Dr. Laura’s Racist Rant: Why Is This Woman Still On The Air?
NEWS JUNKIE POST
Aug 12, 2010 at 7:01 pm
8/17 UPDATE: : Dr. Laura is pulling the plug on her own syndicated radio show.
Laura Schlessinger told Larry King Tuesday night that she’s ‘s ending her syndicated run at year’s end when her contract with TRN expires. Not sure if she’s saving face. She claims the network wants her to stay on, that even in the wake of the MMFA proposed sponsor boycott–with Motel 6 already dropping out and NetFlix, Home Depot and OnStar reportedly “distancing themselves from the show”–Schlessinger claims to have added unnamed sponsors and five new affiliates.
She’ll storm the Internet instead, saying her “First Amendment rights have been usurped by angry, hateful special interest groups.” I suggest you immerse yourself in a remedial course on The Constitution, Dr. Laura. Yeah, the First Amendment affords you the right to say what you want without fear of government recriminations. But it also gives other folks the right to criticize you. And it doesn’t prevent the free market place from taking its shekels and going home after you throw a racist cherry on top of decades’ worth of hateful diatribes.
Love it when the fright wingers re-interpret The Constitution for their convenience. Doubt she’ll study up. It’ll be easier to just teach a course on the First Amendment at Beck U.
UPDATE: On Friday, Media Matters For America called for all advertisers to pull out of “The Dr. Laura Show.” In a statement, MMFA President Eric Burns said:
“Dr. Laura’s offensive outburst provided listeners with a window into her true beliefs about race in America. By deliberately choosing to sponsor her program, Dr. Laura’s advertisers are not only funding her offensive radio show, but are implicitly endorsing its content. Companies must demonstrate that they won’t tolerate bigotry and immediately stop advertising on her show.”
Major companies who recently purchased ad time on the “Dr. Laura Show” include: Pfizer, Chase Bank, Netflix, Motel 6 and Home Depot. Find out more about the proposed boycott on the MMFA website .
Okay, I admit it, I’m officially out of the loop. My radio success–vexed by bad luck, a few dubious career decisions and the usual corporate nonsense– has yet to rise to the level of my talent or aspirations. So maybe I can get a little “hypersensitive,” as Dr. Laura Schlesinger likes to say, when a big-bucks bloviator launches into a signature diatribe that defies her laudable, high-profile stint behind the mic.
On her syndicated radio show on Tuesday a caller phoned in for advice coping with racially charged comments from her husband and his friends. Listen to the first part of that exchange:
Wow! I’m not sure why people call Dr. Laura for advice on anything. This judgemental shrew–who, by the way, holds a doctorate in Physiology, not Psychology–often derides the very people she’s ostensibly trying to help. Friends who are ( or were) fans, tell me she’s imparting tough love. Maybe, but her finger-wagging can be irresponsible and abrasive. Still, it’s obvious enough folks are buying the act; she’s been scolding America for decades.
But to be so culturally tone deaf, to toss around the “N Word” with such cavalier impunity, is startling, even for a conservative hack. It’s hard to believe the caller, Jade, hung on, sitting out a commercial break, just to endure more of the piercing doctor’s toxic treatment, but she did. Listen to the rest of the now infamous rant:
“Don’t NAACP me?” Are you kidding, Dr. Laura. After she spews a rat-a-tat-tat litany of the “N Word” and the woman calls her on it, she has the audacity to invoke what she calls “Black Think” while defending her right to use the inflammatory slur by saying Black comics use it all the time on HBO. Yeah, right there’s no difference between an edgy African-American comedian using such language and a conservative, white radio crone justifying prejudice by pretending she’s opening up a national dialogue on racial insensitivity. Well, she, inadvertently did just that, by being incredibly insensitive.
“I really thought once we had a black president the attempt to demonize whites hating blacks would stop, but it seems to have grown.” Well, whites who hate blacks ( and vice-versa) should be demonized, but I assume she misspoke. She probably meant people would stop all that pesky talk about the inherent racism that –with or without a black man in the White House– remains our national albatross. Didn’t she just say we have to talk about it because “goodness, gracious me,” we’re all people?
The trouble with Dr. Laura Think is an assumption that she’s coming at every topic and every person from a grand perch from which she can wield her conservative agenda, telling people to eradicate the chips on their shoulders immediately if not sooner and ignore the hypersensitive “isms” that are cultivated by angry black activists scrambling for power. All of this justifies Dr. Laura spewing a racially charged slur that anyone who’s been in this country for a fraction of the time she’s been alive knows is infused with over a century’s worth of discrimination and violence. To throw it around with such reckless abandon is shocking. To do so under the guise of initiating a meaningful, even healing, discussion is appalling.
