Station nixes 'Savage Nation' over Autism Comments

[Kire]

Source: Clarionledger.com - Mississippi's #1 Web Site

Station nixes 'Savage Nation'
Radio host called autism a 'fraud, a racket'
Gary Pettus • [e-mail] • July 22, 2008

Super Talk Mississippi radio network has canceled The Savage Nation because of comments syndicated host Michael Savage made about autistic children last week.

Steve Davenport, president and CEO of Super Talk's parent company Telesouth Communications, confirmed The Savage Nation had been dropped from the network's lineup as of Monday.

"It was just horrible what he said," Davenport said Monday.

"When you talk about people in politics, business people, that's one thing. But when you talk about defenseless children, that's another."

Savage, a controversial conservative commentator, said during the July 16 broadcast of his show that autism is a "fraud, a racket. ...

Read more: http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080722/NEWS/807220363/1001/news

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This is encouraging.

[Lasher]

1. I hope this is just the beginning.

That was way out of line.

[Skittles]

3. there's a line, and there's over the line and there's way over the line

this is beyond even that - it is inhumane

[pattmarty]

49. The trouble is that all these conservative "commentators" go.....

.........over the fucking line every damn day and no one in the MSM blinks an eye or gives a shit. It does look like that this may be changing and I hope to hell it is.

[Odious justice]

147. Inhumane? It's the essence of humanity.

The ability to be cruel. There is no cruelty in nature.

[NobleCynic]

154. Ever watched a cat play with its prey?

Cruelty is a part of nature. We're just not as far removed from nature as we like to think. We like to think we're above it all, and in many ways we are. In many ways we aren't.

[Joe Bacon]

44. The #1 argument for the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine!

AND

If radio stations and sponsors were held liable for comments these clowns make, it would shut them down real fast!

[Odious justice]

132. Why?

IS there another side to the story? Savage is a shock jock. He doesn't believe his own hyperbole. I read he's doing a show tonight to "answer" and allow the other side to get their point across.

These faux outrages do nothing but make people like Savage and Imus more famous and more rich. In Savage's case, this is only going to help his career. A lot.

But back to the fairness doctrine. How does this illustrate we need it? It wouldn't silent Savage. It would take him off the air. to be "fair" it couldn't and wouldn't stop him from saying or doing whatever he wants. Any retort issued under the fairness doctrine would be ignored by right wing radio listeners, and would simply take away from PSA's that the station already plays(since the fairness doctrine would constitute a public service in giving someone a response).

Frankly, the fairness doctrine is a back door effort to censor people. Looking at your comment, I feel like you want to silence someone through the fairness doctrine, or your interpretation of it. Am I wrong?

People like Savage should be allowed to speak to whoever wants to listen to them. Period.

[whopis01]

139. There is nothing about the fairness doctrine that would force Savage off the air.

Oh, and welcome to DU.

[MrScorpio]

140. They're not Savage's airwaves, they're the public's

And if the public feels that he's not fit for them, they make known that they want him off.

This station owner was looking at his bottom line, and clearly the pissed off listeners have more of his sympathy than the idiotic asshole, Savage.

The idea that any fuckface like Savage is entitled to be listened to on the radio is ridiculous. It's a privilege. And clearly, he violated it.

And your idea that he's disingenuous about his own hyperbole is an interesting one, especially since he spews the same bullshit every fucking day and writes books full of the same crap. Of course, he believes that shit and he feels that its his job to get other people to believe it too, that's why he has a radio show and a call in line so he can convince people to join in with his idiotic positions.

Savage was never fit for public consumption... And I guess a few people are just now figuring this out.

[Odious justice]

145. One man's trash....

is another's treasure.

http://www.talkers.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=34

He's the third most listened to talk show in the country. The public obviously wants him on the air. If a station wants to take him off the air, it's strictly a business decision. The public has little do with it since the public barely listens to the radio. Radio station's are private enterprises that have to follow FCC guidelines to broadcast on the airwaves. These guidelines include and are primarily providing news, weather, local coverage, and PSA's. The other times consists of content used to keep listener's listneing in between ads. As long as a station meets those basic requirements, you could mic a baby giggling and it would satisfy the public interest.

The public doesn't have a right to determine content. That's left to the market place. The government allots a certain amount of dial space to NPR, but the rest is free market. Since radio is an old medium, and a small one compared to the net and television, it's ridiculous to presume that since the majority of people don't want a personality on the air is enough to get him off the air. The highest rated show in the country has 14 million listeners. To yank him off the air would actually subvert the will of the people. If people didn't want to listen to him, his numbers would drop.

And no, I don't think he believes half of the shit he says. I don't think most political entertainers do. People find a niche, ring the cash register, and stay put. Christ, Savage is a botanist who was selling herbal remedies before he got into the radio biz. The only thing that I think he's sincere about is his homophobia, but everything else is a careful niche filler that keeps his pockets lined.

All this manufactured outrage is going to do is increase his ratings. A station may drop him, but others will pick him up.

It's an old move. It's worked for Stern, Limbaugh, Coulter and Imus. We all know people that are autistic or have family members that suffer from this condition. Savage is just a jackass with a "shocking" opinion, no more no less. Who cares? Do we need to worry that he's going to mold the thoughts of others? And if so, isn't the idea that he can do such a think)and that it must be stopped) lending a lot of power to the idea that he influences anyone?

