Dr. Laura Schlessinger has apologized after a shocking rant on her radio show this week during which she said the n-word 11 times over the course of five minutes.
In conversation Tuesday with a black female caller who was complaining about her white husband's racist friends and their use of the word, Schlessinger said:
Black guys use it all the time. Turn on HBO and listen to a black comic, and all you hear is n****, n*****, n*****. I don't get it. If anybody without enough melanin says it, it's a horrible thing. But when black people say it, it's affectionate. It's very confusing.
LISTEN (via MediaMatters):
After a break, the caller said she was appalled by Schlessinger's use of the word.
"Oh, then I guess you don't watch HBO or listen to any black comedians," she said. "My dear, the point I am trying to make...we've got a black man as president and we've got more complaining about racism than ever. I think that's hilarious."
Schlessinger and the caller then got into an exchange about the use of the word:
CALLER: Is it OK to say that word? Is it ever OK to say that word?
DR. LAURA: It depends how it's said. Black guys talking to each other seem to think it's ok.
CALLER: But you're not black, they're not black, my husband is white.
DR. LAURA: Oh, I see, so a word is restricted to race. Got it. Can't do much about that.
CALLER: I can't believe someone like you is on the radio spewing out the n***** word, and I hope everybody heard it.
DR. LAURA: I didn't spew out the n***** word!
CALLER: You said "n*****, n*****, n*****" and I hope everybody heard it.
DR. LAURA: Yes they did, and I'll say it again: n*****, n*****, n***** is what you hear on HBO.
[Crosstalk]
DR. LAURA: Why don't you let me finish a sentence? Don't take things out of context. Don't NAACP me, leave them in context.
"If you're that hypersensitive about color and don't have a sense of humor, don't marry outside of your race," Schlessinger said after hanging up with the caller.
LISTEN (via MediaMatters):
She apologized the next day, opening her show with an apology.
"Yesterday, I did the wrong thing," she said. "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."
Schlessinger said she "was so upset [she] could not finish the show."
"I pulled myself off the air at the end of the hour," she said. "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."
Ella Rose Riehle Born 8-9-10 at 11:12 – Meet baby Ella Rose Riehle, she has become a star thanks to an incredible set of numbers.
This precious bundle of joy arrived in the world on 8/9/10 at 11:12 p.m. therefore making it impossible for her parents to forget her date of birth.
Do you think this Ohio baby will be punctual in her life?
Ella Rose Riehle’s mom Terri Riehler arrived at Christ Hospital to be induced, and expected something great to occur but never imagined that her baby would become famous.
Terri Riehler told a local reporter:
“I’m like ‘Oh! Easy! I won’t get my kids birthdays’ mixed up.’ 8/9/10… It’ll be easy to remember, good to go!” she said.
Dr. Peggy Heis who delivered the girl with the special but no unique birthday (more about that later on) said:
“And then just joking I said ‘wouldn’t that be fun if happened at 11:12,’” Ella Rose Riehle’s beaming father Scott Riehle added.
“I looked at my mother-in-law right as the baby was coming out and I looked up at the clock and I tapped her and I started pointing at the clock, like look, look,” said Scott Riehle.
Not only did Ella Rose Riehle made her big debut on 8/9/10 at 11:12 p.m. but she weighed almost 6 pounds, 7 ounces.
Ella Rose is not the only person with the rare birthday ,Brianna Gerbers was also born on 8/9/10 but at 11:12 a.m. weighing 7-pound, 1-ounce in DuPont Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind. Brianna Gerbers’ parents Greg and Michelle Gerbers are happy to have a fourth child.
Dr. Laura Schlessinger has apologized after a shocking rant on her radio show this week during which she said the n-word 11 times over the course of five minutes.
In conversation Tuesday with a black female caller who was complaining about her white husband's racist friends and their use of the word, Schlessinger said:
Black guys use it all the time. Turn on HBO and listen to a black comic, and all you hear is n****, n*****, n*****. I don't get it. If anybody without enough melanin says it, it's a horrible thing. But when black people say it, it's affectionate. It's very confusing.
LISTEN (via MediaMatters):
After a break, the caller said she was appalled by Schlessinger's use of the word.
"Oh, then I guess you don't watch HBO or listen to any black comedians," she said. "My dear, the point I am trying to make...we've got a black man as president and we've got more complaining about racism than ever. I think that's hilarious."
Schlessinger and the caller then got into an exchange about the use of the word:
CALLER: Is it OK to say that word? Is it ever OK to say that word?
DR. LAURA: It depends how it's said. Black guys talking to each other seem to think it's ok.
CALLER: But you're not black, they're not black, my husband is white.
DR. LAURA: Oh, I see, so a word is restricted to race. Got it. Can't do much about that.
CALLER: I can't believe someone like you is on the radio spewing out the n***** word, and I hope everybody heard it.
DR. LAURA: I didn't spew out the n***** word!
CALLER: You said "n*****, n*****, n*****" and I hope everybody heard it.
DR. LAURA: Yes they did, and I'll say it again: n*****, n*****, n***** is what you hear on HBO.
[Crosstalk]
DR. LAURA: Why don't you let me finish a sentence? Don't take things out of context. Don't NAACP me, leave them in context.
"If you're that hypersensitive about color and don't have a sense of humor, don't marry outside of your race," Schlessinger said after hanging up with the caller.
Story continues below
LISTEN (via MediaMatters):
She apologized the next day, opening her show with an apology.
"Yesterday, I did the wrong thing," she said. "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."
Schlessinger said she "was so upset [she] could not finish the show."
"I pulled myself off the air at the end of the hour," she said. "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."
