someone an ASS and Annoying

about 30 times in 5 minutes were Asses and Annoying and they needed to be Tasered!

Stephanie knew the next day she and her crew had overstepped the limit but the two sidekicks never got it!

Sorry, but I do not dig that type of humour among any Liberal Talk Shows.

It was completely and totally misstatement of facts and not for humour.

You get that type of grotesque humour on Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Rielly.

If you want genuine and brilliant liberal humour - listen to Ray Taliaferro!

[riverdeep]

31. Well, I can't argue with you about the humour part,

as that's completely subjective. What you find funny is what you find funny and that's that. But the sidekicks were pointing out that you can be an ass AND have unnecessary force applied to you-it doesn't have to be either/or. Larry Flynt is racist, misogynist fuckwit of a human being. AND he has been involved in some landmark free speech issues. Likewise, this guy WAS an ass, made bizarre commentary that some of us found funny AND were stunned and disturbed at the ease at which people are getting tasered lately. For the record: she said, jokingly, that any white guy who uses the word 'bro' should be tasered-she didn't actually mean it.

Even if you're convinced she approached this particular incident improperly, consider the totality of her output.

[truedelphi]

49. Oh I love Ray T. He is wonderful

We've moved out of the rnge of that radio station (8.40 Am right?)

ANd in the wee hour of the morning, there is nothing but sports shows on AM radio where I am now

[VenusRising]

81. You can listen to Ray's show online.

They even carry the previous night's show for 24 hours.

http://www.kgoam810.com/Article.asp?PT=Archive&id=49920

:hi:

[truedelphi]

87. Ohmygawd - that is So-o good to know

Well bookmark and use starting tonight!

Thanks

[VenusRising]

91. Enjoy it!

I have to listen to his archived show because I just can't make it that late anymore on EST.

:hi:

[stevedeshazer]

59. jmatthan

Ray Taliaferro is the greatest American radio talk show host.

I agree.

Steve in Portland OR

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

50. Some people are afraid to laugh

They don't want to be seen as doing something "non-progressive" even if it is part of human nature.

I thought she was funny as hell that day and had nothing to apologize for.

[2rth2pwr]

27. Randi's the worst, but Stepanie is great

and hot as hell.

[RiverStone]

12. she needs to talk 2X less and listen 2X more

I occasionally value what she says ---- she just says it waaaaaaaaaaaay too much!

[Ian David]

13. Maybe she and Lionel have a bet going?

Yeah, I've been pissed at Randi for a few days now.

[Ninga]

18. Last week was the kicker for me. She threw a tantrum and insisted that the Move-On brouhaha

was insignificant and she was very pissed that people were responding.

She devalued what motivated people.

[otohara]

19. Her Name Dropping .... Yuck - I turned her off

she was being so nasty to callers, one right after another.

[Hersheygirl]

21. In the beginning, I too loved and had to listen to Randi,

However, she has changed in the last couple of months. Being rude, name dropping and downright insulting are not going to help her get her points across. From what I am reading, she is losing listeners. About one hour is all I can stand now. I wish there were Rachel Maddows and Thom Hartmans on Air America. Rachel and Thom are more informative and have more class then Randi will ever have and that's a real pity because she certainly has the potential.

[bdamomma]

65. and more Sam Seder's.

Rachel is great,she should have Randi's spot.

[Hersheygirl]

93. Sorry, I forgot to include Sam

I loved listening to him in the morning. I apologize for leaving you out Sam!!

[Colorado Progressive]

70. I get Thom and Rachel on my AirAmerica.....

in between is Ed Shultz and Randi Rhodes. I wonder why we dont all get the same programs.

[w8liftinglady]

22. I thought it was just me.I can't listen to her anymore-and I used to be a HUGE fan.

especially when you compare her to Thom hartmann.He is always so polite to his callers.

[bdamomma]

66. Oh, I like listening to Thom, he is very cool in his demeanor.

[aikoaiko]

23. the "don't tase me bro" incident brought it out in her.

[Hieronymus]

26. No, she's been that way for some time before that incident.

[peaches2003]

89. What was with that

I absolutely agreed that the police had overreacted with the taser, but what was with Randi and the kid. On and on, day after day, referring to him as some kind of innocent little honor student who did nothing but help old ladies across the street. All he wanted to do was ask one little question, she said. Huh? He had talked on and on for over 4 minutes, had done this before, and was quite expert at what he was doing. Not according to Randi. Why was she so interested in turning this guy into something he wasn't and screaming at any caller who said something different.