His show is impossible to listen to. It's pure bile. Anger and hate thrown in with some politics. Whatever. I don't like jazz music or the Eagles. I could care less if other people do. We're entitled to let other people say what they want. We can always turn the station. Think about George Carlin, Lenny Bruce, Randi Rhodes, and other people that have been censored, sued, or thrown off the air that you may agree with.

Censorship is censorship. If you disagree with someone, go after their statements, not their ability to make them.

[roguevalley]

112. how do we thank the station?

[Lorien]

2. They're replacing him with Dennis Miller

maybe a slight step up, but not much of one.

[rpannier]

5. The savage listeners won't tune into miller (for the most part)

and I doubt he'll pick up many new listeners to his show.

Like every other show he's done over the past decade, it'll die an ignoble death with only a handful of people remembering he was ever on the air.

[comtec]

6. Miller was funnier when he was a liberal

or at least libertarian and believed in human rights.
BUT ... I've read (heard) his books, and really this is no surprise to me.
He has always been honest, he does whatever his paymasters say to do.
I'm disappointed BUT I also know it's an act.
I don't blame him because he has a family to support, and he's never been dishonest about that.
Besides... he sucks as a conservative LOL.

[Frank Cannon]

16. Miller's a douche, but he's not a psychopath like the Savage Weiner

Just about anyone's an improvement over that bottom dweller.

Weiner's been saying shit like this for years, and every so often an occasional station drops his show. He soldiers on, nonetheless. I don't imagine this is going to hurt his career much, either.

[tblue37]

47. Glen Beck also says such outrageous things, but he still keeps his

cable TV show. And don't even get me started on Rush.

[Enthusiast]

124. I hate these fucks.

We must speak out when we hear this hate speech. If you listen to them much they rant on and on about 'politically correct' speech and how it is ruining the country. They want even more leeway to call minority groups disgusting names. Nazi Germany all over again. It was the Jews then.

[Odious justice]

146. Dude, why hate?

This is nothing like Nazi Germany. It's people saying things that you disagree with. What leeway are you talking about? There are certain words no one can say on the radio, and no one does.

Can you not compare banal political shit to the persecution and murder of six million people?

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/06/25/winner-4/

[Enthusiast]

158. Because this is only the start.

The brownshirts didn't start out beating up the political opposition. Over time it became more acceptable to say disparaging things about jews. Just as Rush Limbaugh does against 'liberals' and others today. These radio hate mongers want the right to say 'nigger', 'spic' and 'fag' and other hate words. Listen to Limbaugh. They want to be able to say these things without being attacked for it.

Yes, I hate them, for they are Nazis.

[samsingh]

62. i blame him - other families have lost children in the iraq war and

miller has been a proponent.

if the media had spoken the truth, do you think the bushites would have dared invade iraq on false pretenses? never, they would be terrified to face the consequences.

there is no nobility in any of these repug hacks. they will show us or anyone in the world no mercy. they should receive no respect of any kind. they are deviant animals that will hopefully end up in prison some day when their crimes are aired.

[mopinko]

51. radio habits are hard to break.

people don't change radio stations the way they flip tv stations.

[Ken Burch]

96. Then again, they may not be ABLE to tune away.

It's hard to roll the dial without opposable thumbs.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

131. The wienerites won't UNDERSTAND Miller

He may be an asshole, but he's a pretty well-read asshole, and I can't see the fucking idiots who listen to The Wiener even understanding Miller.

[Ian David]

19. I fucking hate Dennis Miller. n/t

[daggahead]

59. I never liked his pseudo-intellectual sarcastic humor ...

As Stewie on Family Guy would say, "You think you're clever? Spewing lost references like that? Hmm? You, you, think that's funny, do you?"

[samsingh]

64. i used to be a fan, but i can't stand him now and change any

station or movie he's in within seconds. i've totally boycotted him and never felt better.

i can't stand his voice or whiney little ugly face.

[Ian David]

68. The only time I won't watch The Daily Show is when Dennis Miller is on. n/t

[samsingh]

88. i've done the same

[Enthusiast]

125. I will not watch any program that feature fascists.

Glenn Beck actually substituted for Larry King last night. He is every bit as disgusting as Limbaugh. I think he is even more insane.

[rpannier]

152. Same here

Stewart refuses to call Herr Mueller (Miller) on his BS

So I figure "Why bother?"

[mtnester]

26. THAT will last about a week

like all of Dennis's other project

[DrDan]

27. sounds like the excuse they needed to make the switch to miller

[krispos42]

4. Whittle, whittle, whittle

At some point it will be him decorating the inside of a closed as a "studio" so he can relive his glory days with cardboard cutouts of his producer and board operator pinned to the walls.

[opihimoimoi]

7. Loose Lips will sink those NITs.....Picking Nits will often get ya in twoubles

Lottsa twoubles for the Savage Weiner who was dealt a hardy Blow from Decency...he is now in full Salvage Mode.

[awoke_in_2003]

79. Who doesn't enjoy a hardy blow?

:)

[MattP]

8. Savage should be long gone.

I really think that although Imus does say horrible things and did deserve what he got if he wasn't going after Bush at the time I don't think he would have lost his job a couple of years ago, Savage is ten times worse.

