STATEMENT OF CHARLIE KIREKER, CHAIR & MARK GREEN, PRESIDENT, FOR AIR AMERICA MEDIA
By Tim Einenkel
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. We will soon announce exciting new talent and programming that will accelerate Air America’s growth in the future.
Rhodes had been suspended from broadcasting for making remarks like these, reported by RawStory:
""What a whore Geraldine Ferraro is! She's such a fucking whore!" Rhodes remarked. "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!'
John Scott, PD of Clear Channel talk KKGN/San Francisco says, "it will be our pleasure to announce the return of Randi Rhodes to the Green 960 family."
Randi's a tough gal. She'll land on her feet.
The comments after the Air America are mixed. Some say they'll stop listening because she's gone. Others say good riddance.
Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology. See more of his articles here and, older ones, here.
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Air America is a pathetic joke. I heard Mark Green agree with John Conyers that nothing is more important than the Democrats winning the election in November.
Mike Malloy said on the radio last week that Air America owes him more than $100,000.
by
Ty Shlackman (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 583 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 3:42:16 PM
AAR has flaws, but currently they're doing a lot of good work. There's certainly room for more progressive radio, but I'm happy they exist. I'm disappointed about Randi and think they made a mistake there. But we don't know all the details. Mike's a great guy. It was a mistake to get rid of him too. The debt to him was incurred under old management, but I'm sure the debt is still legit under the current management.
Bottom line-- I'd much rather have a flawed AAR than no AAR.
by
Rob Kall (728 articles, 3775 quicklinks, 311 diaries, 1520 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 3:46:13 PM
If I had known that a media license in the 21st century would be permission to fill the heads of the masses with the garbage from my own personal agenda without concern for truth telling or fear of reprisal, I would already be "the decider". Don't believe anything from the MSM... and that now includes Air America.
I cannot agree with your sentiments, Rob. A flawed MSM is better than none at all? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
by
Digitboy (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 19 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 5:07:06 PM
I think everyone of us have felt the excruciating humiliation and sadness at the pace of progress in America. People just don't get how far gone our country is and they act and speak like morons. It is as if telling the truth about American corporatism is just too much for people to hear. Randi Rhodes was a teller and she just wore out. There are not enough words in English to intensify a thought gracefully, and soon you find yourself swearing. There are plenty of "social community" liberal and progressive websites where foul language is accepted for what it is--frustration at the audience for being so utterly dense.
I am sorry to see Randi Rhodes go, but she will be back at a better pulpit with better ideas on how to teach progress and liberal thinking.
JB
by
James Brett (79 articles, 95 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 75 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 3:50:26 PM
I found Randi's show to be a little bit tedious, but she is right about Ferraro, she's dead right about Hillary (LOVE the "Read the fine print, asshole" comment) and she's right to leave the faux-progressive cabal at Air America. That she was suspended for making a comment, any comment, during an off-air stand-up comedy routine tells us more about the AAR management and its commitment to the DLC than we could ever learn through mere commentary.
After all, these are the morons who canceled Mike Malloy's show (owing him over $100,000), and Morning Sedition, the funniest scalpel ever to flay the Christofascist Zombie Brigade. A pox upon Mark Green, Air "America" and the brain-dead legions of thin-skinned utopian Hillary Whores with no sense of humor.
by
JonmarkP (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 59 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 3:59:53 PM
Randi has been quite shrill and even abusive to her guests over the last few months, and it is probably a level of burn-out.
A change of location and responsibilities might be really good for her.
As far as "Progressive Media" goes, I don't think that advertising-supported broadcast can EVER meet the needs of progressives, especially anti-corporate progressives -- it's just inherently oxymoronic to believe that they can get the necessary corporate-supported advertising while they deliver an essentially anti-corporate message.
The Internet is the future of progressive speech, but we will need to move to a funded-content model that forces people to actually acknowledge the value they get from progressive websites.
People are going to have to start SUPPORTING the websites that deliver for them day-in and day-out, rather than simply buying products that are advertised. It's an investment in our own education and information, and it's an absolute STAPLE, not a luxury.
The most important thing is NOT that Democrats win the election in November, it's that there IS an election in November.
by
Charlie L (2 articles, 2 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 614 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 4:06:22 PM
Some "highlights" from the Mike Malloy show: He has said the founder of the Blogs For Bush website should get the crap kicked out of him. that Matt Drudge should be hung from a tree, that some members of the Bush administration should be drowned. He also said he has had "violent fantasies" about Dana Perrino.
Great guy?
Beween Mike Malloy and Randi "Kill Bush" Rhodes, Air America and Nova M has no right to lecture conservatives or anybody else about "hate radio".
by
Scott (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 394 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 4:19:20 PM
I'm sorry to hear that Mike said any of the neo-Nazis (why "neo"? They are simply Nazis.) and genuine war criminals in this administration should be hung. They should be hanged.
JP
by
JonmarkP (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 59 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 5:13:38 PM
I think she deserved better. In many ways I think she was a casualty of the incredibly stupid and banal political process. Other nations get their campaigns and elections over in a month. We have to bathe the media in campaign money for years. I wish her well and I will be listening for her of course. My 90 year old father will miss "Gravel Gertie" as well.
by
John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 859 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 4:21:24 PM
Even Sam Seder got into the fray by telling Lauren that if she plays more of the sound effects, he'll suspend her. But the suspension IMHO was a joke within itself. the number one host on prog radio is gone and there is that void. Is the left so sensitive that by calling Hillary a "fucking whore" is worthy of suspension? Apparently so. What we on the left should not do is banish every little sin but confront it head on. What should of happen was, Hillary should have gone to AAR's studio, confront Randi and and tell her that she was hurt by her comments. Then from there, figure out why a fellow lefty is calling her a "fucking whore".