Now to be fair, Dr. Laura apologized on both her blog and the next day’s show. You can read her apology here. By the way, this isn’t the first time she’s gone down the road of PR sanctioned Mea Culpas. Most recently she’s apologized to the gay community for outrageous remarks on same-sex marriage.
I’ve done countless hours of live radio and know it’s easy to get swept up in the moment. Sometimes you say things that come out wrong. I’ve had calls or interviews that didn’t go so well. What I thought was funny may have come off as snark and offended a listener or guest. It happens. And I almost always regret it ( some folks have it coming). But I’ve never intentionally or unintentionally uttered a racial slur.
The level of Dr. Laura’s insensitivity during this interchange was inexcusable. I’m not sure how it will fly with the FCC. The “N Word” is so charged it is usually bleeped over broadcast airwaves. Perhaps her staff was too intimidated to utilize the traditional seven second delay on their boss. In any case, this wasn’t a slip of the tongue. It was –as she states–her attempt to make a philosophical argument. And to use her pathetic vernacular it was a”sucky” one at that.
She knows it didn’t work. And vows it will never happen again. Too little too late? I guess that will up to her listeners and advertisers to decide.
Please follow Amy Beth Arkawy on Twitter. You can also read her other News Junkie Post articles.
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Schlessinger received a bachelor’s degree from Stony Brook University and a Ph.D. in physiology from Columbia University in 1974. Her doctoral thesis was on the “Effects of Insulin on 3-0-Methylglucose Transport in Isolated Rat Adipocytes”.[8][9]
She is qualified to have an opinion on Rat Adipocytes. That is all.
Do you have a PH.D. in anything? If not, you are not qualified to have any opinions.
He is talking about Dr. Laura’s qualifications; not his own.
Further…an opinion on something is much different that dispensing unqualified advice that someone may act on.
Yes…I do have a Ph.D.,
It’s a logic train.
She claims you are only qualified to have opinions on subjects that you have written a doctoral thesis about.
Therefore, unless she completed a thesis on the subject of opinion qualification, she is unqualified to post her opinion that Dr. Laura is unqualified to have opinions on any subject except Rat Adipocytes.
QED?
Go try to be clever on the net…
Pingback:
Almost from the start, Dr. Laura generalizes African-Americans. It’s SO wrong on SO many fronts that I can’t fit it all in this space. The idea that Barack Obama was elected primarily (sic?) on race is the tip of the iceberg & it doesn’t get any better. For anyone to sit where she does and dispense this nonsense takes accomplishments the African-American community has made and pushes them down.
You’re kidding, right? Did you even listen to what she said? It wasn’t remotely close to being a racist rant.
I agree that she’s abrasive. She’s also very condescending. But you cannot possibly construe what she said as being racist. What she said is actually 100% factual. Black comedians constantly use the N-word. You hear blacks using it in conversations, music, movies, and videos. She was just pointing out the obvious.
This is nothing more than you trying to grab a headline. Dr. Laura did nothing wrong other than cave in to pressure and apologize for something that shouldn’t warrant an apology.
To quote my favorite video blogger, J Smooth, Dr. Laura may not be racist, but what she said..definitely racist. The argument about black folks using the n-word is a specious one. It’s not ok for ANYONE to use that word. You know, the whole two wrongs don’t make a right thing.
Dr. Laura should apologize for using that hateful word over and over. Period. And her advice? Horrible. Black folks aren’t a monolith, and the caller is not required to make a statement ro anyone about anything on behalf of all black people. That’s just crazy.
If it’s not OK for anyone to use that word, why don’t we write articles every time a famous person uses it. In fact, the author claims that there is a self-evident difference
“between an edgy African-American comedian using such language and a conservative, white radio crone justifying prejudice”
She seems “biased” against the elderly. Remember how we have persecuted elderly women for centuries as witches. The word crone carries all that baggage with it…
There have been quite a few articles covering when famous people have used the word in malice. Again, it’s absolutely not acceptable to use the word in any situation. The actions of a few (entertainers, rappers, etc.) does not mean that ALL black folks use the word in the course of normal conversation. It’s just not true.
Are you serious? She didn’t even listen to what the woman was really saying. Her overall generalization was racist, and if your lack of understanding is indicative the same of the insensitivity displayed by “Dr” Laura.