[eauclaireliberal]

9. Hardly an improvement follows

The Savage Nation has been replaced by The Dennis Miller Show, Davenport said.

Yeah dude, really slick. Give it a little while, Miller will say something equally stupid. Then what?

[rontun]

10. Silence is Golden!

Now, if we could get his program canceled nationally it would be tremendous. And add to that some of the other hate mongers on the right.

[Lady Freedom]

11. My brother has Autism!

How dare he! How dare that pompous windbag say that! My brother has struggle all his life, just want to be like others his age. When he was very young, they tried to tell us he was retarded. At the time little was known about what Autism really was. However my parents knew that wasn't it, they had seen children with retardation and the two things weren't the same. So to make sure he got a real chance my parents home schooled him. They studied books and did what the special education classes that were offered by the public schools here couldn't.

Now at the age of 22, he can function by himself to an existent. He can;t work a regular job, but he could live in an assisted living area with need of little help. He so much wants to be his own man. I keep telling him he already is. And a hell of a lot more of a man than that big mouth Savage!

[lisa58]

25. Good for your parents and good for your brother...

...I hope all the best for you and your family.

Savage is an asshole and I hope he does lose his job over this.

[Bluzmann57]

46. It might be cool to let your brother get a shot at savage

Normally I am a non-violent person, but I think it would be sort of neat to let the victimns of all these hateful rants, on what used to be our airwaves, have a shot at the hate mongers. Give them a taste of their own medicine, so to speak.
And I hope your brother leads a long and happy life. Good for your parents and good for your brother for trying like hell. With your help, he may just make it. He certainly is more of a man than savage. Truer words have never been spoken.

[awoke_in_2003]

80. I agree.

Also not a big advocate of violence, but sometimes the only way to deal with a bully is to punch them square in the mouth.

[wordpix]

105. I agree, if your brother is willing to speak on the airwaves about his autism,

it would shut up more of the haters like Savage, and educate those who know nothing about autism.

[Kajsa]

65. Amen, Lady Freedom!

My son who is 24, has autism and has dealt with the same
struggles as your brother.

I fought to keep him in programs where he could learn to the
best of his ability.

He works part time now and has come much further than any of
the "experts" predicted when he was younger.

Your brother is indeed a man-those with autism have to deal with
enormous hurdles on a daily basis!

More power to your great parents.
You are one fantastic sister, dear lady.

:)

:hug:

[napoleon_in_rags]

108. If doesn't show the STUPIDITY of these people nothing will.

I've worked as a TA in special ed ELEMENTARY school classrooms for autistic kids. Just the very idea that somebody could think these 5 year olds were just acting up as part of a ruse to gather taxpayer dollars betrays a stupidity that is simply horrifying. But there it is, in all its naked ugliness. I hope everybody gets a chance to see this, this appalling ignorance...because MOST american's lives have been touched by autism in some way, if only in knowing the struggles of the family members.

[Kajsa]

117. Thank you for your hard work,

dedication, and support our kids.

I agree with your well worded statement 100%!

:) :pals:

[truedelphi]

101. Having worked with twenty somethings with autism I say Hats off to yr Bro.

And to your family for being his support system.

[HockeyMom]

111. I work with autistic children and have with adults also

When I worked in a group home, one of the residents was a 50 something man with autism, and other disabilities. Jerry was a pleasure to work with. He was just about completely self sufficient and even held a part time job in the mail room of a large company. The other half of the day, Jerry went to a Day Hab program, taking buses by himself to get where he was going.

At the house Jerry had his own room, cleaned it himself, cooked his own food, did his own wash, etc., etc. In fact we called him our "shadow" staff since he watched over all the other residents, and helped them also.

He didn't socialize very much with his peers though. In fact that was part of his IEP to communicate more with his peers. Jerry seemed to prefer taking with staff, but any communication on his part was encouraged.

I have also worked with young autistic children. That was cruel beyond belief what Savage said.

[Ilsa]

122. Blessings on you and your family and brother.

My oldest is autistic. We have doubts about him being able to work or live independently, but we still have some time. He is 11. The school system has done well, but he needs more. We may have to move to get him what he needs.

[Faryn Balyncd]

12. When Savage said only a military coup would save America, the clip was made into an ADVERTIZING...

.....clip by his Houston Clear Channel station, and played over and over.


When he said Sen. Durban should be "drug out of the Senate in chains" for sedition (for quoting from a military investigation in a Senate debate), its turned into an "Encore broadcast."


When he calls for destroying a Muslim city in retaliation for every beheading, when he called for "raising the temperature" in the skies over the Sunni triangle to #!*#!*#!*#!*#! thousand degrees . . . . . he is treated like a star.


As a general rule, the more openly fascist his rhetoric becomes, the more the station runs his ads.

[Number23]

13. Good for them

That fool actually said that telling the kids to "stop acting like an idiot" was the key to their recovery. There's no redeeming someone like that.

One down, several thousand to go....

