Rush Limbaugh Advertisers Pull Commercials In Wake Of Sandra Fluke 'Slut' Firestorm

Several of Rush Limbaugh's advertisers announced Friday that they were pulling their commercials from his radio show in the wake of Limbaugh's incendiary comments about a female law student and contraception.

After being bombarded on Twitter, mattress store Sleep Train said that it would no longer advertise during Limbaugh's top-rated show following days of outrage over Limbaugh's statements about Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown student who was denied a chance to speak at a Congressional hearing about birth control.

"We are pulling our ads with Rush Limbaugh and appreciate the community's feedback," the company wrote in a tweet.

Later on Friday, another mattress company, Sleep Number, announced through a spokeswoman that it had also pulled its ads from Limbaugh's show. So did companies Legal Zoom, Citrix and Quicken Loans.

All cited the nature of Limbaugh's statements, as well as the vociferous complaints they were getting, as the reason for their withdrawal of the ads.

Limbaugh called Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute," saying that she was having "so much sex" that she wanted the government to pay for her contraception. Then, he went further, saying, " if we're going to pay for your contraceptives and thus pay for you to have sex, we want something for it. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch."

The comments elicited fierce condemnation from politicians and pundits, and a campaign began on Twitter to ask Sleep Train to pull its commercials from Limbaugh's show.

Sleep Train, one of the biggest mattress retailers in the country, has been targeted before for advertising on Limbaugh's show. This time, though, the campaign worked.

Other advertisers are also fielding angry messages on Twitter. The company ProFlowers was besieged by tweets:

@ProFlowers
ProFlowers

@DCdebbie @ProFlowers DC, Rest assured, your feedback is heard. We heard about the comments and we will reevaluate our marketing plan. -Cori

March 2, 2012 2:36 am via web Reply Retweet Favorite

@ProFlowers
ProFlowers

We would like to assure you that we do not endorse the views expressed by Rush LImbaugh. We understand your concerns and value your feedback

March 2, 2012 3:01 am via web Reply Retweet Favorite

Below, see the companies who have pulled their ads from Limbaugh's show, as well as some of the tweets received by Sleep Train.

Comments

[rads48]

08:43 PM on 03/10/2012

I call the following.."karma"..

"I love this story. The Blaze is reporting that Sleep Train, who dropped their ads from Limbaugh’s show last week in the wake of his comments about Sandra Fluke, has decided that they made a bad decision and applied to run their ads on the show again, only to be rejected by Rush:

In an email to Sleep Train President Dale Carlsen (obtained by The Blaze), a representative of the show says that Limbaugh personally considered the company’s request, but denied it considering its public comments following the controversy.

“Thank you for your requests last week and this week to restart your voiced endorsement in local markets of The Rush Limbaugh Show,” the email begins. “Rush received your requests personally.”

“Unfortunately, your public comments were not well received by our audience, and did not accurately portray either Rush Limbaugh’s character or the intent of his remarks. Thus, we regret to inform you that Rush will be unable to endorse Sleep Train in the future.

“Rush appreciates your long friendship and your past support, and we wish you good luck in the future.”
"

[A Watcher]

02:07 AM on 03/13/2012

Not how karma works, kid.

You do bad, it comes back to you three fold.

Rush did bad. Don't blame others for his screw ups.

[chr1st1an]

03:42 PM on 03/09/2012

Ironic that it's claimed that Sleep Train no longer wants to be advertised during Rush's show, yet this morning they had the longest ad I ever heard from them right there on his show.

Now, you libs would not lie about this, would you?

The rate of autism in boys in Arizona is doubling every four years, with one in 106 having autism in 2002 and one in 53 in 2006. If this rate continued (and there's no reason to believe it hasn't, as the increase in the rate of autism continues to accelerate) one in 26 had autism in 2010 and it's expected that one in 13 will have autism in 2014.

There was no such thing when I was growing up, and now many friends who are extremely healthy and athletic are having boys with autism and you see them everywhere.

There are states and countries with no recorded autism cases, and they're the ones which never accepted the birth control pill on such a massive scale as American women in general have.