I agree. She wasn’t really interested in helping this woman with her marital problem. Laura just focused on the race issue. If you take the race issue out of the equation, the problem was about this woman’s husband NOT putting her ahead of his friends, about NOT sticking up and protecting his wife. All these little hurts has added up to resentment and that has to be effecting her marriage. Why was Dr. Laura even concentrating on the race element (discussing Barack Obama) when the woman was seeking help with her husband?!
Scott in Lndy, of course, I am tired of people trying to tell African Americans what should offend them. You can not tell another race what constitutes a racist remark. Yes, Dr Laura should apologize for even saying the word, and thinking she was in a position to say it. Yes Scott, blacks should not say it either, but You and Dr Laura DEFINITELY can’t say it. Okay Scott from Indy.
Laura is a racist
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Ok. I’m a 30-year-old Black woman. It seems like everybody is getting way off track here. First, I wish people would stop with the generalizations. Apparently, this is hard to believe, but not all Blacks are alike! I do not call other Blacks the N-word…it’s stupid! But I didn’t always feel this way.
Life is about living, making mistakes and learning from them. When I did use the N-word, I was a kid in high school. But as I got older, I nixed the term from my personal dictionary simply because it no longer felt acceptable for me to use it. Some people just have to grow up! How many times have I heard young kids (of all colors) calling each other b*tch, ho, slut, etc.? All I can do is shake my head. They don’t know how ridiculous they sound…hopefully that will change.
Now, lemme say this: it’s true that you have grown and older Black people who still call each other n*gger. And there’s nothing I can do about that. Some people just don’t change. All I can do is work on myself and be a positive influence over the people in my reach.
As for Dr. Laura…I was not offended when she used the N-word. It’s not like she said, “Look here you n*gger,” or “N*gger please!” She just said the word. It’s everything else she said that ticks me off. The caller came to Dr. Laura for help and an unbiased opinion…not to spar verbally! How should this woman act when her neighbor’s always like, “So Jade (the caller), how do you Blacks do things over in African Booty-Scratcherville?” What the hell?
Laura had better be glad I’m not a god or something, ’cause I’d release the Kraken on her @ss…and yes, Black people know about Zeus, the Kraken, etc.!
I wanted to agree with this woman and I clicked no the wrong button. I am not a black woman but what I found most offensive of this exchange was that Dr. Laura was NOT HELPING the caller with her problem. Dr. Laura had some other personal agenda and that had little to do with what the caller Jade needed or was seeking.
I would never use the word in question. Not sure if Dr. Laura meant it in a racist way as she was using it as an example BUT she did not address the racism that Jade was facing from her neighbors, family and husband’s friends. And her comment about how if a person is hyper-sensitive and has little sense of humor then they shouldn’t enter into a mixed race marriage–I found that to be incredibly insensitive and NOT helpful or sympathetic to her listener. That I think is a big issue here. As a supposed counselor she should be able to be open to all people–listen to the problem they are having and help guide them to a solution–not berate them and lecture them on a topic that is tenuously connected, at best!
Wow, Jade has the patience of a saint, and she really held her own with Dr. Laura, which is why Dr. Laura hung up on her. I will never listen to her again. There is something really wrong with that woman.
I have no problem with people using the N word to discuss a subject. My problem with Dr. Laura is her judgemental attitude. She acts like every woman who has had sex before marriage is a “shack up whore” and every married woman with children is a bum if they work outside of the home. Welcome to the 21st Century! Most of us mortals have had sex tons of times before we got married and I know very few families who can afford to have a roof over their head without two paychecks. Who died and left her boss? Its easy to be a millionaire radio show host and criticize average Joes. Rush Limbaugh does it every day. I listen to her when I am traveling at night. Sometimes I get some real laughs.
No one thinks they themselves are a racist. It should be a pretty big clue though if you find yourself agreeing with LS on issues of race. “Black think” is about as racist as it gets.
And why do white people want to use the N-word? It makes total sense to me that black comics can use the word and white people cant. In the latter it is potentially hurtful, in the former it is not. If you are white you shouldnt want to use it and risk being hurtful or associating yourself with racists, and you should not play dumb pretending you dont get why it could be different coming from someone highly unlikely to be hurtful or assumed to be a racist, like say, Chris Rock. It’s a legitimate argument to say even Chris Rock shouldn’t use it, but hey white guys, arguing you should be able to say it or telling black people they cant doesnt help your case of not wanting to be the racial bad guys all the time – it makes you look racist.
