Michael Savage

[[File:Michael Savage at the White House in 2018.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Savage at the White House in 2018]]
{{bronze}}{{pundits}}''Not to be confused with [[Dan Savage]], [[Adam Savage]], or {{wpl|Randy Savage|"Macho Man" Randy Savage}}.''

{{cquote|From my listening to his radio show, he's less any kind of a genuine conservative and more of an actor playing out a liberal's caricature of how conservatives are hateful, mean, ill-informed, prejudiced and immature, a stereotype he regularly fulfills.|||Brent Baker, [[Media Research Center]]<ref>[http://archive.mrc.org/cyberalerts/2003/cyb20030429.asp#3 NBC Distances Itself from Banfield's Attack on War Whitewashing]. ''CyberAlert'', Media Research Center. April 29, 2003.</ref>}}
{{cquote|When you hear "human rights" think only someone who wants to molest your son, and send you to jail if you defend him. Write that down, make note of it.<ref>''Misstating the state of the Union''</ref>{{rp|11}}}}

'''Michael Savage''', born '''Michael Alan Weiner''', {{lived|1942|}} is an [[United States|American]] former [[Alternative medicine|woo-peddler]] and  [[conservative talk radio]] pundit. He currently helms ''The Savage Nation''.
 
An ultra-radical [[conservative]], Savage, along with such others as [[Rush Limbaugh]] and [[Ann Coulter]], has been a contributor to the ongoing [[demonization]] of [[liberal]] people and viewpoints, helping to maintain the current level of mutual fear and loathing in American politics. He is rabidly [[xenophobia|xenophobic]], [[Misogyny|misogynistic]] and [[Homophobia|homophobic]], and hates [[marijuana|potheads]] with a burning passion. He also disagrees with the [[Iraq War]] and apparently now disagrees with the [[Patriot Act]] (despite originally supporting it adamantly, even advocating imprisonment of those who filed lawsuits against its Constitutionality), which puts him greatly at odds with many of the more consistent people in the conservative movement.

Savage has been known to respond to criticism and calls for [[boycott]]s with legal threats.<ref>http://radio.about.com/library/weekly/aa061303a.htm</ref>  In at least one case, these threats have been responded to successfully, and found to be without merit.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20081013085819/http://www.savagestupidity.com/home-release.html SavageStupidity.com Hails Victory in 'Savage' Lawsuit]</ref> In short, he's everything you'd expect from a man who deliberately chose the name "Savage".

Contract not being renewed today, <big>[[white genocide]] tomorrow!</big> So… his contract wasn't renewed because the show is going a different direction, and this whiny bitch screams [[Reverse racism|racism]]. And of course, a [[free market]]eer feels that a commercial radio station should be forced to [[Vulgar libertarianism|keep employing someone.]]<ref>LaCapria, Kim, [http://www.snopes.com/michael-savage-removed/ "Cryptic tweets sent by radio host Michael Savage led to rumors he was fired or replaced with a 'liberal host'"], [[Snopes]] 9.28.16.</ref>

==Somewhere, [[MythBusters|Adam Savage]] is pondering a name change ==
===Pre-Savage Nation days===
The son of [[Russia|Russian]] [[Judaism|Jewish]] immigrants, Savage grew up in the [[New York City]] boroughs of The Bronx and Queens (explaining his accent). In his book ''The Savage Nation'', he described his upbringing as tough: 

{{cquote|We didn't have room for cute in my life. Things were tough every day of our lives. And we made the best of it. Frankly, that's why I'm driven the way I am. I was raised on neglect, anger and hate. I was raised the old-fashioned way.<ref name="Savage Talk"/>}}

