Rhodes Says Air America Breached Her Contract

When John McCain was asked if it were hypocritical of him to have appeared in a raunchy movie (Wedding Crashers) filled with gratuitous topless scenes after having criticized Hollywood for its marketing of such films, McCain joked: "In Washington, I work with boobs every day." With that carefree quip, McCain's critics were silenced, and the controversy was over before it got started. By contrast, McCain's ideological foes tend to create their own problems.

In a textbook example of "progressives" undermining their own agenda, Air America has suspended its star host Randi Rhodes for telling jokes that generated absolutely no controversy until the network -- two weeks after the now suddenly objectionable comments were made in a stand-up comedy performance -- decided to remove her, at least temporarily, from its airwaves.

At an appearance in San Francisco sponsored by Air America's local affiliate, Rhodes referred to Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro as "fucking whores." It's widely understood that this epithet, delivered in the context of a well-received comedic rant, is what prompted the suspension. But Air America's terse statement on the matter offers no explanation beyond declaring it "does not condone such abusive, ad hominem language by our Hosts."

It's not detectable at this point if Air America honchos believe Rhodes was somehow supposed to have known what she said is punishable. Also unknown is the duration of her suspension. According to New York Daily News reporter David Hinckley, the network is remaining silent for now to "gauge public reaction." How principled.

Ferraro has wasted no time calling for Rhodes to be fired. The former VP candidate told Fox News earlier today, "What did they do with Don Imus when he went after the young black team who was playing basketball with kind of the same language? Treat them both the same...She's coming at me and Hillary in a ... sexist way... To incite people with language like this young woman just did on radio is very, very dangerous because ... some people take this stuff so seriously that it can affect your security."

Understandably, Rhodes is stunned and angry. About her employers she told me: "They are in breach of my contract and have damaged my hard won excellent reputation in the broadcast industry..." Rhodes added she received thank you letters from representatives of Air America, the San Francisco affiliate and sponsors praising her for the performance that now has her in hot water.

Rhodes is scheduled to speak in New York on April 28 with former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter at an event sponsored by U.S. Tour of Duty, the nonprofit project I run. It is not yet clear if the popular host will be back to work for Air America by then -- or ever. At a critical moment in its evolution, the network has put itself in an untenable position. Ultimately, does Air America, or does it not, stand for free speech? At this moment, it clearly does not. That's not very progressive.

Follow Jeff Norman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/citizenjeff

Comments

[TheYoungDude]

How's the sayin' go? Meet the new boss same as the old boss. It's enough smear and double talk to make your head-spin. As a younger voter, I don't appreciate it. I support Obama because Dennis Kucinich has dropped out of the race. Since then he has appeared to me as the far more sincere candidate and has conducted himself in an intelligent, respectable manner, something I cannot say for Mrs. Clinton. And he scored big points with me for his historical speech on the nature of racism and how we must overcome it. I will no longer listen to any AAR if this is way management chooses to conduct itself. And although I may not always agree with everything RR says or the way she conducts herself all the time, I will continue to listen Randi wherever she chooses to go. Although the truth of many things may be offensive, I see nothing offensive in speaking the truth, and in fact believe it is a necessity, not just for our democracy to survive but our species and our planet as well. And I enjoy comedy.

[TheYoungDude]

Every day, trolls cruise popular discussion forums such as this. The propaganda machine is so thick that people apparently can't understand math, facts, evidence, and physics and apparently aren't smarter than a 5th grader, and the moral compass of normal Americans has been twisted to where we actually have a "strike first before the boogeyman gets you and ignore all human rights, world treaties, or conventions" philosophy. This type of blind zealotry or nationalism or partisanship is a recipe for disaster. Anyone that paid any attention in their 10th grade World History Class and has any sort of human decency should understand that. This latest act of censorship by what is supposedly our most progressive radio media outlet which is already dominated, I believe by 90%, by right-wing shills, just makes me sad, as do the Clinton trolls on here trying to spin this to their own advantage. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that HRC and GF are special interest whores or that the actions of her campaign and most of her avid supporters bear an uncanny resemblance to that of their Bush counterparts.

