listener marcia sent an email counseling me that i needn’t counsel others (ironic?!).
here are the relevant parts of her email:
“Jenny:
I started listening to your program the first day that you started this particular format – that being without Alexis Stewart. I don’t consider myself within your demographic (I just turned 56) but I stuck with you and had actually started to enjoy your program. Imagine my disappointment today when you all decided to question and criticize Dr. Laura Schlessinger. Dr. Laura gives advice on the radio because she has her doctorate in marriage and family therapy. She’s not espousing opinions as such but facts… I find it amusing that Jane Pratt and yourself, both radio personalities, you a lawyer and she an editor/publisher think you’re qualified to give advise. I would recommend that you do away with that portion of your programming since you aren’t qualified unless it has to do with the field of law your licensed to practice.
…And Dr.Laura’s family was in the concentration camps in Europe during the Holocaust, she’s not a convert. You see, you have spoken too quickly about something you had too little facts about.”
and my response:
hi marcia!
thank you for taking the time to write me. and thank you for correcting me about dr. laura’s jewish heritage. it was the end of my show when radio sean ryan told me dr. laura had converted to judaism (read: throwing radio sean ryan under the bus!) and out of time to research for myself, i took his information as being accurate. i appreciate the corrected information from you.
i also appreciate your OPINION (or do you deem it “fact” as you consider all of dr laura’s opinions to be) that i, along with my friend jane pratt, are unqualified to give advice (or as you wrote “advise”).
BUT
i strongly disagree with your assertion.
i believe jane is qualified to give advice. and i think she gives GREAT advice.
and i’m comfortable dispensing my advice when asked.
and btw, yes, i am an attorney. and i am also a published author who wrote a…wait for it… “self help” book called WHATEVERLAND.
it is not just the trained therapist who can help and advise others.
if that were the case then it would be unwise to take counsel from our moms, or our friends, or our spouses. some of the best advice ive ever received has been from my husband.
obviously in the case of severe distress or issues beyond my scope of expertise, experience and knowledge, i would tell someone to seek professional help IN PERSON. and i would think even dr. laura would do this- since she is dispensing her wisdom via radio too.
i’m not typically judgmental of people who make the “unpopular” or societally “wrong” choice.
to me very little is actually black and white. and very few people, if any, are ACTUALLY holier than thou.
so when i talk to others it is with full awareness that i too could end up in any boat- the same or another equally difficult but different one.
we don’t screw up on purpose most of the time. but we all do screw up.
why is it necessary for me to bully a caller into fixing problems? can’t i nurture a caller to the same place?! or at least try?!
i am not a therapist. but i am a woman happy to listen intently and help when asked.
xo
jenny
Jenny, this woman is lame but stay sweet and ignore! No need to respond to her negatively. Part of the reason I like you is that no matter what the drama, you seem to vent about it privately and out of public view.
i wanted to address this one here. i don’t feel dramatic about it- rather i feel calm that i responded. i am thoughtful in my dispensing advice. i do it because i love to help when i can! you karen are always supportive and i thank you…
you cant ignore things like this, like the last poster said, first because ignoring criticism becomes latent admission of guilt in the accusing party’s eyes, and also because your job is to stir up discussion, who are you to not use all the means at your disposal, like this letter, to make interesting discourse…
also fuck doctor laura, i agree with any criticism of her, if anything because she is some sort of dr. she thinks her advice is more than advice and becomes some sort of mandate that people ignore at their own peril. At least when you give advice you dont pretend that its the law…
I think it doesn’t even have to do with you giving advice. It sounds like the letter was just about defending Dr Laura. I am an open person, I am willing to listen to new things. I just find Dr. Laura reprehensible, mean, etc. That may be her shtick, but I don’t like how she is with people. I love that you want to nuture a caller and help them in the best way you know how. I absolutley agree that some of the best advice has come from my partner when I am wigging out. You gave me advice years ago and though I didn’t follow it right away, it did cause me to get up off my ass. I got up off my butt and I found some friends, a job and my partner and I moved into our own place. Talk about life changing advice. Even if you got advice from someone who is “licensed,” there is no guarantee its good advice, or what you should actually do for yourself. In the end you still have to make the personal choice of whats right for yourself licensed help or not.
