Savage Loses TV Show The Real Story

MICHAELSAVAGE.COM ^ | 07/08/2003 | Michael Savage

[jgrubbs]

Savage Loses TV Show The Real Story

What happened on the air is much different than what is being reported. It was in the middle of an airline horror story segment with a great set (see photos above). Out of nowhere a crank caller from a competitive talk show went from describing his airline horror story to making vicious personal attacks against me. I signaled and thought that this crank caller was cut from the air. His insults continued in my ear piece and I reacted to him personally as an individual who was attacking me to defend myself.

Unfortunately, my personal comments to this crank caller were broadcast. In no way did my comments reflect my views of disease and suffering in any way. I have spent my entire life in the field of alternative medicine trying to heal the world and bring comfort to the sick. If my comments brought pain to anyone I certainly did not intend for this to happen and apologize for any such reaction.

Let me repeat, this was an interchange between me personally and a mean spirited vicious setup caller which I thought was taking place off the air. It was not meant to reflect my views of the terrible tragedy and suffering associated with AIDS. I especially appeal to my many listeners in the gay community to accept my apologies for any inadvertent insults which may have occurred.

[jgrubbs]

I didn't see Michael Savage's response posted yet.

[Support Free Republic]

Raise Your Hand If You Want To Donate To Free Republic!
	Donate Here By Secure Server Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD- It is in the breaking news sidebar!

[kjam22]

What is the text that says all will be made known? Why would Savage think it makes a diffrence to people what he says in private and what he says on the air?

[smith288]

Basically, "Sorry you guys heard me...I thought I was off the air."

Savage is not a good rep for the conservative cause no matter how brilliant he is. His lack of common sense and innability to "play the game" by talking with a smidgen of decency has ruined his chance at TV.

[BCrago66]

Look at those pictures - the guy look unbalanced. I'm glad that fewer and fewer conservatives are defending this guy.

[Theodore R.]

How many times will radio and TV commentators continue to make controversial, job-ending remarks when they think they are off the air? Don't they know that they can never be sure if their microphone is truly turned off? Wasn't Reagan's joke about bombing the Soviet Union said when he thought that he was off the air? David Brinkley's anti-Clinton comments in 1996 came when he thought that he was talking in private as well.

[newgeezer]

Exactly. Now we know the real Michael Savage and, no matter his excuse, he's definitely not ready for prime time.

He repaid evil with evil, and he's paying for it. Tsk, tsk, tsk...

[kjam22]

Yep... a microphone is never turned off unless it has a switch on it and you flip the switch off. Otherwise it is broadcasting somewhere. Either the guys in the booth hear it... or the public hears it.

[sarasota]

Is this an authorized site? The photos are bizzarre.

[Akira]

I believe Bernard Shaw's on-air comment (CNN back in the late 90s) sums it up:

"This is a f***ing disaster!"

Personally, I won't miss Savage.

[The Green Goblin]

Savage is a kook who is clearly unable to conduct himself in a professional manner...

[Steel Wolf]

I agree, this arguement is on the order of 'I didn't think the gun was loaded'.

Regardless of whether or not it was an accident, his comments were pretty over the top. I enjoy listening to Savage every now and again, but I can't take very much of him because he has no concept of self control.

[ArGee]

How many times will radio and TV commentators continue to make controversial, job-ending remarks when they think they are off the air?

I agree - I thought everyone in the conservative movement would know by now what a clymer thing that is to do.

Shalom.

[SamAdams76]

Not that I really care either way about Savage's TV show. MSNBC could show him 24 hours a day for all I care. But Savage has been on the air doing his radio show for years now. He is a seasoned professional. He should know by now not to take the bait of "set-up" callers. Also, is he trying to tell us that he doesn't know whether he is "on the air" or not? Unless things have changed drastically since I was last in a studio, there is this big "ON THE AIR" sign that lights up right in front of you. Sounds lame to me. Why can't he just say he lost his composure and leave it at that. People can understand that. I've done it myself at times. Which is probably why I'll never have my own TV show either.

[Alberta's Child]

I like Savage as a radio personality because I think he a great radio "character," but I have long suspected that he's a closet liberal who is doing nothing more than a successful con job on the public with his "conservative" credentials.

When a guy from New York City named Michael Weiner settles down in San Francisco and goes on the air every day and presents himself as a passionate conservative named Michael Savage, I tend to be very skeptical about what he is selling.

[BlacKnight]

Savage is abrupt and at times brutal in his response; however, that does not reflect his REAL INTENT as one must listen between the verbiage lines. His history indicates that he is neither anti-Gay nor a Racist. To understand Savage, you must have intellect!!

