Randi Rhodes

Randi Joyce Robertson (née Bueten; born January 28, 1958), better known by her air name Randi Rhodes, is an American progressive political commentator, activist and talk radio host.

The Randi Rhodes Show is live streamed having been previously broadcast nationally on Air America Radio, Nova M Radio, and Premiere Radio Networks.

Rhodes was born Randi Joyce Bueten in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family.

Randi grew up in the Brooklyn and Queens boroughs of New York City, her father was a mechanical engineer and World War II veteran and her mother was a dress shop worker; they divorced by the time Rhodes was 15 years old.

Rhodes has described her adolescence as mischievous and cites it as why she enlisted in the United States Air Force.

Her married name is Randi Robertson.

Rhodes is a radio name chosen to honor Ozzy Osbourne's guitar player Randy Rhoads, whom Rhodes describes as "a consummate professional ... but he always practiced. I mean, he practiced eight hours a day. He lived to be the best."

Rhodes enlisted in the United States Air Force and worked stateside at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey as an aircraft mechanic, achieving the rank of Airman first class (E-3).

She served two years in the Air Force and one year in the reserves.

Rhodes went through basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

From there she went to Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, and was being trained as a flight engineer.

After she transferred to what would be her permanent station in New Jersey, she decided to leave the active-duty Air Force through the Palace Chase program and was honorably discharged after three years service (two active duty and one reserve) at the age of 21.

In the 1980 presidential election, Rhodes voted for Republican candidate Ronald Reagan, explaining: "I was young and stupid and sick of the gas lines", but never voted Republican again.

Rhodes' radio career began in Seminole, Texas at a country music station.

Her next job was in a larger market, Mobile, Alabama.

While in Mobile, she was paired briefly with a male DJ (also named Randy) for the "Randy and Randi" morning show.

This was her first experience with extemporaneous dialogue other than reading cue cards between records.

She used this experience as a spring-board to larger markets.

In the late 1980s, she was hired out of that medium market directly to New York City by WAPP "The Apple", owned at the time by Doubleday Broadcasting.

While working for WAPP, she took the name "Randi Rhodes," having previously used "Randi St. John".

While teaming with host Perry Stone at Milwaukee's WQFM, Rhodes was suspended in 1987 when their program offended the gay community and led several businesses to cancel ads.

In late September 1992, Rhodes started on WIOD in Miami, working the 8P-11P night shift.

The Miami Herald described her as "a chain-smoking bottle blond, ... part Joan Rivers, part shock jock Howard Stern and part Saturday Night Live's 'Coffee Talk' lady. But mostly, she's her rude, crude, loud, brazen, gleeful self."

In 2004, Rhodes joined Air America Radio, bringing The Randi Rhodes Show to a national audience for the first time.

Rhodes' show on Air America consisted principally of monologue and listener calls, with a short comedic segment at the beginning of the show's second and third hours.

Only occasionally did she do interviews.

The show was punctuated with musical interludes, including the show's unofficial theme song, Pain by Stereomud.

On Fridays, Rhodes opened the show with the song "Bounce Your Boobies" by Rusty Warren.

With her distinctive Brooklyn-Queens accent, she would take calls spanning the political spectrum, aggressively promoting her views.

In 2007, Rhodes was recognized by the radio industry's well known periodical, Talkers Magazine as Woman of the Year.

In October 2007, rumors of Rhodes having been mugged in New York were fueled by Air America host Jon Elliott, who had said she was attacked at 39th and Park Avenue while walking her dog, Simon on October 14.

Elliott also said Rhodes lost several teeth, and speculated the attack could have been part of a right-wing conspiracy.

On October 17, the New York Daily News reported Rhodes never filed a police report, nor did she claim to be the victim of a mugging.

Rhodes' attorney confirmed Rhodes was injured in a fall while walking her dog, and said Rhodes wasn't sure how it had happened.

Elliott issued an apology for his on-air comments.

Air America suspended Rhodes from the network on April 3, 2008, after an event in San Francisco for Air America affiliate KKGN.

While doing a stand-up comedy act, Rhodes said on March 22, 2008:"'Geraldine Ferraro turned out to be the David Duke in drag ... What a whore Geraldine Ferraro is! She's such a fucking whore! I wanna see her have to stand beside her husband at one of those mandatory 'I have sinned against you; I'm a whore' kind of a press conference. Mr. Ferraro should have to stand next to his whore of a wife ... Hillary is a big fucking whore, too. You know why she's a big fucking whore? Because her deal is always, 'Read the fine print, asshole!''"

When a video of the event was made public the following week, Air America suspended her for "inappropriate comments".

The event was billed as "An Evening with Randi Rhodes" and promoted on KKGN's website.

Geraldine Ferraro called for Rhodes' employment to be terminated when the personal attacks directed towards her and Clinton began circulating through the media.