MSNBC fires Savage after anti-gay remarks

Associated Press ^ | Jul. 7, 2003 01:00 PM

[sakic]

NEW YORK - MSNBC on Monday fired Michael Savage for anti-gay comments.

The popular radio talk show host who did a weekend TV show for the cable channel referred to an unidentified caller to his show Saturday as a "sodomite" and said he should "get AIDS and die."

[TomB]

Ahhh..the old trick of putting words into someone's mouth!

Ahh...the old trick of making a comment then running away from it!

If that is not what you meant, then explain what you did mean.

[rockfish59]

No, you tell me what you think I meant!

I'm not running at all. Matter of fact, I don't like joggers!

[rockfish59]

Good rubbish!

We have the cleanest dump in the county!

[TomB]

Since I have to spell it out, here is how the conversation went:

buffyt said: "God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of gay sex activites there, but Christ came to forgive and save us. Christ dined with prostitutes and tax collectors. We are supposed to behave like Christ. No I don't approve of sodomy, but I am not supposed to publically condemn these people."

to which I responded: "Exactly. He told them (i.e. the prostitutes and tax collectors) they were sinners and should repent, but he never wished death upon them (as Savage did with a homosexual)."

and then you snivel: "I wonder if Jesus watched as Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc. did their deeds?"

It seems pretty obvious to me, you are drawing a comparison.

[Lijahsbubbe]

I think we'll be okay. A little of Mike goes a long way!

[rockfish59]

Out of context....again!

I was just wondering if Jesus would forgive those mass murderers if they also 'repented?'
How would he explain that to the millions who died? Or do you think they would also forgive them?
And you say I compared gays to Nazi's!!!

How did you read that into my question??

Sniveled??

[TomB]

Out of context....again!

How on earth is it possible to take you out of context when I cut-and-pasted practically the entire conversation?

Yes, sniveled.

[sakic]

And if he had merely hung up on the caller I assume you would be calling him a wimp for not being able to take the heat that the caller was dishing out

You can assume whatever you want but if he had merely hung up, you and I and everyone else would not have known a thing. Savage brought this upon himself.

[.38sw]

Did you see this?

Michael Savage: The Week That Was. Interesting reading on the impact and future of local radio programming in light of the events of last week.

[Cyber Ninja]

Savage was suspended from KRLA in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

CB^)

[bmwcyle]

Bozell: Typical - Fire Svage but Not Offensive Liberals

L. Brent Bozell, director of the Media Research center, says in his latest column that MSNBC was right to fire Michael Savage for his comments on air the other day, but Bozell wonders why some liberal reporters/commnetators who made equally offensive statements were not canned?

His examples - liberals who wished death on, or maligned conservatives on their programs:


Big mouthed Julianne Malveaux, who wished death on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas: "You know, I hope his wife feeds him lots of eggs and butter and he dies early like many black men do, of heart disease.” Others on her show protested, but Malveaux didn’t back down. "Well, that’s how I feel. He is an absolutely reprehensible person.”
She was not fired by PBS. Big surprise.


Another NPR loudmouth, Nina Totenberg wished death on Sen. Jesse Helms and his family after he suggested AIDS research was overfunded compared to more common life-threatening diseases: "I think he ought to be worried about what’s going on in the Good Lord’s mind, because if there is retributive justice, he’ll get AIDS from a transfusion, or one of his grandchildren will get it.”
She was not reprimanded, nor fired, nor did she issue an apology. Shocker!


Liberal media bigshot Bryant Gumbel, after the appearance of conservative expert Robert Knight, said of him, "What a f**king idiot!" Bozell points out that the last two words, as in the Savage caller incident, were made inaudible, but the lip-reading was unmistakeable.
Bozelll says that MSNBC was merely experimenting with "cartoon conservatism" by airing the Savage show, but that does not excuse the lack of accountability when "liberal hate speech lights up the tube."

[F16Fighter]

"...[D]oes he [Savage] make people think about what truly is wrong with the present picture in America. Certainly, his huge audience suggests that he does--and there is a great deal wrong."

Agreed.

" Anyone who is so upset that an avowed 'Sodomite'--who was flaunting his perversion--would be insulted, that they are willing to pass up an asset in waking up thousands of Americans, is too foolish to be consulted in the formulation of strategy."

Again I concur.

These are the people who have already surrendered by sheer intimidation to accept at ALL costs the propagandae of "tolerance" set forth by liberal marxists and moral relativists to ultimately undermine America, and thus the World.

[Rummyfan]

Missed the show Saturday and this exchange. Savage was stupid to react the way he did. But this was just a bomb waiting to go off: in the second or third airing of the show, when discussing someone, he just about gave the one finger salute, then asked viewers to please ignore that!

Didn't MSNBC know who they were hiring? I like Savage because he is over the top sometimes.

[weegee]

This is a lengthy thread with some posters who are quite adamant that they are glad that Michael Savage is off of tv. Especially since they believe that he puts a bad face on conservatism.

If these people feel this way, I wonder why they aren't innundating the local stations that carry him on the radio to drop the show.

I know that G. Gordon Liddy was dropped in many markets after OKC (even though he was unconnected with that event) they believe in.

Maybe the cowards' way out is to grumble about him on a weblog rather than to provoke a real change.

[rockfish59]

Now you're dodging my questions.

Let's keep going til we get 1,000 hits on this thread!
I've got time!

[bootless]

Well, as of yesterday, Dusty Baker declined the opportunity to back pedal, and basically said, "Well, yeah, I meant it. What's your point?"

If MS could have said something like, "This guy p!$$ed me off royally, and I saw red and let the loser have it," I could respect that. "I didn't know I was on the air" breaks the laws of Broadcasting 101.

[bootless]

And if he had said, "I hope that asshole dies," we would be waking up each morning to President Gore.

Yes. And God forbid.

[weegee]

The prank caller has finally come forward: Savage Fired After Anti-Gay Remarks to Yolo County Man

[bootless]

You mean Mr. Weiner doesn't have a right to work at MSNBC?!

Looks like he doesn't. Unless the SAG/AFTRA (whoever) union forces them to carry him. Of course, we could all demand "living wage" laws and demand that the minimum wage be raised, and that rents be held low, no matter what, and fix the price of goods and services because it's not fair to operate in a free economy...

Oops. But that would make us Democrats.

[bootless]

I don't think that "niceness" "tolerance" etc. are really the points here. Where on the homepage of Free Republic does it say that we MUST like Savage? I participate in most of the talk show threads, having spent some time in the radio business. It's interesting to me, and I have my own tastes.

Some people LOVE Rush. I think he's OK, and has certainly done a great deal to pave the way for every other contemporary conservtive talker. For that, we owe him our thanks. Hannity has his huge fans, detractors, and in-between listeners. Same with every other talker who's got anything going.

But it is not a contradiction to be a strong conservative and Freeper, and STILL not like Savage. I listened to him for years, and ultimately wearied of his show. Does that make me a DU'er? No. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Do I agree that our borders are sieve-like, and should not be? Yes. Do I agree that California should turn into Mexico North? NO. Do I listen to the Savage Nation? Not any more. While the message may be worthwhile, I do not choose to spend my time listening to him, because there is so much "me, me, me" in there that the message becomes meager. I don't want to hear callers who are in agreement be cut off mid-sentence. That's my personal preference, and I would expect the same respect from you that I would give to you.

If you're a huge Savage fan, that's great. I will not insult you for it - as conservatives, we take responsibility for our choices and our actions. Being a Freeper does not require that I walk lockstep with Michael Savage or anyone else.