And Fluke wants US to PAY for that?

[A Watcher]

06:18 PM on 03/09/2012

Uh, huh. Sure there wasn't.

OR maybe you just NEVER KNEW ANYONE who was autistic. Or MAYBE because back when YOU were growing up, families who DID have children with autism would HIDE THEIR CHILDREN AWAY because they were made to believe it was somehow THEIR fault and these same children were a 'shameful secret'. When YOU were growing up, we didn't really know all that much about autism, certainly not what causes it.

Autism has been around since forever and it is only recently that we have identified it and and are working on treating it. You are basically claiming that birth control=autism. For your claim to have ANY weight, ALL those families with autistic children you claim to know would have told you if they were taking birth control before conceiving their children. Did they or didn't they? You really think they're going to tell you about such a personal thing?

Dox or GTFO.

[chr1st1an]

07:14 PM on 03/09/2012

This is not true. This is not the way it works. Not everyone who takes the pill will pass it on to their children: YET. But when we have a ten or twenty fold difference in the rate of autism from state to state, and country to country, and when those states and countries with no or very low rates of autism also are the exact same ones which never took the pill, there's no longer a question about the cause, is there?

Autism is growing exponentially. By the year 2030, there will be 12 million Americans with autism. But it won't affect, at all, the areas where use of the birth control is zero or very low.

[OneLiberalLady]

02:10 AM on 03/10/2012

Please get help.

[American Patriot 747]

11:39 PM on 03/08/2012

LOL Where's the followup story, HuffPo?!? Sleep Train and likely a few others are now begging Rush to take them back! Carbonite's stock went down 12% on Monday. So all you boycotters--are you happy now you have probably helped some companies make some really DUMB decisions and likely cost them lots of $$ - maybe even jobs?!?

I bet none of you even care. Nope. For you it was just all about politics and getting someone off the air because you don't agree with his views.

You and all the companies who dropped Rush over this are pathetic!

So who ya'all gonna boycott next?!? Who else will be pansies and cave to your bullying tactics? Who will be the next to see their businesses hurt over this type of idiocy?

I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?

Waa waaa! He said a bad word. Oh we must get him off the air now. Let's boycott all the companies. Waaa waaa.

Pathetic.

[Pineycreek]

01:14 PM on 03/09/2012

Wow. That's some rant. In fact I know just who it sounds like.

[A Watcher]

11:19 PM on 03/09/2012

Prove it.

he called this young woman a SLUT and haggled her for sex tapes. That isn't just saying a 'bad word'. It's SLANDER.

Carrying on like a spoiled, self-entitled little child who has NEVER had to deal with such crap thrown at them in a public forum by a PUBLIC official and making excuses is what's pathetic. I doubt you'd think this if it were YOUR daughter, or mother, or sister or some female relation of yours who was spoken to in such a way.

Such public official-especially those running for high office- should not be excused from such behaviors and actions as this.

[Verheek]

12:50 AM on 03/08/2012

From Politico: "Limbaugh, citing claims he had lost 28 sponsors, said that is 'out of 18,000. That’s like losing a couple of french fries in the container when it’s delivered to you in the drive thru. You don’t even notice it.'"

So stick that in your liberal pipes and smoke it. Ha!

[TJustSaying]

01:58 PM on 03/07/2012

Tell you what. I am NO RUSH fan. The guy is sexiest, racists, and yes homophobic. He claims to disagree with homosexuality but but not only had one sing at his wedding, but mad some sick joke about how that man could sing at his weeding but better know his place. That was just elitest as you can get. There are legit reasons to be against homosexuality but no reason to be hypocritical and cruel. You can disagree without being a total asss.

That being said, the tax payer SHOULD NOT pay for your sex. You want sex, you can have it. But do not expect Joe the tax payer to pay for your fun under the sheets. I never thought we would be debating taxpayer funded sex. What's worse is silence of speech by trying to get someone fired. I never have liked Rush's speech but I will defend to the death his right to say it. This not Russia were we use itimidation and threats of being fired to get people to shut up. If all the churches went out trying to fire liberal commentators there would be outrage. That is the same outrage we should have when trying to fire Rush. Not cause we like what he says but the same tactics that silence him can be used to silence any of us.

