On the August 10 edition of her radio show, Laura Schlessinger took a call from an African-American woman who wanted advice on how to deal with the resentment she felt when her white husband didn't speak out about racist comments his friends made. Responding to the caller, Schlessinger, by her own description, “articulated the 'n' word all the way out -- more than one time.” Among other things, Schlessinger also told the caller she had a “chip on your shoulder” and “too much sensitivity and not enough sense of humor.”
Schlessinger has subsequently apologized for her comments.
According to Schlessinger's website, more than 200 affiliate stations broadcast her syndicated show.
A list of the stations listed on Schlessinger's website, audio and transcript of Schlessinger's comments, and the text of Schlessinger's apology are below the fold.
Here are the stations that carry Schlessinger's show, according to information available on Schlessinger's website:
State
City
Call Sign
Freq.
Alabama
Birmingham-Gadsden
WAAX-AM
570
Huntsville-Decatur-Florence
WBCF-AM
1240
Mobile-Pensacola, FL
WPNN-AM
790
Mobile-Pensacola, FL
WABB-AM
1480
Tallasee
WTLS-AM
1300
Alaska
Anchorage
KBYR-AM
700
Soldotna
KSRM-AM
920
Arizona
Cave Creek-Phoenix
KFNX-AM
1100
Flagstaff-Prescott
KVNA-AM
600
Phoenix-Bullhead City
KZZZ-AM
1490
Phoenix-Kingman
KAAA-AM
1230
South Tucson
KJLL-AM
1330
Yuma
KBLU-AM
560
Arkansas
El Dorado-Monroe, LA
KBYO-FM
92.7
Little Rock-Pine Bluff-Fordyce
KBJT-AM
1590
Little Rock-Pine Bluff-Hampton
KELD-FM
106.5
California
Bakersfield-Wasco-Greenacres
KERN-AM
1180
Chico-Redding-Shasta
KCNR-AM
1460
Coachella-Palm Springs
KNWZ-AM
970
Eureka
KGOE-AM
1480
Fresno-Visalia
KMJ-FM
105.9
Los Angeles
KFWB-AM
980
Los Angeles-Ontario
KSPA-AM
1510
Los Angeles-Santa Paula
KKZZ-AM
1400
Palm Springs
KNWQ-AM
1140
Palm Springs - Yucca Valley
KNWH-AM
1250
Sacramento
KSTE-AM
650
Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto-Marysville
KMYC-AM
1410
San Diego
KOGO-AM
600
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
KSFO-AM
560
Santa Barbara
KTMS-AM
990
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo
KUHL-AM
1440
Colorado
Colorado Springs
KRDO-AM
1240
Colorado Springs
KRDO-FM
105.5
Denver
KHOW-AM
630
Grand Junction-Montrose
KUBC-AM
580
Greeley
KFKA-AM
1310
Connecticut
Danbury-New York, NY
WLAD-AM
800
Florida
Cairo
WGRA-AM
790
Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne-Cocoa Beach
WMEL-AM
1300
Panama City-Springfield
WYOO-FM
101.1
Pensacola-Mobile, AL
WPNN-AM
790
Pensacola-Mobile, AL
WABB-AM
1480
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota
