Randi Rhodes Blames Air America's New Owners On Larry King: "This Is Really About Them Wanting To Change My Contract"

Update: Randi Rhodes went on Larry King Live and contradicted earlier statements regarding the manner in which her relationship was terminated with Air America. Rhodes said that Air America had new owners and that "this thing is really about them wanting to change my contract." According to Rhodes, when the new owners discovered "they didn't have the right to fire [her]" they used parts of her stand-up routine as a means to get her to leave Air America.

[WATCH]

The Huffington Post has learned that Richard Belzer will fill in during Randi Rhodes' time slot next week. Read more here.

Update: 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."

Dismissing claims that Rhodes was just doing stand-up comedy in San Francisco when she made the remarks, the source confirmed that Air America paid her way to California, that she was advertised as "Air America's Randi Rhodes," and that the Air America website urged people to go for "an evening of politics and pop culture." The source said, "Air America pays people to be talk show hosts, not stand-up comics, or else we'd hire Chris Rock."

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It remains unclear who will substitute for Rhodes' time slot in both the short- and long-term, but the source said the network is looking at Rhodes' departure as an opportunity to rebuild. "Sometimes it's for the best that the leading player leaves so you can rebuild with better talent."

Original Post: Randi Rhodes has quit Air America Radio just a week after being suspended for calling both Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro a "fucking whore" in a public appearance (seen here). The station has condemned her lanaguage, but she herself has not come out publicly to retract her statements. Now a statement from Air America reveals that she has walked away from the station.

Charlie Kireker, Chair, and Mark Green, President, for Air America Media released the following statement:

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.

Reports surfaced yesterday that Rhodes was leaving the network, possibly to join KKGN/San Francisco. From a report on RadioAndRecords.com:

According to John Scott, PD of Clear Channel talk KKGN/San Francisco, suspended talker Randi Rhodes and Air America network have parted company as of Wednesday (April 9). In a posting on the station Web site Scott says that on Monday (April 14), "it will be our pleasure to announce the return of Randi Rhodes to the Green 960 family."

Update: Nova M Radio has announced that Randi Rhodes will be joining the network as of Monday:

The Nova M Radio Network is thrilled to announce the addition of "The Randi Rhodes Show" to its nationally syndicated talent offerings beginning this Monday, April 14, 2008.

Randi Rhodes is the #1 rated progressive talk radio host in the nation.

Nova M CEO John Manzo says, "I just can't stop smiling - Randi is simply the biggest and the best. Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy under one roof - talk about TALENT!"

Randi Rhodes adds, "With Manzo at helm of Nova M, I am truly going to work for the best of the best. He is radio elite...and I am too . I'm home, I'm home, I'm home!"

"The Randi Rhodes Show" will air live Mon-Fri from 3-6pm Eastern on The Nova M Radio Network.

Comments

[BeeOplentee]

Alas, Randi wound up being an idiot; full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Her shrill voice will get weaker and weaker until nobody hears her anymore.

She's become undone..

[peskyliberal]

Randi's on at 12noon in Los Angeles. Yeah!!

I think L.A. if a fairly large media market, right?

[HockeyTown4Ever]

I used to love Randi's show - before she lost her mind.
I'm not sure what's up with her but the drama in her life (remember the incident last October where Randi suggested that a right wing nut attacked her but it turned out that she was drunk and fell down busting her teeth? http://www.nationalledger.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=18&num=16683) has made her rants unbelieveable.
Her unreal attacks against Sen. Clinton have made her show unlistenable (except of course for HuffintonPost readers). Why does she have to stab a solid Democratic candidate in the back by saying things she's never even said about President Bush? I don't get it.
Sad to watch one of our own who had so much talent go down in flames.

[MissClarity]

The Lady spoke the truth. Oh whoops. Remember the liars code of ethics next time sweetie. Never, never, ever, ever speak the truth. Oh whoops. It's so 36% American and we're going to change that with the next election.

[fantagor]

Does the banner actually say "Radio Hosts X-Rated Rant"? Try R-rated. There is no such thing as X-rated language. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back has pervasive swearing yet it's an R-rated movie. X-rated, BTW, is reserved for pornographic films, none of which are rated by the MPAA anymore. No need. They are all straight to DVD and readily available online.

But if the boneheads at CNN feel the need to label something X-Rated, start with the Iraq War, cutting veterans' benefits, 15-month rotations, 500 BILLION dollars spent and so on. Now that's pornographic.

Randy

[puddytat]

I can't wait until Monday to hear Randi again. It's AARs loss, not hers. She is the #1 progressive talk show host and does an important time slot (drive time). Despite the fact that her switch to Nova M occurred just days ago, affiliates are already lining up to carry her program rather than the celebrity of the week that AAR will be offering.
If you want more information on what really happened, go to:
http://www.green960.com/main.html
This was the station that sponsored the event that caused the phoney outrage by AAR management. It wasn't about what she said, it was about her AAR contract.