Dr. Laura is messed up. Why does anyone listen to her anymore? She is disgusting. Her face has grown old in a mean, nasty, hateful expression that pretty much says it all. Because she speaks clearly doesn’t mean she makes any sense. She is awful and I love the way she continues to try to force her opinions down everyones throat on this issue. I think she is a bigot and she wants to be left alone with her opinions. Don’t challenge her or she cuts you off! People should not allow her on the air, she’s obviously in need of a visit to some doctor’s couch.
Amy Beth Arkawy, is your stupidity intentional or unintentional? Nothing about Dr. Laura’s discussion was racist–it was a frank debate over a word. You can’t even remotely suggest that it’s racist for Dr. Laura to point out how black comedians use the N-word ad nauseum and how some people are hyper-sensitive about race.
Finally, as for your first sentence “My radio success–vexed by bad luck and the usual corporate nonsense– has yet to rise to the level of my talent or aspirations. ” There’s not bad luck or corporate nonsense about it–you’re just dumb. Dullards are better suited to careers in factories than intellectual careers on radio. No wonder I’ve never heard of you.
I HAVE listened to Amy Beth Arkawy on two or three stations. And she is an astute communicator who makes smart, often funny observations about both the political carnival and an array of other topics. She’s certainly among the best interviewers I’ve ever heard–asking sharp questions, balanced with a generous spirit. This woman doesn’t engage in the gotcha nonsense or race baiting that’s so rampant on the radio these days. And I don’t think I’ve ever heard her hang up on a caller she disagreed with. She had a very popular show in a very republican town because she let everyone have their say and engaged in a respectful and lively exchange.
That, I suspect, is why she isn’t more successful. She outclasses all those “intellectual” heavyweights you seem to admire like Dr. Laura, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. You haven’t heard her? That’s your loss!
As for Dr. Laura’s rant: the “N word” is totally inappropriate and she knows it. But her racism is far more pervasive–did you miss her disgust at people whining over racism now that we have a black president? Or congratulating herself on playing basketball with her black bodyguard? Stop fretting over Ms. Arkawy’s intellectual prowess and re-educate yourself!
Thankfully,I have also been lucky enough to listen to Amy Beth on the radio and would still be an active listener if her station didn’t become automated–like so much of our cookie cutter world–it is cheaper and more profitable to sound like every other radio station through syndicated shows than to have individual talent filling the airwaves. Amy Beth’s intelligence should not be in question here. ANY intelligent person knows how to have a difference of opinion without resorting to just insulting the person. So basically Janelle you can disagree with anyone you want, just support it with facts rather than unsupported insults. That just makes YOU look like a dullard and weakens your opinion.
Thanks, Tom & Shana. It’s always great to hear from radio fans. I appreciate your very kind words!
Janelle, when people toss aroround personal pot shots they usually bring the flimsiest argument to the conversation. That is, unfortunately, where you find yourself.
To suggest Dr. Laura was initiating “a frank debate about about a word” is either ignorant or dishonest. The word in question is far too loaded to to spew with abandon–she dropped the “N” Bomb 11 times in under 5 minutes. That she wasn’t directing it at anyone is irrelevant. Dr. Laura knows ithe “N’ word is infused with a painful history of violence and discrimination. And you should, too. If not, please do some research.
I’d also suggest you listen to the rant again. Racism is pervasive throughout. Dripping contempt, Dr Laura chides people who dare whine about racism in the wake of Barack Obama’s election. This is outrageous! Having a black president is not a wand that magically erases our national heritage of racism, discrimination and racial violence. Nor does it eradicate the residual prejudice and inequality that obviously still exists today.
She banishes the caller after she detects a “chip on her shoulder,labeling her “hypersensitive”, and humorless. Then she adds that folks without a sense of humor should avoid inter-racial marriages. Of course, she was too busy berating the woman and wandering off into her angry, conservative agenda to ever address the crux of the caller’s problem. Not exactly helpful.
Along the way, she tells us she plays basketball with her black bodyguard–her version of the old “some of my best friends are black” cliche. She’s just another self-satisfied white person convincing herself she’s hip because she hangs out with “the help.”
Laura’s whole diatribe would be laughable, if it wasn’t so offensive.
By the way, Janelle, should you ever happen to call in a show I’m hosting, I promise to afford you more respect than Dr. Laura showed Jade.
Amy, your analysis is spot on! I wasn’t aware of your radio show before now, but I’ll definitely be listen in the future. Cheers!
Why must someone always come along and make a big ole “Black Thang” out of it??
