Savage Hate

As unemployment statistics grow ever more depressing, Radley Balko points to one pink slip that's more cheer-inducing: MSNBC has just given Michael Savage the boot. The pubas at the cable network were apparently shocked, shocked to discover that they'd somehow hired a flaming bigot. How were they to know?

Comments

[Anonymous]

you mean a flaming bigot with no ratings. sorry to burst everybody's collective bubble of self-righteousness, but if he'd been pulling in the viewers he'd be getting a raise and a better time-slot.

[Junis Chapell]

Savage makes leftists appear genius.

C-Ya!

[Julian Sanchez]

First commenter:
Perhaps so. But unless the MSNBC folks are totally fabricating, he probably would have lasted a while longer if he hadn't made the remarks in question. Though it is fair to point out that this latest bit of bile isn't all that much worse than his usual.

[Sierra Skye Hippy Pants]

Oh goodie, its a meeting of the "I LOVE FREE SPEECH, BUT" crew!

Any person who understands talk radio understands what he was doing with his show.

Also anyone who understands language knows how he sidestepped meaning in what he said, "definition of is", "I do not recall", etc.

It doesn't make you sound cool or libertarian to act like an offended old lady about a dime store talk deejay who pulled an Ann Coulter. Don't act dumb, its unbecoming of such a groovey mag.

[no tv, thanks -- ON July, not]

You mean, the bottom of the broadcast barrel was scraping the bottom of the bigot barrel?! Shock! SHOCK!

[Xrlq]

"How were they to know?" is right. Not to excuse MSNBC's decision to hire Mr. Savage in the first place, but I do think that GLAAD has to shoulder some of the blame. If these guys had not cried wolf over annoying non-homophobes like Laura Schlesinger in the past, the company suits might have taken their protests more seriously this time, when the real wolf came around.

[jc]

Shades of Dr. Laura and Stern; both were targeted by the homostalinists as 'haters' which scared the bejeezis out of the corporate cupcakes, but admittedly, Laura did not translate well to TV, neither did Rush, and Stern has done only marginally better in a televised medium. I suspect Savage was slightly less than telegenic, but then, are any of the talkking head clowns particularly charming or endearing...obviously the Kudlow, Kramers, Buchanans, and other potted plants are permitted to troll for loooooooow ratings so long as they don't color too far outside the lines....

[David]

POO-BAH. Not "puba." I think.

And good riddance to bad Savage. I usually lean pretty conservative, but this guy was around the bend...the kind that gives conservatives (straight, paleo, or neo) a bad name.

[Julian Sanchez]

"Oh goodie, its a meeting of the 'I LOVE FREE SPEECH, BUT' crew!"

What "free speech"? I'm lauding a private network's decision to yank some boob whose schtick was pandering to vile and hateful sentiments. It's not "unlibertarian" to be glad that some sheetless Klansman has lost his soapbox if no actual censorship was required, is it?

[Sam H.]

Julian: Why laud a private network's decision to yank some boob when they knew exactly what kind of boob he was when they hired him? This was hardly the first time he's said something offensive, and it's arguably not even the most offensive thing he's said. The first poster here was right on the money (and the key word there is money): If Savage's ratings were higher, the boob would still have a job. MSNBC showed no shame in rooting around the gutter when they hired him, and they'd gladly have stayed in the gutter if he had delivered. Since he didn't, the network now has a chance to atone for its hideous mistake, and to look like its taking the high road in the process.

[Jim Walsh]

Savage actually spent a portion of his show Monday (7/7) apologizing to gays, et al. Seems the old boy has lost his nerve.

[V.Ulpine]

"If these guys had not cried wolf over annoying non-homophobes like Laura Schlesinger, the company suits might have taken their protests more seriously this time, when the real wolf came around."

But at least this wolf wasn't wearing sheep's clothing like some of the lupine low-lives littering the land at CNN, NPR, ABC, CBS, NBC lecterns.

[tom wright]

Savage's real last name is Weiner. That's why he uses Savage as a stage name.

Think Weiner Nation would get any viewers/listeners, no matter how appropriate the real title would be? (No matter which way you pronounce it).

weener/whiner, neener-neener!

Tom

[Anonymous]

That's it, I'm not buying any more Vienna Savages!