[TheYoungDude]

This whole thing makes me sick, almost as much as Clinton continuing to run and attempt to tear down Barack Obama and apparently the Democratic party as well, when she cannot mathematically overtake Obama. I feel the state of this country and this planet are on the cusp of disaster if we continue down this ridiculous road we've been on, where the news isn't news, but instead spin and projection, our elected leaders turn a blind eye to what's best for the public at large and become yes men (or whores) for their corporate handlers, politicians break the laws and betray the public without repercussions, and motives and evidence are grossly neglected by our media and oversight committees or blatantly ignored.

[reelcobra]

You may be a "young dude", but you have the sloganeering ability of the best stoned out 60's throwback. If you don't mind my saying... right on The Young Dude!

The shoutout to the "Clinton trolls" is nothing short of heroic, and the razor sharp bong induced "analysis" of talk radio should propell you to the front of the next Boycott China rally..

And the paranoid attitude is just right. You nailed the strength of the American "progressive".

I'll see you at the next Code Pink rally.

We can laugh together about how Obama's "race speech" covered up the anti-Semitic, ant-American sentiments of his 20 year "spiritual advisor".

[mediacritic]

AAR did NOT wait 2 weeks to take action as Norman claims.

The event was 3/30, AAR suspended Randi on 4/3. Why exaggerate? It diminishes credibility and then we have to be skeptical of everything else in the article.

[KingofAccuracy]

Jeff Norman responds...

mediacritic writes:

"AAR did NOT wait 2 weeks to take action as Norman claims.

The event was 3/30, AAR suspended Randi on 4/3. Why exaggerate? It diminishes credibility and then we have to be skeptical of everything else in the article."

As mediacritic could have easily verified, the event actually took place on March 22, 12 days before Randi was suspended. JN

[mediacritic]

You know, everyone likes to blather on about "freedom of speech." Does that mean that anyone can say anything they want anytime and not have to fear repercussions? Can I go to work and say "Hey fatass, I'd love to bang your wife." to my boss and expect no negative consequence because I have a right to free speech? Tourettes syndrome for everyone?

Even these comments we leave on huffpo have to be "approved". Get real people. We have a responsibility (particularly a broadcaster) to speak thoughtfully.

[mediacritic]

Personally, I saw the video and wanted to puke. It wasn't funny, informative, or persuasive. Was that supposed to make us see Obama in positive light? I don't know what the hell is going on with her.

It really bumms me out, though, because so many times she's made me proud by speaking truth to power with surgical precision, all backed up with incontestable fact. I realize she's a radio personality who's made a career of opining, but I seem to remember her being far more reasonable, polite, and patient a few years back. I've listened as she's kept a right-wing caller on the line for 5 - 10 minutes, speaking respectfully and truthfully until they ran out of fuel and had to admit she was making sense. This is the Randi I fell in love with. Lately she's been sounding like Hannity. It's fine that she likes Barack and makes no secret of it, but she's been very loose with the facts regarding HRC and that's not cool.
http://www.bartcop.com/137-randi-bu.mp3
The problem is, once a listener's trust is shaken, can it be restored? I don't care wether the host calls themselves "liberal" or not. I won't have smoke blown up my ass. We're not dittoheads out here.

Randi, I still love you. If you're back on the sauce, get help quick. You're brilliant and we need you healthy.

[texanna]

I got a chuckle when I read the quote from Randi regarding AirAmerica having ruined her hardwon reputation, because I mostly think she ruined it all by herself over the last few months. At first I was OK with her swoon over Sen. Obama, but then the comments regarding Sen. Clinton became increasingly more shrill to the point that they were really kind of offensive -- and I'm not even a supporter of Sen. Clinton. Since Super Tuesday I got in the habit of giving her a shot, but it usually didn't last more than about 10 minutes before she was off and running on an anti-Clinton rant and I would have to go back to NPR for some rational radio. You see, after all the dust on this primary has settled, Democrats are going to have to join hands and be one behind whoever gets into the general or we will not defeat the NeoCons. It's that simple, and railing at and insulting the other candidate is not going to make that process easy.

[Project4NuBostonTeaParty]

She has ruined her reputation all by herself, I agree. I had to stop listening to her completely about two months ago. Also, her screener doesn't let people who disagree with Randi on the air. All in all, she has deteriorated. Her best guests -- like Larry Johnson -- never appear anymore. I'd rather listen to Rush, because at least I know he's the enemy. Sam Seder should get her slot.