Wait — you didn’t give her the advice to stop listening to Dr. Laura? Total missed opportunity to prove that you are, indeed, qualified to give advice.
(Although I know you were thinking it. So that counts for something.)
Oh crap! You’re correct!! And ps everyone needs to read your blog!!!
More fantastic advice. See? You’re great.
Well said, Jennifer.
Before dissing Jane Pratt again, Marcia should pick up a copy of the book “How Sassy Changed My Life: A Love Letter to the Greatest Teen Magazine of All Time.”
And if she also wants to nit-pick (in regards to Dr. Laura’s faith), she failed to mention that you are also an excellent resource when it comes to notarization : )
Marcia, you are just wrong on so many counts.
Actually, Dr. Laura did convert to Judaism but in 2003 renounced her practice of the religion. Her father was Jewish but her mother was not, making her a non-Jew. She then converted and practiced Orthodox Judaism for a few years but after a time she didn’t feel she was getting what she wanted for her efforts.
Further, having a doctorate in marriage and family therapy does not mean you are qualified to dispense advice. It only means that you have a doctorate in marriage and family therapy. I’d rather take advice from someone who actually has a successful marriage.
Of course, this would apply if Dr. Laura had a doctorate in marriage and family therapy, but she doesn’t. She does have a doctorate in physiology. Her thesis was on insulin’s effects on lab rats. She did later receive a certificate in marriage and family counseling from USC, but that’s where her training ends. She’s a charlatan.
I also wonder why anyone would take advice from someone who has been married multiple times, had affairs with married men (including her second husband), been photographed in the nude by one of the married men, etc. I prefer not to.
Finally, I was unhappy to hear that if you’re 56 you think you’re out of Jenny’s “demographic”. I’m 53; can you let me know exactly when you think I’ll be out of the demographic so that I can stop listening? Not going to happen, Marcia; I like Jenny’s advice too much!
Jenny, your researcher was correct. Dr. Laura mother was Italian Catholic…and as we all know it’s not what your father is but what the woman who gave you life is.
Jenny – I’ve been listening to you for a few years now and I love hearing your advice. Maybe because I am in your demographic? I’m 33, struggle with my weight, have a husband I adore and a wonderful family. Listening to the advice you give is like chatting with an old friend. You always have an opinion to give and your perspective always seems to come from an honest open place. That’s why I listen and will continue to listen. Let’s work on a 2 hour time slot now 🙂
Jenny,
I think some people need to get a focus on what’s important. Not every comment is going to be applied to my life and events. Not every piece of advice given to me have I listened to or used. I listen to your show because I enjoy your approach. When something irks me I turn you off. But the next day, I turn you back on. Being mid-50 I think she is like me, at a cross-roads in our life. We search for entertainment but don’t know what we want to hear. That’s ok. We’ll figure that out. Best advice to her is put your big girl britches on, pull them up high and move on. Better yet, pull that wedgie out and reach out and change the channel.
I think Marcia really was Dr Laura. She probably used a pseudo. and tried to defend her name. It just proves she is nuts.
I’m all for the 2hour slot as welll. It seems like the show is over just before it gets started.
Jenny, Good Grief! Has that woman never asked a friend for advice? If I had to seek advice only from someone with a degree, I would never get anything done. The degree just means you can charge money for that advice.
By the way, I miss your show coming on at 5:00. I don’t get to listen to often any more :(.
Jenny, Jenny, Jenny, and Adam and all the rest of you. I’m 62 on my next b.d. and have listened to and loved Jenny for years (including the other channel ones). I was soooo hoping Jenny’s move to this channel would bump that mouthy judgemental woman off the Stars channel. I keep hoping with our support it may happen. Jenny, you are so fresh and open and talk about everything. I think you are so warm and caring and though I don’t (as I’ve said to you before) agree with everything you say, I do support you and your right to continue in your kind and caring way to keep right on giving your advice.
