Janeane Garofalo Blasts Air America Over Randi Rhodes Suspension

GARO-FURY

Garofalo Uses Network Airwaves To Slam Air America





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Proving to all she is alive and well, ultra- reclusive luddite Janeane Garofalo has come out swinging against her former employer, using Air America's own resources late Friday to blast their suspension of afternoon drive host Randi Rhodes.

Rhodes was removed from the airwaves this week after delivering a profane stand- up routine in San Francisco in which she called Hillary Clinton a "big f***ing whore". It is not yet known when, if ever, she will return to the program.

Phoning in unexpectedly during Rhodes fill-in Sam Seder's show, Garofalo unleashed a tirade against Air America management, calling them "boneheaded" and accusing them of being "weak" in the face of controversy.

Garofalo and Seder at one time co-hosted "The Majority Report" on the network, but its financial troubles combined with her clear lack of commitment to the show and weird topic choices led to its demise. Seder has continued there in a part time capacity.

In addition, for reasons known only to her, the hotheaded actress and political activist used the opportunity to slam liberal talker Alan Colmes, calling him a "Stockholm Syndrome sufferer." Colmes has no known connection to the Rhodes suspension.


In the impromptu interview, Seder seems uneasy and unsure how to respond to Garofalo's tirade. Since the suspension was announced yesterday, Air America hosts have generally avoided discussions of her removal from the airwaves.

Here's a partial transcript of the exchange:

GAROFALO (referring to Seder): I was turning the radio dial and stumbled across your stuttering tones.

[...]

GAROFALO: I am so disenchanted. First of all I was so disenchanted with the corporate ownership of this of this company Air America one after the other bonehead decision after bonehead decision. Suspending Randi shows such weakness ah and and maybe they claim they don’t want to be represented that way.

Well, maybe they should dump some of those conservative voices that spew their garbage on this network. In the morning, or Cavuto, or the Stockholm Syndrome sufferer Alan Colmes. That is a poor representation. She was doing a comedy show and granted I can think of cleverer ways to say things then maybe she did.

But that’s not the point and it’s not her fault that there’s a viral video or whatever on YouTube. It’s just weak. It’s weak for them to suspend her. Has she not built up enough good credit in the bank of supporting every good Liberal Democratic cause over the years?

Et it it it just I I I really cannot understand this corporate decision and how it benefits the reputation of the company such as it is. Um and she has the right to do her stand up as she is apt to do. Was anyone under the illusion they were going to get Mary Pickford showing up?

And here's a Radio Equalizer- produced YouTube clip featuring the entire exchange:







It's not clear what "conservative voices" Garofalo was referring to, as Air America doesn't carry any, nor does it feature Neil Cavuto or Alan Colmes.

And what's especially odd here is that Garofalo didn't exactly come across as a team player during her spotty tenure at the network, so why is she coming out of the woodwork now? Your Radio Equalizer won't pretend to understand Janeane's notoriously- erratic behavior.

At the same time, she's correct that the Rhodes suspension is fishy. But it's their network and they have the right to insist upon certain standards at an official company event. In addition, it really isn't appropriate to use their resources to blast the firm during a live broadcast.

Seder may live to regret taking her call.

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Technorati tags: randi rhodes suspension randi rhodes return randi rhodes fired air america radio bill press huffington post geraldine ferraro hillary clinton janeane garofalo garofalo blasts air america sam seder garofalo slams alan colmes

Classic Garofalo images: David A Lunde, Pete at IHillary, Rhodes image: NY Post