[Moonman62]

Don't forget the Major League Clymer comment.

[BrooklynGOP]

In no way did my comments reflect my views

That is priceless :P

[null and void]

When he was local he was GREAT. Then he got the "fastest growing syndicated talk show" and it didn't grow fast enough to keep up with his ego.

I miss the old Michael Savage, the one who wasn't so abrasive, the one who didn't cut off callers, the one who listened...

[Michael.SF.]

I use to think that Savage's on the air act was a persona that he developed so as to garner attention, controversy and ratings. Then I was at a local watering hole in North Beach, one which he had mentioned on the air on more then one occassion. I opened up a conversation with one of the bartenders and asked about Savage. His comment:

'That asshole, he drives more customer's away each time he shows up.'

In further conversation it turned out that Savage carries his anger and attitude with him off the air, as well as on. Too bad, because underneath all of the bombast lies a lot of truth.

[OldFriend]

So Savage responded with his own mean spirited vicious response.

Unfortunately,we are held to a higher standard and ought to adhere to that higher standard as we set the tone for our beloved country.

[McGruff]

a competitive talk show

Anybody know what competitive talk show he is talking about?

[BCrago66]

Remember when Nixon's people tried to infiltrate leftist demonstrations with wild offensive freaks?

That's what Savage looks like: a set-up - a deliberate caricature designed to make conservatives look like idiots.

[concerned about politics]

this was an interchange between me personally and a mean spirited vicious setup caller

Yep. The liberal special interest groups are bitter, evil mutants out to destroy this country from within. It's in the Marxist handbook. They're just following their agenda. They bowed down to Satan years ago.
They're just starting to show their real colors. Thank God the good people of this country are noticing - and the colors aren't that of the rainbow, either. They're black as hell.

[MHGinTN]

Didn't see this posted? ... I'm not surprised. We don't do the spincycle for media folks, usually.

[bmwcyle]

Did you call the show to set him up?

[JLAGRAYFOX]

MSNBC should have known better. Savage can get away with murder on radio, just as Howard Stern has done for mega-years. But TV is a different story. And...Savage, even for a dyed in the wool Clinton & Democrat hater like me, was over the top on many occasions. I watched his TV show about three of four times and was not impressed. HIs foul mouth and attack style did the conservative agenda no good. I'm glad his is gone. Now, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough is another story. He has the highest ratings on the station. If MSNBC had any brains they would drop Chris Matthews to Joe's slot and move Joe up to the Matthews slot. Matthews is a ratings horror! Worse though, is Keith Olberman! Poor Keith has no ratings at all. He should go quietly into the night! It seems MSNBC never learns!

[kjam22]

Yeah... his argument is "gee.. I don't mind admitting that I say those things you object to in private. I just want you to know I wouldn't intentionally say them in public".

Talk about clueless.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

That dearly departed David Brinkley will remain a giant in journalism. His anti-clintoon remarks also proved he was a genius commentator as well!

[Richard Kimball]

Anybody remember the old Andy Griffith movie, "A Face in the Crowd"?

[wasp69]

What did he say? Did he lose his show?

[metalboy]

Lithen! Ath hith name implieth, he`th a THAVAGE!! He`th a brute and he`th thilly!

[Lee'sGhost]

Brinkley's anti-Clinton comments in 1996 came when he thought that he was talking in private as well.

I may be wrong, but my recollection of that espisode was that he knew he was on air. I seem to recall Jennings or someone saying real nervously, "You know we're on the air." And Brinkley saying, "Yes, I know."

Of course, my memory sucks.

[concerned about politics]

I'm glad that fewer and fewer conservatives are defending this guy.

TV isn't real life. TV makes it appear homosexuals are 50% of the population, and some are easily lead to believe they're the minotiry for not being able to stand a homosexual. In reality - real life- they're a huge majority. Some people are simply suceptable to the liberal desenytization and propaganda they see on TV 24/7, but many see through it.
Most people in this country are very conservative, but due to the thought police and litigation lawyers from hell, people are oppressed into being afraid to speak.
I thing Savage has accuired a larger audience because of this. He said what many would like to say. It may not come from their lips, but decency and morality are still in their hearts.

[Theodore R.]

Because Brinkley later apologized profusely to Clinton, I had been mistaken in thinking that he believed his comments to have been off the air.

Brinkley was soon to retire, and he probably just decided to say what he thought. I suspect that Brinkley's comments were motivated mainly by his friendship with Bob Dole (through Dwayne Andreas), rather than political philosophy.