He earned a Ph.D. in nutritional ethnomedicine from the University of California, Berkeley.<ref>''Nutritional ethnomedicine in Fiji'' by Michael Alan Weiner (1978). University of California, Berkeley. Ph.D. Thesis.</ref> Under his real name, Savage/Weiner was a [[Herbal supplement|herbalist]] before he was a conservative commentator.<ref>"Notes on Some Medicinal Plants of Fiji" by Michael A. Weiner (1970) ''Economic Botany'' 24(3):279-282.</ref><ref>''Secrets of Fijian Medicine'' by Michael A. Weiner. (1976): Self-published. (1983): Quantum Books, ISBN 0912845023.</ref> During his herbalist phase, he endorsed homeopathy,<ref>''The Complete Book of Homeopathy: The Holistic & Natural Way to Good Health'' by Michael A. Weiner (1989) Avery Publishing. ISBN 0895294125.</ref> and immuno-therapy [[quackery]].<ref>''Maximum Immunity: How to Fortify Your Natural Defenses Against Cancer, AIDS, Arthritis, Allergies—Even the Common Cold—And Free Yourself from Unnecessary Worry for Life'' by Michael A. Weiner (1986) Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395379105.</ref> Savage has repeatedly falsely claimed that his doctoral degree is in epidemiology.<ref>[https://archive.is/wip/635Im Michael Savage] ''HarperCollins'' (archived from 1 Feb 2022 03:40:28 UTC).</ref><ref>[https://archive.is/wip/rVjWe Michael Savage] ''Macmillan Publishers'' (archived from 1 Feb 2022 03:42:49 UTC).</ref><ref>[https://archive.fo/wip/bOqqK Diseases without Border: Boosting Your Immunity Against Infectious Diseases from the Flu and Measles to Tuberculosis by Michael Savage] ''Center Street'' (archived from 1 Feb 2022 03:47:29 UTC).</ref> It's an important distinction because the field of ethnomedicine is prone to [[crankery]] (like much of [[herbal medicine]]), whereas epidemiology is highly quantitative. Lying about one's expertise or degrees is a form of [[credentialism]].

He is also rumored to be a massive [[closet]] case, having had a past history of skinny-dipping with certain [[homosexual]] 1960s poets (he was ejected from said company by virtue of being incredibly insecure and annoying).<ref name=salon>[http://www.salon.com/2003/03/05/savage_11/ Michael Savage's long, strange trip: How a Jewish kid from the Bronx went from swimming naked with Allen Ginsberg to spewing the ugliest bile on talk radio] by David Gilson (Wednesday, Mar 5, 2003 02:18 PM PST) ''Salon''.</ref><ref name="SF Weekly"/> He also once wrote a weird, semi-autobiographical stream-of-consciousness novel about a closeted, psychotic herbalist (which, you have to admit, are words you seldom see applied to the same person).<ref>''Vital Signs'' by Michael Weiner (1983) Avant Books. ISBN 0932238203.</ref>

As a white male Savage feels so entitled to everything that he tried and failed to apply for dean of UC Berkeley's graduate school of journalism (seriously) and after being rejected in favor of Orville Schell (someone with real journalistic credentials, and also a white man) he used that incident as the basis of his opposition towards [[affirmative action]] and even filed a [[frivolous]] discrimination lawsuit assisted by a [[David Horowitz]]-funded organization.<ref name=salon/> In 1991, Savage published a whiny screed, ''The Death of the White Male'', based on his experience instead of doing what [[Herman Cain]] would've told him: "Blame yourself!"<ref>''The Death of the White Male: The Case Against Affirmative Action'' by Michael Savage (1991). Quantum Books. ISBN 0912845082.</ref>

===''The Savage Nation''===
Savage began his radio career on [[San Francisco]]'s KGO 810 in 1994 as a fill-in for liberal overnight host Ray Taliaferro. He began a daily radio show, ''The Savage Nation'', on San Francisco's Hot Talk 560 KSFO in 1995 before going national in 1999. From 1999 to 2012 Talk Radio Network syndicated the show, before Savage left the company in September 2012 nearly two years after suing Talk Radio Network for what he called "illegal and unenforceable contract provisions" and  "other strong-armed tactics."<ref>[http://rbr.com/michael-savage-wins-trn-suit-leaves-the-network/  Michael Savage wins TRN suit; leaves the network]. ''Radio+Television Business Report''. Sept. 28, 2012.</ref> The  following month, Savage signed with Cumulus Media Networks. Savage's flagship station was KSFO from 1999 to 2003 and again from 2012 on. In the years between, his flagship was KNEW 910 (2003 to 2009), KTRB 860 (2010), and KSTE 650 (2010 to 2012). KSTE is a Sacramento station whose signal reaches the San Francisco Bay Area that served as his ''de facto'' flagship in the years when Savage had no proper Bay Area affiliate.

