I miss "Dr." Laura

[kenny]

... well, sort of.

Her call-in AM radio talk show is gone.
She decided to not renew her contract because of the reaction to her N-word rant last year.

Much of what she said was hateful filth, oh like gay people being a biological mistake.

In spite of the absurdity of implying every person's relationship crisis could be definitely solved in 237 seconds in a black and white, right vs. wrong way much of what she said was pure gold.

I miss that beeatch.

 

[movie zombie]

don't you hate it when that happens?!

MoZo

 

[TravelingGal]

Kenny, I've never listened to her except for that one time in my boss' car (as I mentioned in the other thread). I'm really intrigued that you listened to her (I assume you're not starting this thread to be inflammatory). From what I understand, she's homophobic? Did you have a hard time listening to her because of that?

I mean, if I heard someone say being Korean was unnatural or something, I have to admit, I'd probably change the station never to listen again. What made you listen to her?

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I used to listen to her sometimes at work as well. I didn't always agree with her, but I thought she did a good job of cutting through the BS (which is always something I appreciate) and the calls were often entertaining. Now I don't have anybody to listen to between 3 and 6 p.m.

 

[Kaleigh]

I've never listened to her. But heard she will be on Oprah's new network OWN..

 

[Skippy123]

I think the Dr. Laura on Oprah is Dr. Laura Berman. Who is this Dr. Laura Kenny? I never listen to Dr. Laura.
Here is a line up of who is on OWN http://www.oprah.com/own

 

[davi_el_mejor]

I think the Dr. Laura on Oprah is Dr. Laura Berman. Who is this Dr. Laura Kenny? I never listen to Dr. Laura.
Here is a line up of who is on OWN http://www.oprah.com/own

"Dr."-Laura-Schlessinger is the one Kenny is talking about. I'll save my opinion on her as it's hard to come up with words that won't get me banned

 

[packrat]

I've listened a few times, at a job I had years ago, b/c the boss and his wife liked her. I never heard any touchy calls about sexual orientation or anything, just basic phone in calls like, my husband doesn't want kids but I do, is it ok to stop taking the pill, that kind of thing, and then she'd freak out and yell. I got a kick out of that.

 

[kenny]

Kenny, I've never listened to her except for that one time in my boss' car (as I mentioned in the other thread). I'm really intrigued that you listened to her (I assume you're not starting this thread to be inflammatory). From what I understand, she's homophobic? Did you have a hard time listening to her because of that?

I mean, if I heard someone say being Korean was unnatural or something, I have to admit, I'd probably change the station never to listen again. What made you listen to her?

She's enormously entertaining.
And she says some really really good stuff.
Crap too.

Maybe I'm too respecting of diversity.
I get that people are hugely complex and are not summed up by just one statement.

I used to think we should only expose ourselves to things we agree with.
No more.
You are not what you read.
I even read the Bible from time to time.
There's some good stuff in there.
I want to read Hitler's Mein Kampf too.
Everything that dramatically affects people and society is fascinating.

In reality we ALL pick and choose what we find groovy or learn from garbage from many many sources.
Dr. Laura had some good stuff , garbage too.

If nothing else Dr. Laura was Good Radio.

 

[Imdanny]

Well, Kenny, that makes one of us.

 

[waterlilly]

She's on XM radio every day. I can't stand her.

 

[Trekkie]

Kenny, I've never listened to her except for that one time in my boss' car (as I mentioned in the other thread). I'm really intrigued that you listened to her (I assume you're not starting this thread to be inflammatory). From what I understand, she's homophobic? Did you have a hard time listening to her because of that?

I mean, if I heard someone say being Korean was unnatural or something, I have to admit, I'd probably change the station never to listen again. What made you listen to her?

I used to think we should only expose ourselves to things we agree with.
No more.
You are not what you read.
I even read the Bible from time to time.
There's some good stuff in there.
I want to read Hitler's Mein Kampf too.
Everything that dramatically affects people and society is fascinating.

I read Mein Kampf years ago - the original, unedited version in German. What a load of bull. The terrible grammar didn't exactly help win me over to his cause.

I agree that opening yourself up to opinions that differ from your own is a great way to grow intellectually, and as a person.

However, I have a hard time remaining calm when someone claims that being homosexual is somehow deviant, or unnatural. As hard as I try to respect their opinions, I just can't accept their reasoning as being logical. Regardless of what they say after that, I just cannot take them seriously.

It's narrowminded of me, I know. I should probably work on it, but fortunately I rarely encounter homophobia. I wonder if I'd feel differently if I lived somewhere else?

 

[Karl_K]

I miss that beeatch.

I dont like her much but I really dislike that term used on anyone even in a somewhat scrambled form.

 

[kenny]

It's easier to label people and put them into jars - good and bad.
I no longer feel that if a person does or says some bad stuff that everything coming from that person is to be discarded.
I'd rather evaluate each item based on its inherent merits.

Likewise if a person is highly respected not everything they say or do is necessarily groovy.
Good people can do or say bad things.
Bad people can do or say good things.
So perhaps it follows that there are no all-good or all-bad people.

I see labeling the entire person good or bad as intolerance, or at least laziness.
It's more trouble but I prefer to reserve the right to judge each of their individual words and actions.

I knew a guy long ago who read EVERYTHING!
I was very put off and even threatened by it.
He told me, "You are what you read" is not true and very fear-based.
(He was a genius who put himself through Stanford's Masters program in 6 months.)