[Mo1]

He should have known better ..

I'm sure this is not the first nor will it be the last crank caller

[TommyDale]

Here's a positive spin on Savage's firing from MSNBC -- Now they will have far fewer Conservatives watching MSNBC. If they would only cancel Joe Scarborough's program....then FOX could hire them and put MSNBC completely off the air.

[Sicon]

Good riddance to Savage. On several occasions, both on radio and TV, I watched him get so bent out of shape that he was unable to clearly articulate his position/argument. He ended up looking very much like the typical hysterical liberal, only coming from a right-wing viewpoint.

Its too bad, because he is often right, and has solid arguments to make. But ultimately, he is just so abrasive that he is ineffective.

I can longer hear him on the radio (as WABC in New York has dropped him, most likely for good), or see him on TV, and I won't miss him.

[autoresponder]

Mr. Mike shoulda been delivered "batteries not included"......

[Maceman]

I am glad he lost his show, and also would like to see him gone from the radio. His comments were totally out of line.

Being against the "gay" political agenda, including the sexualization of our schools and our public institutions is one thing. I oppose all that too. But telling people to die of AIDS and calling them names is quite another, and is serioualy beyond the pale.

His book "Savage Nation" was an abomination -- a boring, thoughtless rant with virtually zero persuasive value. Although I agree with most of his broader arguments most of the time, his name-calling and rudeness, as well as his inability to present a reasoned and cogent case for his position, makes him an offensive, indefensible embarrassment to our side, and I don't think he helps the cause one bit.

In fact, I think he is more helpful to the liberals who can accurately point to him as an out of control hate-filled freak.

The guy has no judgment no civility and even less class. We will be well rid of him. I am sorry I paid money for his book, which was so awful I didn't even bother reading the last third.

[OldFriend]

Yup, he was fired. He said on the air.........I hope you get AIDS and die to a crank caller.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

That is a good idea; drop matthews from his slot and replace that time slot with Joe. I don't watch any other station religiously except for FOXNews most times, but I have watched Joe once or twice. I just hate the station he is on! But really, matthews has to go entirely; he has been on for eons and his ratings stay at the same deep discount level. What does the station see in him except that he's a demoncrat?

His days of appealing to me ended right after his days of rightly ragging on clintoon ended. He reverted back to his usual silly political liberal stripes. After he recently had old crusty suit hitlery on and they had that panty-waisted and 100 percent scripted love-in together, I despise him even more. I didn't watch it for more than a few minutes, but it sickened me. Now, if hitlery were to appear before Bill O'Reilly, I would watch gladly because I know he has the strength to do a real interview. That's why the bitch won't ever be on his show though.

[OldFriend]

Since Scarborough spends time bashing the President it is doubtful MSNBC will fire him.

[habs4ever]

No matter, Savage's unprofessionalism to be baited by a crank would undo him eventually, as it did this time.Good riddance.

[concerned about politics]

Being against the "gay" political agenda, including the sexualization of our schools and our public institutions is one thing. I oppose all that too. But telling people to die of AIDS and calling them names is quite another, and is serioualy beyond the pale.

LOL. Heck, I never paid much attention to him before, but the guy has just become one of my heros. I'm letting friends know how to tune into his radio show! We listen to Mike Galliger, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Riely, And now Mike Savage when we get the chance. I suggest everyone pass it on. It's good to have an pro-American voice that's not afraid to speak up for what's right.

[SerpentDove]

This is what he calls a "great set"?

We had better sets in our junior high school plays.

[SerpentDove]

>>...named Michael Weiner...<<

That explains a lot about the pent-up hositility.

[isthisnickcool]

So, Savage upset a few queers.

It seems to me that he did the super minority queer folk two favors. One, he gave them something else to channel their self-loathing frustrations to. Two, his retort to the "caller" resulted in his being taken of the air. Which means the queers can put another notch in their "get the straights that speak the truth about us" gun. I bet they have been celebrating over that with more "barebacking" than usual.

Some might think queer folk will be happy when each and every one of us agree that they are normal. Borders, language, culture

[jetson]

Mike's comments that he was fired for are really no different then what he says on the radio. Are we to beleive that the t.v. viewing audience is made up of a superior group of people who only watch non violent...non sexual...non confrontational tv free of any foul language?

[SerpentDove]

>> I seem to recall Jennings or someone saying real nervously, "You know we're on the air." And Brinkley saying, "Yes, I know."<<

IIRC, Brinkley's response was, "Too bad. I told you I was leaving." Or words very similar.

I've respected him ever since.