Suspended Talk Show Host Randi Rhodes Quits Air America (UPDATED)
Apr 10th, 2008 | 11 responses
Campaign 2008 has now claimed its first talk show host for going over the line: Air America talk show host Randi Rhodes, who was suspended from the progressive talk radio network after using expletives to describe Democrats Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro at a meeting of station affiliates, has reportedly quit the network.
Now the scramble among reporters will be to find out if she did indeed quit, was encouraged to resign, or just had enough and decided to leave the struggling network.
UPDATE: The Huffington Post offers new details. Here’s a key part of it:
The Huffington Post has learned that Randi Rhodes quit Air America after being asked by the network to apologize for her inflammatory remarks against Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro.
A source at Air America, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “Many people screw up and then apologize and move on. Like Imus. Like David Shuster. Like Jay Rockefeller on McCain. Like Obama on Rezko. Like Hillary on Bosnia. Randi Rhodes refused to apologize for her obscene comments and has chosen instead to terminate her relationship with Air America.”
The source also said that there is no love lost between Rhodes and her colleagues at the network. “No one is upset. She made the move but there’s relief and joy.”
The official statement on the Air America website says this:
Last week Air America suspended Randi Rhodes for abusive, obscene language at a recent public appearance in San Francisco which was sponsored by an Air America affiliate station.
Air America Media was informed last night by Ms. Rhodes that she has chosen to terminate her employment with the company.
We wish her well and thank her for past services to Air America. We will soon announce exciting new talent.
Radio Ink notes that Rhodes is likely to land somewhere else rather quickly:
But Rhodes may not be off the air for long: On the KKGN website, PD John Scott had early word of Rhodes’ AAR exit and says, “We are bringing her back.” Scott says that on Monday, April 14, “it will be our pleasure to announce the return of Randi Rhodes to the Green 960 family.” Whether that return will be with KKGN itself or through a new syndication deal is yet to be determined.
Here’s the link to the San Francisco based station’s short post which now reads:
“We have been very frustrated the past few days in our efforts to rectify the Randi Rhodes Situation (her suspension by her network, Air America Radio). It is our understanding that today (April 9th) she is no longer an employee of Air America. So we are bringing her back.”
Monday, April 14th at 4pm… it will be our pleasure to announce the return of Randi Rhodes to the Green 960 family.
Be sure to read our previous post which put Rhodes’ suspension in perspective.
What’s most notable about this incident is that it shows that there is a line that can’t be crossed — particularly in a divisive election year.
Vigorous, even controversial discussions or characterizations could spark denunciations but aren’t on the same level as name-calling swearing (even if, as some argued, it was done to be funny or even satirical).
It also underscores the changing nature of Air America, which started out as a company in which progressives had great hope that they could challenge the conservative talk radio’s dominance in the marketplace or, at the very least, checkmate it.. The company has since had problems, reorganized, and was sold. Its present programming is not quite as far to the left as it had been when it debuted amid great fanfare.
Also: given its need to carve out cohesive progressive audiences, Air America could not afford to alienate Hillary Clinton supporters en-masse. Did that play a factor in the suspension and — if it turns out she was actually fired – -departure?
More details will come out via reports — and most certainly via Rhodes herself.
Was there a genuine impasse? Was she basically forced to quit? Or did she simply feel Air America didn’t back her and wanted to move on? Will she be picked up by the same company that syndicates progressive talkers Ed Schultz (who himself created controversy by calling Senator John McCain a warmonger, but that wasn’t quite on the same level as Rhodes’ problem) and Stephanie Miller? Or is she fated to be a local host or syndicated by a lower-profile company?
Stay tuned. Literally.
NOTE THE UPDATE: It sounds as if she was given an ultimatum — apologize or leave so she left. But Rhodes will most certainly have more to say about this at a later date.
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11 Responses to “Suspended Talk Show Host Randi Rhodes Quits Air America (UPDATED)”
[...] Gandelman at The Moderate Voice is breaking the story that Randi Rhodes has DEFINITELY left AirAmerica. Campaign 2008 has now claimed its first talk show host for going over the line: Air America talk [...]
[...] Joe Gandelman notes the significance… What’s most notable about this incident is that it shows that there is a line that can’t be crossed — particularly in a divisive election year. [...]
Randi Rhodes, 'Disappeared by Air America: No Business Sense, No Vision
While I understand that Randi Rhode's crass remarksduring a stand-up comedy act to benefit an AA affiliate were a short-term liability for AA, long-term, the loss of her voice there is a loss to the Progressive Movement.As the Right Wing well knows but the Left never learns, it takes extreme voices at the end of the spectrum to to move the middle where you want it.