[OneLiberalLady]

06:59 PM on 03/08/2012

Birth control is basic health care for women. Aside from the important contraceptive function, it regulates hormones, prevents rumors (fibroids) and acne, and has other benefits. It is basic health care. Of course it should be covered.
Please I form yourself!!!

[Manny Moeth]

07:57 PM on 03/08/2012

We shall "I form" ourselves. Thank you.

[American Patriot 747]

11:44 PM on 03/08/2012

There are plenty of things that could be considered "basic health care" for BOTH men AND women. Some people need ongoing antacids. Some need allergy medicines. Some need various skin creams for various reasons. Should EVERYTHING be free/covered/paid for by tax payers?!? Where should be stop? Or shouldn't we? How about condoms? Fluke didn't specify WHAT her choice of "contraceptive" is. Turns out she's one huge PHONY anyway! This was all just a stupid political ploy by the left. PATHETIC.

[Gin1234]

07:38 PM on 03/08/2012

If you are NORUSH fan, why are you suckingup everything he says? How exactly are taxpayers paying for people to have seex? Are you that freeeking gullible to respout all his words. No tax payers are involved. Secondly, you people are having a hard time understanding free speech. People cannot just say anything under free speech which, by the way, has to do with the government silencing someones speech not with the natural consequences that happen when someoneis just outcrass and irresponsible with what they say. In fact, he may well be sued forslander. He is not permitted to slander someone with his speech. He can say whatever he wants, and people also have the right to react to it within the law as they are doing. You aren't an admirer of RushLimbaugh mybehind.

[Freemanxyz]

12:40 PM on 03/07/2012

This Is a Load of Lib Fodder Rush is not losing national sponsers He got 3 new ones this week.
Keep trying to Silence Free speech losers. Regressives have nothing to offer.

[TJustSaying]

02:02 PM on 03/07/2012

Well we are on our way to Facism. Liberals are under the foolish assumption that they are the keepers of FREE speech. When you say something they find insulting it is their duty to silence you. Not defend their point of view, but get you fired. How afraid must they be to need to fire those that disagree with them?

[Smedley99]

04:58 PM on 03/08/2012

Seriously, are you paying attention? A private citizen testified before congress and was vilified by limbaugh....the whole point here is about trying to bully people into not speaking out. You are on the wrong side of the argument. I really hope you can see that?

[dem4theday]

02:19 PM on 03/07/2012

Who?

[Tmus82]

09:11 AM on 03/07/2012

Invest in Purde pharmaceutical! Rush tested and approved

[Kassi Novello]

11:52 AM on 03/06/2012

Let's not get complacent...he's had to do his 'apology tour' ...insincere at best....he is still on the air....keep up the pressure on those sponsors....

[TJustSaying]

02:02 PM on 03/07/2012

Yeah shut up those we fear. Good turn this into China. Let's have him locked up also.

[A Watcher]

11:21 PM on 03/09/2012

No one's asking for him to be locked up. He's entitled to free speech.

That doesn't mean we have to tolerate such words and should not suffer consequences for such language. Especially one who is running for office.

[Verheek]

02:07 PM on 03/07/2012

Forget it. Rush's listeners actually think about things. They are conservatives remember.

[A Watcher]

11:11 PM on 03/11/2012

If you were really thinking, you wouldn't be making excuses for his behavior. I doubt you'd feel this way if his insults were directed.at YOUR daughter, mother, sister or some other female close to you.

[Ann Annapolis]

09:23 PM on 03/05/2012

I think we should boycott the advertisers who pulled their ads from Rush's show.
Rush, you should never have apologized.

[Just a passerby]

06:44 AM on 03/06/2012

then go for it. You and all the other RW dullards can do that.

[rads48]

08:59 PM on 03/10/2012

According to reports..Sleep Train already re-considered and begged Limbaugh to take them back.

He turned them down.

Carbonites' stock, already near its annual low, has fallen another 12%.

When you mess with the bull..you get the horns.