[no_hypocrisy]

14. While this may be MS's "Face in the Crowd" moment, one thing still puzzles me.

Bullies are usually selective and careful in choosing their targets. These targets are usually safe where there is no resistance, no likely chance of sympathetic intervention or challenge by third parties. They can be wiped out summarily. Like Liberals. (Just saying we've become acclimated to being attacked and we don't stand up to our bullies like we should.) Why Savage chose 1) children, and 2) autistic children is beyond me. He wasn't going to get a majority of listeners to readily agree with his premises just because he said it. He wasn't going to persuade any listener to change his/her/their mind (save for the abject ignorant). He wasn't going to get Congress to slash funding for autistic children. He wasn't going to be hailed as a bold protectorate of the FCC and the First Amendment. He wasn't even going to be admired for having the balls to say such an outrageous comment without fear he would be held accountable by either the public or the stations that buy his syndicated show.

I don't get it. Is it as simple as he was talking without thinking?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

29. And you can bet that conservatives as well as liberals

have loved ones who are autistic. That's why what he did doesn't make sense to me--he was ticking off his audience.

[TNOE]

54. Just showing his true colors

like Phil Graham in his the Americans are just "whiney". This is who they are - heartless and cruel to the bone. And they're so sure of themselves - they can't even begin to see what was wrong with their statements.

[awoke_in_2003]

82. I think it is hubris.

People like him have been getting away with saying outrageous shit for so long they figure "what the hell is anyone going to do about it".

[yardwork]

83. Savage's comment is an extension of the Christian right-extremists views on child rearing.

James Dobson's attitudes are echoed by a lot of lesser-known "child experts" in the extreme Christian right. Since they don't believe in science or medicine, for the most part, they dismiss any diagnosis or treatment that veers from "spare the rod and spoil the child." They're dangerous.

There have been some horrible abuse deaths in my area recently directly attributable to radical right-wing Christian extremist ministries.

I imagine that it's where Savage heard this stupidity.

[Enthusiast]

128. Yardwork, you are precisely correct. nt

[FatherTime1408]

89. Savage is just a dope that speaks in absolutes

Rather than making intelligent comments, he gives broad sweeping statements. When taken to task on them, he refuses to back-pedal because he's too arrogant. I absolutely cannot stand the sound of that man's voice, so I don't listen. That seems to solve the problem on it's own. I have no desire to "get him fired", though I must say that would bring a silent smirk to my face.

[barbtries]

118. one theory is that he's a delusional bully

and actually thought all the above would ensue upon his bold statements. hell if i know, i just hope he goes away now.

[bulloney]

15. Autism must affect a lot of white people.

If Savage would have repeatedly said something horribly racist or sexist, the station's management would have likely just shrugged it off.

[jbane]

55. That (your) remark was uncalled for.

Don't split what he said up into racial camps.

[PurpleChez]

60. As Charlie Brown said one Christmas:

Don't you know sarcasm when you hear it???!!??111!!

[Odious justice]

148. The station wouldn't care one way or the other minus the response.

Parents of Autistic kids are incredibly involved in their children's lives. The condition is misdiagnosed, mistreated, and incredibly hard to deal with. It would make sense that these parents are exactly the sort of people that would react to Savage's comments. So certain groups that opposes savage alerted every Autistic organization(support group) in the country, and they reacted. As they should. This is going to do three things.

Raise awareness about autism.

Raise Savage's ratings.

Raise awareness about certain groups that really don't care about autism but really hate Savage.

[KamaAina]

102. Actually, right before the autism rant, he uncorked this whopper about "minorities" and asthma

http://mediamatters.org/items/200807170005?f=h_top

SAVAGE: Now, you want me to tell you my opinion on autism, since I'm not talking about autism? A fraud, a racket. For a long while, we were hearing that every minority child had asthma. Why did they sudden -- why was there an asthma epidemic amongst minority children? Because I'll tell you why: The children got extra welfare if they were disabled, and they got extra help in school. It was a money racket. Everyone went in and was told (fake cough), "When the nurse looks at you, you go (fake cough), 'I don't know, the dust got me.' " See, everyone had asthma from the minority community. That was number one.

Wonder how hard he had to work to remember to say "minorities"? :eyes:

[baby_mouse]

149. No, that's not going to get us anywhere.

If you don't like white people maybe you should start your own board.

[Doug.Goodall]

17. Savage is lower than whale sh1z

His conservative roots are apparent. Sickness is on the same level as money. That is the root of the Republican problems; it is all about money.

[Ian David]

18. It's not like he called them "nappy headed hoes."

You see, if you're a Loyal Bushie, you can spew all the hate you want.

When you're a right-wing conservative leatherfaced douchebag who does NOT support Bush, you get kicked off MSNBC.

[Skittles]

20. ooooh

good point - and Savage picks on people who for the most part cannot defend themselves

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

21. He didn't...he called them something worse.

Don Imus made a stupid, ignorant remark.
But Michael Savage's remark was cold, cruel and bullyish to the core. He partook in the most blatant "blame the victim" attacks that you can think up. Most fascists of 70 years ago would probably be jealous of his success with hate rhetoric.

[Ian David]

22. Exactly. The Savage Weiner was far, FAR worse than Imus. n/t

[Lady Freedom]

38. Those that Imus insulted could stand up and tell him off!

Many with real bad Autism don't even comprehend what he has said about them! Savage is dung!

