Savage fired by MSNBC

[sianews]

Terrible day . Can't even speak your mind about the downfall of this countries culture without being fired.

The popular radio talk show host who did a weekend TV show for the cable channel referred to an unidentified caller to his show Saturday as a "sodomite" and said he should "get AIDS and die."

"Oh, you're one of the sodomites," Savage said. "You should only get AIDS and die, you pig. How's that? Why don't you see if you can sue me, you pig. You got nothing better than to put me down, you piece of garbage. You have got nothing to do today, go eat a sausage and choke on it."

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald...nt/6251351.htm

[ice4277]

Uh, yeah. Do you think it would be ok if he started dropping N-bombs and telling black people to go back to Africa, or he wouldn't mind seeing a few clan lynchings? You may not equate the two, but I would, and I would find them both of them very distasteful. If somebody goes on the air and says something like this, there is no way they SHOULDN'T be canned.

[Franklinnoble]

Hmm... I kind of like his use of the word "sodomite." Sounds more polite and sophisticated than "faggot."

[Blackadar]

Yea, I'd say this guy was a little out of bounds.

[CamEdwards]

my station carries Savage, and I really really don't care for him. Kinda surprised that MSNBC would fire him, however. They knew what they were getting when they hired him.

[sabotai]

Uh...yeah...sounds like he was fired because all he did was talk about downfall of the countires culture...

[Draft Dodger]

I hate the overwhelming movement towards political correctness.

I'm glad someone in charge was able to see through that and fire this fucking lunatic anyways.

[Franklinnoble]

Is bidding a sodomite wishes that he "get AIDS and die" really any different than wishing a drug addict would "overdose and die" or that a drunk driver would "drive off a cliff and die" or that those stupid PBR bullriders would "get stomped by a bull and die?"

So, he doesn't like people that engage in anal sex, and he wishes them the worst possible outcome of one of the well-documented hazards of the activity... Really, his comment could be applied to just about any group of people that happen to share any sort of potentially hazardous pastime.

[Draft Dodger]

except that anal sex isn't necessarily hazardous.

if Fritz and Subby are in a monogamous relationship, they've been thoroughly tested, and they have anal sex together, they aren't really doing anything hazardous, right?

[CamEdwards]

Franklin,

I'm guessing if a person on live television told anybody "I hope you die"... they're probably not going to have their television show when they wake up the next day.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by Draft Dodger
except that anal sex isn't necessarily hazardous.

if Fritz and Subby are in a monogamous relationship, they've been thoroughly tested, and they have anal sex together, they aren't really doing anything hazardous, right?

I dunno... I'm sure anal sex with Fritz would still remain hazardous.

[Draft Dodger]

oh, and note to Fritz and Subby - if this hypothetical love connection ever does happen, we don't want to know.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by CamEdwards
Franklin,

I'm guessing if a person on live television told anybody "I hope you die"... they're probably not going to have their television show when they wake up the next day.

True. But like you said, MSNBC knew they were getting a guy that said crap like this when they hired Savage... I just wonder if it's the "I hope you die" part that got him fired or the "You're a sodomite" part.

[ISiddiqui]

if Fritz and Subby are in a monogamous relationship, they've been thoroughly tested, and they have anal sex together, they aren't really doing anything hazardous, right?

I dunno... I hear Fritz is dangerous in bed

[Blackadar]

Originally posted by Draft Dodger
oh, and note to Fritz and Subby - if this hypothetical love connection ever does happen, we don't want to know.

No, no we don't. Please, for the love of God, no.

[CamEdwards]

I'm guessing it was the "I hope you die" comment that got him fired. That to me is much more offensive than calling someone a sodomite (which, technically, that person is).

[Super G]

They got a spot on FOX news for Mr. Savage where he's free to taunt and threaten callers.

""You should only get AIDS and die, you pig." Now that is horribly offensive. Now I hardly disagree with Mr. Savage, but I think he really really went over the borderline.

[vtbub]

It was the I hope you die and the 20 or so seconds of stupidity said after that.

[vtbub]

Here is the clip.

"I HOPE YOU GET AIDS AND DIE, PIG"

[tucker342]

It's fine to speak your mind, but he crossed a line that shouldn't be crossed.

[vtbub]

The go choke on a sausage and get...food posioning wasn't clever either.

[alterra]

My car only recieves one radio station, so I've sometimes listened to this guy - he is an offensive jerk, but what amused me was how whenever he gets flustered he starts talking about his academic credentials... "I have such and such degrees... how DARE you question my intellect..." Absolutely cracked me up every time.

[Blackadar]

Yea, I'd say his out of bounds.

Just punishment: lock him in the Blue Oyster Bar for a couple of hours.

(For those who conveniently forgot, the movie reference is Police Academy)

[Franklinnoble]

"Proctor, I don't see a salad bar anywhere in here, do you?"

[Tekneek]

Oh well. MSNBC is free to hire and fire anybody they want to. In my mind, this is far worse than the kinds of things NCAA coaches have done and just about everybody here wanted all of them to get fired.

I find it hard to understand how telling someone they should get aids and die is "speak[ing] your mind about the downfall of this [country's] culture..."

Am I offering fair commentary on our society if I say all Democrats and Republicans should die?

[Fritz]

Originally posted by alterra
My car only recieves one radio station,

dude, the "knob" next to the radio lets you change stations.

[Fritz]

Mr. Savage did NOTHING wrong.