[peaches2003]

94. Back live today (Thurs.), but...

now she's talking over live guest Melissa Etheridge and yakking on about how close she is with Al Gore, and Tipper, and Dennis Kucinich, and heaven knows who else. I'm turning the station.

[jacjr]

24. Last Friday she went off on a 71 year old grandmother

The poor old granny was a veteran as well. I have to admit she wears you down with how stupid and lazy you are.

[hlthe2b]

76. That episode (71 yo polite grandmother) still rankles me...

That rudeness was unconscionable... Randi's her own worst enemy, it seems.

[Hieronymus]

25. I can hardly stand to listen to her bitching and sniping.

[Zookeeper]

28. I've never been much of a fan of hers...

She just doesn't seem to listen to callers and she's really whiny.

[BlooInBloo]

32. In other news, dog bites man.

[irish.lambchop]

33. I couldn't agree more!

I've XM Satellite in the house and Sirius in my car so I listen to Lynn Samuels whilst in the vehicle during her time slot and she refers to Randi as "Miss Randi" right after she slams something she (Randi) said. I love Lynn Samuels only because she's exactly who she is - on air! I've heard her zip open her purse to check for Macy coupons!

[oregonjen]

34. Is she trying to quit smoking?

That would do it. :shrug:
Love Thom Hartmann and I love our local morning show on KPOJ in Portland.

[bunkerbuster1]

35. Oh, wahh, wahh, wahh...

You're expecting Randi to be sweetness and light? Who the hell have you been listening to all these years?

Randi always comes and goes. She's flighty. Sometimes she makes a lot of sense, sometimes she just rants. Sometimes she's compassionate, sometimes she's a jerk.

Kinda like most people I know. I still love her long time!

[bunny planet]

40. I agree with you.

I love her even though sometimes she pisses me off. She's a genuinely flawed individual with a lot of passion. She sucks at taking callers, name drops, and talks too much over her guests during interviews (although she has gotten a tad better with this) but I love her anyway.

[bunkerbuster1]

72. She "sucks" at those things, true, because we have great hosts like...

Rachel Maddow, Peter B. Collins, Thom Hartmann and so on, who are great interviewers and who try to cover a ton of topics throughout the course of their show.

What Randi does instead is ram one main topic, over and over, throughout the course of three hours. It can drive you stark raving mad if you listen to the whole thing, but that's not really the point. The point is to develop a loyal radio listenership and beat the crap out of her competition, and that she does when given an opportunity.

We need all kinds; we certainly need Randi.

[musette_sf]

55. me love her long time too

yeah, she's a bit loud, yeah, she name-drops a bit, yeah, she gets worked up.

to me, so what? she's a NYC girl and some of the above behavior just goes with the territory.

[yurbud]

36. I think she is a bit frustrated with the DC Dems, but trying to be a team player

which is tough when those calling the shots seem cowardly, corrupt, or both.

[eleny]

38. She was great with Bruce Fein, though

He didn't let her speak over him. It was a very informative interview.

[Cleita]

39. Did you hear the last half hour of her show today?

She had troop on from Iraq, named Carl, on radio phone. Then she apologized for being an A-Hole lately. She said she's been talking to these guys off air recently and she's so she's upset she can't help going off on people who don't know what they are talking about and frankly she can't talk about much of it on air because she would violate their trust.

[oregonjen]

52. Just heard Carl on KPOJ,

Quite moving and powerful. It brought tears to my eyes and anger towards the powers that be. They just want to come home.

[jacjr]

54. and listeners get tired of being called stupid and lazy....

Misplaced anger is best handled by a competent therapist.

[rusty quoin]

61. Thanks for clearing it up Cleita

I didn't listen to the last half hour, because I was mad at her. I'm glad she apologized.

[BrightKnight]

41. The world has changed and she has not.

When we were backed into a corner many people liked her because she was a bit of a pit-bull. She did not always hit the mark but she came out biting and clawing everyday.

The world has changed and to hold on to power and acquire a meaningful majority we need more brains and grace. It is time for left wing radio to move foreword.

