Dr. Laura tells audience what's hurt her the most [poll]

In the wake of her recent announcement that she'd be leaving radio at the end of the year, Laura Schlessinger spent some time during her Thursday "The Dr. Laura Program" broadcast reading and responding to recent messages from fans. She also shared what has hurt her the most in her years of broadcasting -- oddly, it wasn't the message from the person who wished that one day Dr. Laura would walk into her son's bedroom and find him "dead with a needle sticking in his vein."

"The thing that has hurt most," Schlessinger said, "is people who haven't read what I've written, people who haven't heard me on the air, telling other people to hate me. The word hate comes up so often."

"Isn't that hateful, all that name calling, and not wanting to know the truth?"

In what she said later was an attempt to make a "philosophical point," the radio host used the N-word repeatedly on the air with a caller on her Aug. 10 show. She cut that show short and apologized the next day. 

On "Larry King Live" on Tuesday, Schlessinger announced that she would be leaving radio ...

... at the end of her contract -- a decision she said she'd made a few days after the incident. "I was just sitting here, looking over the ocean," she told the L.A. Times from her Santa Barbara home. "It was sort of a peaceful wave of awareness -- an inner voice just said, 'We're done with this.' The second it came over me, I felt very energized."

Nita Hanson, the caller involved (she used the name Jade in the Aug. 10 incident), told CNN on Thursday she believed Dr. Laura "apologized because she got caught" -- guess some things are hard to hide when you have the country's third-largest radio audience.

“After speaking with Dr. Laura, I was so confused, I was hurt,” Hanson said. “I didn’t want to turn this into a racial thing. I just wanted some advice on my relationship.”

Dr. Laura said Thursday on her show that she will continue doing what she does via books, her blog, podcasts, YouTube, Facebook and more -- just no more terrestrial radio once her contract is up. 

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Laura Schlessinger. Credit: Take On the Day

Comments

[SUZANNE]

Christine,

Please do a follow up story with Nita Hanson. Did she ever get help regarding her relationship?

Also, tell her she behaved like a complete lady throughout the call. Author Ernest Hemingway once said, "People are like teabags, you don't know what you'll get until you put them in hot water. At least, Nita can be proud of that.

[Judy Walsh]

The climate in America says its only okay to use the n-word if you are black....why fight it? It's an ugly word any way. Why even utter it? However, nothing Dr. Laura said was false. She should have stuck with just answering the question. Why get philosophical ?
People hear only what they want to hear, only understand what they are willing to take in. Now there is going to be a big issue about this (my gosh, I'm even writing about it), people will debate, get angry, feel confused.
Like the song said, "We've got to live together."
May be we could learn from the famous, if not mocked, words of Rodney King, "People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it, making it horrible for the older people and the kids?...It’s just not right. It’s not right. It’s not, it’s not going to change anything. We’ll, we’ll get our justice....Please, we can get along here. We all can get along. I mean, we’re all stuck here for a while. Let’s try to work it out. Let’s try to beat it. Let’s try to beat it. Let’s try to work it out."

[Jeff]

Re: the Larry King Show : You have either been railroaded or you are in cahoots with this woman as a publicity stunt. I hope it is the former. As a Gay Man I listened to you many years ago and know you have a gay brother. I respect you. I like your values. I want to have someone to believe in! Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I don't need someome to to believe in and feel confidence in. Don't let them get you down, you're a strong woman! Rock on Dr Larura!!

[marie]

Hello!!!only the people who HAVE heard you would describe you as hateful...you use the words Illegitimate, weak, crappy, deadbeat, boring... the people you seem to hate the most are those stupid enough to ask your advice!!play a few of your radio shows while your doing all those push ups, you'll be appalled at the sound of your shrill screech...proper care and feeding of husbands...give me a break, only a crappy weakling would want to wake up to an ugly egomaniac

[stevedarkchocolate]

I am a black male and i dont agree with the statement of the so called doctor Laura Schlessinger it was an unprofessional statement. When any doctor is helpin someone black or white or any race of people or person true fell must be in check. But what really gets me is the disbelief by Nita Hanson i mean what world do she think she is living in? White people and i do forgive them all think the same way. Evan the white husband she is married to.