Yug
www.privacy.shop.tc
The stupidest remark I heard from Dr. Laura, which I have heard from many conservatives by the way, was that all blacks voted for Obama. The implication is that blacks voted for Obama because he is “half black” to use her phrase. That is asinine. Blacks voted for Obama because he is a Democrat. Try having an African-American Republican run for office and see how many African-Americans would vote him/her.
African-Americans generally support the Democratic Party. Look at the percentage of the African-American vote that Bill Clinton received. There is absolutely no different than what Barack Obama received.
Some of Obama’s harshest critics during the Democratic primary were African-Americans. I wouldn’t repeat some of their comments which had nothing to do with his policy or platform.
So can we say that all African-Americans voted for Clinton because they thought he was black.
OK, let’s start banning words. Where would you like to start. How about we start with the word Nazi. This word brings great pain to many millions of people. So from today on no one is authorized (except under certain conditions set by a panel of experts) to use the word Nazi. So some places would not be calll ________ concentration camps but instead would be called extreme right wing camps. If you get caught calling them Nazi concnentattion camps you will be fined $1,0000 and court costs. Get a grip, you cannot control free speech.
It is quiet apparent that Doctor Laura, became involved in a radical racist Organization which places race and birth-right on “Who is a Jew” threw birth Mother as of importance.
Humans are humans either it be father or mother born rights.
Race should never be a part of judgment and doctor Laura, became radicalized with her new racist training and tried to impose those racist ideologies upon Americans.
The reason she did not finish the show she slipped with her racist convert training and had to arrange a cover up to try and smooth it over to the public.
Any human who uses race and not marring out side of race is the same as the Nuremberg Laws and Hitler.
Dr. Larua, supports “Senators and Congress” who race investigate and force American tax payers work like slaves to give our taxes to build religious institutions she supports.
Senator Harry Reid violates The First Amendment Clause and forces Americans to mix religion and States.
Nevada Appropriations Requests (2010)
Harry Reid. Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee …. Senator Reid’s, requests are based on the Nevada State Transportation Improvement …… Chabad of Southern Nevada, a non-profit religious Organization, 501(c)(3) educational and social …
reid.senate.gov/appropriations_requests_2010.cfm – Cached
Suprem Court of Nevada Church liability at issue in abuse suit – Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 …
Jan 13, 2010 … At the center of the Nevada case is a sex victim who came close to death and was racially blood investigation and forced to pay for those race investigations who filed a lawsuit in District Court in Clark County in 2003 against Chabad of Southern Nevada …
www.lasvegassun.com/…/church-liability-issue-abuse-suit/ – Cached – Similar
I am so happy opinions of people like the one (she looks like a jealous loser who couldn’t even so much as “hack it” much less have a valid opinion of someone so much more successful than her) who wrote this article are pretty much impotent now a days. Listen to yourself, who besides uneducated radicalized people would take you seriously? Yeah, Dr. Laura is right, there is a WHOLE ARMY of hypersensitive morons out there they need to be called out. I applaud Dr. Laura and I hope conservatives, which WAY outnumber these hypersensitive flaky dingbats will support these organizations. Chase hmmm, good, I bank with Chase and I think I’ll open a few more accounts. Will add my business account to their bank. Go get a job and learn how to work. losers.
Go Dr. Laura!!!
LOL, Bob. Yeah, from the photo it looks like Amy Beth would want to look like Dr, Laura.
According to you, no one who is less successful has a right to offer an opinion on someone who is more successful. Going along with that inane idea: you have no business offering an opinion on Ms. Arkawy’s opinion. She clearly writes cartwheels around you!
You’re just blowing insulting smoke because you don’t have anything of substance to add. Dr. Laura is a RACIST. If you can’t see that, so are you.
As an interracial dating expert, I thought Dr. Laura’s comments were beyond insensitive, not just the N-word rant, but that is it was so misplaced. This was not a conversation about being PC or even racist, it was a woman with a real marital problem that was reaching out for advice, which is really hard for most people and instead of really listening and helping her with her problem Dr. Laura uses Jade to put forth her own agenda. Dr. Laura when it becomes more about ratings than helping people I think its time to hang up your microphone and do something else. People call relationship experts to be heard and for understanding, Dr. Laura offered this woman neither.
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Dr. Laura is a racist and the caller just brought it out of her. She is pothetic and what is done in the dark will come to light. She just got exsposed for who she really is, and I’m glad. A great way to end your career Doc. To be remembered as a racist.