I still remember when 3PM used to be Randi Rhodes time in my home. The radio – set by the window so it can tune in the AM broadcast was blasting, so I could listen from the other end of the room, where I was at the computer…Good times, good times.
Whenever DNC took over and the Omania swept Air America, Randi was lost to the reason and sanity. I was already listening only sporadically.
I caught the show where Randi said Oprah was talking “black” when speaking in the south – got a lot of flack for that.
I caught her panic attack over Kerry endorsing Obama “now Edwards supporters will go to Hillary” – oh, horror!” – and that’s when I tuned out. I didn’t understand at the time how all her gushing over Bill Clinton had turned to freeper grade hatred, but by the time of the “F*ing whores” there was no doubt she lost it.
I wrote Air America in protest and was happy she was gone.
It appears she was broadcasting at the Nova station – where she got herself fired again
On Sunday, Nova received a letter from Mr. Gaulin asserting that the contract with Ms. Rhodes was terminated due to material breaches and other reasons. Ms. Rhodes had not broadcast for over a week prior to this time, a situation which was diplomatically referred to as a “problem” that was solely within Nova’s control to solve.
Worse yet, Nova itself folded
Randi Rhodes’ on-air home for less than a year will shut its doors. In an email message of February 17th from counsel for Nova M Radio, Inc. to Randi’s entertainment attorney, Robert V. Gaulin, the company is said to have been advised to file for bankruptcy protection next week.
And it seems the troubles were more complicated
A few days earlier, Sheldon Drobny, founder of Nova M, and a co-founder of Air America Radio, attempted suicide and is hospitalized in Chicago.
Chicago again. Associated to bad things.
Part of me is sad that a brilliant woman like Randi has lost her way so badly. But considering the vile stuff she spouted…
Here’s Randi turned swiftboater in the general elections:
RHODES: Of course he (McCain) became very friendly with the Vietnamese. They called him the Prince. He was well treated actually. And he was well treated because he traded these propaganda interviews for good treatment.
So, no sadness. Political purpose does not excuse anything – I used to argue that Randi was not to be compared to Rush because she checked her facts. The joke is on me. on that one.
As for Nova folding – I guess propaganda ain’t all you kids expected it to be, huh? Not enough laughs to keep people coming for it.
So, this goes on my Schadenfreude list. Ironically, Randi knew of things happening to people persecuting the Clintons too.
…
Not Your Sweetie 
23 comments
February 18, 2009 at 8:17 am
Schadenfreude « Not Your Sweetie
[…] RANDI RHODES […]
February 18, 2009 at 8:29 am
Stray Yellar Dawg
Yep. Another one bites the dust.
What astounds me is… that Randi wasn’t smart enough to see it coming.
Talk radio is not, and has never been, about the Hahvahd elites. Obama was their candie date, not the candidate of the working class.
It’s the working class that listens to talk radio.
I still recommend the Paglia interview for a clear distinction of the media styles that appeal to the upper class vs. the blue collar sect. Her description of how she changes her voice when she is on NPR is hilarious!
Here’s the awful truth about how Randi did herself in: http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=279483
Oh and….. buh-bye Randi. Don’t let the door hitcher ass on the way out.
February 18, 2009 at 8:30 am
myiq2xu
What goes around comes around.
February 18, 2009 at 8:30 am
Stray Yellar Dawg
Haha. That cartoon…….
ROFLMAO…..
February 18, 2009 at 8:31 am
edgeoforever
Paglia needs to get her own coming as much or more than Randi.
But I agree that Randi should have known better. I added it in the end of the article too.
February 18, 2009 at 8:42 am
Jangles
Was there any truth to the buzz that Randi had a problem with alcohol and other drugs? I listened to her for awhile but her anti-Hillary stuff was a huge turn off. One of the more uncomfortable things about Randi was the way she pandered to some big names like Sarandon and Gore. But I don’t think that she understood how their guest lists work.
February 18, 2009 at 8:46 am
Stray Yellar Dawg
Yes. I agree. Paglia needs an ass kicking as well. But, she’s a little smarter than Randi… and she knows her audience. So it won’t happen yet. Not til the Hahvahd elite come down from their kool-ade highs and starting asking “who talked us into this?”