In 2002, WND Books, the book-publishing arm of [[WorldNetDaily]], published a book of the same name.<ref>''The Savage Nation: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on Our Borders, Language, and Culture'' by Michael Savage (2002). WND Books. ISBN 0785263535.</ref> In the first chapter, you can tell that you're in for a wild ride as Savage sews irrational, unfounded liberal-bashing with his life story.<ref name=SavageNationBook>[http://books.google.com/books?id=AWTwbez4PdYC The Savage Nation] book preview</ref> Explaining the thesis of the book, he has said: "Only a more savage nation can survive… Not a more compassionate nation… We're not going to survive by being overly compassionate to our enemies."<ref name="Savage Talk">"[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/02/06/DD165846.DTL&ao=all Savage Talk]." ''San Francisco Chronicle'': February 6, 2003.</ref> However, Ben Fritz at ''Salon'' pointed out that Savage blatantly misrepresented the [[divorce]] rate between 1970 to 2003, confused [[global warming]] with [[Ozone layer|ozone depletion]] (admittedly, [[Christopher Hitchens]] did this a bit too, but his biography didn't describe him as "an ardent conservationist", nor did he mock [[Al Gore]]), and took out of context a comment by [[Hillary Clinton]] about Ritalin.<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2003/02/19/savage_9/singleton/ Savage with the Truth]</ref>

Savage's style and views are so outspoken, vitriolic, and hyper-masculine that even the conservative pundit [[Bernard Goldberg]] included Savage in ''[[110 People Who Are Screwing Up America]]''. [[Media Research Center]] founder [[Brent Bozell]] has called Savage "crazy right"<ref>[http://conwebwatch.tripod.com/blog/index.blog/1894938/mrc-ed-schultz-michael-savage/ MRC: Ed Schultz = Michael Savage]. ConWebWatch.</ref> and has also said: "Michael Savage is to talk radio what Jerry Springer is to talk television."<ref name="SF Weekly"/> Brent Baker of the Media Research Center also said: "From my listening to his radio show, [[No True Scotsman|he's less any kind of a genuine conservative and more of an actor playing out a liberal's caricature of how conservatives are hateful, mean, ill-informed, prejudiced and immature, a stereotype he regularly fulfills]]."<ref>[http://www.mrc.org/cyberalerts/2003/cyb20030429.asp#3 MRC CyberAlert: NBC Distances Itself from Banfield's Attack on War Whitewashing]</ref> On his show he enjoys puffing himself up and making ''[[ad hominem]]'' attacks against those with whom he disagrees. Often, Savage shouts down liberal callers when he can't take the heat.<ref name="PHD caller"/><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUNuFHuZFWA Michael Savage Tears A Liberal Professor to Pieces] — Savage debated about illegal immigration with a caller who claimed to be a professor. Savage often used his typical obstruction and diversion tactics and personal attacks repeatedly and even felt the caller was "talking down to him".</ref> Contrast this style with how progressive host [[Thom Hartmann]] actually tries to have ''conversations'' with conservative callers.<ref>Example: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSQ6E3ozrGI Thom Hartmann vs. the libertarian caller]"</ref> Hartmann often debates conservative politicians and advocates on his program and welcomes callers with right-wing views. Savage, on the other hand, usually brings on only guests he agrees with, one exception being California Governor and former California Attorney General [[Jerry Brown]], a [[Democrat]].<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aTIxUh7wvg Part 1 of the interview], on [[Proposition 8]]; [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QALUtxMmxyQ& Part 2], on the [[Fairness Doctrine]]</reF>

==="Leave the police alone"===
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq5TuKJMB7A In an incident] dating back to 2001, Savage and his more-than-somewhat creepy wife Janet were nearly arrested for assaulting local filmmakers following the San Francisco police and told the camera crew: "Leave the [[police]] alone, you a--. Let them do their f-- jobs. Who the hell are you? You're nobody. You're garbage. You're street s--… You're f-- vermin."<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/08/15/MN146599.DTL Matier & Ross column from August 15, 2001]. ''San Francisco Chronicle''.</ref> The 
savages
 Savages happened upon the cameramen recording the arrest of a homeless person for the TV show, and apparently assumed that they were "[[evil]] [[Socialism|socialist]]/[[Communism|commie]]/[[Nazism|nazi]]/[[Marxist]] bastards" trying to catch police brutality on camera. The duo tried blocking the camera while screaming obscenities and violent threats at the baffled cameramen, but their tirade was brought to an end after the officers stepped in and told them to take a hike. Savage proceeded to whine about this on his show later, claiming that he was a good guy whose intentions were just misunderstood.{{lie}}

