Advertisers Drop Savage Over Hateful Remarks, USO Hints At Suit

At least four major firms have pulled advertising from Michael Savage's nationally syndicated radio show following a campaign highlighting his inflammatory rhetoric. One other company, Geico insurance, is expected to follow suit.

The campaign, launched recently by Brave New Films, generated thousands of calls urging advertisers on the Savage Nation show to sever financial ties to the widely popular (and frequently offensive) talk host.

In less than a week, four agreed to pull their ads from the show, including Union Bank of California (whose representative says they were advertisers on the Savage show by mistake and were glad to be taken off), Intuit, Chattem, ITT Technical Institute.

"We are thrilled at the amazing response of the true patriots all over the blogsphere who responded to our NOSAVAGE campaign," Robert Greenwald, head of the film company, said in a statement. "People have called and emailed and the responsible sponsors have responded by pulling their ads and asking that their ads not be on this racist and hateful show."

But group who has segments run on the show is raising eyebrows by refusing to distance itself from Savage. The USO, a non-profit that does work for U.S. armed forces, wrote Brave New Films complaining about being targeted and even hinting at a lawsuit. The organization's lawyer Tony Bisceglie says it does not pay for the USO public service announcements that air on Savage's show.

"As a tax exempt not-for-profit organization, regulated by the Attorney General's Office of the state of California and the Internal Revenue Service, your organization may not engage in making false statements to solicit public support," Bisceglie wrote to Brave New Films. "Therefore, please take the necessary steps to remove USO from your website entirely to avoid further action on our part."

Bisceglie denied that the USO is considering legal action. But John Hanson, a spokesman for the USO, said the organization could ask for its PSAs to be taken off of Savage's program, and wouldn't. "Because then who is next?" he asked. "We provide no revenue for Michael Savage. We may improve his image. But we provide no revenue for him."

The reasoning was not enough to impress officials at Brave New Films who called it a lost opportunity for the USO.

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"Considering the USO's role in the world," said Leighton Woodhouse, a spokesperson for Brave New Films, "we would have expected them to be the first to distance themselves from someone who is deliberately fanning the flames of hatred between Muslims and non-Muslims; we were sorely disappointed."

The campaign by Greenwald mirrors an earlier initiative taken on behalf of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. In both cases, Savage's invective was used against him as fuel for advertisers to rescind their financial support. Highlights of the radio host's statements include:

• To "save the United States," lawmakers should institute "outright ban on Muslim immigration" and on "the construction of mosques."
• "90 percent of the people on the Nobel Committee are into child pornography and molestation, according to the latest scientific studies."
• The U.S. Senate is "more vicious and more histrionic than ever, specifically because women have been injected into" it.
• Adherents of Islam would do well to "take your religion and shove it up your behind" because "I'm sick of you."

Brave New Film's video on Savage can be viewed here:

Interestingly, while Brave New Films and CAIR have run identical campaigns against Savage, the radio host has only filed a lawsuit against CAIR. His claim: that his comments were taken out of context and illegally made available.

A call and email to Savage's radio station was not returned.

According to an account in the New York Times, Savage broadcasts his show out of three "virtual safe houses" - whose location he will not reveal - and "is licensed to carry a pistol and does so," out of fears for his life. His program reaches an estimated eight million listeners a week on nearly 400 stations.

Comments

[KOisGod]

Tonight, sadly, I know, I tuned in Savage, and he was ranting about his botony days (he has a PHD in that area, believe it or not), and he was talking about how good pot grows in volcanic soils, like in Hawaii and N. Calif. around Mt. Lassen. Anyway, the upshot was some researcher claimed that what made the pot grown there so potent was because volcanic soil has a high mercury content, and the plants suck it up and thus its wacking you twice.

So he concludes that any liberal (you know, those pot smoking hippies) who fucked up on good pot, automatically becomes a Hillary voter, thats how F'ed up they are, according to his lordship, M. Savage.

So I'm thinking, now, what in the F does a bush voter smoke? Depleted uranaium? Round up?

What an ass he is.