February 18, 2009 at 9:19 am
Mawm
Awesome! May she end up living under a bridge to the 20th century.
February 18, 2009 at 9:26 am
tle
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving person — unless it was Rachel Maddow, Mike Malloy, Ed Schultz, Thom Hartmann…
I got stuck with both satellite radio systems thanks to Air America, and quit listening to it altogether about a year ago. I hung on to AAR from 2004 – 2006. In 2007, I started a small business (great timing, eh?), and my sister came to town to help me out. I had AAR on all day every day, and realized I was becoming uncomfortable having my sister listen to it. She pretty much detested Randi Rhodes straight out of the box. She particularly took issue with Randi’s contention that although Kucinich was the best of the candidates, he couldn’t possibly win. My sister pointed out that, of course, he couldn’t win if the very people who should be supporting him kept saying he couldn’t win. Where I had made allowances for Randi’s egoism, repetitiveness and complete reversals from week to week, I couldn’t do that when someone else was listening with me — it was embarassing. When I heard her go off on the Clintons (remembering her swooning description of being in the same room with the “Big Dog”), it was the last time I listened to her.
In late 2007/early 2008, I had to drop more and more shows from my listening schedule. One by one, the hosts became unhinged (I now particularly regret my 2007 letter to MSNBC urging them to give Rachel Maddow a TV show). By spring of last year, I stopped listening to AAR completely, and have never looked back. This was the same time I completely cleaned out my browser bookmarks and built the list anew.
I’d like to say I wish Ms. Rhodes well, but I’m still resentful of what I consider to be her betrayal. On the other hand, she pretty much made it clear from the get-go that her primary concern was competing with Limbaugh and Hannity, so I guess I should have realized that she never believed one single word of her own rants. And I have to say that Taylor Marsh makes Randi Rhodes look like a piker when it comes to lightning-speed opinion reversal!
February 18, 2009 at 10:06 am
Woman Voter
Meanwhile, as scary as the bailout mess is as described in the Frontline episode last night, it never ceases to amaze me that no one thought to bailout the homeowner. -RD
…….
Actually someone did, it was Hillary in the primaries, back when the likes of Rhodes and the Obama Media/Press where busy attacking her, and the message was not heard.
Rhodes, was on the attack because she couldn’t fathom the thought that the best MAN for the job was the better qualified candidate that just happened to be a WOMAN!
February 18, 2009 at 10:44 am
SweetSue
I’m not usually petty, but this news just makes my day.
Why did progressivess think it was a good idea to bash other progressives? Why did Rhodes go from neutral to rabid Clinton hater and won’t she be surprised when the One doesn’t present her with a White House communications gig?
Meanwhile Hillary and Bill we’ll be going to all those swank State dinners as the veeist of the VIPs.
February 18, 2009 at 10:51 am
Grail Guardian
I never listened to Air America, so I don’t know much about Rhodes except what I’ve read on the web about her. I have to say, it has not been complimentary in the least since I first heard her name, so I think it’s fair to say she’s been on the wrong side for quite some time.
Personally, I don’t miss any of the pundits or poseurs pretending to be journalists since I stopped listening and watching months ago.
February 18, 2009 at 12:36 pm
salmonrising
She always seemed to have real emotional hang-ups…abusing callers…insecure as hell. I recall her meltdown when interviewing Patty Smith, supposedly someone she worshipped. Started skipping her show; next to go was Schultz for his Clinton-bashing (actually he bashes any pol who doesn’t kiss up to him); Madow was the last one I listened to until she became an Obot also. I have all of them to thank for me starting to give the wingnuts a listen….at least I can laugh at them.
February 18, 2009 at 1:37 pm
FembotsForObama
Randi was someone I listened to everyday. I respected her opinion, loved her ballsy attitude and appreciated her links to concrete info (govt reports and such). But then she became totally in the tank for Obama, even used HIS BOOK to refer to as evidence, not his record or any Chicago newspapers. This was very very odd and the opposite of her usual bent. Then she went on this rabid attack of the Clintons as whores, traitors, etc. That’s when I turned off.
