Dr. Laura Schlessenger, she of psychobabble radio fame, apparently is leaving to “seek new opportunities” in the wake of a furor over her repeated use of a racial epithet on her program. Gal was, apparently, dropping n-bombs by the barrelful. In the wake of her “resignation” she told uber-interviewer Larry King that she “wants to get her first amendment rights back.”
I’ve read the transcripts and have even heard the infamous phone call where the Doc was essentially telling an African American caller not to be so sensitive about these kinds of things, and was using the n-word as an example of how black comedians use the word and get loads of laughs from audiences in the process.
I don’t think I’ve ever come across a better example of tone-deafness.
First of all, Dr. Laura is white, not black. Despite her academic credentials, which I’m sure are plentiful and well-deserved, and her decades of experience dispensing pop-psychology insta-cures to callers on her national radio program, she doesn’t get to tell a black person how she’s supposed to feel in the wake of a racial slur or other racist behavior. She gets to tell that black person that the world is, unfortunately, still full of morons who don’t understand the destructive power of their words. She gets to tell that woman that she, being a woman, understands being relegated to a second class status, but can’t begin to fathom the double hit a woman of color takes for both her race AND her gender. Good thing she’s not also disabled.
Tony Hayward, the former CEO of BP, infamously and publicly wished to get his life back after his company caused the greatest environmental disaster in U.S. history. He now has his life back and is also FORMER CEO. Dr. Schlessenger wants to get her first amendment rights back, so although she never lost them, she’s now a FORMER talk show host.
People need to get in touch with the notion that words have the power to both uplift and cause pain. And when they inflict pain, whether by conscious purpose or in blasé example, there are consequences. You have to watch what you say, people!
I hope this wasn’t too harsh, Dr. Laura.
Tags: African American caller, BP, Dr. Laura Schlessenger, First Amendment, gender, Larry King, race, radio, resignation, talk show host, Tony Hayward