[fasttense]

23. I think Alzheimer's is a fraud, a racket.

Old men need to just snap out of it and start acting like grown ups. They just say they have Alzheimer's in order to get extra money from Medicare. They need a wife to tell them to quit acting and snap out of it. They need to act like men and quit faking it. Reagan was faking it in order to get out the Iran-contra scandal. Old men need to suck it up and act like adults.

In 99 percent of the cases, Alzheimer's an old man like Reagan, who hasn't been told to cut the act out.

:sarcasm:

[awoke_in_2003]

84. Are you saying McCain needs some of this?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0x-fkSYDtUY

[lisa58]

24. good - I just heard what that jerk said this morning...

...heart of gold.:sarcasm:

[DailyGrind51]

28. The same bell tolls for thee, Rush!

[jeff30997]

30. Even the Michael J Fox thing didn't get him off the air...

What would it take to get rid of this fat pedophile?

[lisa58]

31. I think that was because it was connected to a political campaign...

...this Savage thing just goes after disabled children and adults for absolutely NO reason.

[Orrex]

33. Incidentally: any truth to the report that Rush is a hardcore junkie pedophile?

Why does this story refuse to go away? One suspects that there must be something to it, or else it would fizzle already...

[DailyGrind51]

115. Rush's ridicule of Michael J. Fox cost his candidate, Jim Talent,

his Senate seat, tossing the election in favor of stem-cell research backer, Clair McCaskill.

[Lint Head]

32. This bigot will eventually get his 'just desserts'.

Savage is SCUM.:dem:

[alarimer]

34. He said much worse things about liberals and Democrats.

And they can him for THIS? I'm glad he's gone but this is kind of ridiculous.

[Lady Freedom]

36. He can bash my beliefs all he wants...

BUT HE CAN LEAVE MY BROTHER AND OTHERS LIKE HIM OUT OF IT! I chose to be liberal, my brother did not chose to have Autism.

[polmaven]

40. We can defend ourselves.

And we have CHOSEN to be liberals and Democrats. The children he attacked did not choose the condition with which they are afflicted, and are unable to defend themselves. We have an obligation to defend them.

Do you REALLY think it is "ridiculous" to be outraged over attacks on disabled children?

[Mad_Dem_X]

35. Good! Hopefully other stations

will follow suit.

[Lady Freedom]

37. I think I am going to call my locale talk station and see what I can do.

He has pushed the envelope and now he busted it!

[happygoluckytoyou]

39. AND BUSH THINKS HE PULLED HIMSELF BY HIS OWN BOOTSTRAPS

it is a COMMON conservative BULLSHIT that "they are self-made rich people --- that they did good deeds to get where they are---- that everyone who is WITH NEEDS is a crybaby and does not deserve help"

MICHAEL SAVAGE is, has been, and will ALWAYS be a DICKHEAD.... look up ANYTHING he has ever said about anything.

It must be ODD AS HELL to be a redneck NASCAR dad... and hear your HERO smackdown your OWN KID...
.....all them AUTISTIC FAKERS in REDneck WHITEskin BLUEstates....... must be having a tough time with this....
........................................IF YOU ARE, try AIR AMERICA for some FRESH THOUGHTS

[happygoluckytoyou]

53. COPY THIS TO ANY FAMILY WITH AUTISM KIDS.... they have a great network to spread the word ! ! ! ! !

[Phred42]

41. He'll get the publicity he was looking for now.....

His ratings must have been worse that we thought

[proud2BlibKansan]

42. Good

He was taken off our local am station a couple months ago. But they replaced him with Neil Boortz. :puke:

[The Backlash Cometh]

43. Oh my God! Someone finally gets it!

[DangerDave921]

45. Ridiculous but

I would say autism is over-diagnosed nowadays. It is a legit disease, but there is wiggle room in terms of how you diagnose it, which leads to the diagnosis for some kids when it does not warrant it. I think the same thing about ADD. It is a real disease for some, but over-diagnosed.

How is he going to explain this one?

[Phred42]

48. Bout time the Savage Wiener was CUT

[Greylyn58]

50. Don't you love how when these jackasses get caught

spewing their stupid, hateful garbage, they always need to clarify, or re-explain their initial comments.

I think we understood you the first time dickweed! These neo-cons have such black souls.

What a moron!

[bos1]

52. The damage done to USA by the wingnut radio monopoly

is incalculable.

Today I listened to a jerk named Rick Roberts. The USA is facing huge probs but all he talks about is illegal immigration.

We need the Fairness Doctrine back.

[stanwyck]

73. Agree. Talk radio is a plague on our nation

People listen to pure fabrications and propaganda every day and accept it as factual. We, tactfully, call them the "low information" voters. These are the people who still believe the U.S. was attacked by Iraq, that weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq, that Barack Obama is a practicing Muslim, Michelle Obama is a radical activist who hates America, and George W. Bush was a fighter pilot in 'Nam.
They rely heavily on anecdotal information which has no basis in fact. I've been told by co-workers that "Hillary knocked down a fireman in N.Y. the day of 9-11". "A guy called in and was at a luncheon when Michelle Obama repeatedly said "whitey"." And on and on.
For the radio blowhards, it's just a business. They don't really care. It's just about market share and huge pay checks.
Lying is just part of the job.