[Chinese Proverb]

Show-hosts with small sausages usually do wild and wooly weeny-waving.

[Chinese Penis]

He who point out small weiner, afraid of big one up the ass.

[Confucius Rodriguez]

Man with pinata for head should not go to Yankee Stadium on bat day.

[Croesus]

What's funny about Dr. Laura is that she backs up her hatred of homosexuals by using the Torah, etc.; yet she ignores most of the requirements that the Torah requires her as a Jew to follow. Such hypocrisy would be funny if it weren't so sad.

Zeke,

Savage can say all the offensive, stupid, etc. things he wants to, and the government isn't going to stop him (that's "free speech"); but MSNBC doesn't have to pay him to do so (that's the "market"). See the difference?

[Croesus]

Savage's comments are a kin to the equally dumbass comments made by Danny Glover about Cuba.

[Gilbert Martin]

"Savage makes leftists appear genius."

Nope.

That is an absolute physical impossibility.

[Brian]

Anonymous chickenshits:

Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with Mr. Sanchez's work (beyond his few weeks on this blog) before writing him off as an "AA hire" or "PC leftist" or whatever. Ten minutes of reading should be enough to convince any reasonable person that he is neither.

http://www.juliansanchez.com

Are your ideas really so fragile that you cannot handle having them challenged from time to time? How pathetic.

Sorry for feeding the trolls folks, but this was just more than I could ignore.

[Anonymous]

So his name isn't Sanchez and his first assignment for Reason wasn't about Affirmative Action and he doesn't express humorless PC defensiveness?
I stand corrected.

[Zeke]

Croesus,

I never mentioned the government or the
First Amendment either.

MSNBC can hire and fire whomever they want.
(At least they should be free to do so)

And likewise for the Chicago Cubs
(My Dusty Baker reference)

[Croesus]

Zeke,

Then I don't see where you get off on saying he lacks "free speech."

[Croesus]

Zeke,

Then I don't see where you get off on saying he lacks "free speech."

[Zebede]

No need to repeat yourself there Crocus! We hear you here, loud and clear 😀

[Amy Phillips]

I hate to rain on the Julian-bashing parade here, but just because a person's last name is "Sanchez" doesn't make him a minority. I've known Julian for the better part of 5 years now, and I can assure you that he's as white as they come. His father, from whom he got his name, is from Spain. You know, that Western European country full of white people. So you can cut it out with the racial conspiracy theories.

I love it when people make unwarranted (and frankly, prejudiced) assumptions at the top of their lungs because they think it bolsters some crude insult. I also love it when I get to prove those people wrong.

[Anonymous]

Amy - ssshhhh, don't tell the editors at Reason. They obviously bought his story about having run away from a family of gypsies in Malaga.

[joe]

My view from the outside: I understand how being punished by the gubmint for being racist is un-libertarian. But how is being opposed to racism un-libertarian? And how is a media corporation firing someone for putting out a message they don't support un-libertarian?

[Anonymous]

Amy, let's keep this between us here in this thread. Otherwise Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz, Sanz, etc. won't get invited back to the Latino Awards (or they'll have to start inviting Depardieu, etc.)

[oracle]

I'm surprised someone as nice as you made it this far down this thread ...

Disappointed?

Oh! You didn't think you came here to REASON, did you?
What did you expect from an article that has "savage" in its title?

Sorry.

(Next time, stay on Reason's home page, and out of the bathroom.)

[Anonymous]

" And how is a media corporation firing someone for putting out a message they don't support un-libertarian?"

its not. but we are predicting that when a politically correct bigot gets shitcanned, this site will be filled with charges of "neo-mccarthyism" "climates of fear" "firing people for their beliefs is unlibertarian" etc.

[Anonymous]

...forgot to mention two words: DIXIE CHICKS

[Amigo]

Anonymous implores: "Amy, let's keep this between us in this thread. Otherwise Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz, Sanz, etc., won't get invited back to the Latino Awards (or they'll have to start inviting Depardieu, et al.)"

Not to worry, Anonymous ... they'll be invited all right.

Have a peek:
http://www.mixedfolks.com/aactors.htm

[Anonymous]

so he's a spic 'n' spaniard? well, glad to know he's "white" at least. welcome aboard. julian's still a faggot's name though.