I’m glad she finally got hers. But if she has some drug/alcohol problem I feel empathy for her. Wonder if her emotional problems also have to do with her getting repeated plastic surgery and using Botox. I’m starting to wonder if liberal women’s brains are getting affected by the overuse of Botox (I’m not kidding about this).
February 18, 2009 at 2:56 pm
edgeoforever
Forgot to mention: I had purchased an AAR- Randi Rhodes T-Shirt back in 2003 with the express goal of promoting her in the city. Last year, I used for practice for my NO WE WON’T Tshirt
February 18, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Deja_Vu
On February 18, 2009 at 1:37 FembotsForObama said:
I’m starting to wonder if liberal women’s brains are getting affected by the overuse of Botox (I’m not kidding about this).
A little OT along with you on this, as I personally believe that anyone who injects a toxic paralytic, which is lethal in small doses, over and over into their face, is asking for trouble.
On the positive (?) side, lots of conservative women have succumbed to the Botox siren song, too.
As for Randi, Buh Bye Miss American Pie. She didn’t just sell her soul, she took out a second mortgage on it.
February 18, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Stray Yellar Dawg
Salmon said:
“I have all of them to thank for me starting to give the wingnuts a listen….at least I can laugh at them.”
And I feel the same.
It was Randi who drove me over to the other side. I now occasionally listen to Hannity, whom I formerly called a “wingnut.” But… at least I can understand him. And I know where we agree… and where we don’t.
Randi’s sudden dislike of all things Clinton never made any sense to me. I hold her, and Schulz, and Olbermann and their ilk at least partly responsible…. for the current rift among progressives. It is a rift that will come back to haunt us, I’m afraid.
What the hell were they thinking?
February 18, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Woman Voter
Last year, I used for practice for my NO WE WON’T Tshirt
………….
Hey, I think I might have been to the left of you at the park, when it got too hot. I will have to go take a look at my photos and see if I can spot you. 🙂
February 18, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Mimi Schaeffer
Yes, please give another Hillary basher a slice of just dessert.
By the bye, looks like Jim Enos Clyburn is joining the gamy banquet. TPM Muckraker has a picture of him with Allen Stanford, Katherine Harris, Tom Feeney and a bunch of other other upstanding Americans.
February 18, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Thomas 4 Clinton
For two years Randi Rhodes was my voice of sanity, rational liberalism, and common sense during the idiot right wing neocon years when all Democrats were united against a common enemy and on the same page. She had righteous fire and made sense. She was proud of calling Bill Clinton the first “black president”. It was Marc Maron in the morning drive and Randi in the afternoon drive home. Then at the beginning of 2008 I noticed Obamination had taken over her website overnight without warning. By that time, I had long discounted BO as flemsy lightweight with no resume and record of acomplishment and Hillary Clinton as the only serious candidate. The others at AA
February 18, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Thomas 4 Clinton
For two years Randi Rhodes was my voice of sanity, rational liberalism, and common sense during the idiot right wing neocon years when all Democrats were united against a common enemy and on the same page. She had righteous fire and made sense. She was proud of calling Bill Clinton the first “black president”. It was Marc Maron on the morning drive and Randi in the afternoon drive home. Then at the around the beginning of 2008 I noticed Obamination had taken over her website overnight without warning. By that time, I had long discounted BO as flemsy lightweight with no resume and no record of acomplishment, and Hillary Clinton as the only serious candidate who was right for America. I parted ways with AA long before the f@#&*ng whore incident. Her arrogance had really gotten old anyway. Amazing how she turned rabid so fast.
February 20, 2009 at 1:13 am
joe from chi
I’m glad I’m not the only one!! I loved Air America before 2007. The ugly face of fascism turned me off SO fast. I listen to Ed Schultz and Tom Hartman (both of who I used to love) only to get my blood pumping again. It is like a train wreck, I cannot turn away. But it is just so disgusting I feel like I need to shower after only a few minutes.
Shame on all of them. I thought they were different….
April 15, 2009 at 8:03 am
Heartburn Home Remedy
This topic is quite trendy in the net right now. What do you pay attention to while choosing what to write about?