I was just going to say the same thing Lynda said… So I will just add that Dr Laura yells at people for dating and marrying people with children. Her previously married husband HAS children.
Oh …. I cannot tolerate that Laura female. Noway. When did the woman re-appear? Thought she retired.
It’s obvious she’s been off her rocker for years and years. The female makes zero sense. Scary too. We (friends, etc.) do not value any of the opinions she preaches.
Perhaps (maybe) at one time, there was sensible things coming out of her brain. No longer …. she’s done.
Overall, we detest judgemental bigots …. who think they are better than anyone else. One cannot use religion for everything under the sun.
A fav saying ….. “do onto others as you would have them do onto you.”
Take the hint Laura. Retire already & shut up.
P.S. Ooops …. forgot …. I love ya Jen! Yep. Big fan here. I need a tee that says exactly that! Ha.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! (a tad early)
I love listening to Dr. Laura. And people who call her also love listening to her. The callers know exactly how Dr. Laura dispenses advice. And yes, she does sometimes tell callers to seek professional counseling.
SO there is no point bashing Dr. Laura, her callers or her listeners. Just don’t listen. Similarly, if people hate your show, they shouldn’t attack you, they should just not listen.
I would think as a fellow, female radio host (who would probably die to have the success and popularity of Dr. Laura), you should support her rather than bash her. It’s a small world and we women types need to stick together.
i wasnt bashing her. was talking about style of advice giving. and a black and white outlook on life. this blog post was about my responding to that email. additionally i said on air several times i would LOVE the level of success she’s achieved. that aspect is only admirable.
There’s taht scene in Private PArts where Paul Giamati is questioning Stern’s ratings. “What about all the people that don’t like him? They are not listening to him at all” and some ratings dork says something like “The people that don’t like him listen more than the people who do.”
I find that I’m like that with Dr. LAura. I disagree with her a lot and sometimes I want to wring her neck but she does make me laugh sometimes and she’s often perfect at cutting through people’s BS–and in those moments when her tone is most condescending–I enjoy the show.
I heard your Dr. Laura segment and liked it. Then I listened to Dr. Laura.
All the Jewish background is hilarious. Who knew there was such drama about it? I had recalled her being some sort of Jew zealot years ago and noticed she backed off it at Sirius. Good for her.
I listen to Dr Laura here and there, but I have to say, I think she is very condescending to her listners. When I have her on in the car and the kids get in with me they say, “oh, no it’s Dr. Grumpy!” CHANGE IT!
‘Dr’ Laura’s Doctorate is in PHYSIOLOGY. “She earned a Master’s and Ph.D. in physiology in 1974. Her doctoral thesis was on insulin’s effects on laboratory rats. After she began dispensing personal advice on the radio, she obtained training and certification in marriage and family counseling from the University of Southern California, and a therapist’s license from the State of California. In addition, she opened up a part-time practice as a marriage and family counselor.”
She is EVIL!
I threatened to cancel my sirius radio if they didn’t take her off! Then I found your show! Darn it! Now I can’t cancel so she’ll never be kicked off.
I’m the one that emailed you about your giving advise (which is defined as to give counsel to as opposed to advice -an opinion or recommendation offererd as a guide to action, conduct, etc.) Yes, I’m still listening and I’m really surprised that my email had such an impact. Here it is a week later and you are still mentioning it. I guess you are still a cutie pie and have your place in entertainment and hopefully those who look to you for counsel won’t rely on you entirely for guidance. Unfortunately, we don’t all have such a happy life as you. Consider yourself fortunate.
To Marcia and Jenny:
Marcia is a total idiot, Jenny. “Dr” Laura most certainly DID convert to Judaism. She was not born a Jew. Her parents instilled zero religion into her. Just do a google search about her conversion.