Randi Rhodes calling Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro “fucking whores” was not the first time she had incredibly offensive, ignorant things to say about powerful women. In December, Ms. Rhodes said some incredibly stupid things about Oprah Winfrey. I give you Randi Rhodes Can STILL Kiss My Black Ass, from Sugar of Sugar N Spice, which notes the latest outrage and flashes back to her December 2007 post:
Today, “liberal” talk show host Randi Rhodes set white America back at least 30 years. She decided to stick her ignorant foot in her mouth by saying that Oprah was “acting black” during her recent speeches while stumping with Barack Obama.
[SNIP]
Randi, who must be blind in one eye and can’t see out the other, said that Oprah was “acting black”. She said that Oprah “turned her blackness up a notch or two”, Oprah “went all Maya Angelou on us”, Oprah was really acting like Harpo, saying, “That wasn’t Oprah up there! That was Harpo! That was Sophia!! You tole Harpo to beat me!” and “we haven’t seen Oprah that Black since The Color Purple” [Of course, that must be Oprah’s one and only film since Randi said it was right? Stupid bitch. I just bought Beloved on Saturday]. As I sat in my car in the parking lot at my gym, my mouth hung open for what must have been five minutes straight every 20 minutes. Caller after caller, black and white, called in to tell Randi she was out of line and to try to give her some insight into Oprah’s approach during her two most recent speeches, but she wasn’t hearing it.
[SNIP]
It was almost as if Randi didn’t even want to acknowledge that Oprah is black. She repeatedly said things like, “Oprah was sounding like a black preacher”, “Hillary does it” (she does) “Al Gore does it (he does) and “Now Oprah did it”…what this stupid bitch didn’t seem to remember is that Oprah IS black. She isn’t acting black!!!
Go read the whole thing.
And if you think that’s an exaggeration of Ms. Rhodes’ performance, you can check out a partial transcript here.
Is this really what we want from “progressive” radio?
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I remember...
I don’t usually listen to Randy Rhodes, but by george, I remember the show.
Nearly every caller was taking Oprah’s side but Randi kept ranting and raving and getting kinna uppity; you know, acting white.
2 episodes doesn't really make a habit
I heard that show as well and it was embarrassing, for Randi. She does have a habit of talking over her callers, especially when they disagree with her.
The mistake she made on that show and what she’s been doing by being a pro-Obama Opinion Maker (her words) is that she’s not listening to her audience.
Randi and Big Ed Schultz are at their best when they listen to their callers. Sometime they adjust what they’re saying and pass on listener’s concerns to the politicians they interview. That is bottom up communication flow.
Randi Rhodes did a lot to get me through the Bush years and I’m not ready to throw her under the bus. I hope she learns to listen more and “opinion make” less.
Your Habit Point
Is a good one and I’ve changed the title. Thanks, shystee.
I’m unconvinced as to the rest. Perhaps, it’s just that in this year, I’ve learned that there’s nothing inherently contradictory about her being a “good progressive” and still spewing hateful sexist (or racist) bullshit. And I’m at the end of my tolerance meter for it. For many, apparently, misogyny is a “progressive” value. I’m going back to being a liberal.