AOL is the latest company to pull ads for the Rush Limbaugh Show following the shock-jock’s recent controversial comments, which referred to a college student as a “slut” and “prostitute” for advocating contraception.
Limbaugh came under fire last week for using derogatory comments toward third-year Georgetown Law student Susan Fluke after she argued for health care coverage for contraception during a Capitol Hill hearing.
News surrounding Limbaugh’s comments has been widely criticized on Twitter, as members put big pressure on advertisers to yank their money.
AOL responded on Monday to the events surrounding the incident and noted in a series of tweets that Limbaugh’s “comments are not in line with our values.”
AOL is the eighth company to suspend ads associated with Limbaugh. Others include Sleep Train, Quicken Loans and Pro Flowers.
Although some people on social media sites have stepped forward to support Limbaugh, an overwhelming amount of the chatter has been against him.
The news has also brought attention to an anti-Limbaugh movement on Facebook and a page called “Boycott Rush Limbaugh’s Sponsors to SHUT HIM DOWN”. The page — which was created in 2011 — has since attracted nearly 27,000 followers, many of which have posted comments over the past few days urging companies to pull advertising dollars that support his show.
Meanwhile, representatives for musician Peter Gabriel — who’s song was used during the Rush Limbaugh Show — have taken to Facebook to ask that his track be removed from use by Limbaugh.
Fluke had argued that employers should cover contraption as a part of health care coverage.
“Without health care coverage, contraception — as you know — can cost over $3,000 during law school for a lot of students like me that are on public interest scholarships,” Fluke said. “That’s practically an entire summer’s salary.”
Limbaugh responded by saying he doesn’t want to pay for “her to have sex.”
“What does it say about the college co-ed Susan Fluke who goes before congressional committee that she must be paid to have sex? What does that make it? It makes her a slut. It makes her a prostitute,” he said on the radio. “What does that make us? We’re the pimps.”
Limbaugh said on his site he sincerely apologizes for his comments and noted that they were “uncalled for.” He also addressed the many advertisers that have pulled ads in light of the controversy.
“Advertisers who have split the scene have done very well due to their access to you, my audience, from this program,” Limbaugh said. “To offer their products and services to you through this venue is the best opportunity that they have ever had to advertise their wares. Now they’ve chosen to deny themselves that access, and that’s a business decision, and it’s theirs alone to make. They’ve decided they don’t want you or your business anymore. So be it.”
Image via RushLimbaugh.com
Source: Mashable
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