Reactions to Dr. Laura Schlessinger's Retirement Over 'N-Word' Rant

(Aug. 18) -- "I want to regain my First Amendment rights. I want to be able to say what's on my mind and in my heart," Dr. Laura Schlessinger told Larry King on Tuesday with the announcement that she will retire after over 15 years in radio syndication.

The decision comes in the aftermath of a controversy surrounding Dr. Laura's recent "N-word" rant posed at a caller to her radio show.

If you are not up to speed on the story, here's a quick recap: Dr. Laura experienced a wave of criticism after using the "N-word" eleven times during a segment of her radio show ostensibly to illustrate how a black female caller in an interracial marriage was was being oversensitive about race-relations.

Dr. Laura later apologized on her blog for her remarks, but commentators immediately began to question if Dr. Laura would be able to move past the incident. While Dr. Laura never referred to anyone directly using the word, the fallout was nevertheless severe.

Here's the video footage of Dr. Laura on Larry King Live announcing the discontinuation of her radio show, which at its height was broadcast on 450 stations around the country, but had lately been reduced to 250, still commanding an impressive audience of 8.25 million listeners:

Dr. Laura's infamous outburst and subsequent retirement announcement sparked debate among media pundits. Most commentators have celebrated Dr. Laura's decision to go off the air, but a few voices have emerged in defense of Dr. Laura's argument.

Surge Desk surveyed the Web to present a variety of reactions to Dr. Laura's plans to retire from radio.

Blogosphere:

"Dr. Laura's radio career ended in disgrace tonight because of the bigoted, ugly and hateful remarks made on her show. Americans have had enough. Listeners are now holding hosts, affiliates, and sponsors accountable for the offensive and inexcusable content on the airwaves." -- Eric Burns, Media Matters

"She's a broadcast and publishing legend. She's battled political correctness for years. Tonight, the incomparable Dr. Laura announced that she's ending her daily radio talk show - in order to allow her to speak her mind more freely. More power to her." -- Michelle Malkin

"Dr. Laura Schlessinger's announcement yesterday that she is quitting her radio show called to mind this clever response to her occasional fundamentalist readings of the Old Testament, particularly when it came to homosexuality...a healthy antidote to Scriptural literalism of any sort." --- James Martin, America Magazine

"Dr. Laura's comments were tone-deaf and out of touch, the result of a media environment that makes it difficult to pause, to temper, to reflect." -- Mediaite

"So thank you Dr. Laura, for reminding us yet again how truly useless and destructive this word really is, and how tiresome efforts to defend and preserve it really are." -- Keli Goff, The Huffington Post

Twitter:

I wonder if Dr Laura will do a Brett Favre and un-retire soonless than a minute ago via webMark Larson
marklarsonradio

Dr. Laura joins the career suicide list. And they say there's no good news.less than a minute ago via TwitterrificJoy Behar
JoyVBehar

Dr. Laura says she is quitting her radio show "to spend more time with Mel Gibson."less than a minute ago via webAndy Borowitz
BorowitzReport

Dr. Laura retired. Our long national nightmare of bigoted, ignorant talk show hosts is finally ov.....oh, never mind.less than a minute ago via Twitter for AndroidMC Thumbtack
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