I think it is sad that many people only expose themselves to people they agree with.
It is simplistic, polarizing and anti-growth.

I wonder if this democratic representative that was shot in Arizona yesterday is a result of this low-level polarizing thinking so prevalent and encouraged in our country today.

 

[TravelingGal]

Thanks Kenny for sharing.

I agree with you that it's sad when people only will listen to people of like mind. However, I like to get that in the form of real life relationships. I like to have DISCUSSIONS, because only then, will I find that it shapes the way I think. When it comes to radio/tv, etc, I will admit I have a hard to listening to something who annoys me. Like Oprah. I am sure she has lots of good things to say, but I dislike something about her so I tend to not ever watch or listen to her. You can't have a discussion with TV or radio personalities...they just talk at you.

But yeah, part of what you said is why I enjoy Pricescope..so many different personalities and opinions here. A person might post something that I completely disagree with, and in another, say something quite profound. And most are always up for a civil discussion. I think that's why after all these years, I still can say that I don't dislike any particular poster...because I judge on a thread by thread basis instead of disregarding the person based on one thing that may have annoyed me.

 

[beaujolais]

Dr. Laura fan here.

I see both sides to the "N" issue. On the air, though, it wouldn't fly and alas . . .

This, though, is terrible:
Much of what she said was hateful filth, oh like gay people being a biological mistake.

 

[waterlilly]

It's easier to label people and put them into jars - good and bad.
I no longer feel that if a person does or says some bad stuff that everything coming from that person is to be discarded.
I'd rather evaluate each item based on its inherent merits.

Likewise if a person is highly respected not everything they say or do is necessarily groovy.
Good people can do or say bad things.
Bad people can do or say good things.
So perhaps it follows that there are no all-good or all-bad people.

I see labeling the entire person good or bad as intolerance, or at least laziness.
It's more trouble but I prefer to reserve the right to judge each of their individual words and actions.

I knew a guy long ago who read EVERYTHING!
I was very put off and even threatened by it.
He told me, "You are what you read" is not true and very fear-based.
(He was a genius who put himself through Stanford's Masters program in 6 months.)

I think it is sad that many people only expose themselves to people they agree with.
It is simplistic, polarizing and anti-growth.

I wonder if this democratic representative that was shot in Arizona yesterday is a result of this low-level polarizing thinking so prevalent and encouraged in our country today.

Like you said:
"I see labeling the entire person good or bad as intolerance, or at least laziness."

Which is exactly what Dr. L does. She didn't just make a little slip-up or speak out of anger about something, she is intolerant - repeatedly. It's not like she apologizes or has even the slightest interest in "discussing" something that is against what she believes in. She is the epitome of low-level polarizing thinking, in my opinion.

There are endless quotes like this:

"PEDOPHILIA
''[Responding to a fax, Schlessinger says:] "It goes on and says 'Pedophilia and child molestation have zero to do with being gay, homosexual orientation' and that’s not true. That is not true. How many letters have I read on the air from gay men who acknowledge that a huge portion of the male homosexual populace is predatory on young boys."
- Dr. Laura radio show, August 13, 1999 (quoted by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC))."

 

[kenny]

Yes, like I said Dr. Laura spews lots of garbage.
That does not mean everything she says is garbage.
That's my point.

This thread is not really about Dr. Laura.
It is about what we do.
We tend to treat the entire person and their entire output like the worst thing they have ever produced.

Does Dr. Laura do that?
I think so . . . but so what.
Again, that goes back to my point.
I still say she has said some groovy things, and the bad things do not make the groovy things not groovy.

Another somewhat related example...
People suggest everything Al Gore preaches about ecology and the environment is cancelled out, less legitimate, or should not be trusted because HE is rich and owns a big house.
Not so, the message stands (or doesn't) on it's own merits.

People love to shoot the messenger.
I just like to pick and choose the good messages wherever I find them, and not pay too much about whom the message came from.
If there ever was a purely evil person Hitler was it, but his watercolor paintings aren't that bad.

 

[HollyS]

Kenny, I've never listened to her except for that one time in my boss' car (as I mentioned in the other thread). I'm really intrigued that you listened to her (I assume you're not starting this thread to be inflammatory). From what I understand, she's homophobic? Did you have a hard time listening to her because of that?

I mean, if I heard someone say being Korean was unnatural or something, I have to admit, I'd probably change the station never to listen again. What made you listen to her?

She's enormously entertaining.
And she says some really really good stuff.
Crap too.

Maybe I'm too respecting of diversity.
I get that people are hugely complex and are not summed up by just one statement.

I used to think we should only expose ourselves to things we agree with.
No more.
You are not what you read.
I even read the Bible from time to time.
There's some good stuff in there.
I want to read Hitler's Mein Kampf too.
Everything that dramatically affects people and society is fascinating.

In reality we ALL pick and choose what we find groovy or learn from garbage from many many sources.
Dr. Laura had some good stuff , garbage too.

If nothing else Dr. Laura was Good Radio.

The world must be coming to an end. Kenny and I agree. On something!

Frankly, if someone's spewing crap, I find it hard to listen for long. I'm surprised that you could stick with it.

I am pretty amazed at the homophobic comments attributed to her, as I had never heard her say them. I don't know how she survived the likely flak from that.

 

[Porridge]

We listened to Dr Laura once when we were on holiday in California and honest to god we thought it was a joke. All of us that were listening just assumed it was a spoof, some comedy radio station. I am actually LMAO here.