[Fritz]

dola

From the clip above, I can see where the pork industry might be upset.

[Subby]

Originally posted by Fritz
Mr. Savage did NOTHING wrong.

According to whose standards? Certainly he didn't break any laws, but he obviously violated the code of conduct set forth by his employer. A few years back, a popular DJ in the Washington, DC area (The Greaseman) was fired for critiquing a Lauren Hill song by saying something to the effect of, "those people should be tied to a truck and dragged to death." That was in the wake of the dragging death in Texas that was big news at the time. He didn't break any laws either, but there was no question the guy used horrible judgement and should have been fired.

You are confusing freedom of speech with employment policy...

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Subby
You are confusing freedom of speech with employment policy...

You are obviously being an idiot. I said nothing about his firing nor did I say anything about free speech.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by Subby
You are confusing freedom of speech with employment policy...

Exactly.

And not only that, but MSNBC is a business. They only make money if they have sponsors. If too many people, or the sponsors themselves, feel certain commentary is inappropriate and will lead to fewer viewers, they have to look at it as a business decision.

I think it's quite easy to make this kind of decision when someone states that they hope a whole group of people contract a disease and die. Free speech or not, no company would allow such speech, particularly not when it's made "on behalf of his employer," which is what he did. My free speech rights don't permit me to go into court and declare the judge brain-dead without some form of punishment both from the judge and my employer. I may be perfectly within my rights to state my opinion, but not in that context.

[Tekneek]

You have the right to say whatever you want to, as long as you are prepared to accept the consequences.

[Samdari]

Originally posted by CamEdwards
That to me is much more offensive than calling someone a sodomite (which, technically, that person is).

But so are some lucky married guys, who I am sure Savage does not have a problem with. Whether or not it was accurate (which I agree it was) it was certainly intended to degrade homosexuals.

[CamEdwards]

Originally posted by Samdari
But so are some lucky married guys, who I am sure Savage does not have a problem with. Whether or not it was accurate (which I agree it was) it was certainly intended to degrade homosexuals.

and your point is what?

[Subby]

Originally posted by Fritz
You are obviously being an idiot. I said nothing about his firing nor did I say anything about free speech.

Well argued.

[Samdari]

You seemed to be excusing the use of the term sodomite because it was technically accurate. He was not using it to be precise, but to attempt to degrade and humiliate an entire group of people.

[Samdari]

Originally posted by CamEdwards
and your point is what?

That married guys who get to be sodomites are lucky.

[cuervo72]

Go apply a band-aid and wear a tie-dye, you vegemite lover!

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Samdari
You seemed to be excusing the use of the term sodomite because it was technically accurate. He was not using it to be precise, but to attempt to degrade and humiliate an entire group of people.

so?

up with pedophiles! does that make you happy?

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Subby
Well argued.

Thanks! You are easily the second most disingenuous person I know.

[JPhillips]

Don't forget te role of his pretty poor ratings. He has barely increased viewers for his timeslot, and that just didn't balance out with his salary and negative image. If he was catching fire in the ratings my bet is he would still have a job.

But hell I'm sitting on the beach in St. Augustine, so what do I know?

[Bee]

Originally posted by Fritz
Thanks! You are the second easiest person I know.

[Fritz]

ah, close Bee, but you timing is off.

[Subby]

Originally posted by Fritz
Thanks! You are easily the second most disingenuous person I know.

Easily.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Tekneek
You have the right to say whatever you want to, as long as you are prepared to accept the consequences.

Do the masses believe this anymore though?

[Tekneek]

Originally posted by SkyDog
Do the masses believe this anymore though?

I don't know. Clearly, Savage has been reminded of it, though. I think I sometimes forget, at least on messageboards.

[MylesKnight]

America is Soft!!!

What a country.. We can go attack and conquer Middle Eastern countries and kill other human beings all day long but when it comes to issues here on the Home Front, one must never, ever, ever even attempt to offend any other American with any kind of comment that could be considered outlandish.

I respect people for speaking their minds and not worrying about following the status quo with the rest of our "normal" society.. More people like Michael Savage (as only the most recent example) are needed, in my opinion.

What a country this is when a former co-worker of mine was fired for someone overhearing a joke about Homosexuals while a current co-worker of mine was allowed to keep their job despite being caught stealing personal items, including cash, from inside of another employee's locked desk. Let me see, the Joker or the Thief? Hmmmm....

I like my job and all but what is the Corporation I work for thinking? Is this how America works?

[Tekneek]

Clearly your employer is more worried about the outcome from possible harrassment claims than employees who steal. That's their prerogative.

Michael Savage is free to think anything he wants to, and he can say anything he wants to. He still has that freedom. That does not mean anybody needs to pay him a salary while he does it.

I regret that the US government got me to buy into the war in Iraq while it was happening. I was against it, then I was raging for it, and now I regret that. It is coming to light that Bush wrote a check that he cannot now cash. So, the US government is willing to go and kill other people in other countries, so our society, and its corporations, should tolerate people acting like assholes?

[MylesKnight]

No debate from me Tekneek, I just stated my opinion on the matter and that's all I've got to say about it, my friend.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Tekneek

I regret that the US government got me to buy into the war in Iraq while it was happening. I was against it, then I was raging for it, and now I regret that. It is coming to light that Bush wrote a check that he cannot now cash. So, the US government is willing to go and kill other people in other countries, so our society, and its corporations, should tolerate people acting like assholes?

WTF does this have to do with the topic (like I am one to ask that sort of question)