Ed Schultz off MSNBC for vulgar criticism of Laura Ingraham

Ed Schultz off MSNBC for vulgar criticism of Laura Ingraham

Associated Press
May 26, 2011

NEW YORK - MSNBC's Ed Schultz is off the air for more than a week after calling a fellow talk-show host a vulgar term.

On his radio show, the liberal commentator from Fargo, N.D., referred to conservative host Laura Ingraham as a "right-wing slut." He was apparently upset over her criticism of President Barack Obama's overseas trip.

Schultz apologized on MSNBC on Wednesday to Ingraham, his family, MSNBC and viewers for the remark. He said it was wrong and uncalled for, and he recognized the severity of what he said.

MSNBC said the network and Schultz mutually agreed on a suspension that will take him off the air until June 6.

Classy.

On Ed Schultz

Neal Boortz
May 27, 2011

I have to admit this. On a personal level I like Ed Schultz. He’s friendly, garrulous – and fun to be around. He’s a pilot too. Oh yes .. he’s called me a psycho on the air, but I’m a forgiving kind of guy. His wife Wendy is a delight as well.

Why does Ed say the things on his radio and television show that he does? It’s his act, folks. I think that Ed believes that the only way he can attract listeners and viewers is to give them what he things they are looking for --- outrageous statements. Tell them that Republicans want people to die! He’s not saying anything other Democrats aren’t saying. The trouble is when you think that your appeal lies in making outrageous statements rather than cogent political analysis or entertaining banter with callers, sooner or later you’re going to slip over the edge. Calling Laura Ingraham a slut on the air was that slip over the edge.

Ed Schultz has apologized on air for his remark. Here’s the video. I believe that apology was heartfelt. Like most apologists, he didn’t say “I’m sorry if she was offended.” He admitted that what he said was wrong and expressed his remorse. Laura Ingraham has accepted the apology. Ed is suspended from his TV show for a week without pay. That should be the end of it.

But I do think he’s a psycho. :-)

And liberals say right-wing talkers are purveyors of "hate speech."

Pot meet kettle.

I think we can agree that both sides are as bad as each other in this respect?

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:I think we can agree that both sides are as bad as each other in this respect?

Generally speaking, yes... I think that both sides can be equally offensive. But when it comes to narrowing the demos, I've yet to see an example of this sort of thing by TV or radio talkers on the right. I'm not saying they don't exist... clearly I cannot have heard or seen every broadcast by every right-wing talker - I have just never seen anything like this posted as an example of the truth of the statement that both sides are as bad as each other when it comes to radio and TV personalities on the right.

Many on the right can be as offensive. But it seems as though it's usually the lesser known talking heads.

Rush Limbaugh.

"Feminism was established to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream"

“Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?”

(To a black woman): “Take that bone out of your nose and call me back.”

"We need to shut down this Gitmo prison? Well, don't shut it down - we just need to start an advertising campaign. We need to call it, 'Gitmo, the Muslim resort.' Any resort that treated people like this would have ads all over the New York Times trying to get people to come down and visit for some R&R, for some rest and relaxation."

If the word of how they're being treated keeps getting out, we're going to have al-Qaeda people surrendering all over the world trying to get in place.

I guess racism, misogyny and joking about maltreatment of POWs is nothing compared to calling one individual a "slut"

Glen Beck:

"I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. ... No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out. Is this wrong?"

"Al Gore's not going to be rounding up Jews and exterminating them. It is the same tactic, however. The goal is different. The goal is globalization...And you must silence all dissenting voices. That's what Hitler did. That's what Al Gore, the U.N., and everybody on the global warming bandwagon [are doing]."

So here you have Barack Obama going in and spending the money on embryonic stem cell research. ... Eugenics. In case you don't know what Eugenics led us to: the Final Solution. A master race! A perfect person.

Joking about killing Michael Moore, comparing climate activists to Nazis, saying that Obama is involved in Eugenics is nothing compared to calling one individual a "slut".

Seriously, you need to take off the rose coloured spectacles through which you view the likes of Beck and Limbaugh. I'm glad we don't have people like them (or Shultz) on our televisions or radios.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:

Seriously, you need to take off the rose coloured spectacles through which you view the likes of Beck and Limbaugh. I'm glad we don't have people like them (or Shultz) on our televisions or radios.

I second this!

The two that (to me) are outright offensive..........

“Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?”

1990 in a Newsday article.

(To a black woman): “Take that bone out of your nose and call me back.”

Didn't happen on Limbaugh's talk radio program, but at the beginning of his broadcast career back in the early 1970s when he was hosting a Top 40 music show in Pittsburgh.

