Randi Rhodes Resigns From Air America After Anti-Clinton Rant
March 22: Randi Rhodes was videotaped giving an obscenity-laced stand-up performance at art house Broadway Studios in San Francisco.
Randi Rhodes, the radio talk show host who was suspended last week from Air America after going on an obscenity-laced tirade against Hillary Clinton and one of her prominent supporters, has resigned.
Mark Green, president of Air America Media, told FOXNews.com that Rhodes terminated her contract Wednesday after she refused to apologize on air for her remarks.
“We sought an apology, because of what she had said…like Imus, like David Shuster,” Green said. “She refused and instead last night informed us she was terminating her contract with Air America, which she has the option to do.”
He said she was not forced out — “She exercised her option.”
Rhodes has apparently already been picked up by Nova M Radio, which released a statement saying Rhodes would be nationally syndicated on the station starting Monday.
Rhodes’ lawyer Robert Gaulin told FOXNews.com the host would return home to Florida, and broadcast from there.
But he disputed Green’s account of her resignation. He said Rhodes was willing to apologize, but that Air America wanted her to waive a provision in her contract that said she could leave any time over the next year, before they would let her back on air. She refused.
“It had nothing to do with the brouhaha from last week. It had nothing to do with an apology,” Gaulin said.
Rhodes used the obscene language during a March 22 event sponsored by an affiliate station in San Francisco. During what was an apparent stand-up routine, Rhodes attacked Geraldine Ferraro, the former vice presidential candidate, for saying that Clinton rival Barack Obama has benefited in the Democratic presidential race because he is black.
“Geraldine Ferraro turned out to be the David Duke in drag. Who knew?” Rhodes said to laughter. “What a whore Geraldine Ferraro is, she’s such a f*****g whore.”
A few minutes later, Rhodes said, “Hillary is a big f*****g whore too.”
She then suggested Clinton was trying to force her way into the Democratic nomination by manipulating pledged delegates. “Oh, f**k you, okay, f**k you,” she said.
Air America condemned the remarks and Ferraro said at the time Rhodes should be fired.
“It was an abusive obscene thing she said, whether one likes or doesn’t like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or John McCain,” Green said Thursday.
The termination was effective Wednesday, and Green does not know who will replace her.
John Scott, program director at Green 960 AM, KKGN, the San Francisco station that sponsored the March 22 event, said they would carry Rhodes’ new program.
“Because this incident happened at our station, we felt that we should kind of lead the way to get her back on,” he told FOXNews.com. “She’s going to be on a bunch of markets.”
Air America Media Chairman Charlie Kireker and Green said in a joint statement on the Air America Web site Thursday that “We wish her well and thank her for past services to Air America.”
Green said Air America will announce within a day who will temporarily replace her during her daily 3-to-6 p.m. show.
Green said Rhodes had been there four years, and “she could have worked another year.”
Click here to see the performance that caused Randi Rhodes’ suspension from Air America (warning: Graphic Language).
FOXNews.com’s Judson Berger contributed to this report.
I will miss Randi, she spoke her mind and has GREAT Integrity something we have way too little of in this world. When a Democrat says something aweful, like Ferraro said about Obama, we should say it was aweful not try to spin it to sound less bad, that is what the Republicans do NOT us. Great going Randi stick to your values and morals. Do not lower yourself to the Republican Way. And anyone who has trouble with the F word read “Monty Pythons” essay on the word.
Love,
Oren