===Booted from MSNBC===
Savage had a short lived show on [[MSNBC]] also titled ''The Savage Nation''. In July 2003 he was fired for referring to one of his callers as a "[[sodomite]]" and saying he should "[[Homophobia|get AIDS and die]].<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3054136.stm</ref>

===Banned from the UK===
Since 2009, Savage has been among those banned from entering the [[United Kingdom]] by the British government (mostly due to the fact that his demonization of various ethnic, sexual, and religious groups could lead to violence).<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/16-banned-from-britain-named-and-shamed-1679127.html Named and shamed: the 16 barred from UK] by Beverley Rouse (5 May 2009 08:41 BST) ''The Independent''.</ref> After his ban took effect, Savage demanded that then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton get the UK to rescind the ban for him.

===Dumped from radio===
In October 2020, Savage announced that his syndicated radio show would end in December 2020, citing "legal reasons." Since 2018, his radio show had been reduced to a single hour after Westwood One handed his programming slot to [[Ben Shapiro]].<ref>Lance Venta, [https://radioinsight.com/headlines/198897/michael-savage-to-end-radio-show/ Michael Savage To End Radio Show]. Radio Insight, 1 October 2020.</ref><ref>[http://www.insideradio.com/free/exiting-radio-michael-savage-will-be-podcasting-exclusively-without-westwood-one/article_5e46fd56-0475-11eb-b284-e7764c6e6697.html Exiting Radio, Michael Savage Will Be Podcasting Exclusively – Without Westwood One.] Inside Radio, 2 October 2020.</ref>

==Political views==
Savage considers himself an "independent-minded individualist"<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150415055337/http://www.savage-productions.com/mikeinfo.html "About Mike"]</ref> and has cited [[Barry Goldwater]] as an influence.<ref>David Klinghoffer, "[http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/219016/savaged/david-klinghoffer Savaged]" (''National Review'')</ref> Savage also has praised libertarian Republican [[Ron Paul]], a longtime member of Congress and [[Perennial candidate|perennial presidential candidate]].<ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Savage-novel-power-Obama/2011/09/13/id/410852 Michael Savage Novel 'Abuse of Power' Reflects News of Today]</ref> However, Savage often changes his opinions and previously claimed Paul was an unelectable [[kook]].<ref>[http://voices.yahoo.com/michael-savage-ron-paul-kooky-unelectable-10798093.html?cat=9]</ref>

His political philosophy centers around "[[patriotism|borders, language, and culture]]", specifically these positions:
* A [[Judeo-Christian]] [[worldview]]; Savage discussed [[atheism]] with one caller in 2007 (rather kindly) but quickly brought up [[Mao Zedong]].<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isaxVGFmqpY YouTube clip of a show from sometime in the fall of 2007]</ref> He has also frequently expressed [[Islamophobia|anti-Islam]] views.
* [[secure the border|Secure borders]] and aggressive enforcement of immigration law.
* Cultural assimilation of immigrants including learning the English language

Savage also opposed the [[Obama]] administration's [[drone]] killing of [[Anwar al-Awlaki]], a US citizen living in Yemen who preached Islamic extremism. [[Ron Paul]] also expressed this viewpoint.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoTvHCGpgYY Michael Savage Praises and Agrees with Ron Paul on al-Awlaki Assassination — 10/3/2011]</ref>

In December 2011, Savage offered [[Newt Gingrich]] one million dollars to drop out of the [[2012_U.S._Presidential_Election#Republican_Party|2012 Republican primaries]] based on his opinion that only [[Mitt Romney]] would be able to defeat President [[Barack Obama]] in the general election.<ref>[http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-12-14/news/30518104_1_radio-host-michael-savage-newt-gingrich-radio-show Savage offers Newt $1M  to drop out]. ''New York Daily News'': December 14, 2011.</ref> Gingrich stayed in the race until May 2, 2012 after having won two states: [[Georgia]], which was his home state, and therefore not very impressive, and [[South Carolina]], which was initially promising because since 1980, every Republican primary candidate to win South Carolina had then gone on to win the party nomination that year.