[bos1]

76. All too true. But also

as I was listening to this R.Roberts character, it occurred to me that he probably couldn't hold a discussion on any subject that required some real knowledge, and by keeping to real lunkhead issues (like USA English Only!) he generally protects himself from having the discussion go anywhere he couldn't handle.

Just a thought. I could be wrong, since the call screeners tend to filter out anyone who would really challenge them anyway. e

But either way, these talkshows really shove a lot of manure into people's brains on a regular basis.

[stanwyck]

137. Again, I agree, Bos

Very simplistic arguments with no valid opposition. It's a fixed fight. Callers are screened and put on delay. And rarely is there another on-air opponent. When one of my talk-radio lovin' co-workers starts in with some trash talk, I always counter with facts -- listing my sources. They can't counter. They only repeat the two talking points they can remember and then mumble "left wing media."

[Enthusiast]

126. Right on! The fairness doctrine! nt

[Ganja Ninja]

56. "Savage, a controversial conservative commentator,"

Why is it that conservative commentators are always "controversial" and liberals are always "radical far left loons"?

[pipi_k]

57. Well, at least...

he didn't call them "little terrorists" and suggest that they be locked up in Guantanamo or something

Although who knows, that may have been the next foul thing to spew from his garbagehole of a mouth...

[lonestarnot]

58. Now get rid of a few more nutballs.

[Tab]

61. "The Savage Nation has been replaced by The Dennis Miller Show, Davenport said."

When Dennis Miller is an improvement, you know things are bad.

[jobycom]

67. It's not about who replaces him. It is that he was held accountable.

[Tab]

70. I'm fully aware of that

Now we just need to get Rush off the air.

[jobycom]

72. I'm awfully aware of that.

Needing to get Rush off the air, I mean. :)

Didn't mean to sound like I was contradicting you. I've been trying to shorten my posts lately, and I'm not good at it. I think I'll return to my long over-explanations, like "I agree, Dennis Miller is not an improvement. I'm glad to see that someone held Savage accountable for his irresponsible and offensive statements, and it warms my heart that those who did are from Mississippi, my home state. I agree with your point, that we will not have serious progress towards civilization in this nation until we replace the likes of Savage, Limbaugh, Boortz, O'Reilly, and the other hateful bigoted liars on the air with more neutral, fact-based commentary that attempts to educate and inform, rather than bully and frighten, listeners. Then maybe we can have a more informed citizenry who votes intelligently, rather than emotionally. That might not always result in liberal leadership, but it would at least reduce the numbers of Reagans and Ws we elect."

I wrote something like that first, figured it was too long, and shortened it. You got the Cliff Notes, and they weren't as thoughtful. Sorry. :)

[Tab]

81. Not a problem

I got the point of the OP, it's just that Dennis Miller is no prize either, but I will say he's not remotely close to Savage in terms of his obnoxiousness. His main failing, however, is that he's just not funny anymore, so maybe they'll lose listeners over that.

I am proud, however, that the station had enough sense to pull the show. I almost sense some altruism there, maybe even compassionate conservatism, or maybe just merely embarassed conservatism (most likely).

I wouldn't mind seeing O'Really gone either, but Rush is a bigger problem. Rush is very shrewd, and he's got his show on the radio in lots of places. You and I think we're informed because we belong to DU, read the news, listen to npr or whatever, and engage in critical thinking, but for many Americans most of what they know is what they hear on their car radio on their drive into work, and they never get an opposing viewpoint. Rush is also broadcast on VoA (Voice of America, which is what the troops get).

I'm just hoping the fat bastard will keel over from his cigars, oxycontin, and taste for little boys from the Dominican Republic. I'm not one to dance on graves, but I might make an exception in Rush's case.

[Kajsa]

63. Good riddance!

This is very encouraging.

Savage should be off the air for good.

Thanks for posting this good news.

:)

[Crowman1979]

66. Dr. Weiner has probably been bitter about being rejected by Allen Ginsburg.

And has been a paranoid recluse ever since. This is what happens when you don't come out of the closet.

[Bake]

69. And remarkably, it is a MISSISSIPPI station that canceled Weiner!!

But he's still on the air in those big, progressive cities north of here, right?

Mississippi gets one right!

Bake

[DirtyDawg]

71. So, Savage's calling Jimmy Carter...

...a 'jew-hating, war criminal, Hitler-like, communist, anti-American, anti-semitic bastard' doesn't bother these Mississippi pricks, but this does. And on top of that they replace him with someone as bad or worse. Georgia can thank the geography Gods that there is a Mississippi, and maybe even an Alabama, at least that way we won't be DFL (Dead Fucking Last) in everything.

[awoke_in_2003]

86. "DFL (Dead Fucking Last) in everything"

You forgot Texas.

[Vote4Change]

74. Apples to Apples

So this jerk gets taken off the air and rightfully so. Why not apply the same scrutiny to "Oxycontin Limpballs" and his attack on Michael J Fox's Parkinson's Disease?

[Catherine Vincent]

75. But wait!

Savage says he was speaking about the falsely diagnosed autism kids, not the real ones. :eyes:

[windoe]

77. Entertainment for psychopaths

-these people are a social disease-- they teach sociopaths how to be better at it, and encourage young people to emulate them--they are a VIRUS infecting our society!!

