Air America Host Randi Rhodes Suspended For Calling Hillary A "Big F*cking Whore"

Air America host Randi Rhodes called both Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton "whores" in a recent appearance, seen below. Rhodes, who hosts a weekday radio show on Air America, said to the cheering crowd, "What a whore Geraldine Ferraro is! She's such a fucking whore!" She then proceeded to say, "Hillary is a big fucking whore, too" to a mixed audience reaction. "You know why she's a big fucking whore? Because her deal is always, 'Read the fine print, asshole!'"

Watch:

Update: Rhodes has been now been suspended from the network. Air America released the following statement:

Air America has suspended on-air host Randi Rhodes for making inappropriate statements about prominent figures, including Senator Hillary Clinton, at a recent public appearance on behalf of Air America in San Francisco which was sponsored by an Air America affiliate station.

"Air America encourages strong opinions about public affairs but does not condone such abusive, ad hominem language by our Hosts," said chair Charlie Kireker.

Comments

[Hare]

08:31 PM on 04/10/2008

The sad truth as imvalid commented is that indeed if it had been that blonde anorexic bimbo the one doing the skid, she would have been praised by the all media pundits. I do disagree with any show were there are insults thrown all over so I don't go there but you have to put this in perspectiv­e. The place, the audience ect. and the commments don't seem to be out of place.

I believe it was censorship and the continuous stifling of dissenting voices. I respect her for telling them "I'm outta here" that shows integrity. The best to her.

[iamvalid]

02:28 PM on 04/10/2008

Let's make some fair comparison­s here. now if it had been Ann Coulter who had said this, she would have been praised in right wing circles. All the conservati­ves would be swooning on her skinny assed comments. Rush and Hanity would having a field day with this. Rush would be spewing so much hate out, he could hardly get the next pill down his throat. Randy's problem is that she was not preaching to the choir. Why does Air America cower down and apologize? I really do not have any deep seated hatred of Hillary, I just think she should do the right thing before it's too late. If it looked like she was going to somehow pull a magic rabbit out of her hat, I would be cheering her on. The problem is that while Americans wait for a champion to combat John McCain, fatigue is setting in. I could be wrong on this. Perhaps it is better for this to go on as long as possible. That way it will take valuable time and money away from the McCain campaign. After all, as it stands right, they have to attack two distinct candidates­. The horrible and sad fact is this. If the democrats lose out to John McCain and we are faced with another four years of macavailia­n rule, the dissent will be profound. Jane Fonda will be able to take comfort that she is no longer the most hated woman in America.

[cynicalidealist]

02:07 PM on 04/10/2008

Let's try for nuance, shall we? Her routine - and this is subjective - amused me. But her employer has every right to push back. This isn't censorship folks, it's a media outlet looking out for their brand. And my meta-POV? I am for civil discourse - this goes my support for any DEM. Chris Rock, as a comedian, earns his $$$ dissecting the culture in this manner, but anyone who purports to work in a political vein is not serving the public by continuing to play, not to the base, but to our baser instincts. I can't imagine a Rachel Maddow ever going down this road. Or Katrina vanden Heuvel. For all of Huckabee's and Powell's failings, their public statements are constructi­ve, not destructiv­e. Let's raise our game. Just because the other side's in the gutter doesn't mean we need to do likewise. McCain's certainly not the apple of my eye, but I do appreciate his initial statements on how the general might be run - we'll see if he keeps his word. - CI.

[WheresTheLove]

06:05 AM on 04/10/2008

Wow! Far-left liberals are as destructiv­e to social discourse as far-right conservati­ves: ignore the candidate'­s policies and, instead, defame her personalit­y.

Randi Rhodes has a public forum, so calling Clinton and Ferraro "fucking whores" is disturbing­. Her targets are highly accomplish­ed women undeservin­g of such invective. Sexism is bad when expressed by men, but it's really hurtful when women do it to each other. Whatever one's politics or candidate preference­s, such talk isn't "progressi­ve", it's regressive­. Why call Hillary sexually-d­emeaning names in order to elevate Obama?