WSRQ-AM
1220
West Palm Beach
WFTL-AM
850
Georgia
Atlanta-East Point
WCFO-AM
1160
Atlanta-Maysville
WXKT-FM
103.7
Cairo
WGRA-AM
790
Columbus
WDAK-AM
540
Commerce
WJJC-AM
1270
Trenton-Chattanooga, TN
WKWN-AM
1420
Idaho
Boise-Nampa
KIDO-AM
580
Idaho Falls-Pocatello
KBLY-AM
1260
Twin Falls
KLIX-AM
1310
Illinois
Galesburg
WGIL-AM
1400
Harrisburg-Mt. Vernon-Paducah-Cape Girardeau, MO
WINI-AM
1420
Mt.Vernon-Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg, MO
KAPE-AM
1550
Peoria-Bloomington-Colfax
WRPW-FM
92.9
Rock Island-Moline, IL-Davenport-Burlington, IA
KBUR-AM
1490
Indiana
Bedford
WBIW-AM
1340
Columbus
WCSI-AM
1010
Evansville
WGBF-AM
1280
Ft. Wayne
WOWO-AM
1190
Indianapolis/Franklin
WFDM-FM
95.9
South Bend-Elkhart-Benton Harbor, MI
WSJM-FM
94.9
South Bend-Elkhart-Niles
WNIL-AM
1290
South Bend-Elkhart-St. Joseph, MI
WSJM-AM
1400
Iowa
Ames
KASI-AM
1430
Davenport
WOC-AM
1420
Davenport-Burlington, IA-Rock Island-Moline, IL
KBUR-AM
1490
Des Moines
WHO-AM
1040
Ottumwa
KBIZ-AM
1240
Kansas
Pittsburg/Joplin, MO
KZYM-AM
1230
Wichita-Hutchinson
KQAM-AM
1480
Wichita/Hutchinson/McPherson
KNGL-AM
1540
Kentucky
Florence-Cincinnati, OH
WQRT-AM
1160
Lexington-Nicholasville
WLRT-AM
1250
Louisiana
Farmerville-Monroe-El Dorado, AR
KBYO-FM
92.7
Lafayette
KVOL-AM
1330
Maine
Portland-Auburn
WBAE-AM
1490
Portland-Auburn-Biddeford
WVAE-AM
1400
Maryland
Cumberland-Washington, D.C.
WCBC-AM
1270
Salisbury-Snow Hill
WQMR-FM
101.1
Massachusetts
New Bedford-Providence-Hope Valley, RI
WCNX-AM
1180
Springfield-Holyoke
WHYN-AM
560
Michigan
Alpena
WATZ-AM
1450
BentonHarbor-Elkhart, IN
WSJM-FM
94.9
Detroit
WJR-AM
760
Detroit-Ann Arbor
WAAM-AM
1600
Flint
WSNL-AM
600
Flint-Saginaw-Bay City-Bridgeport
WNEM-AM
1250
Grand Rapids-Zeeland
WPNW
1260
Manistique
WPIQ-FM
99.9
St. Joseph-South Bend-Elkhart, IN
WSJM-AM
1400
Minnesota
Baxter
WWWI-AM
1270
Dilworth-Fargo-Valley City, ND
WZFG-AM
1100
Mankato
KTOE-AM
1420
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bemidji
KKBJ-AM
1360
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Menomonie,WI
WMEQ-AM
880
Wascca
KOWZ-AM
1170
Willmar
KWLM-AM
1340
Mississippi
Benton-Jackson
WYAB-FM
103.9
Missouri
Joplin/Pittsburg, KS
KZYM-AM
1230
Moberly
KWIX-AM
1230
Osage Beach
KRMS-AM
1150
Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg-Mt. Vernon, IL
KAPE-AM
1550
Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg-Mt. Vernon, IL
WINI-AM
1420
Springfield
KWTO-AM
560
Montana
Butte-Bozeman
KXTL-AM
1370
Butte-Bozeman
KBOZ-AM
1090
Helena
KBLL-AM
1240
Nebraska
Grand Island
KRGI-AM
1430
Omaha-Council Bluffs
KKAR-AM
1290
Nevada