==Great moments in Michael Savage broadcasting==
# "On the afternoon of Herb Caen's funeral, he played sound effects of him pissing on the [''San Francisco Chronicle''] columnist's grave."<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060526225136/http://www.sfbg.com/News/34/51/51disney.html Radio Rat Poison]. ''San Francisco Bay Guardian'': September 20, 2000.</ref>
#On [[9/11|September 11, 2001]], Savage's son Russell Weiner (founder of the Rockstar energy drink) called into the show, and father and son blamed liberalism for the [[terrorist]] attacks.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR1FFEUVcxg Michael Savage talking to his son Russell Weiner]</ref>
#In a debate on [[CNN]]'s ''TalkBack Live'', Savage and basketball player-turned-broadcaster Charles Barkley got in heated exchanges. After being clueless about Barkley retorting to him on how 30% of federal prisoners are [[illegal immigrant]]s, Barkley called Savage a "dumbass" and Savage talked over the host as the show went to commercial break: "Yeah, you're a dumb basketball player. Go dribble a ball. Go dribble a ball. You couldn't shine my shoes, buster."<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAZzgTLsDYY — at the 7-minute mark, Savage suffers a brain fart; transcript at [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0301/08/tl.00.html CNN.com]</ref>
#In an interview with [[Bill O'Reilly]] in September 2003, the two conservative pundits exchanged smack talk and lies about [[separation of church and state]].<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnkp3Kj-qdw Video], [http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/2003/09/16/radio-talk-show-host-michael-savage/print Transcript]</ref>
#Savage's anti-illegal immigration views and resulting attack on a Catholic church providing assistance to undocumented immigrants forced [[Bill Donohue]], president of the [[Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights]], to cancel a scheduled interview on the show in 2006.<ref>[http://www.catholicleague.org/michael-savages-catholicism-2/ Michael Savage(s) Catholicism]</ref>
#In 2007, Savage responded to the death of a [[transgender]] immigrant in San Francisco named Ruby Ordenana by attacking the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' for titling a report about the victim "[http://articles.sfgate.com/2007-03-23/bay-area/17237812_1_transgender-cesar-chavez-strangled Slain sex worker identified as transgender immigrant]" and preferred instead to have the article titled "Degenerate junkie hooker transsexual illegal alien found dead" (the Chronicle article didn't even indicate the exact immigration status of Ordenana, further indicating Savage's prejudices).<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=undQpHapBfs Michael Savage Translates Liberal Newspaper Headline]</ref>
# Savage also had little issue with [[Nobel]]-winning geneticist James Watson claiming that Africans were less intelligent.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_R9ZIy2Cc4 Michael Savage Talks To an African American Man about James Watson]</ref>
# Savage said on kids with [[autism]], "They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, you idiot.'"<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/28/BAOU120FGO.DTL S.F. protest against Savage's autism remarks]</ref>
#On the April 14, 2008 broadcast of his show, Michael Savage asserted that then-Senator Barack Obama is "a Marxist in his heart," adding, "He's an Afro-[[Leninist]], and I know he's dangerous."<ref>[http://mediamatters.org/items/200804150006 Savage on Obama: "He's an Afro-Leninist, and I know he's dangerous"]</ref>
#An ongoing theme of Savage's commentary is his own brilliance and uniqueness. [[Credentialism|He frequently trades on his Ph.D., asking to be called "Dr. Savage" while discussing political topics.]] Although he once yelled at a caller who claimed to have a Ph.D.,<ref name="PHD caller">[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN-btnzlsKU In this call], Savage repeatedly shouted over a caller who claimed to have a Ph.D. and launched mostly personal attacks in response to the caller's points (call starts at 1:00, personal attack 3:40, and the Ph.D. argument at 4:00. Savage's unbelievable attack on the caller: "You think you're still in your muffler shop that you sold five years ago, but you're no longer in your muffler shop selling shoddy merchandise from China. You can't sell your shoddy merchandise on this show." (The caller never brought up anything about cars.) Most likely the caller responded to Savage's question with "New York University", but the caller's line either was unmuted late or faded out).</ref> Savage had no problem boasting about his Ph.D. with another caller he disagreed with.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HHKlvuuo3w Michael Savage vs. Big Black Woman]</ref> Of course, his Ph.D. is unrelated to politics.
#Savage often compares America to [[Roman Empire|Rome]], with varying historical accuracy.
#In 2003, Michael Savage said that he had been paying [[slave]] reparations to the [[African American|African-American]] community for all his life, in the form of "increased crime rates" and [[welfare]]. In short, Savage thinks that all crime is committed by African-Americans.
#In 2007, Savage blamed the downfall of America on liberal American lawyers, singled out New York University Law as the factory of liberal lawyers, and said that all liberal American lawyers should have been aborted as babies.
#On April 3, 2008 Savage said of Barack Obama, "Now we have an unknown stealth candidate who went to a madrassas in [[Indonesia]] and, in fact, was a [[Muslim]]."<ref>http://mediamatters.org/items/200804070001?f=s_search</ref>
#On the March 31, 2008 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Michael Savage stated, "Cops are getting knocked off all over the country because of the rules of engagement, written primarily by the scummiest class in America, the vermin of vermin, which are the left-wing lawyers who should be put in [[Abu Ghraib]] with hoods over their head, as far as I'm concerned." He then stated, "If I had the power by executive order, I would round up every member of the [[ACLU]] and of the National Lawyers Guild, and I'd put them in a prison in [[Guantanamo Bay|Guantánamo]] and I'd throw the key away."<ref>http://mediamatters.org/items/200804010007?f=s_search</ref>
#On the December 12, 2007 edition of his show, Michael Savage referred to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the five-member panel appointed by the Norwegian parliament to select an annual Nobel Peace Prize recipient, as "socialist perverts." He continued, "Why do I call them socialist perverts? Answer: because they are. By and large, 90 percent of the people on the Nobel Committee are into [[Child sexual abuse|child pornography]] and molestation, according to the latest scientific studies."<ref>[http://mediamatters.org/items/200712130009 Savage: "90 percent of the people on the Nobel Committee are into child pornography and molestation, according to the latest scientific studies"]</ref> (Likely it's of no interest to him that there ''can be no 90%'' of a five-member committee.)