Sweeping it under the proverbial rug will not accomplish anything, but show how divided the left is. Did what Randi said was wrong? It's not nice, it was funny, but hindsight being 20/20, I have no feelings or emotions. I am of Asian ancestry, specifically Japanese, and if someone I know called me a Jap, I would laugh. If I were the presidential candidate and Randi called me a "fucking Jap" and she left, I would have gone on to AAR, laughed and ask why she was calling me that? I would ask, Hillary. Then I would go to Mark Green and tell him to bring back Randi, pay her for lost wages and get her back on the air. She is an asset. Not allow her to quit and further divide the people up. That defeats the purpose of the left's unity. And as for Geraldine Ferraro calling Randi sexist...am I a racist if I call myself a Jap being that I am of Japanese ancestry? Uh, no. So by calling Hillary and Ferraro "fucking whores" a sexist term? No. So get off your high-horse Ms. Bilderbergs
by
T H (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 8 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 4:48:26 PM
Am I being an "ist" practicing an "ism?" Actually, who is Ms. Rhodes that she commands so much blogging time? Oh, it's the principle of the thing...I see.
What principle? That it's okay to shout obsenities in public? Or it is okay to shout them in certain venues as long as you don't insult public figures in public? Or that it's a matter of First Amendment rights?
Lots of good points made above. I like the one articulating that commercial radio is not theoretically progressive radio as it is a contradiction in economics. True.
But it's all we have for the most part; we are a capitalistic system. Democracy is a political construct; capitalism is an economic philosophy; Christianity is a religious belief. And yet they all manage to squeeze into our little American box. Somehow, they compromise their core dogmas and tolerate one another; it is when one becomes demonstratably dominant that the whole house falls apart. We are approaching critical mass right now.
But, getting back to the topic at hand--Randi? I've a sneaking suspicion she did her little gig deliberately knowing it would play well in liberal San Francisco, knew it would jump-start her new career move; the rumor is her contract was up at AAR soon and she seized the opportunity to rachet up her selling points. She may be silly and shallow, but she's no fool. The sudden leap from the Clinton camp into Obama territory is pretty self-evident. I watched her transition, or rather listened, as she carefully laid the groundwork for the Barack endorsement.
I am not saying she is evil, just opportunistic--like her new political attachment, Senator Obama. I am sure with her survival instincts so highly honed, she will do well. I smile, however, musing: if Hillary is president, Randi will have to spend the next four years eating crow or turn coat and bash a Democratic administration. Perhaps, as Arrianna Huffington did so successfully, she will simply change parties.
by
Marilyn Frith (6 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 191 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 6:05:55 PM
Randi got caught in her own whorish behavior, opportunistically moving to Obama when she figured he had the nomination tied up and all her "liberal" listeners seemed to be adoring and fawning over their new Savior. Now he doesn't look so good, and people like Randi are blaming Hillary for his downfall. Randi's an offensive dork. Since the beginning, she just craps on people, and hides behind a liberal facade to do it. I've tried to listen to her, but I can't stand her blatant, adolescent egotism. It's all about Randi, and what a big brain, and how popular, and what a genius she is. In truth, she's a radio jock, with a mediocre intellect. She can curse women that have achieved greatness, but she'll never equal them.
by
johncp (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 14 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 6:59:15 PM
...I love the Left for that very reason -- we have our own damn side and you ain't on it, compadre!
It's easy to divide and conquer a herd of cats.
AAR had a clause in her inherited contract, according to Randi, that said she couldn't be terminated. This was all about getting a leash on Randi and reining her in for the sake of Billary's campaign.
They're fighting HARD to win and, since this really isn't America, or a democracy, anymore, Obama is far from a cinch nominee. But the reason WHY Billary is fighting hard is because they don't want to be caught holding the bag for the Bushies...they want their Presidential records sealed, too. Once those records get released, the conspiracy to commit false flag terror on numerous occasions around the world will become evident.
We KNOW that Bushco has been doing this all along, but we can find EVIDENCE against Billary. And that, me friends, is WHY Billary is willing to flush their political careers down the toilet. When someone LOOKS like they are fighting for their very life, it's usually because they are.
I'm much more concerned with Obama's paranoia in California. Things are murky and I, for one, want some answers. It's getting spun stinky way too fast. We need some facts, not a bunch of slanted rhetoric.
We'll save the slanted rhetoric for when Randi grabs the mic at NovaM where I am *proud* to be a Founding Member. She'll probably still be a closet racist then -- and I'll verbally spank her to the bank -- but my thinking is that Malloy will take her aside and 'splain what I've been talking about with respect to the Obaminator.
But if all he did was go nuclear and blast delegates based on unfounded rumors -- that's not the Obama I thought I was supporting.
California, as an economic and political force, needs to be respected before, during and after any election. As California goes, so goes the country. Economic and political trends tend to start on the west coast and move east.
Good luck to Randi and NovaM!! Now let's get crackin' on this delegate deal...BACK TO WORK, Slackers!
by
Richard Volaar (15 articles, 0 quicklinks, 57 diaries, 217 comments)
on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 9:15:51 PM
