NBC Host Calls Leather Clad Bikers "Losers"

(see her retraction at the end of this story)

NBC’s Hoda Kotb pissed off a lot of leather-wearing motorcycle riding enthusiasts with an offhand comment about the time she and  Kathie Lee Gifford went to a biker bar,  called Alabama Jacks in 2013.  “We dressed in leather, like a couple of losers really, like at the biker bar,” Kotb said.    Alabama Jacks is located in Key Largo Florida and is a frequent hangout of locals and motorcycle riders.

Bikers took their anger to the Facebook page for the show writing, “Saw the comments made about dressing up like losers in leather and going to Alabama Jacks. You just lost a loser in leather for rating ladies…have fun in your plastic, fake Barbie world!”   Another wrote, "I am seriously offended at Hoda's reference to dressing in leather and going to a biker bar as "dressing as losers". Obviously, she needs to get her head out of her dressing room and look at the facts. We are lawyers, doctors, secretaries, mechanics, military, police, college graduates, mothers, and fathers."

 

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140 comments

What a lo!ser Hora is! I will take a loyal leather clad biker over those uncaring insensitive b_ t_h_es any da

Dottie Collins

Hoda and Kathy Lee also made disparaging, very rude, judgemental and uneducated remarks about people with ‘invisible illnesses," (like Lupus, fibromyalgia, early onset MS and many others) complete with air quotes and rolling eyes. It caused me and many others with these painful, life changing conditions, to immediately get highly upset and very, very offended. We get enough ill treatment for our suffering by people, without them setting us back in our efforts to bring awareness and education to the public by using their powerful positions to publicly bash us to millions of viewers. I no longer watch the show as a result because NO APOLOGY WAS EVER MADE, which only added insult to injury! I even find myself feel my blood pressure rise when I see them on TV at all, it upset me so much that they actually believe this about us. They never even acknowledged having said anything to us to make it right. It was callous and insensitive, uneducated and even though many people, like myself, posted all kinds of comments about how we felt, including someone setting up a petition, begging for a public apology, we never, ever received one, so you can feel privileged that they even acknowledged you. People who are suffering very real pain and conditions that would put them on the floor, in a corner and crying are what we live with and try to cope through every day, for the rest of our lives. Our quality of life is hard to come by and to be abused for it on TV is inexcusable! Since we look normal they made an ignorant, mean assumption about a person being boarded on a plane early as a reasonable accommodation, granted to us under federal law. I’m still upset with those two insensitive jerks! They should think and get educated before making mindless comments that hurt people!!

Marta

and what were they doing in a biker bar . looking for a couple of leather clad loosers to show them a better time than they get at home!!

Rich A

Perhaps this young lady should live life rather than hiding and listening to a bunch of old stereotypes. If she hung out with bikers she’d find out they are mostly hardworking, caring and generous to a fault. She owes the biker community an on-air apology and be told to work side-by-side with them for charity. Then she should really think next time before inserting both feet into her mouth.

Patton in Alaska

As a female and the Executive Director of a multi County Solid Waste Authority who has ridden her own Harley for over 30 years, I am deeply offended by the remarks made. I know a great many professionals who ride, wear black leather and enjoy a cold beer after a long ride. We pay taxes (some of us a lot of taxes) hold steady jobs and are involved in civic organizations. I am the President of our local Rotary Club, have sat on the Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee, currently sit on the GMRC Executive Committee and our Humane Society Building Committee.
I am a productive member of society but I guess if she ran across me in my leathers she would turn away in disgust. What a sad commentary on lack of awareness.
For me? I would rather drink a beer with a bunch of leather’d bikers than drink champagne with the likes of her!

Leslie George

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