[mediacritic]

"I mostly think she ruined it all by herself over the last few months."

Right on. And it makes me so sad because she's brilliant. I think there's something self-destructive going on with her. I hope she works it through.

[hinnis]

What's good for the goose, is good for the gander, I guess. Obama wanted Imus fired for uttering a racially insensitive remark, although now that I think about it, he "changed" his tune when it came to the racist rants of his "mentor and spiritual adviser," Rev. Wright. So, which is it Obama supporters: Should we judge Randi Rhodes by the more stringent rules applied to Imus, or should we judge her by the very lax and almost non-existent standards applied to Rev. Wright?

[ProWarDem]

Like any progressive, only an army of pro-bono attorneys stands between them and reality.

[clbrune]

How do you figure the constitution protects her job?

It's like, say Don Imus said something racially charged on the air...hypothetically. Would his producer be obligated to stand by it?

Fact is, Rhodes was at an Air America event. It's on the job.

[prattvictory]

Anyone with an edge at Air America gets canned. Molloy, Maron, Seder and now Rhodes. Soon it will become the Lifetime Channel. Adios Air America. Hopefully Randi will join Nova M.

[Oregonian64]

I hope Randi sues them into the Stone Age if they keep this up. There is absolutely no parallel to Imus' gaffe which was a generalization loaded with racist/sexist connotations and aimed at a group of young ladies who did nothing but play basketball at an extremely high level. Randi referred to Hillary and Ferraro in a sarcastic way and didn't use the term "whore" to mean that they are sexually loose, etc. It was clear that she used the term to suggest that they are loose in an ethical way and the term could easily be applied to a males who engage in the same "I'll say and do anything to win an election" behavior.

[AustinPitbull]

She can sue - of course, would she have any chance of collecting? Or would she just join the line of creditors including Franken, Malloy, etc.?

I cancelled my premium membership in response to Air America's suspension of her... I'm waiting to see if they're going to be able to come up with the remaining $58.50 to give me a refund....

[BlueBerryPickN]

Clinton's Scorched Earth extortion & the Judgement of Solomon
http://thiscanadian.typepad.com/this_canadian/2008/03/clintons-scorch.html

How Clinton is holding the Democratic Party hostage in a power play that circumvents the Denver Convention.

"deal with my demands, or I'll slash & burn all the way to November!!"

~~~
Spread Love...
BlueBerry Pick'n
ThisCanadian com
~~~
"We, two, form a Multitude" ~ Ovid.
~~~
"Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"
"do no harm"

[Jander]

Yesterday it was the word "whore" folks took issue with.
Today it is "warmonger"

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 high on their list.

Bye-Bye First Ammendment.

[RedBarberian]

Great publicity for Randi and AirAmerica. Ofcourse she'll be back. Meanwhile, let's wish a happy 93rd to the great Lady Day. In case you don't know, she was the greatest singer of the American song book. She's resting in peace thanks to the generosity of Janis Joplin. If she were alive, she would dedicate her greatest song, "Fine and Mellow" to Obama. I will award a free Obama bumper sticker to the first one to post her real name.

[Gadrielle]

Billie Holiday. However, Obama's website is so out of most of the bumper stickers I want! What is up with those guys, I wonder. They're out of many things. You are right about "Fine and Mellow." Why can't WE just make it his theme song? Done.

[BlueBerryPickN]

The 'problem' was:

...1. offending CLINTON ( *gasp* )
...2. saying FUCK.

Censorship in American media? say it ain't so!!!

F*CK the documentary, & thoughts on censorship on an MLK anniversary...
http://thiscanadian.typepad.com/this_canadian/2008/04/fck-movie-docum.html

What is wrong with people who can't say “fuck”?
http://thiscanadian.typepad.com/this_canadian/2006/10/what_is_wrong_w.html

Literacy & "A Reformation of the Mind"
http://thiscanadian.typepad.com/this_canadian/2008/04/literacy-a-refo.html

~~~
Spread Love...
BlueBerry Pick'n
ThisCanadian com
~~~
"We, two, form a Multitude" ~ Ovid.
~~~
"Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"
"Do no harm"