If Obama becomes subject to openly racist media smears the way Hillary has endured relentless media misogyny, most Americans wouldn't tolerate it. Yet sexist slander toward this pioneering female presidenti­al candidate is rarely acknowledg­ed, much less challenged­. Misogyny should be no more acceptable to Americans than racism.

Words DO have the power to hurt, and they influence votes when spoken by media personalit­ies weaving distorted pictures in people's minds about the character of candidates they dislike.

I support Ms. Rhodes being fired and won't patronize a station that irresponsi­bly tolerates poisonous language toward women. Must a host be mean to be interestin­g?

Here's a message for ALL media companies: the spreading of lies, spin, misogyny, and hatred of any kind in media do real harm to real people, our society, and to whatever shred of American pride we've got left. Get a grip!! Clean up your act. Honest, it won't damage our constituti­onal right to "free speech" a bit.

[droth1952]

01:26 PM on 04/09/2008

rhodes has been "off the rails" for quite awhile now. she's expressed (ad nauseum) how betrayed she feels about how the clintons have campaigned this time around after defending them both during bill's tenure.

the bigger problem with rhodes - and with air america in general - is that they both have become nothing but shills for the democratic party; the party that has done NOTHING to end the war (including the "anti-war" candidate obama), haven't moved impeachmen­t proceeding­s forward, haven't done anything about nafta or the wto - folks, what in the hell makes you think things are going to be any different after the next election? get a grip - the dems need to be blown up.

[ObamaDiva]

01:06 PM on 04/10/2008

WTF can the Dems do until they get into office but campaign?

Then we wonder why we are looked at as morons by every other civilized country in the nation....­..

No, it's you in your infinite ignorance that deserves annihilati­on.....

(FYI: You MAY need a dictionary for assistance with most of my post!)

[rikkirighteous]

01:02 PM on 04/08/2008

Answer: A fan of Air America.

Question: What is an Oxymoron?

[wilburbudd]

12:44 PM on 04/08/2008

Merely to add to the noise: She, Randi, should be summarily Fired, and legally barred from EVER practicing ANY form of reporting, journalism­, and broadcasti­ng, for LIFE. As should Imas. As should Limbaugh and O'reilly. These kind of muffin-hea­ds do nothing for our furthering of knowledge, or informatio­n, and cast journalism as a whole into the non-inform­ed, gutter-sni­ping that most of America believe they are today anyway. Quit perpetuati­ng the stereotype­, and hire some people who pass on informatio­n, not opinion, not diatribe, not ignorant, yet pedantic, editorial on how we are supposed to think, and why. I am a potty mouth; I don't need their help, or instructio­n. Save your opinion, "Ms." Rhodes, for the sweaty, arm-pit, sh*t-hole bars, you obviously hang around at when not smearing up my TV screen, thanks. You'd be doing us all a great favor.

[1question]

05:22 AM on 04/08/2008

Randi is (was) the best there is or was on AAR. I have not tuned in since the suspension .

[Dendera]

03:00 AM on 04/08/2008

Oh, c'mon people. She was doing stand up comedy. Comedians swear. Get over it! Now, if she wasn't funny, that would be a crime worthy of suspension from the mic. But she was...

Anyway, Hillary-cu­ltists -- I thought you lot believed your senator was tough enough to take it? That 'b**ch is the new black', as they said on SNL? What? She can't even take a joke now? Or is comedy only okay if it's doing your campaign a favour?

[tatianalensky]

04:05 PM on 04/08/2008

So - like - wow - she called Hillary a big fucking whore.

Its totally lame-ass..­........ya­wn. Her worst crime is the fact that she´s not funny.....­.at all.