Elko-Salt Lake City, UT
KZBI-FM
94.5
Las Vegas
KDOX-AM
1280
Reno-Gardnerville-Minden
KKFT-FM
99.1
New Mexico
Albuquerque-Santa Fe
KTBL-AM
1050
Humble City
KYKK-AM
1110
Las Cruces, El Paso, TX
KSNM-AM
570
New York
Auburn
WAUB-AM
1590
Elmira
WENY-AM
1230
Geneva
WGVA-AM
1240
Massena
WYBG-AM
1050
New York-Beacon
WBNR-AM
1260
New York-Danbury
WLAD-AM
800
New York-Kingston
WGHQ-AM
920
New York-Peekskill
WLNA-AM
1420
New York-Warwick
WTBQ-FM
99.1
New York-Warwick
WTBQ-AM
1110
Rochester-Newark
WACK-AM
1420
North Carolina
Charlotte-Gastonia
WGNC-AM
1450
Charlotte-Salisbury
WSTP-AM
1490
Elizabeth City
WGAI-AM
560
Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem
WSJS-AM
600
Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville,NC-Roystan,GA
WXFO-AM
810
Raleigh-Durham
WPTF-AM
680
North Dakota
Fargo-Valley City - Dilworth, MN
WZFG-AM
1100
Ohio
Cincinnati-Florence, KY
WQRT-AM
1160
Cleveland-Akron-Canton
WCER-AM
900
Findlay-Toledo
WFIN-AM
1330
Oklahoma
Bartlesville
KWON-AM
1400
Lawton-Wichita Falls, TX
KPNS-AM
1350
Oklahoma City-Clinton
KCLI-AM
1320
Oklahoma City-Cordell
KCDL-FM
99.3
Tulsa
KCFO-AM
970
Oregon
Baker
KBKR-AM
1490
Bend
KBND-AM
1110
Corvallis
KLOO-AM
1340
Eugene
KUGN-AM
590
Medford-Klamath Falls-Phoenix
KCMX-AM
880
Portland
KEX-AM
1190
Portland-La Grande
KLBM-AM
1450
Pennsylvania
Johnstown-Altoona
WRTA-AM
1240
Philadelphia
WNPV-AM
1440
Pittsburgh
WPIT-AM
730
Pittsburgh-Kittanning
WTYM-AM
1380
Rhode Island
Providence-Hope Valley-New Bedford, MA
WCNX-AM
1180
South Carolina
Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville,NC-Roystan,GA
WXFO-AM
810
Myrtle Beach-Florence
WRNN-AM
1450
Sumter
WDXY-AM
1240
South Dakota
Rapid City
KOTA-AM
1380
Rapid City-Sheridan, WY
KROE-AM
930
Tennessee
Chattanooga,TN-Trenton, GA
WKWN-AM
1420
Chattanooga-Cleveland
WCLE-AM
1570
Knoxville
WETR-AM
760
Memphis
KWAM-AM
990
Nashville-McMinnville
WBMC-AM
960
Nashville-Springfield
WDBL-AM
1590
Tri-Cities, TN-Colonial Heights, VA
WPWT-AM
870
Texas
Austin
KJCE-AM
1370
Dallas-Ft. Worth-Highland Park
KVCE-AM
1160
El Paso-Las Cruces, NM
KSNM-AM
570
Lubbock
KJTV-AM
950
San Antonio-Devine
KRPT-FM
92.5
Tyler-Longview-Gladewater
KTBB-FM
92.1
Waco
KBCT-FM
94.5
Waco-Temple-Bryan
KAGC-AM
1510
Wichita Falls-Lawton, OK
KPNS-AM
1350
Utah
Price
KOAL-AM
750
Salt Lake City
KNRS-FM
105.7
Salt Lake City - Green River, WY
KUGR-AM
1490
Salt Lake City-Elko, NV
KZBI-FM
94.5
Salt Lake City-Moab
KCPX-AM
1490
Salt Lake City-St. George
KZNU-AM
1450
Vernal
KVEL-AM
920
Virginia
Colonial Heights,VA-Tri-Cities,TN
WPWT-AM
870
Lynchburg
WBRG-AM
1050
Lynchburg
WBRG-FM
104.5
Mount Jackson-Washington, D.C.