#On the November 8, 2007 edition, a caller told host Michael Savage that while waiting at a stoplight in Midtown Manhattan, "I'm listening to you with the window open. This mean-faced, clipped-hair, liberal type — you know, the type you always talk about. … She comes up to my window and she goes, 'You're listening to [[hate speech]]. Why are you listening to that?'" Savage replied to the caller's anecdote by saying, "Well, what does that tell you about the loving, kind [[lesbian]] who just assaulted you in your car?" He continued, "[[Godwin's Law|She's a — the type that stuffed ovens in [Adolf] Hitler's concentration camps]]. [[Gun nut|Whenever I hear anyone preaching to me about how compassionate they are, I reach for my Glock.]] That's all I can tell you. They can all drop dead."<ref>[http://mediamatters.org/items/200711090018 Savage: "(L)oving, kind lesbian" is "the type that stuffed ovens in Hitler's concentration camps"]</ref>
#On the June 12, 2007 broadcast of his program, Michael Savage compared the "progressive movement" to the Nazi storm troopers who aided [[Adolf Hitler]]'s rise to power, saying, "[T]hey are the brownshirts of today."<ref>http://mediamatters.org/items/200706140008?f=s_search</ref>
#On the July 16, 2007 broadcast of program, Michael Savage responded to a recent speech given by Muslim Representative [[Keith Ellison]] (D-MN) to the organization Atheists for Human Rights by saying, "[W]hat would a devout Muslim radical have in common with atheists? Answer: hatred of [[Christianity]] and hatred of [[Jews]]."<ref>http://mediamatters.org/items/200707170006?f=s_search</ref>
#On the July 2, 2007 edition of show, discussing the recent terror-related arrests in Britain, radio host Michael Savage said, "[W]hen I see a woman walking around with a [[burqa]], I see a Nazi," adding, "That's what I see — how do you like that? — a hateful Nazi who would like to cut your throat and kill your children."<ref>http://mediamatters.org/items/200707030005?f=s_search</ref>
#On the January 18, 2007 edition of his show, while playing the song "Living on a Thin Line" by the Kinks, Michael Savage claimed that "there's no [[England]] now" because "[t]he soccer thug[s]" who defeated Hitler "[are] gone." Savage asserted: "The soccer thug has been beaten down by the [[Homosexual agenda|lesbian/homosexual mafia]] in England."<ref>http://mediamatters.org/items/200701190014?f=s_search</ref>
#When the British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith released a list of names of people with extremist views who are banned from entering the UK, Savage responded immediately by threatening to sue Smith for defamation,<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8035114.stm</ref> obviously blissfully unaware that legal action against a decision made with the authority of the government of a country other than his own has no grounds.
#A long-time Bay Area resident, Savage went on a rant in June 2009 blaming illegal aliens for the [[California]] budget crisis.<ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/security/2009/06/23/175504/california-immigration-michael-savage/ Savage Blames Immigrant ‘Gang-Bangers’ For ‘Destroying California’]</ref> Of course the crisis ''couldn't'' have been due to a (largely [[Republican]]) minority of the legislature holding the budget hostage in order to get things they wanted, due to the ridiculous supermajority that was required to pass budgets at that time.
#On April 4, 2011, after a caller said "You're rude" to him and hung up, Savage asked, "Obama got your tongue?", mocked New Yorkers as people who "kiss your behind because you give them an eye", and complained that "liberal communist bums" destroyed the [[education]] system and everything else that they touched.<ref>"[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCaP910LmHA Michael Savage Goes Off On Caller! Is He Mad About Ratings?]" The Young Turks, April 11, 2011</ref>
#After a shooting at an [[Ohio]] high school on Feb. 27, 2012 that left one student dead and three others injured, Savage expressed that [[bullied]] youth should take initiative to become tougher rather than become victimized.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxyG3exIWwg Michael Savage: Bullying Apologist]</ref>
#In October 2014, after debating with a caller about naming a tunnel after the late actor Robin Williams, Savage whined that soldiers with [[post-traumatic stress disorder]] and depression were "a bunch of losers" who "need[ed] to stand up and stop crying like a baby over everything."<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/michael-savage-veterans-ptsd-are-destroying-america |"Boo hoo hoo, come get a medication"]</ref>
#In February 2015, Savage blamed — without evidence — the [[measles]] outbreak that originated in [[The Walt Disney Company|Disneyland]] on illegal immigrants and condemned President Obama for causing this "crime against humanity" and "medical genocide".<ref>Right Wing Watch, [http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/michael-savage-obama-committing-medical-genocide-through-measles-outbreak Michael Savage: Obama Committing 'Medical Genocide' Through Measles Outbreak]</ref>
#During a July, 2015 episode Savage declared that he would lead the armed rebellion against Barack Obama's 
totally real
 admittedly made up plans to provide African-Americans with slavery reparations. Savage stated, "That would be the last straw for me, if they ever try to pull that one off, I would lead a reparations rebellion in this country. No matter what my age would be, if I had the strength from [[God]], I would lead a reparations rebellion against the government and it would be an armed rebellion." Which devolves into a rant about how Savage's ''entire life'' was ripped off by gangster Obama's welfare and affirmative action. Reminder: Savage was born in 1942.<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/michael-savage-vows-die-fighting-armed-rebellion-against-imaginary-obama-reparations-scheme Michael Savage Vows To Die Fighting In Armed Rebellion Against Imaginary Obama Reparations Scheme]</ref>
#The Obama administration's plan to accept refugees from the [[Syrian Civil War]] was spun as an effort by Obama to raise a private army to "overthrow the people".<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/michael-savage-obama-will-use-syrian-refugees-personal-army-overthrow-people Michael Savage: Obama Will Use Syrian Refugees As A Personal Army To 'Overthrow The People',] Right Wing Watch</ref> Savage made reference to the fact that he was painting "a crazy picture" with this screed, which is about as unguarded a moment of honesty as you're liable to ever get from him.

