Transcript of Randi Rhodes 4/10/08 Larry King Live

Randi Rhodes went on Larry King Live to set the record straight on her "suspension" from Air America, her quitting the quasi-liberal network and her triumphant move to Nova M Radio:

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: One of the more popular radio hosts in America is Randi Rhodes, formerly with Air America radio. She and Air America have parted ways in the aftermath of controversial comments she made about Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro.

They suspended her earlier this month, and now they released this statement declaring that Randi has chosen to terminate her employment. It also says the companies wishing her well.

Did you quit?

RHODES: You know, Larry, my view is that the contract terminated, because of their unwavering position was if I didn't amend my contract to take away a right that I had, that they would never give me back my microphone. This thing was really about them wanting to change my contract, and I --

KING: From what to what?

RHODES: They didn't have the right to fire me. And we got new owners, because it's Thursday, so we had knew owners at Air America for a change. And they took a look at the contract after they bought the thing, and they said, we can't fire you? And I said, well, if I die, or if I become 100 percent disabled, whatever. They knew what the terms were. And they said, we want to amend it.

I said, I don't. They said they did. And they decided to do market research by taking a stand-up comedy routine that I did on a Saturday night in San Francisco in a club that was at least two weeks old, and they took a little bit of it, and they, you know, said to the press, look, Randi, you know, uses the F-word, and the W-word, or whatever, and, you know --

KING: And it was a comedy routine, correct?

RHODES: Stand-up comedy, Larry. KING: Let's look at the comments that got you into hot water with some of the people, basically describing Hillary and Geraldine as F-word. This is in San Francisco.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RHODES: What a whore Geraldine Ferraro is. I want to see her have to stand beside her husband at one of those mandatory I'm a whore press conferences. Mr. Ferraro should have to stand next to his wife. Hillary is a big (EXPLETIVE DELETED) whore too, OK. You know why she's a big (EXPLETIVE DELETED) whore? Because her deal is always, read the fine print, (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RHODES: Even I can't understand it.

KING: I don't. In retrospect, was this purely a comedy routine, or, in retrospect, do you think you owe apologies?

RHODES: It's absolutely 100 percent pure stand-up, Larry. It was a Saturday night in San Francisco in a club. It was me on a stage with a microphone doing stand-up. It was an evening with Randi Rhodes. It was brought to them by sponsors and Green 960, which is a Clear Channel station. After the event, I got nothing but thank you letters. That night, I signed 500 autograph autographs, and --

KING: Randi, I have to cut you because we have a breaking news story. One quick thing, you'll be back on the radio next week?

RHODES: Yes, back with the radio elite, and thank you to Clear Channel and all the affiliates that rallied around me.

KING: We'll bring you back next week, Randi. We have a big story that is continuing to break, and we'll get right to it right after this.

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