[TAC]

Excellent news! This rodent (apologies to real rodents) was ripe for this. Next in ripeness should be Gibson with his unbelievable commentary regarding Heath Ledger's death. Sponsors want attention but not that much of that type. Hitting them in the pocketbook is the only surefire way to start shrinking these cancers...

[drblack]

This is America and it is Free Speech to call a boycott of anyone who is on the airwaves.
Entertainment is a business and if the money doesn't roll in a business will do what is good for profits.
If you listen to savage you are one.

[radamisto]

This is great news. Savage is full of bile and lies.

[Rianna]

Hate monger's like Wiener, need to be tarred, feathered, and run out of town. Spewing bigotted remarks can corrupt young listeners.
I am sure, just like other hypocrites, if you dig deep into Wiener's life, you can find filth and garbage there too.

[ohiomark]

Boycotts don't work. Just ask Jesse Jackson.

The advertisers on his show know what they are getting into when they sign up. They know he has millions of listeners who are loyal to his sponsors.

Groups like NoSavage.org are just another liberal front group trying to shut down free speech. Free "liberal" speech is the only kind they accept.

If you don't like Savage, then don't listen. It's that simple. Just don't try to prevent the rest of us from listening. This IS America.

[BirdsEatCats]

Those quotes from Michael Savage are hilarious; I wish he was broadcast here in NYC, I'd start listening to him.
Not because I agree with all of his positions, but because what he says is entertaining.

[shag11]

Just like a terrorist, he's a coward. Hiding like a bitch.

[realitytrumpsbull]

"Michael Alan Weiner, best known by his pseudonym Michael Savage..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Savage_(commentator)


What's in a name? Savage ranks right down there with Gibson, Imus, and whatshisname, oh yeah, Stern, in my People I Really Don't Care To Listen To 'Cause I'm Largely Tired Of Their Crap
list. Yeah, it's a wordy title, but it gets the point across.

Why don't all of you gentlemen put a sock in it, maybe invest your mental energies in doing something gainful for the country? If you hadn't noticed there's this economic thing going on, are any of you gentlemen capable or competent to operate an ethanol still? As media personalities, would you be willing to give an online class? Imus passes himself off as a cowboy or something, does he have property where they could set something like that up and make YouTube pieces to give the 'how to'? Power to the People, and all that...of course, Exxon would never sponsor you again, but by all accounts, they could never make another dollar off of oil sales, and they'd still eat pretty well for the next half-millenium, or so...

[dnegri]

From personal knowledge, I can state he's got a massive Napoleon complex: he's a little guy, ashamed he's Jewish (OK, Napoleon wasn't), and probably a closet you know what (I'm not making this up). And wouldn't have the courage to try and back up physically a single one of his attacks on people. Basically, he's the kind of nutjob that far too many American males latch onto....you don't think there's something seriously sick with this country? He and his listeners are the number one evidence of it.

[WorkingClass]

I used to listen to Savage and Glen Beck on the radio late at night. Yes I know. Only losers do that. Glen Beck's show was pretty good radio in my opinion. It was focused and dramatic and demanded attention, even though the stuff he said was pretty stupid, it was fresh and funny at times. Glen's show gave me the impression that he was a stud. I was surprised when I saw he is a dweeb. I don't see any real harm in Glen Beck. Savage is another matter. He was totally under pressure to perform because his show was all about himself and he was often improvising. He used the term "psychological nudity" as a descriptor of his show. Savage is a smart enough guy. He even has an education. But he is twisted and not in a good way. It was like his motivation was coming straight out of his pathology and he wanted company on a bum trip. I don't question his free speech but an X rating would be appropriate.

[LeftVetPatriot]

If we met, I'd drop him, too.

[mommadona]

You mean that barstool mavin is gonna AGAIN bite the dust?

Couldn't happen to a better asshole.

[totaldisbelief]

Tired of hate mongers and propagandists? Use the power of your wallet to boycott their advertisers and let those advertisers know you're boycotting them and why.

[chronic]

Now Michael Sewage is a problem?


Feces has spewed from his bunghole potty mouth for years!!!