==Books==
Savage has authored a number of mediocre books. Arguably his most popular is ''Liberalism is a Mental Disorder'', which has turned into a popular catchphrase chanted by his followers. [[WorldNetDaily|WND Books]] published four of Savage's books: ''The Savage Nation'' (2002), ''The Enemy Within'' (2003), ''Liberalism is a Mental Disorder'' (2005), and ''The Political Zoo'' (2006).

In ''The Political Zoo'', Savage compared several figures to animals. More details will follow, but the highlights:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ The Political Zoo
|-
! Person !! Animal !! Notes
|-
| [[Hillary Clinton]] || Leopard
|-
| [[Bill Clinton]] || Werewolf
|-
| [[George W Bush]] || Bumble Bee
|-
| [[Nancy Pelosi]] || Parakeet
|-
| [[Pat Robertson]] || Whale
|-
| [[Harry Reid]] || Kangaroo Rat
|-
| Arlen Specter || Possum
|-
| [[Robert Byrd]] || Rat
|-
| [[Dick Cheney]] || Walrus
|-
| [[Rush Limbaugh]] || Bullfrog
|-
| [[John McCain]] || Mole
|-
| [[Bill O'Reilly]] || Porcupine
|-
| Condoleezza Rice || Sabertooth tiger{{efn|The {{wpl|Smilodon}} is commonly known as the saber-toothed tiger, but was not closely related to tigers and other big cats. Saber-tooth cat is the correct term.}} || Perhaps the only entry with nothing but praise for the subject.
|-
| [[Al Gore]] || A rock, to clarify, pumice
|}