[Verbia Wordgal]

I think I finally figured out why Michael Savage changed his name ...

As you know, his real name is Michael Weiner, (which can be pronounced "weener.")

So when he was in college, they used to taunt him, "Hey! Weenie!"

Since a weenie is also known as a sausage, it probably evolved into, "What opinions do you have for us today, Sausage Head?" or "So what's new today, Sausage?"

This teasing stuck with him. So when he graduated (PhD, by the way -- gotta give the man some credit) and he went into radio, he knew that "Michael Weiner" didn't sound too good.

So he began thinking ... and thinking ...

"Michael Weenie," "Michael Sausage," (hmm) "Michael Sausage?" "Wait! I've got it!" (It hit 'em.) "If you say it often enough, "Sausage" sounds like "Savage"! Yeah! Why not!"

The rest is broadcast history.

Whaddaya think?

[Dennis W.]

You know, I read a lot. Especially about history. I find that shit fascinating. Here's a fact I don't know whether you know or not. Spaniards were spawned by niggers.

It's a fact. See, Spaniards have black blood pumping through their hearts. If you don't believe me you can look it up. Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, you see, the Moors conquered Spain. And the Moors are niggers.

So you see, way back then, Spaniards were like Visigoths from northern Europe. They all had blonde hair and blue eyes, but well, then the Moors moved in there, and they changed the whole country. They did so much fucking with Spanish women that they changed the whole bloodline forever. That's why blonde hair and blue eyes became black hair and dark skin. You know, it's absolutely amazing to me to think that to this day, hundreds of years later, that Spaniards still carry that nigger gene.

Now this is history. It's a fact, it's written. Julain's ancestors are niggers. And his great-great-great-great grandmother fucked a nigger, and she had a half nigger kid...

[Croesus]

Can't we keep the Freepers out? 🙂

[SM]

From the movie "True Romance". I suppose some folks find it hilarious.

CLIFF
Got a match?

Cliff reaches into his pocket and pulls out a lighter.

CLIFF
Oh, don't bother. I got one.
(he lights the cigarette)
So you're a Sicilian, huh?

COCCOTTI
(intensly)
Uh-huh.

CLIFF
You know I read a lot. Especially things that have to do with history. I
find that shit fascinating. In fact, I don't know if you know this or not,
Sicilians were spawned by niggers.

All the men stop what they were doing and look at Cliff, except for Tooth-pic Vic who doesn't speak English and so isn't insulted. Coccotti can't believe what he's hearing.

COCCOTTI
Come again?

CLIFF
It's a fact. Sicilians have nigger blood pumpin' through their hearts. If
you don't believe me, look it up. You see, hundreds and hundreds of years
ago the Moors conquered Sicily. And Moors are niggers. Way back then,
Sicilians were like the wops in northern Italy. Blond hair, blue eyes. But,
once the Moors moved in there, they changed the whole country. They did so
much fuckin' with the Sicilian women, they changed the blood-line for ever,
from blond hair and blue eyes to black hair and dark skin. I find it
absolutely amazing to think that to this day, hundreds of years later,
Sicilians still carry that nigger gene. I'm just quotin' history. It's a
fact. It's written. Your ancestors were niggers. Your great, great, great,
great, great-grandmother was fucked by a nigger, and had a half-nigger kid.
That is a fact. Now tell me, am I lyin'?

Coccotti looks at him for a moment then jumps up, whips out an automatic, grabs hold of Cliff's hair, puts the barrel to his temple, and pumps three bullets through Cliff's head.

He pushes the body violently aside. Coccotti pauses. Unable to express his feelings and frustrated by the blood in his hands, he simply drops his weapon, and turns to his men.

COCCOTTI
I haven't killed anybody since 1974. Goddamn his soul to burn for eternity
in fuckin' hell for makin' me spill blood on my hands! Go to this
comedian's son's apartment and come back with somethin' that tells me where
that asshole went so I can wipe this egg off of my face and fix this
fucked-up family for good.

[Michael Savage]

Enough is enough. I'm suing each of you punks who didn't watch my show for restraint of trade, dammit. Now which one of you stole my RealDoll?, I mean girlfriend?

[Anonymous]

Julian is an eggplant?

