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

Huffington Post   |   April 3, 2008 12:47 PM


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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.

 

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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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:31 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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:28 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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:07 PM 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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:05 AM on 04/10/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:26 PM on 04/09/2008


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!)

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:06 PM on 04/10/2008

Answer: A fan of Air America.

Question: What is an Oxymoron?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:02 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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:44 PM on 04/08/2008

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

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:22 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?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:00 AM on 04/08/2008

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..

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:16 PM on 04/09/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:05 PM on 04/08/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:55 PM on 04/07/2008

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

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:39 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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:05 PM on 04/07/2008

When was the last time you turned on the TV
MSMBC has nothing nice to say about the Clintons.
On Hardball they say the Clintons are Pimping out there Daughter.
Or how about Keith Olbermann he craps on them ever night, he not as bad as
Randi Rhodes but has come very close several times.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:52 PM on 04/10/2008

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)?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:17 PM on 04/09/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:50 AM on 04/08/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:57 PM on 04/07/2008

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)?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:18 PM on 04/09/2008

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

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:43 PM on 04/08/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:56 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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:55 PM on 04/07/2008

To: Air America Management

I am emailing the message below to all of my friends and associates. I have been to many concerts and I know that their shows are going to be edgier than their media appearances. If I don't like it, I leave. If Mr. Kireker is this offended then perhaps he should not be the Chair of this business which relies on the hosts' honest opinion and candor. By his actions, how many hosts is he trying to scare, silence or bring to Hillary's side? He sounds like another entitled Bully. Maybe Air America needs competition or a good old fashion boycott of advertisers in certain time slots. I hope this is not the direction of this station - the destruction of free speech by Air America hosts on and off the air.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:51 PM on 04/07/2008

Americans... less interested in their politicians corporate & warlike WHOREDOM than they are in the 'rudeness' of pointing it out to them.

... why am I not surprised?

America: style over substance, every freaking time.

& you wonder why the BILLIONS of us in the REST OF THE WORLD are sick to death of your behaviour?

oh right, its rude to point it out...

~~~
Spread Love...

BlueBerry Pick'n
can be found @
ThisCanadian com
~~~
"We, two, form a Multitude" ~ Ovid.
~~~
"Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"
"do no harm"

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:36 PM on 04/07/2008

Hilarious.

I think the whole business of "repudiation" or "reject and renounce" has gotten too damned silly. If your candidate didn't say it, I don't hold all of their fringe associations responsible for having their own opinions. I think America has forgotten that as adults many and most of us tend to form our own opinions despite our alliances with people in other interest areas.

grow up USA.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:36 PM on 04/07/2008

Remember, she did not make this crued comment on public airwaves. She was at a private function, and I guess the people who pay her have the right to censor her when she is representing them. Other than that, Free Speech rocks!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:03 PM on 04/07/2008

A good protection againt hearing the likes of Ms. Rhodes: Take some Bush-it and stick it in each ear.., it filters out all offerings of reasoning and logic....

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:46 AM on 04/07/2008


YESTERDAT IT WAS WHORE AND AND TODAY
IT IS WARMONGER -

"Democrat Barack Obama's presidential campaign on Saturday repudiated liberal talk show host Ed Schultz's description of Sen. John McCain as a warmonger..."
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/rss.cfm?id=197066

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:46 AM on 04/07/2008

"The roles were reversed in February, when McCain quickly condemned the anti-Obama remarks of conservative talk radio host Bill Cunningham when he spoke at a McCain campaign rally. Cunningham referred repeatedly to Obama using his full name ? Barack Hussein Obama ? and called him a ``hack, Chicago-style' politician."
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/rss.cfm?id=197066

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:57 AM on 04/07/2008

I agree it was an awful thing to say but she was at a private event - not on the air. If we start censoring people when they aren't on the public airwaves then it seems like one more step to losing Free Speech. Lots of things are said in public - either at churches, parties, or conferences (who remembers Ann Coulter's comments about John Edwards at the REpublican get together?) -- If people don't like what Randi Rhodes (or anyone else says) - they can boycott listening to Air America or write the sponsors. But it's kind of scary to think that free thinkers are going to be in fear of losing their jobs even if they are at privately held events.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:34 AM on 04/07/2008

Corporate censorship started with network TV and
moved to cable and satellite -
Now it is on to talk radio people.
The Internet is next.
We already have to have "pre-approved" posts on many sites.
You better believe youtube is on their list.

Bye-Bye first ammendment.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:56 AM on 04/07/2008

Jander,

Agreed.

To all those who agree with Ms Rhodes' suspension:

All I can say is, you'd have to hire me, and pay lots of money, to be angry at Randi for that comedy routine. I certainly wouldn't feel that way for free. I would have to be some kind of, oh - what's the word... Troll?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:47 PM on 04/07/2008

Randi tells the truth using a four letter word = suspension/censorship
Clinton tells multiple LIES = New York Senator & President of the United States

Is there something wrong here? Time for "CHANGE"

GO OBAMA

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:47 AM on 04/07/2008

Details - you maniacs never have details.
I know BO lied about being in church when Wright spewed hate speech - then recanted. I know that Michelle claims she hasn't really been proud to be an American till now.... I know that BO's early influences were the Chicago Black Panthers.... I know BO won his senate seat by running against Alan Keyes which is like saying you won against Krusty the Klown.... I know that BO voted 'present' (so as not to be on record as voting for controversial bills)..

What can you say (aside from the cloying - 'he inspires me' , and this idiotic 'CHANGE' - what the hell does that MEAN???? he's a traditional politician, more money to lobbyists that Clinton, 3 times the money to bride the superdelegates...What could you say that would make anyone vote for the con man?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:26 PM on 04/09/2008

Randi got what she had comming to her. Go to her message board and write something that you disagree with Randi and they ban you from the using her message board. Free speech ain't free.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:09 PM on 04/07/2008

I know Randi can be totally obnoxious. She often hurts her own mission of truth-to-power Still, she is very bright and should be respected for her hard work and her experience in radio for two decades. She is successful, even if she turns off so many people.

LOTS of people love her. What about these listeners? Do those of you who dislike Randi think these millions of listeners are idiots? Really? Wow. Think about it.

Randi knows a lot of the dirt on Hillary the the mainstream wants kept hidden (and i suspect she knows things th