WSVG-AM
790
Richmond-Petersburg
WLEE-AM
990
Richmond-Petersburg-Hopewell
WHAP-AM
1340
Roanoke-Lynchburg
WFJX-AM
910
Washington
Centralia
KELA-AM
1470
Seattle
KTTH-AM
770
Spokane
KQNT-AM
590
Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick
KONA-AM
610
West Virginia
Martinsburg
WRNR-AM
740
Wisconsin
Menomonie-Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
WMEQ-AM
880
Oshkosh
WOSH-AM
1490
Superior-Duluth, MN
WDSM-AM
710
Wyoming
Casper-Riverton
KKTL-AM
1400
Green River - Salt Lake City, UT
KUGR-AM
1490
Sheridan-Rapid City, SD
KROE-AM
930
Here's the audio of Schlessinger's comments:
Here's the transcript of her comments:
SCHLESSINGER: Jade, welcome to the program.
CALLER: Hi, Dr. Laura.
SCHLESSINGER: Hi.
CALLER: I'm having an issue with my husband where I'm starting to grow very resentful of him. I'm black, and he's white. We've been around some of his friends and family members who start making racist comments as if I'm not there or if I'm not black. And my husband ignores those comments, and it hurts my feelings. And he acts like --
SCHLESSINGER: Well, can you give me an example of a racist comment? 'Cause sometimes people are hypersensitive. So tell me what's -- give me two good examples of racist comments.
CALLER: OK. Last night -- good example -- we had a neighbor come over, and this neighbor -- when every time he comes over, it's always a black comment. It's, “Oh, well, how do you black people like doing this?” And, “Do black people really like doing that?” And for a long time, I would ignore it. But last night, I got to the point where it --
SCHLESSINGER: I don't think that's racist.
CALLER: Well, the stereotype --
SCHLESSINGER: I don't think that's racist. No, I think that --
CALLER: [unintelligible]
SCHLESSINGER: No, no, no. I think that's -- well, listen, without giving much thought, a lot of blacks voted for Obama simply 'cause he was half-black. Didn't matter what he was gonna do in office, it was a black thing. You gotta know that. That's not a surprise. Not everything that somebody says -- we had friends over the other day; we got about 35 people here -- the guys who were gonna start playing basketball. I was going to go out and play basketball. My bodyguard and my dear friend is a black man. And I said, “White men can't jump; I want you on my team.” That was racist? That was funny.
CALLER: How about the N-word? So, the N-word's been thrown around --
SCHLESSINGER: Black guys use it all the time. Turn on HBO, listen to a black comic, and all you hear is nigger, nigger, nigger.
CALLER: That isn't --
SCHLESSINGER: 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. Don't hang up, I want to talk to you some more. Don't go away.
I'm Dr. Laura Schlessinger. I'll be right back.
After taking a commercial break, Schlessinger resumed her discussion with the caller:
SCHLESSINGER: I'm Dr. Laura Schlessinger, talking to Jade. What did you think about during the break, by the way?
CALLER: I was a little caught back by the N-word that you spewed out, I have to be honest with you. But my point is, race relations --
SCHLESSINGER: Oh, then I guess you don't watch HBO or listen to any black comedians.
CALLER: But that doesn't make it right. I mean, race is a [unintelligible] --
SCHLESSINGER: My dear, my dear --
CALLER: -- since Obama's been in office --
SCHLESSINGER: -- the point I'm trying to make --
CALLER: -- racism has come to another level that's unacceptable.
SCHLESSINGER: Yeah. We've got a black man as president, and we have more complaining about racism than ever. I mean, I think that's hilarious.
CALLER: But I think, honestly, because there's more white people afraid of a black man taking over the nation.
SCHLESSINGER: They're afraid.
CALLER: If you want to be honest about it [unintelligible]
SCHLESSINGER: Dear, they voted him in. Only 12 percent of the population's black. Whites voted him in.
CALLER: It was the younger generation that did it. It wasn't the older white people who did it.
SCHLESSINGER: Oh, OK.
CALLER: It was the younger generation --
SCHLESSINGER: All right. All right.
CALLER: -- that did it.
SCHLESSINGER: Chip on your shoulder. I can't do much about that.
CALLER: It's not like that.