The side that defines 'Centrist' is the side that wins. It's that simple.
Charlie Kireker and Mark Green's graceless statement reducing Randi's central role in AA's survival to 'past services' underscores their lack of vision.
Abusive? Randi? Hell, yeah, in terms of language. But let's not lose sight of the real abuses, and abusers, she railed against, and the Left's collaboration with them:
Mark Green's long strange trip from Nader's Raider to flakking for the Pro-Foreclosure, Pro- Cluster Bomb candidate is just one tragic example. (see Hillary Clinton's Hawkish Record and Why Pretend That Hillary Clinton Is Progressive?)
Funny, aint it? Green entitled his latest book, in 2006, “Losing Our Democracy”.
Guess that's what they mean when they say the one who smelt it, dealt it.
Love and Peace,
Amy Pagnozzi
I can't help but wonder if her choice of target had something to do with her fall from grace. Would the outcome have been the same if she weren't attacking a Democratic woman seeking the Presidency?
A Lesson from John Lennon….
Brasscupcakes said: “but the Left never learns, it takes extreme voices at the end of the spectrum to to move the middle where you want it… It's that simple.”
No, it's not.
In the late 60s Lennon wrote a song called “Revolution” with the scathing take-down of the British Left: “If you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow.”
About two weeks back I read a piece in the “Guardian” by guy who was a young Left activist and counter-culture publisher, where he reflected on how he publicly denounced Lennon at the time. . . . and then was surprised that Lennon contacted him to explain.
Of course, the kid never got Lennon's point at the time. Almost 40 years later, though, thinking back to this talks with Lennon, he gained more respect for Lennon's position.
You can't go out…call people “Big FU*King WH*RES”…and then expect people will vote for politicians you are associated with.
The French public turned on the radicals and brought back De Gaulle in 68.
The English public turned on the Looney Left and brought in Thatcher after the Winter of Discontent in 79.
Reagan . . . Bush . . . Bush redux . . .The only person you have elected was a Moderate: Clinton.
You keep raging . . . and you will keep losing.
I certainly think that language matters and have no problem with Rhodes's suspension/departure/whatever. I can't believe that removing a symptom will cure the disease, however.
Using foul language is a sympton.
The disease is discourse by means of dehumanizing opponents and outright hate, of anyone who disagrees.
The most troubling part of all this is the popularity of those who deal in revving up base instincts like hate and revenge without ever being held accountable for what they do.
Runasim said: “The disease is discourse by means of dehumanizing opponents and outright hate, of anyone who disagrees.”
True enough. It is sort of like serial killers prefering to see victims as anonymous bodies…hence the SOP of law enforcement of humanizing kidnap victims with names and lives…making it more difficult to kill.
Clinton has been called a “FU*King Who*e” by Rhodes. McCain was called that identical term at Huff&Puff the same day. McCain has also been called a “traitor” on a number of left blogs (their promoting/Swiftboating the nutters who attack McCain's refusal to pursue rumours that Vietnam still has POWs).
I don't know of similar hateful language directed at Obama (other than Obamessiah…which ain't exactly hateful).
I expect this to get worse. One MAJOR reason: a lot of McCain's appeal is his life story. The Democrats need to stop people considering his very fascinating story. He must be dehumanized for Obama to succeed..
Thus, the “Old Man” meme will probably be a major one. (I imagine pushed by 527s so Obama can keep his hands clean).
McCain will be represented like “Granpa Simpson”…fought in the war, yah, we honour that (wink, wink…sly laughter on the Left)…now go back to the Old Folks Home, old man, and stop bothering us.
“I don't know of similar hateful language directed at Obama
I suggest that awareness of reacism has come further than gender bigotry. It's just not cool anymore to use racial slurs. in public. The word 'whore' is gender specific but still used at every oportunity, however.
She quit because she discovered that the other hosts were getting paid.
“The most troubling part of all this is the popularity of those who deal in revving up base instincts like hate and revenge without ever being held accountable for what they do.”
In this case, one lefty (someone who is not only vulgar but is so extreme and poorly behaved she may be mentally ill, and hardly deserves credit for any show style like that) may have been, for once, held somewhat accountable.
She can go back to drinking 13 Ketel One Bloody Marys and falling down on the sidewalk [& intimating or letting it be said that it was a right-winger who pushed her.] Not much thinking on that end of the spectrum, but a lot of dope & booze & shooting off one's mouth. K. Odorboy does a slightly cleaner version every night on NBC.