I am not going to join the chorus of people bashing her. I think that she should be cutback but not cut.

[bvar22]

42. Big Randi fan, disappointed lately.

I've had to turn her off a couple of times.

A couple of weeks ago, she got stuck on that "You gotta have 60 votes to move the agenda in the Senate" fallacy and would NOT listen to counter viewpoints calling some callers "Ignorant".
One caller pointed out that the Republicans never had 60 votes from 2000-2006, and they managed to move their agenda, and Randi shorted out, screaming and name calling.

I have listened to Randi since her WJNO days pre-Air America.
She was sometimes stubborn & rude with Conservative callers, but usually humorous.
Lately, she has started viciously attacking well-intentioned, thoughtful, intelligent LIBERAL callers.
Not pretty.
Not funny.
Not helpful.

[tnlefty]

46. I'm a big fan and disappointed lately, too.

The past 3 weeks I've occasionally had to turn her either down or off and my spouse didn't understand, as he can only listen for the last 30 mins. or so and he came in this afternoon blowing smoke out of his ears.

One thing that REALLY bugged me last week (I think) was when a woman called and she stated that her Senators, Boxer and Feinstein, were fine with the request to do all that they could to end the mess in Iraq. She mentioned her Rep., and it wasn't a name I'm familiar with, and they agreed that she was in a very red part of CA. The woman went on to state that she's been calling his office, written, e-mailed, and was sending postcards to him and stated that she didn't know what else to do.

For some reason, Randi went off on her and stated something like, 'I've been telling you what to do, call your republican representative', and I was furious. I was relaying this to the spouse when he got home, and mentioned that I don't think that she understands what it's like to have 2 republican senators, a republican representative who just blow off all correspondence to them.

She got snotty with a woman who called in today requesting that people call their Sens. about the LIEberman/Kyle piece of crap amendment, and I had to turn her off.

The spouse came in fuming this afternoon and he asked if I had been listening and I stated, 'no, I've been busy, but had turned her off anyway.' He was angry and he mumbled something about her having no idea what it's like for some of us, and that she shouldn't be berating people who are trying to turn things around.

It's like she's developed a nasty superiority complex the past couple of weeks. :shrug:

[izzybeans]

43. When hasn't she been...she always begins her response to the caller by

negating their point whether she agrees with them or not. Often times she just makes the same point the caller made.

but this is par for the course in talk radio.

[Ioo]

44. I loved her - but she has just been a dick the last 3 months

I went out and got XM just for her... I just listen to NPR and wait until Rachel comes on.

Come on Randi, get over yourself

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

48. That's no surprise

She can't even be polite to the guests she brings on, how do you expect her to treat the lowly serfs that call her show?

She opens up her show by ranting for an hour, hyping a senator or congressperson who will "tell us more about the situation", then talks right over them saying the same things she did for an hour once she gets them on. I've heard her do it Conyers, Boxer, and a few others I can't recall. I wouldn't even listen if I didn't want to hear them, and instead I have to listen to her yapping over them.

Unlistenable bullshit, really. Give me Stephanie, Malloy or Big Ed anyday.

[Canadiana]

60. I agree. Also, Does anyone else think that Sam Seder is the best

host on Air America? For some reason he got bumped by LIONEL (eugh). Bring back Sammy! At least he is on Sundays. I also love Rachel Maddow and miss Mike Malloy.

[Strelnikov_]

63. Sammy's A No 1

Sammy's a meateater.

Sammy is the OS/2 of liberal talk radio.


Too bad, since he was picking up all of Frankens best regular guests (Sloan, harvey, Sirota, etc.). His show is an excellent balance of content, humor, and outrage.


Morning Sedition->Unfiltered->O'Franken->Randi Rhodes->Majority Report->Malloy

Proof positive that good product does not always sell (when politics are involved).

[pink-o]

95. Morning Sedition was my absolute FAVOURITE!!!!

...There will never be another show with that perfect chemistry again. At least Rachel has Kent Jones now, but he was so great with Marc and Mark as Lawton Smalls. And the guy who did the Reverend, and Liberal Confession, et al.

The last show was on my birthday, December 16 2004. Not a present I really wanted--the grande finale.

I tried to listen to Marc's solo show from LA, but it never got off the ground.