[S-kicker]

Five young bulls were asked what they wanted to be when they grew up.

1) The first one wanted to go to Beijing and become a bull in a China shop.
2) The second wanted to go to the Windy City to become a Chicago Bull.
3) The third wanted to do stock market and become a bull on Wall Street.
4) The fourth wanted to go to Rome and become a papal bull.
5) The fifth just wanted to stay on the farm for heifer and heifer.

And, guess what -- I'm wearing my tall boots.

[D Anghelone]

"It's not "unlibertarian" to be glad that some sheetless Klansman has lost his soapbox if no actual censorship was required, is it?"

No it isn't. But as a New Yorker you've surely heard worse without imagining a true bigot behind each slur, no? You bring yourself close to Savage's infantilism in calling him a Klansman.

[Anonymous]

Too bad this isn't a bar 'cause I think it's time we all bought Julian a couple of drinks or lines or whatever he's into. Now I'll pony up to posting some silly shit about Julian in this post - to be honest it's hard to resist during a monotonous day at work. But I also post what I think might be contributions in the way of opinion, facts, suggested readings, etc so I hope he's cool with one silly thread centered on him.
In the end, the dude's starting a new job and at least he doesn't back down or whine, from what I've seen at least.
Anyway, cheers Julian.

[Anonymous]

HOWARD STERN IS NEXT! YAY!

[Anonymous]

Homophobia doesn't really match up to any particular race or religion so Julian's "Klansman" comment is pretty lame - kind of like the various use of Nazi & fascist we see.
See any black Christians or Muslims in white sheets lately, Julian (well, beside the black Israelites of Times Square fame)?

[Mike Savage's Pinkslip]

bhahahhaahaha! if Savage would have been a politically correct bigot you know that this would be deemed "neo-mccarthyism" and we would be debating the "climate of fear" that is "censoring outspoken critics."

so it goes, he was a moron and I am glad he is gone. I will save " I'm lauding a private network's decision to yank some boob whose schtick was pandering to vile and hateful sentiments" in my pocket for when some anti-american is shitcanned.

[Anonymous]

There's a COLD WIND a blowing!
(watch your language boys)

[Dan S.]

The PC shit that the editors of this board, and Sanchez in particular, is spouting is suffocating, hypocritical and apalling. Behaving like Diversity Cops, they're being just as bigoted as the guys they denounce. Is it time to suit up and "be like Mao" now? It's as if they've enthusiastically jumped on board the Cultural Revolution train the Lefties have commandeered, and are now giving their Communist Best by vigorously shoveling cow pies into the firebox, while humming the Internationale in brotherhood and solidarity. DO NOT STEP ABOARD FOLKS. You do not have to apologize for having White Skin or even hating Homos, Niggers, Nigger-loving Jews and Wetbacks.

[Anonymous]

Don't pick on Julian - he's just doing his job as Reason's AA hire.

[Craig]

"The PC shit that the editors of this board, and Sanchez in particular, is spouting is suffocating, hypocritical and apalling. Behaving like Diversity Cops, they're being just as bigoted as the guys they denounce."

What!!!??? How exactly is this PC? This board and Sanchez have been criticizing Savage for a long long time, not because what he says isn't PC, but because what he says is just plain dumb. its not PC when you denounce someone, not because what they say is offensive, but because that person is a blowhard who caters to the ignorant masses. the majority of those associated with this board seek an intelligent, civil discourse on issues, where all points of view are put out there for discussion...the michael savages out there do not contribute in the least to that goal.

[D Anghelone]

"Don't pick on Julian - he's just doing his job as Reason's AA hire."

He doesn't need AA.

[Anonymous]

Sanchez....first assignment for Reason = AA ruling....hmmmmm

[Anonymous]

"a blowhard who caters to the ignorant masses"
ELITIST HATE SPEECH!

[Zeke]

Only officially designated groups are allowed free speech
(e.g. Dusty Baker). No Al Campanis.
No Jimmy the Greek. No Michael Savage.

Doesn't "homophobe" actually mean an irrational
fear of "sameness" ?

[leftwing chimpy]

what about savage's workers rights? he was blacklisted!

[Kevin B. O'Reilly]

To paraphrase Homer Simpson, "I like my beer cold and my bigots fuh-laming!"