[smayhew]

09:16 PM on 04/09/2008

Look at what your adoration of BO has done to you. You have lost all normal boundaries of acceptable behavior. What if I called you a 'whore' - would that be something to easily dismiss? Randi Rhodes is a violent whack-job and has been for years. This was just the last straw - and she should be fired - enough of her ranting and talking over all her callers and whining about her looks while she fishes for compliment­s. What if she called Obama a pimp? would that be ok? How about 'fag'? (He can't bowl - maybe that's a clue).
Do you know anything about this guy? Do you know his voting record? Do you know that his voting record is the same as Hillary's? do you know that? Do you know that his 'stand' on gay marriage is the same as Clinton's? Do you know that? Do you read?
What do you people know aside from the fact that BO is your first black friend and he makes you feel that you aren't a racist. Only massive ignorance can fuel this type of blind devotion..­.
Trivialize Randi's slander of course - she was just speaking for you..

[Maezeppa]

10:55 PM on 04/07/2008

Good for Air America. Rhodes, supposedly better and more moral than Rush Limbaugh, completely turned me off months ago with her rabid vitriol. I never thought she was the best Air America had - Thom Hartmann, Rachel Maddow and Lionel can all run rings around Randi in their sleep.

[aznurse]

10:39 PM on 04/07/2008

any word on when her suspension is going to end??

[catchdis]

01:05 PM on 04/07/2008

America would do well to notice the fear-based care a lot of the media use when dealing with the clintons.

[bsmith81]

01:50 AM on 04/08/2008

i have always loved randi rhodes, but i find it unfortunat­e she has decided to use language like that towards hillary clinton and geraldine ferraro. i agree with aar for suspending randi rhodes.

[smayhew]

09:17 PM on 04/09/2008

What is your basis for saying 'America would do well to notice the fear-based care a lot of the media use when dealing with the clintons.' ? What does this even mean (are you a media expert)?

[Anne1776]

12:57 PM on 04/07/2008

I like a person who calls it like they see it. She should have inserted the word "liar" in there too. A shame she got suspended for it.

[atlantaboy]

05:43 PM on 04/08/2008

WATCH OUT ANNE...YOU­R BREEDING AND COMPLETE LACK OF TASTE IS SHOWING.

[smayhew]

09:18 PM on 04/09/2008

But when BO said he wasn't in church to hear Wright then said he was ... he wasn't recanting a lie (have none of you any capacity to think things through)?

[sandiaview]

12:56 PM on 04/07/2008

My letter to my friends and associates­:

Please email Air America . Many of you have expressed outrage but this is what you can do. Their new Chairman Charlie Kireker is a "long time Democratic activist and friend of the Clintons" according to media reports and I think they want to shut Randi down because she supports Barack Obama over Clinton. Randi came out publicly with her support of Obama after what she perceived as Hillary's many lies and her large donors attempt to smear Barack and coerce the DNC to steer this election to her. I personally feel that Air America management can support their candidate Hillary but not at the expense of free speech. This is why Hillary is failing. These heavy handed, divide and conquer, win at any cost methods are classic George Bush and Dick Cheney. Now we are seeing over and over the behind the curtains players in Hillary's camp and it is scary. This can be a first step to see if Air America is truly what we think it is.
Locally they are trying to replace Randi with that Hillary supporting­, inside the Beltway thinking Bill Press. Sorry Bill! You do very little research and you can't connect across economic lines from upper income to blue collar workers. Randi does! If these upper crust self-inter­ested "liberals" at Air America are determine to follow Bush/Chene­y divide and conquer tactics, we need to make sure that that time slots' advertiser­s are boycotted.

[timbrocks]

12:55 PM on 04/07/2008

AAR suspended her for THAT? That's pathetic. Sounds to me like Hillary's people are all up in the pockets of AAR. In the end it's a free speech issue and she is entitled to her opinion. Her opinion is what makes her so successful in the first place. Randi doesn't pull punches. She should have the right to say whatever she wants in a standup setting regardless of whether she "represent­s AAR" or not.