[cboy4]

78. He's a sick fuck. That's for sure.

:puke:

[Ken Burch]

97. Let the record show that, for once, you and I AGREE.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[wicket]

85. Stupid Savage Weiner

:crazy:

[LatteLibertine]

87. I don't care for "shock jocks"

regardless of political affiliation. There are plenty of them out there that solely rely on saying outrageous things. Many of them have questionable talent at best.

[bos1]

90. Why the hell is the USA subjected to headcases on a 24/7 basis?

Savage, Beck, Limbaugh, the list is long. It is well known that Savage somehow despises himself for being Jewish. Glenn Beck's mother and brother both committed suicide and he has reported suicidal thoughts and he's a recovering substance abuser. Limbaugh is another classic case study in psychological problems that needs no elaboration here.

Why the hell is the USA subjected to headcases on a 24/7 basis?

[wordpix]

106. apparently, the corporate whores like to support stations featuring these psycho headcases

:puke: i.e., the corporations buy advertising on the Limpball-type shows.

[magicpet]

91. I call bullshit.

This is just a token gesture to get listeners back. "See we're not so bad. We got rid of Mike Savage! Gosh golly we're so progressive now!!"

[ladywnch]

92. and the skys opened up and a choir of heavenly angels sang! n/t

[Felix Mala]

93. He's right in one respect there is a greedy, corrupt medical/pharma establishment...

To which I would also add the demon insurance countries. Once they get their claws in you, you're probably better off dead. I don't know what's worse, getting cancer or being eaten alive by the charges, co-pays, formularies, deductibles and health care decision made by business people. Since I've been ill, I haven't had a free dollar to do anything. And I supposedly have the best insurance available!

[wordpix]

110. as a learning specialist, I agree with that part, too---they are constantly selling parents

drugs, psycho-educational evaluations and specialists for kids. A lot more could be done with a healthy diet, lowering the stress level at home, ensuring a secure, stable environment at home and school, getting kids off the computer/video game addiction, and parents doing more with their kids besides sitting in front of the boob tube.

But of course, all that would not make the greedy medical/pharma establishment rich.

[edbermac]

94. Weiner is the Major Frank Burns of medicine.

As Hawkeye once commented, "He'd prescribe a laxative for a brain tumor."

[Ken Burch]

95. A small victory for human decency. And from Mississippi at that.

This little station has now put hundreds of Blue State radio outlets to shame.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

98. Savage should have been gone ages ago

Of all the right wing nut jobs who have a talk show out there, this guy will likely be the one who motivates one of his followers to assassinate a political figure.

[ooglymoogly]

99. Give a conservative enough rope and they will hang themselves

every time. kr

[politicalfan08]

100. Thanks to you, impeachment will be heard Friday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv478I8p3e8

[HEyHEY]

103. All those autistic kids and their big scam!

[nam78_two]

104. Yes!

Yay! :woohoo: :bounce: :bounce: :woohoo:

[Hulk]

107. Good riddance to the most ignorant bigot scum-sucking maggot on radio.

There are lots of ignorant sons of bitches out there that spew hate and lies, but for this pig to be doing it on the airwaves with consent of other major networks is unconscionable.

Good for them for canning his show. Any other station that continues to carry this hateful pig on their networks needs to wake up as well.

[SpookyCat]

109. Sometimes damaged people tell more than they realize...

"They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot.' "

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but I wonder if we just got a glimpse here of what helped create this dreadful person.

Not exusing him, you understand, but that just stood out to me.

[noiretextatique]

130. i caught that too

i thought it was a vile snipe at single mothers.

[Oeditpus Rex]

113. This isn't one station, it's a network

It has seven stations:

WXRZ 94.3, Corinth

WTCD 96.9, Greenwood

WFMN 97.3, Jackson

WFMM 97.3, Hattiesburg

WKBB 100.9, West Point

WROQ 102.1, Brookhaven

WTMN 105.5, Oxford

http://www.supertalkms.com/index.php

[Ilsa]

114. Good. Someone is finally showing some sense. Make this asshole

suffer in his pocketbook. Familes of autistic children certainly have.

[LSK]

116. Howard Stern is ripping on him, calling him a douche

Saying its all an act for attention. Saying he doesn't even believe what he says.

Now hes making fun of his real name too.

[Kire]

119. wow, I've never had a thread of mine on the front page before

and I don't post nearly as much as I used to

I used to never even get on the Latest Breaking News page, but now, i guess, nobody pays attention to radio as much as I do

I got two or three in about the sirius xm merger. Those aren't very interesting to people. They usually die after seven or eight replies.

[superconnected]

120. Bravo!!!

[AndyTiedye]

121. Kick That Asshole Off The Air!

:kick:

[HughMoran]

123. Well, it's one, but it's a start.

Filty RW hate mongers are feeling the heat lately.

[HummanaHummana]

127. I thought free speech was still part of the Constitution.

When censorship is evoked because a part of the populace doesn't agree with it, than everybody here better be ready to have this web-site shut down too. Everyone has the right to voice their opinions, regardless if you agree or disagree with it.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

129. Thank you for your concern.

:eyes:

[KamaAina]

135. Which amendment guarantees Savage Weiner the right to a national radio show?

No one's talking about charging him with a crime, for Pete's sake. But you know what? Even my republican stepdad asked, "If Imus got fired for what he said, why not this guy?"