[m savage]

My words were taken out of context! I'm a victim of a vast left-wing conspiracy! I thought that red light on the camera meant I wasn't on the air!

I'M BEING PERSECUTED!

[joe]

Dr. Laura has repeatedly said that gay people are abnormal, and can't be trusted to raise children. How exactly is that not homophobic?

[digamma]

I kinda hope MSNBC will fill the gap with a leftist. Donahue was an idiot (ever see the show where he brought on Neal Boortz and couldn't understand that they agreed on immigration and the drug war?) but his show was still refreshing. I'd love to see a show that was left-wing without being partisan - one that would attack both parties for their drug policies, for example.

I have no idea who could host it, though.

[Anonymous]

Probably Bill Moyers or John Stewart. Or to make it more coloured, perhaps Charlene Hunter-Gault or Mos Def?

[Anonymous]

"left-wing without being partisan"
Now that's what I love about Dems & Republicans - these people sincerely think such things. Hysterical.

[jacob]

how about Maureen Dowd
it'd be like a cross of MTV jackass, talk shows and the daily show

[Chopstix]

Man who stand on toilet is high on pot.

[Anonymous]

BTW, 8:31 -- at least the dude is starting a new job. Why are YOU still in that monotonous line of work?

[Anonymous]

By the way - not only is it racist and stupid to assume that the only way a Latino gets a job is through affirmative action, and not only is Sanchez not a Latino to begin with, but his AA story wasn't the first Reason piece he wrote either.

So the moron armies here are wrong on pretty much every count. Good job, folks. You're a credit to your race.

[Amy Phillips]

Yeah, wow, I'm sorry I got involved. I guess that'll teach me not to feed the trolls. I suppose I should have known that people who are determined to be jerks (not the word I really wanted to use, but I'm trying to keep it PG) will always find a way. It's why David Duke will always have a job.

[Anonymous]

nice try 8:31, or should i say julian faggy boy. you better get used to it 'rhoid boy, cuz you're REASON's bitch now.

[Anonymous]

Not to worry, affirmative action for Caucasians is on its way.

[robbierebel]

Savage is hilarious - y'all need to lighten up.

[joe]

You mean like letting a lazy dipshit into Yale because he's the son of a Senator?

[Another Julian]

I couldn't care less about the asinine media discussion that's going on because it just goes to show how much some brains have rotten after being glued to the screen. I do feel, however, compelled to remind you (the reject spouting nonsense about Spain) that not only are your thoughts and pasttimes worthless, but so's your education. The self-laudatory moron who started talking about Moorish ancestry in Spain needs to take an introductory biology course and get an idea what the hell dominant and recessive genes are. And if history and the social sciences are his purported strong suit, he should pull his shit-tinted glasses out of his ass and realize that the Moors are from the Middle-East, not Africa, and in case I have to spell out, they're Middle Eastern, not African. Of course, I'm sure it's standard practice among history buffs to be so jackoffingly stupid as to say fleeting dominion in a country equates with wholesale devastation of culture, race and any/all other anthropological characteristics. By that token, you Americans are nothing more than alternately Frenchie, alternately British, or alternately Spanish ("niggers!"). Perhaps he would also like to consider that according to his imbecilic line of thinking, Catholicism is a "nigger" religion--Spain's one of the strongholds of Catholicism, and hey, if Spaniards are all "niggers", then hey, what a syllogism. Sorry if you're Irish or Italian, you "nigger". And if not, well, I won't await your retarded response. In any case, Spain's a genetically diverse place. There's as much Jewish blood running through Spaniards as there is Moorish--although the latter strain tend to be in the South. Everyone else in Spain except for the Basques just about looks Roman (oh, history buff, just about every great Roman emperor was, hey, you guessed it, Spanish! "Nigger!"). But of course, you wouldn't know that, because you're too busy giving in to your subconsious homosexual fantasies about black people, right? I mean, what kind of a douche bag is named DENNIS anyway? As to criticizing the name "Julian", you'd be amazed at how many of your WHITE ANGLO-SAXON PROTESTANT women wet their panties at the very sound of a Mediterranean name, seductively pronounced. Haha, so I guess I'm on my way to fucking your mother, sister or daughter. Have a nice day, short-dick.