And he said about that one;

Recalling a stint as an "insult-radio" DJ in Pittsburgh, he admits feeling guilty about, for example, telling a black listener he could not understand to "take that bone out of your nose and call me back."

Glen Beck:

"I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. ... No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out. Is this wrong?"

The only source for the quote is MediaMatters among countless others to countless to type. Btw, the "quote" is from 2005 supposedly. He was on CNN then. Didn't join FNC till 2008. Just sayin'.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:Seriously, you need to take off the rose coloured spectacles through which you view the likes of Beck and Limbaugh. I'm glad we don't have people like them (or Shultz) on our televisions or radios.

I don't watch Beck nor do I listen to Limbaugh.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:Rush Limbaugh.

"Feminism was established to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream"

“Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?”

(To a black woman): “Take that bone out of your nose and call me back.”

"We need to shut down this Gitmo prison? Well, don't shut it down - we just need to start an advertising campaign. We need to call it, 'Gitmo, the Muslim resort.' Any resort that treated people like this would have ads all over the New York Times trying to get people to come down and visit for some R&R, for some rest and relaxation."

If the word of how they're being treated keeps getting out, we're going to have al-Qaeda people surrendering all over the world trying to get in place.

I guess racism, misogyny and joking about maltreatment of POWs is nothing compared to calling one individual a "slut"

You're better than this Matt... racism indeed. That "bone in your nose" comment has been addressed here before - and it was made by Rush back in the early 70's as an "insult-radio" DJ on a local top 40 music radio show under the name of Jeff Christie - and he said that he felt guilty about it, even though it was his job to insult.

As for Gitmo, these prisoners are getting exceptionally good treatment. Three square, and religiously observant, meals a day; excellent health care; their own copies of the Qur'an and prayer rugs; hell... their compatriots in the field don't have it that good!

That leaves the misogyny claim standing... but I find it hard to give that claim credibility given the quote you cited.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:Glen Beck:

"I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. ... No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out. Is this wrong?"

"Al Gore's not going to be rounding up Jews and exterminating them. It is the same tactic, however. The goal is different. The goal is globalization...And you must silence all dissenting voices. That's what Hitler did. That's what Al Gore, the U.N., and everybody on the global warming bandwagon [are doing]."

So here you have Barack Obama going in and spending the money on embryonic stem cell research. ... Eugenics. In case you don't know what Eugenics led us to: the Final Solution. A master race! A perfect person.

Joking about killing Michael Moore, comparing climate activists to Nazis, saying that Obama is involved in Eugenics is nothing compared to calling one individual a "slut".

Seriously, you need to take off the rose coloured spectacles through which you view the likes of Beck and Limbaugh. I'm glad we don't have people like them (or Shultz) on our televisions or radios.

Well, you have at least provided some examples of extremist speech on the right. So it would appear that you were right. It is as bad on both sides of the political spectrum.

Oh, and don't think for a second that Shultz's "slut" comment was the worst of what he and others have said. I have three full pages of remarks by left-wing talkers that every bit as offensive and violent as anything Beck has ever uttered.

TexasBlue wrote:I don't watch Beck nor do I listen to Limbaugh.

I never accused anybody here of being their fans but I have never seen any conservative here criticise either man (or Alex Jones or any others I cannot recall at this moment in time).

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:

TexasBlue wrote:I don't watch Beck nor do I listen to Limbaugh.

I never accused anybody here of being their fans but I have never seen any conservative here criticise either man (or Alex Jones or any others I cannot recall at this moment in time).

I shake my head (literally) when I read about dumbass comments by those on the right (talkers on TV and radio).

As such, it's the job of those on the left to post idiotic comments by the right.

dblboggie wrote:I have three full pages of remarks by left-wing talkers that every bit as offensive and violent as anything Beck has ever uttered.

I don't doubt that for one minute. All I am saying is that this sort of behaviour is prevalent on both sides. Neither can take the intellectual or moral high ground when left wing commentators are calling the GOP "fascists" and "religious fanatics" and right wing commentators are calling the Democrats "baby killers" or "Communists". I just think that it should be acknowledged that both sides are indulging in behaviour that should be unacceptable in journalism.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:

dblboggie wrote:I have three full pages of remarks by left-wing talkers that every bit as offensive and violent as anything Beck has ever uttered.

I don't doubt that for one minute. All I am saying is that this sort of behaviour is prevalent on both sides. Neither can take the intellectual or moral high ground when left wing commentators are calling the GOP "fascists" and "religious fanatics" and right wing commentators are calling the Democrats "baby killers" or "Communists". I just think that it should be acknowledged that both sides are indulging in behaviour that should be unacceptable in journalism.

Agreed!