Dr. Laura Schlessinger apologized recently for using the N-Word on the air
(according to her) trying to be funny, not as a direct insult to the African-American caller at the time.
Mo’Kelly is not name dropping, just going to provide some perspective. While Mo’Kelly used to produce for Jim Rome and Ryan Seacrest, Mo’Kelly would encounter Dr. Laura daily.
Every single day.
All of their shows were produced at that time at Premiere Radio Networks. In fact, Jim Rome’s and Dr. Laura’s studios/staff were on the same floor.
Mo’Kelly has nothing bad to say about Dr. Laura and is still close friends with her former lead producer (who is African-American) to this very day. Dr. Laura has always been kind, polite and courteous to Mo’Kelly.
Always.
How she is in her private life, who is to say? But in terms of her off-air personality about the office, Mo’Kelly has nothing bad to say about her. I’ll let my personal interaction with her carry more weight than this one public indiscretion.
That said, the lesson here is simple. The sooner “We” stop using the N-Word, the sooner “they” will stop feeling so comfortable using it in any context.
Full story HERE.
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Dr. Laura’s apology HERE
These are my opening comments from my radio program today:
I talk every day about doing the right thing. And yesterday, I did the wrong thing.
I didn’t intend to hurt people, but I did. And that makes it the wrong thing to have done.
I was attempting to make a philosophical point, and I articulated the “n” word all the way out – more than one time. And that was wrong. I’ll say it again – that was wrong.
I ended up, I’m sure, with many of you losing the point I was trying to make, because you were shocked by the fact that I said the word. I, myself, realized I had made a horrible mistake, and was so upset I could not finish the show. I pulled myself off the air at the end of the hour. I had to finish the hour, because 20 minutes of dead air doesn’t work. I am very sorry. And it just won’t happen again.
I received some letters, and what touched me is that, even though many of you were upset, you still showed friendship for all the years we’ve been together on the air, and for that, trust me, I am very grateful.
9 responses to “Dr. Laura Lets ‘N-Word’ Fly On the Air…Apologizes (+ AUDIO)”
Oh don't apologize. Stand by that point you were making…..
Why does Larry King intervieuw this woman. She's sick and likes publicity. Poor., poor, poor!!!!
At first, I was gonna try to let it slide because I have actually enjoyed listening to her show before… but after hearing the full audio… I can't get over it. She used the word repeatedly… and basically insinuated that since Obama is president, all of our complaining about racial issues should be over… Right… whatever.
lol
How many different ways can this be articulated?
Nobody owns language, thoughts or words.
I say Dr. Laura, based on that clip, did nothing wrong.
Allow me to say it: Watch a black comic on TV and chances are he will use the word 'n*****' (with an 'er') reepeatedly.
I have heard at least one black comic articulate the difference between a black man and a n*****.
I find the word offensive for many reason I have stated many times.
However, it is not criminal, insensitive nor in any way racist to utter the word.
Perhaps moreso than for any other word use, context matters and it matters critically.
If something like this qualifies for headlines, we as a society are going the wrong way.
I think her repeated use of the word was both gratuitous and insensitive. It showed a lack of command of the subject matter, historical knowledge behind the word and a grab at ratings. The "utterance" of any word is not the issue, it's the manner, context, sentiment attached etc.
Clearly she did something wrong…that's not even up for debate. Without the apology she likely is fined by the FCC. And even with the apology she still may be fined. Nobody said it was "criminal" but it surely was worthy of a headline and a rebuke.
And newsflash Walt, what a comedian says in a routine which airs on HBO is different from what is allowed on the radio airwaves. That same comedian "Chris Rock" you were refering to said the F word 50 times too in that same special. You can't say that on the radio either…
Specifically, this could/would be a violation of the profane speech regulations of the FCC.
It reads as follows:
Profane Broadcast Restrictions
The FCC has defined profanity as “including language so grossly offensive to members of the public who actually hear it as to amount to a nuisance.”
Like indecency, profane speech is prohibited on broadcast radio and television between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/obscene.pdf
Like I said, whether she did something wrong isn't even up for debate. "N*****" falls within that category. If the violation is highly egregious it then can be considered criminal. Also since her show is syndicated, the amount of complaints can be a ridiculous number given the amount of stations which likely broadcast the segment. (Her show is live). Just the facts Walt, and not subject to interpretation.
Mo,
I will back you on the fact that the word should not be used gratuitously on the public airwaves.
I don't think Dr. Laura did. Maybe she did. Maybe it's a close call but I don't see it as a slam dunk.
And she was not in any way attempting to be insensitive. She was trying (and ANY white person who attempts this is courting danger) to parse the usage vis-a-vis its popularity as an utterance among certain segments of black society, especially in the realm of entertainment.
This flat-out confuses the hell out of white folk.
I think we need Chris Rock to break it down for us.
Somebody please break this thing down.
Um, Walt…
I know a little bit about radio and have a rapport with Dr. Laura. I'm probably more inside this conversation than most commentators on the subject.
I don't think we need Chris Rock…he knows neither radio nor Dr. Laura. Going further, whether Dr. Laura was "trying" to be insensitive is neither here nor there. She went too far in her verbal joust with the caller.
What you fail to understand is that it doesn't matter whether you "think" it was either insensitive or a violation. It is simply a matter of whether the masses (i.e. complaints) are offended. Meaning, you trying to "argue" Dr. Laura's intentions won't have any bearing on the public negative response…which greatly influence whether a fine is levied. Meaning, the public outcry determines what happens, not your individual perception of the incident.
The "validity" of Dr. Laura's viewpoint has no bearing on the infraction.
Morris,
Fair point.