I know there are some people listening right now who are tuning into my show for the first time because maybe you've heard some things about me in the past couple of weeks. I'd like to correct some myths you might have heard. First of all, I am not now... nor have I ever been... related to the vampires of Transylvania. I only bite when asked.
If you watched
Larry King last Tuesday
, then you heard I'll be ending my national radio show in December after 17 years. Seventeen years. Well, I never got the criticism I couldn't hold down a job.
Oh, I'm sorry. Actually, I'm wrong. Because last Wednesday - the morning after I was on Larry King... George Stephanopoulos... does everyone know who he is? He used to work for the government? George Stephanopoulos? Well, he now has a full-time job on "Good Morning America." And last Wednesday he had this to say about me leaving radio. Benjamin....roll tape.
SFX:
"Well, she had no choice. She was fired, right?"
(gunshot sound)
I'm sorry, could you say that again, George?
SFX:
"Well, she had no choice. She was fired, right?"
(gunshot sound)
I'd like to make it clear for the record and for those of you who are .... Confused. I own my own company. I own me. The only person who can fire me... is me. And I didn't fire me.... (pause)
I just gave myself 4 months notice.
Honestly, I didn't hear about George's little SNAFU until this morning. But my staff heard about his gaffe last week. So they called ABC and - the network George is on... they called ABC and asked "Did we hear that right?" And "Would you mind issuing a correction?"
And the producer at ABC was very nice. She seemed to understand George had made an error... a factual mistake on a news show... and she would see what George and ABC would do about it. So here it is, a whole week later. Can I tell you what they've done about it?
SFX:
(Sound of crickets)
Nothing!!
Let me get this straight. You make a factual mistake. You know it's a factual mistake. You are asked to correct your factual mistake... And a week later...
SFX:
(Sound of crickets)
Hmmmmm...
My guess is they think nobody heard it, so therefore... it doesn't matter.
You know... if a tree falls in the woods and no-one's around? If a newscaster makes a mistake and he has no ratings???
Well, you know I am a believer in free speech and debate. I just prefer to pontificate myself, but that's just me. So I figured I would let a larger audience hear George's opinion and play it on my show today. Could you play George again, please?
SFX:
"Well, she had no choice. She was fired, right?"
(gunshot sound)
One more time - George's opinion as to why I am leaving radio...
SFX:
"Well, she had no choice. She was fired, right?"
(gunshot sound)
Now that's George's opinion. I was going to be fired. My opinion is I was NOT about to fire myself... It would hurt my feelings.
Now, we're going to play a little game here. If you think ABC and George Stephanopoulos should be accountable and correct their factual error, I want you to let them know since they're a news show. Go to my website:
www.drlaura.com
. You'll see a link to a page where you can
send George and Good Morning America an email
telling them... George Got it Wrong about Dr. Laura. Dr. Laura did not fire herself...
SFX:
"Well, she had no choice. She was fired, right?"
(gunshot sound)
Okay. I am having a little fun here. But I do have a serious point to make. And that is news sources are supposed to be coming forward about facts and not someone's OPINION, AGENDA, GUESS, OR WISHFUL THINKING. The reason most of you (and enough polls have shown this) don't trust news reporting much is because you've realized much of what passes for NEWS these days is IN FACT opinion, agenda, guesses, wishful thinking, or in this case... just wrong.