OT again: as for Randi, her inability to listen and let others talk has always annoyed me, but it's out of control now. Her schtick has been that she's brash and non academic, salt-of-the-eath, loud-mouthed Jewish broad from Brooklyn who knows her shit and can articulate it to the masses. I loved her for that, but her intimidation of nervous callers has made me slowly go off her.

[jmatthan]

67. Although Sam is not a great Talk Show Host

Sam has a knack for being in the middle of a scoop.

His interview of General Wesley Clark last Sunday was truly unique as it exposed the Hilary / Wesley Clark agenda to stay in the Middle East to exploit the Oil for generations!

http://jmpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/turncoats-in-unexpected-places.html

What Gen. Clark was objecting to was that the Iranians are providing health care, power and water to the Iraqis and even educating Iraqis in Universities in Iran - AND THAT WAS THE MAJOR PROBLEM of the region!

[bunkerbuster1]

71. Sammy's great...

and the only (ONLY!) net positive about his daily show getting bumped to Sundays is that it's available as a free podcast now.

http://www.airamerica.com/premium/podcast.php?pid=4

That said, I'm fairly certain that the "some reason" he was bumped by Lionel was a simple matter of finances; AAR figured Lionel had a built-in audience that leaned left he could bring along for the ride.

At the end of the day, a commercial radio show has to attract advertisers, and I have no doubt that's why they went with Lionel. I know he drives a lot of people up the wall, but please remember that he's at least an upgrade over Jerry Springer. I have no idea how that's actually working out for AAR, ratings-wise.

As for missing Mike, do you ever tune in to

http://www.novamradio.com/

?

[Kelly Rupert]

62. I turned her off the first time I listened to her, half an hour into her show.

She trashed a caller who came on, sounding nervous, and didn't really say much of anything other than that "Bush lied about Iraq." I thought, "Back to NPR."

[Poiuyt]

64. Try listening to the Guy James Show

http://theguyjamesshow.com/

You can listen to him from his web site, but I listen to him via the Head On Radio Network on iTunes. He's on at the same time as Randi and gives great rants.
Plus, he's a DUer!

[bunkerbuster1]

73. I've got one of his podcasts...

I've seen him listed at White Rose but never thought to try him out. Thanks for the tip. If I'm extree-impressed I might post about it here.

[Colorado Progressive]

68. The last couple days I actually shut her off!!!!

She actually yells at a caller "Because you're not thinking!" and hangs up on this poor woman who was just trying to make a point, which was apparently a stupid one to Randi. She is turning into a serious aggressive and insulting bitch.

typo:sp

[MindPilot]

75. A guy called and brought up the North American Union

Randi didn't know what the North American Union is, any thing about the proposed highway, nothing. That struck me as a bit odd that Randi of all people would know nothing about this very overreaching free-trade proposal. And instead of asking for more information, she just went off on the guy and hung up on him.

That pretty much tore it for me; Randi knows what Randi knows and that's it.

I happened to drop into her show a few days ago just in time for a mini-rant about how SHE originated the General Betray-us pun, AND was the first one to use the term "Darth Cheney."

[rusty fender]

77. I agree...

and I was thinking of calling the AAR Hotline to say that she should give her callers a break, but she is so full of herself that no one can tell her anything.

[helderheid]

78. I quit listening.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

80. She's been rather testy, but I still love her

I've been listening to Randi since she's been a local host on WJNO in West Palm Beach, so I can't abandon her now. That being said, I too notice she's been rather difficult in the last month or so. I still for the life of me don't understand why she felt the need to place all the blame of Taser-boy on John Kerry. And she went on waaaay too long regarding Senator Craig, beyond whatever was worth from that story other than schadenfreude and gossip.

But I've got to love her, and hope that whatever funk she's been in she'll get out of soon, for the sake of her listenership. Yesterday, after she took the call of the GI stationed in Iraq I did get goosebumps from her comments.

[liberal1973]

90. I agree

I don't agree sometimes with her. I still love the show.

[bdamomma]

83. no randi today, a best of show.

[Cleita]

88. Station giving her a time out?

Or, maybe the reason she's been cranky is because she doesn't feel well. Well, she obviously needs a little break. What she and the other talk radio hosts do is really hard IMHO.