[rwsmetros]

07:16 PM on 03/06/2012

Great idea! I will boycott those advertisers!

[beauone1]

09:15 PM on 03/05/2012

I will no longer do business with any companies that are sponsoring the Rush Limbaugh show!!! His words were so hateful and it's time he pays for his bad behavior. Sorry Rush, your apology over the weekend was weak and insincere! Take responsibility for once in your life for spreading despicable comments about a woman's concern. Rush who do you think you are???
I will tell every woman I know to stop shopping your advertisers...You seem to forget we are the buyers in our communities and you blew it this time!!!

From a Proud Soccer mom in Sacramento Ca!

[owswtf]

11:20 PM on 03/06/2012

Did you actually do business with any of those sponsors, or even listen to his show?

[beauone1]

11:52 AM on 03/09/2012

Yep

[Verheek]

02:10 PM on 03/07/2012

Do you even listen to the show or just let the liberal media tell you what to think?

[A Watcher]

06:48 PM on 03/09/2012

Maybe they just go by Rush's behavior and language. Maybe they believe such a thing shouldn't be tolerated by someone who is RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

[F7]

08:35 PM on 03/05/2012

I think Rush and the knoservatives are laboring under the illusion that this firestorm is coming from the political left.

This is coming from American women. As a happily married man for 30+ years, I will testify that while men may get angry, women never forget, and forgiveness comes at a price. I have a healthy respect for the power of womankind. This may never blow over for the drugster, he has tapped into a dynamic that no man wants to tap into!

[Jaimelee]

12:50 AM on 03/09/2012

Hell hath no fury.... Lol

[rads48]

09:06 PM on 03/10/2012

You insult most women if you think that most of them are so stupid that they don't realize that this is far, far more about trying to achieve a long held dream of the left...silencing Rush Limbaugh..then it was about the insult to Flake.

[A Watcher]

01:42 PM on 03/13/2012

Clearly, you have low standards if you would tolerate and defend this guy for throwing out such vulgar languahe. If he had the standards you seem to THINK he does, he would NEVER have said it.

[Clayton139]

07:28 PM on 03/05/2012

His choice of words were okay till, he come under fire from his advertisers !
His apology is NOT sincere ! It about the money !

Fire him !

[Manny Moeth]

07:57 PM on 03/08/2012

Hilarious. Firing him is like assuming Arianna has a bad relationship with AOL.

Burn.

[CaptainRenault]

03:42 PM on 03/05/2012

Bye bye to your slice of American Pie, Rushbo. You finally provided the needle to burst your own way overinflated balloon. Ciao!

^ ^

[Verheek]

02:11 PM on 03/07/2012

No sorry. He'll rise from the dead.

[American Patriot 747]

11:52 PM on 03/08/2012

Yeah keep tellin' yourself that, Captain. Glenn Beck is totally out of sight too. He's not doing ANYTHING. Just keep those eyes closed so you won't see. . you won't know. . . lol

[JasonTromm]

01:26 PM on 03/05/2012

All he has to do is sell more "Two if by Tea." No matter how many advertisers pull their ads, there will always be more waiting to buy air time. Limbaugh will never go of the air no matter what you liberals say.

[SofaKingKool]

01:51 PM on 03/05/2012

This "liberal" certainly hopes he never goes off the air. Keep running that pie-hole Tubby, you are our best argument!

[mutton]

02:55 PM on 03/05/2012

More conservative lunacy. Of course Rush will go off the air! It may not be because of advertisers pulling out, but everything that has a beginning has an end, and one day, Rush will go off the air.

[JasonTromm]

03:57 PM on 03/05/2012

You're right, Rush will eventually go off the air ... when he dies. Liberals will never be able to force him off the air.

[Hillel Rzepka]

01:07 PM on 03/05/2012

"Suspending" ads leaves room to reinstate them. Permanent cancellation seems better to me. Comments?

[Verheek]

02:13 PM on 03/07/2012

Sorry too many people agree with the show. Just not the loud mouths in the media. If you actually took the time to listen, you might get it rather than just reacting to a blip on the radar.