SCHLESSINGER: Yeah. I think you have too much sensitivity --
CALLER: So it's OK to say “nigger”?
SCHLESSINGER: -- and not enough sense of humor.
CALLER: It's OK to say that word?
SCHLESSINGER: It depends how it's said.
CALLER: Is it OK to say that word? Is it ever OK to say that word?
SCHLESSINGER: It's -- 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.
SCHLESSINGER: 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 “nigger” word, and I hope everybody heard it.
SCHLESSINGER: I didn't spew out the “nigger” word.
CALLER: You said, “Nigger, nigger, nigger.”
SCHLESSINGER: Right, I said that's what you hear.
CALLER: Everybody heard it.
SCHLESSINGER: Yes, they did.
CALLER: I hope everybody heard it.
SCHLESSINGER: They did, and I'll say it again --
CALLER: So what makes it OK for you to say the word?
SCHLESSINGER: -- nigger, nigger, nigger is what you hear on HB --
CALLER: So what makes it --
SCHLESSINGER: Why don't you let me finish a sentence?
CALLER: OK.
SCHLESSINGER: Don't take things out of context. Don't double N -- NAACP me. Tape the --
CALLER: I know what the NAACP --
SCHLESSINGER: Leave them in context.
CALLER: I know what the N-word means and I know it came from a white person. And I know the white person made it bad.
SCHLESSINGER: All right. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Can't have this argument. You know what? If you're that hypersensitive about color and don't have a sense of humor, don't marry out of your race. If you're going to marry out of your race, people are going to say, “OK, what do blacks think? What do whites think? What do Jews think? What do Catholics think?” Of course there isn't a one-think per se. But in general there's “think.”
And what I just heard from Jade is a lot of what I hear from black-think -- and it's really distressting [sic] and disturbing. And to put it in its context, she said the N-word, and I said, on HBO, listening to black comics, you hear “nigger, nigger, nigger.” I didn't call anybody a nigger. Nice try, Jade. Actually, sucky try.
Need a sense of humor, sense of humor -- and answer the question. When somebody says, “What do blacks think?” say, “This is what I think. This is what I read that if you take a poll the majority of blacks think this.” Answer the question and discuss the issue. It's like we can't discuss anything without saying there's -isms?
We have to be able to discuss these things. We're people -- goodness gracious me. Ah -- hypersensitivity, OK, which is being bred by black activists. I really thought that once we had a black president, the attempt to demonize whites hating blacks would stop, but it seems to have grown, and I don't get it. Yes, I do. It's all about power. I do get it. It's all about power and that's sad because what should be in power is not power or righteousness to do good -- that should be the greatest power.
And here's the text of Schlessinger's apology:
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. Here's an example:
I'd like to thank this woman for sending me this letter. I was so very touched, and truthfully, it helped me make it through the night. So I'm going to read this letter:
Dear Dr. Laura:
I have been a listener for at least 20 years. I have bought and read several of your books. I have always held you in high regard, and have encouraged others to listen to you as well. I have to say, after today's call with the African-American woman with the Caucasian husband who called seeking how to handle “racist” comments, I am a bit dismayed. I believe that African-Americans using the n-word is disdainful, as well as Caucasians or any other race for that matter. I agree that the argument some African-Americans use that it is ok for them to use it and not others, is ridiculous. But, I have to say, when I heard you saying the word repeatedly, it struck a negative chord with me.
I don't believe you are a racist, and I don't believe, as an African-American woman, that I am hypersensitive. I have to say after the call, I found it difficult to continue to listen to the rest of the show. I have not made the decision to stop listening to your show, but I felt compelled to respond because I found it offensive.
Sincerely {and she gives her name}
One last note -
The caller in question (her name is Jade), called for help from me, and didn't get it, because we got embroiled in the “n” word, and I'm really sorry about that, because I'm here for only one reason and that's to be helpful, so I hope Jade or somebody who knows her is listening, and hope she will call me back and I will try my best to be helpful, which is what she wanted from me in the first place and what she did not get.