[thundermummy]

Thanks for the link! I have sometimes listened to Randi and laughed my butt off and at other times wanted to throw my radio out the window. If this "whoregate" had happened on the air (complete with expletives) maybe AirAmerica would have a point. But as the link shows, it was a private event. Some people, especially Hillary supporters, may still agree with her firing and that's fine. Just do yourself a favor and go to the link puddytat posted.

[CharlieQ]

Randi Rhodes is NOT THE #!PROGRESSIVE TALK SHOW HOST IS THE COUNTRY.
She is an obnoxious liar. She does not have millions of listeners. She cannot stop lying. Just the fact that she calls herself a hero, proves there is something wrong with her. Google-"My life as co host with shock jock Perry Stone" read entire article. Her loyal listeners really should know what a backstabing WHORE randi Rhodes really is.

[heywhat]

Ms. Rhodes - like many - confused pointless obscenity with humor; no matter the target I cannot understand how the comments she made could in any way be considered acceptable - even as comedy - in a forum supposedly designed to further the causes of progressive politics. I am sure Ms. Rhodes will have a lucrative and long lived career elsewhere amongst those on the left who practice the same kind of broadcasting as their similar brothers and sisters on the right.

http://strictlyanecdotal.com

[Egglavinovich]

Late to this party, I HAVE heard all of this gargled bs about Randi before --- freepers galore, hey! they're a whore!! This is about a girl just trying to right the world right side up. The world is upside down, ya know. -- but you say she's the same as the fat guy, yet appears on the other side of the coin - a liberal with a bawdy potty mouth? Oh my!! Is she a lover or a hater? Or has she the morals of a crass-ass? A Hate Speechifier? Some ask where is her respect, the love? I ask WHERE IS THE HATE?

"Dexxjones", on one of these threads said: "Obscene? Define it. To me obscene is RAPE AND TORTURE, not cocky pee pee words about a candidate who fancies herself a sacred cow."

So, do we worry about HOW we express our disgust, or do we get rid of WHAT disgusts? No, we would rather pretend puritanic holy water continues to course through our American vein, while not facing up to the truth THAT --- we are vain, bloody exploiters of the world, who no longer seem to have a conscience . . . Oh, I say "WE" -- some still do have a conscience -- the ones who speak truth to power everyday - yet those voices somehow seem stuck in a labyrinth leading nowhere . . . At least that's what SOME say when they minimize us and say they've never heard of her or

[blarsen]

Larry Johnson, ex-CIA is boasting he had a big hand in Randi leaving AAR. If you've ever read his blog
he's fiercely pro-Hillary and perhaps moreso anti-Obama, almost to the point of being scary. I always wondered about this guy when I'd hear him on talk shows and now I realize he is really the nutcase that the rightwing has been painting him as for years. He's a legend in his own mind.

[DesertLight]

I can't believe that this thread still has life. Hey Randi! Hit the Rhodes jack and don't ya come back no more, no more, no more. Hit the Rhodes jack and don't yah come back no more!

[blarsen]

Is it my imagination or did my pro-Randi post just get yanked by Huff?

[blarsen]

My local affiliate carrys more NovaM and Jones programming than Air America and they've already picked her up in her usual time slot so nothing, as a listener has changed for me. Randi isn't everybody's cup of tea. When I first heard her after Al Franken, I couldn't turn her off fast enough, until I finally started listening to what she was saying. She quickly became my favorite host over all the others, even over some local broadcasters I liked a lot. You can say what you will about Randi Rhodes, but I've learned from her than all others combined. In the end, her being fired or leaving Air America, may be the crushing blow that will finally put them under. I can't see Rachel Maddow staying much longer, and frankly there is a lot of great liberal progamming on the web that finds an audience and hopefully a bigger audience now that AAR is floundering. Head On Radio with Bob Kincaid is great and Cenk on the Young Turks (www.theyoungturks.com) well, it just doesn't get much better than Cenk Uygur when it comes to great political, or otherwise talk radio (internet).

In the long run Air America needed Randi Rhodes more that she needed them and I think that will be proven in the coming months.

[KatieBeGood]

Well, I found out today that KPOJ, the progressive radio station in Portland, will still be running Randi's show in the same 3-6 pm timeslot (drivetime), so they obviously appreciate and honor Randi. All is good in my world.

[mellene]

Thank goodness, we've got a talk show host with a spine. Most of these other folks back down when the suits take them on. The media is nothing but a sham for big corporate interests, not the truth-tellers American deserve to hear.

[isi]

I will be showing my support for Randi Rhodes by tuning in tomorrow from 3-6 PM ET on novamradio.com to hear Randi.

She will give us the truth like she always does. Can't wait!

Yay Randi!!