[EJBuckner]

For Dr Laura to be so intelligent how can she not see what she said what so
racists it's unbelievable,she should have been telling that young lady that her
husband is a punk to let his friends disrespect his wife inside or outside they're
home. Unfortunately after reading the above story concerning Schlessinger that people are judging her without actually reading what she wrote has nothing do with what she said,apparently she's no different than Sean Hannity (the worst catholic to ever walk this modern day earth) or Rush Limbaugh
who hates anyone who's non republican or non white.

Why can't we as people stop hating people for being different,especially when it concerns the color of someone skin,something that no one has any control over ? The world would be such a boring place with everyone being the same color,religion,etc.

[Rex Ellis]

Dr. Laura,
I don't listen to you often because I'm interested in other issues, yet I can't recall ever disagreeing with you. You are one tough lady. STICK AROUND!

[Frankie]

I have never liked Dr. Laura. She was and is a mean spirited person that takes out her frustrations on her callers.Is she a M.D.,P.H.D.? Just what are her credentials?

[Kandace Zinn]

Please do not give up. I am a fan. Life is not easy if you are a middle age white person who has paid their dues and now can not find a job. Keep fighting for us.

[Larry Tooley]

You told the truth, Dr. Laura! Is the new minority the TEA party believers? Who pays the taxes for socialism? We fear losing 1st and 2nd amendment rights.

[Kandace Zinn]

I feel that she was set up. Everyone knows Dr. Laura'a views, I have often heard her say,"Do you listen to my show, why would you call me?". Of course she should be able to speak her mind. I see this is a way to stop conservative views from being aired.

[manuel]

Dear DR.Laura I hate to see you go but you are telling the world that you have had your fill of all the N word it is time for the world to grow up I am like you if others that are black can use it then we can use it if they do not like it then stop using it and singing about it
you will be missed and I hope that you do well at what ever you do thank you for all the time that you have given all the ones that you have helped as for me and my wife we have 14 years because we have used some of the things you have talked about

[Amandapanda49]

I have been a big fan of Dr. Laura in the past. Although over the years Dr. Laura would get in these moods and have bad days where she would rag on people and just be rude to them if she didn't agree with the callers view of what kind of help they needed. The main thing that got Dr. Laura famous was her ability to LISTEN to people and preach common sense via tough love to people to help them stop pitying themselves and to see what their problem was and how to fix it themselves by doing what they needed to do to get them to resolve their problem. Dr. Laura is a staunch conservative thinking women and weather she likes it or not the minorities that call her show often would try to goat her to blow up on the d-day of the Dr. Laura with her racial rants. For all intents and purposes her career is over. People will stop buying her books and stop visiting her website as well. The only way she will have any re-valence is to join the tea-party or other conservative political groups like that. It's really too bad it had to come to this day because Dr. Laura really did help millions of people over the years on her radio show.

[Zeety]

How funny to see Dr. Laura now playing victim. The woman needs to be on meds and get counseling, she's obviously suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder.

[james A Jones]

i believe when we step on the feet of Christ or forget that we to hang him to the cross daily, we shouldn't think that we have the right to hide behind his word or the first amendment, i believe thats the reason we are losing thoughs rights in this nation judgement starts in the church.

[Dennis]

This lady tells it like it really is, Blacks say this word all the time and if you ask me much worse words than this...Listen to Rap music or Black comedy. It is awful. Not only Black but white comedy too, it is terrible. She tells the truth and people don't like it and are to scared to say so. They say things like cracker and Uncle Tom which are just as racist if that is what you want to call them. Most everyone I know is tired of black this black that....Lets start a National White people group and see what happens lord they would raise hell about that or how about a White girl beauty contest. Or a Jet magazine only call it ivory just for white folks they would raise hell. I am sick of it, lets have a White history month. Get over it what did this girl marry this guy for? Get over it.