Savage's books ''[[Trickle Up Poverty]]'' (2010) and ''[[Trickle Down Tyranny]]'' (2012) are attacks on [[Barack Obama]] with relatively few facts and loads of opinions and conspiracy theories, as is ''[[Scorched Earth: Restoring the Country After Obama]]'' (2016).

==Vo-Savage-bulary==
Savage can be credited to introducing certain terms that conservatives use in comments sections/forums to deride the left.
*lib: derisive term to describe [[liberalism|liberals]].{{efn|from a Google Books search of the words Michael Savage libs.}}
*Red Diaper Doper Baby: as described in Urban Dictionary: "The children of leftist intellectual baby boomers, raised from birth on Marxism and a drug tolerant environment, and now in places of political and intellectual influence."<ref>http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=red+diaper+doper+baby</ref> In ''Liberalism Is a Mental Disorder'', Savage described RDDB's as planning to "[[tax]]… the hard-working people who own businesses… out of existence."<ref>''[http://books.google.com/books?id=uNE_FL4stjUC&pg=PA87&dq=%22red+diaper+doper%22&hl=en&ei=TxsZTteYIom0sAOX35HcDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22red%20diaper%20doper%22&f=false Liberalism Is a Mental Disroder]'', p. 87.</ref>
*More Snotty Nonsense by Creeps: Savage slang for [[MSNBC]].<ref name="SF Weekly">[http://www.sfweekly.com/2006-07-19/news/inside-the-savage-nation/full Inside the Savage Nation] (SF Weekly: July 19, 2006)</ref>
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20010617160008/http://ksfo.com/viewentry.asp?ID=48213&PT=hosts and more]

==Environmental interests==
Savage [[Stopped clock|has also advocated for]] [[animal rights]].<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/michael-savage-mr-angry-1681844.html Michael Savage: Mr Angry]</ref> As Michael Weiner, he also wrote several books with an environmental theme.

==Trivia==
*Savage's son Russell Weiner is the owner and founder of the Rockstar Energy Drink company. In 2009, Russell donated $25,000 to the campaign chest of California gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom, who was at the time the Democratic mayor of San Francisco. Since Michael Savage often called Gavin Newsom "Grusome Newsom", this probably explains why Michael Savage rarely (if ever) mentions his son on his radio program anymore.

==See also==
[[File:The i hate ann coulter bill o reilly rush limbaugh michael savage sean hannity reader clint willis.jpg|150px|thumb|The i hate ann coulter bill o reilly rush limbaugh michael savage sean hannity reader clint willis [[Special:Booksources/1560256141|ISBN 1560256141]]]]
*[[Dan Savage]]: No relation and completely opposite politics, but also a douchebag.
*[[David Horowitz]]
*[[Hal Turner]]
*[[Lyle Rossiter]]
*[[Zeal of the convert]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT: Savage, Michael}}
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