Geraldo Rivera unloads on Pam Geller: Her hateful rhetoric "reminds me of Aryan Nation, KKK, racists"

"Every time I see her on the television and I feel like taking a shower"

Published May 8, 2015 3:21PM (EDT)

                (Fox News)
(Fox News)

Geraldo Rivera elected not to mince his words on "Fox & Friends" this morning, saying that Pam Geller calls to mind the vile people he used to invite onto his daily talk show.

"She reminds of me of the Aryan Nation, KKK, racists -- the ones who broke my nose -- and they made for great television, but I'm at the point now where I see them on television and I want to take a shower after," he said.

He admitted that under the Constitution, she has the right to "taunt" anyone she pleases, but submitted that if Geller "took 'Muslim' or 'Islam' out and put 'Jew' in there, or 'Irish' or 'black' in there -- any other group -- she would not be given the tolerance to spew her hateful rhetoric."

The "Fox & Friends" co-hosts chimed in, saying that that doesn't justify the "violence of the jihadists," and Rivera agreed. Steve Doocy tried to shift the subject away from Geller, telling Rivera that "you know that, in this country, Christians and Catholics are often targets," but Rivera wouldn't hear of it.

"There's nothing [against Christians and Catholics] like this organized campaign to incite and insult [Muslims]," he said. "It's bad for the Jews -- it makes us look like we are all as hateful as Pamela Geller. She plays right into their propaganda and it's absolutely appalling. Every time I see her on television, I want to take a shower!"

Brian Kilmeade attempted to defend Geller, but ended up comparing her to the Westboro Baptist Church -- purveyors of the "God Hates Fags" paraphernalia -- saying that as offensive as they are, he doesn't want to shoot them.

"Look around this diverse, wonderful Fox News where we work," Rivera replied. "Pick a group -- any group -- would any other group tolerate this taunting and inciting? We wouldn’t speak to that person. We would shun her if she picked on any other group but Muslim."

Kilmeade pointed out that the Islamic extremists who attempted to kill the contestants in Geller's "Draw the Prophet" contest weren't very tolerant, and that set Geraldo off again.

Their deaths do "not in any way make me feel any better about Pamela Geller spewing her hatred and making us all look like the intolerant jerks they are saying we are in the Middle East and elsewhere," he said.

"She does not do this country any good -- she doesn’t do Jewish people any good. She doesn’t do anybody any good -- except self-aggrandizing, attention-seeking spewing of hatred that I cannot tolerate.”

Watch the entire exchange below via YouTube.


By Scott Eric Kaufman

MORE FROM Scott Eric Kaufman


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Fox & Friends Geraldo Rivera Islamophobia Pam Geller Steve Doocy Video