[Bob]

My wife and I have listened to to your talk show very often for many years.. You are a very ethical person and you don't beat around the bush. You have the courage to say it like it is and how most people think, although they may not admit to it. My wife and I are steadfast listeners and supporters. What ever you final decision is remember you have many friends out here.

[Thomas Vanlack]

Thank God. It's about time.

[Lotus]

I think it means she is judged without people having any knowledge of her. As a woman of color, who HATES and and heard the n* word and don't approve of anyone using it, I'd say I disagree with Dr. Laura on that one. But instead of agreeing to disagree and carry on, today the world has turned to 'disagree and therefore you must be demonized...'.

Are we guilty of using that ONE incident to demonize Dr Laura? Yes, I think as a society, we are. Not just of her, but every public figure (and for that matter, even people in our personal lives). This goes for the president, celebs, everyone... Mr. Obama sufferred quite a lot of that himself.

We may agree or disagree with her viewpoints based on the 5 minute conversation (and I frankly disagree).. but she is right-- she gave her OPINION on her philosophical point. People are judging her entire worth on that that one point she made.

Is this fair? In this day and age of fast-food... fast-lifestyles, let's add our fast-judgements to the list.

[Steve S.]

“Look, let me put it to you this way: the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it.”

“The NAACP should have riot rehearsal. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies.”

That's not Dr. Laura, that's Rush Limbaugh. And there are more outrageous quotes from other talk show hosts. The difference is that DL knew she made a mistake and disciplined herself. Unfortunately, her example has been lost. Too bad for America.

[EJBuckner]

To the Larry Tooley's & Kandace's of this world your attitude is why racism will
never end,did you even read the on air call ? Dr Laura show is a call in show
for help with problems,not to vent your person feelings on the n-word (maybe you aught to look up the meaning) or how it's used in the black community, how would like to be referred to as poor white trash just because people tease each other the white race with that epitaph ( I've heard co-workers do it laughingly).It all comes down to mutual respect for each human being regardless of our difference's but unfortunately too many people not only in American but other countries think it's ok to disparage people because of skin color on TV,Radio,Newspapers & America has gotten worse
with it since the republicans came inti the majority in Clinton's last term & now
are openly hostile with they're racists views since Obama became president.

We live in a socialist society or didn't you realize that (look up the word please!),Medicaid,Unemployment Benefits,Social Security,Welfare,etc., So will YOU stop the MADNESS about a socialists government unless you're willing to give those above named items up. GO OUT HELP SOMEONE
INSTEAD ADDING MORE HATE & STRIFE TO A WORLD THAT'S ALREADY TO FULL OF HATE. HAVE A NICE DAY & MANY BLESSING TO YOU.

[concern listener]

I feel sorry for people like you. I mean being a racist and not even knowing it. That was a joke if you didn't get it. your a racist and you just got caught showing your hand. So as for you and all of the sarah palin's of the world if your not woman enough to stand the heat like they said in the la times stay out of the kitchen it can get hot.

[Worldwide Wil]

A young black woman calls into the Dr. Laura show to get some actual advice about a specific problem: her white husband's family and friends insult her using racist terms and epithets. "My husband ignores those comments, and it hurts my feelings," the caller says.

So you think Dr. Laura would start talking using her consistent themes of men needing to act like men, men needing to serve as protectors of their spouses, and husbands needing to be a “hero” to their wives? However, what we got from Dr. Laura was some weird diatribe about President Barack Obama, Black voter patterns, her Black bodyguards, HBO comedians, the NAACP, interracial relationships, and her reveling in the N-word. Not a word about the caller’s wuss of a husband letting people disrespect his wife in his presence. Great advice, Dr. Laura….you hypocrite.

[youareuniquelikeeveryoneelse]

This bitter old crone's 15 minutes are up. Anyone that seeks advice from a former pornographic model who ignored her dying mother deserves that shrill skeletal bark of hers.

[jess]

ADVICE FOR HER:
If she doesn't wants to be a public figure, she should stop being so hypersensitive...

no whining !