Us working stiffs pretty much surrender many of our rights in the workplace as it is: drug testing, surveillance cams, searches and the like. Why should Savage Weiner be given special treatment?

[lisa58]

136. "supply and demand" says there's no "demand" for this

[baby_mouse]

151. When government troops bash in his door and arrest him

It's censorship.

Until then, it's people telling him to shut up.

Go and look up the word "censorship" in a dictionary, please.

[EstimatedProphet]

157. Attention Mr. Wizard: this isn't a free speech issue

The First Amendment guarantees people the right to say whatever they want without government interference. The government didn't keep him from saying anything.

[SaveAmerica]

133. Good riddance to old savage (savage, rubbish - same dif)

[LibertyorDeath]

134. Kansas City area Savage Weiner advertisers

Kansas City area Savage Weiner advertisers
Advertisements Vinson Mortgage Group
7015 College Boulevard
Suite 220
Overland Park, Kansas 66211
913.344.9999
Fax: [phone]
Mgr: Brian Jaimes
[e-mail]

Home Performance Services
816.746.0002
http://www.hps-kc.com /

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City
https://www.bcbskc.com/ContactUs/ASP/contactuspage.asp

Thanks to
pstokely

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3660516

[KamaAina]

138. Savage Weiner: Comments were "ripped out of context" by "far left Stalinists"

:rofl:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/07/21/2008-07-21_radio_host_michael_savage_incites_protes.html?print=1

On the air last night, Savage said his comments were "ripped out of context" by "far left Stalinists."

He said he was talking about kids who were "misdiagnosed," but repeated his contention that most children who are called autistic aren't really sick.

99% of people are misdiagnosed? And now I'm a Stalinist? :eyes: I'm a left libertarian, dammit!!

I guess prominent supporters of funding for autism research treatment, such as Dan Burton (R-IN) and Chris Smith (R-NJ), are Stalinists, too. :sarcasm:

[scarface2004]

144. yeah well savageweener is a far right piece of shit!!!

fuck him!!

[mitchum]

141. I guess that CEO Davenport never had any problem with Savage's homophobic and...

racist spew, but this was over the line?
Okay.

[Joey Liberal]

142. Savage is a spineless scumbag

Picking on special needs kids? WTF kind of person would do that? I feel like slapping a republican.

[scarface2004]

143. next they should terminate asshole glennn bekkk!

he s a total piece of shit!!

[autorank]

150. k*r Check out this comment. Save replaced by Dennis Miller

Question: How do you make Dennis Miller look good?

Answer: Compare hin to Michael Savage.


Here's a comment from one of the bloggers at the paper:

"I agree about the ADHD. A lot of the ADHD could be cured with a good old fashioned spanking or as the preacher once said "apply the board of education to the seat of knowledge".

Who are these fools?

[Kire]

153. Savage Loses Advertisers (including Aflac) - NY Times

should this get its own LBN post?

Savage Loses Advertisers

By JACQUES STEINBERG; Compiled by JULIE BLOOM
Published: July 23, 2008
A group of seven Mississippi talk radio stations owned by Telesouth Communications has dropped Michael Savage’s nationally syndicated radio program over comments the host made last week suggesting that nearly every child with autism was “a brat” of inattentive parents. “Michael Savage’s comments about autistic children were beyond inexcusable and are unacceptable,” the station group said in a statement posted Tuesday on its Web site, supertalkms.com. The cancellation follows the decision on Monday by Aflac, the insurance company, to pull its advertising from the show. On his Web site, Michaelsavage.com, the host posted a letter on Monday in which he iterated the central point he said he had been trying to make on his July 16 program: that autism is too often misdiagnosed in the cases of children, or falsely diagnosed, at least partly as a means of wringing resources. “Let the truly autistic be treated,” he wrote. “Let the falsely diagnosed be free.” On July 16, Mr. Savage, above, referred to autism as “a fraud, a racket,” and asserted that what “99 percent” of children with autism most needed was a parent willing to tell them things like, “Don’t act like a moron.”

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/arts/23arts-SAVAGELOSESA_BRF.html?_r=1&ref=arts&oref=slogin

[Lady Freedom]

156. Good for Aflac!

If more companies pull their advertising he may get the point that America can not and will not put up with his kind of behavior. In other words "Don't act like a moron" Savage!

[DeltaLitProf]

155. The far bigger scandal about Mississippi Right-wing radio is . . .

. . . that Governor Haley Barbour uses our tax dollars to subsidize it. The primary advertiser on Supertalk is the Mississippi state government. Rather than allow the legislature to cut the money being spent on these ads (in a venue whose listeners are actually hostile to the ads' content) Barbour threatened to cut off unemployment benefits. So Right-wing radio in Mississippi is funded by the tax dollar.

For more, see http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/no_money_to_fund_partisan_radio_democrats_say/

Barbour is really the worst of the worst Republicans. Want to know what he's doing right now? Cutting $375 million from Medicaid and Medicare because
Democrats in the Legislature wanted to tax cigarettes to fund a $90 million Medicare/aid budget deficit.