# Was this the correct thing to do? (Geico announcer fired over call to Tea Party org.) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 22, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037 "2010-04-22T21:34:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/1 "2010-04-22T21:34:08Z")
Based on the number of threads and messages that I’ve read denouncing the Tea Party folks as being dangerous, racist, etc., etc., I’d like to ask those doing the denouncing if it was proper for Lance Baxter, the voice of GEICO, to call up Freedom Works and ask them how many retarded people work for them, and what their plans were for when one of their members kills someone. [http://biggovernment.com/mkibbe/2010/04/14/is-the-geico-gecko-a-tea-party-crasher-too/](http://biggovernment.com/mkibbe/2010/04/14/is-the-geico-gecko-a-tea-party-crasher-too/) (contains links to the voice mail message he left, and to the callback that Freedom Works made to him) Baxter has been fired from his job at Geico, and rightly so. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/2 "2010-04-22T21:42:55Z")
Why did they fire him? Was he acting as a GEICO representative? If people aren’t allowed to be idiots on their own time, then every Tea Bagger should be fired for being in the lunatic group ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/3 "2010-04-22T21:43:21Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Based on the number of threads and messages that I’ve read denouncing the Tea Party folks as being dangerous, racist, etc., etc., I’d like to ask those doing the denouncing if it was proper for Lance Baxter, the voice of GEICO, to call up Freedom Works and ask them how many retarded people work for them, and what their plans were for when one of their members kills someone. > > [http://biggovernment.com/mkibbe/2010/04/14/is-the-geico-gecko-a-tea-party-crasher-too/](http://biggovernment.com/mkibbe/2010/04/14/is-the-geico-gecko-a-tea-party-crasher-too/) > > (contains links to the voice mail message he left, and to the callback that Freedom Works made to him) > > Baxter has been fired from his job at Geico, and rightly so. Striking a blow for freedom of speech, I see. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/4 "2010-04-22T21:54:17Z")
I don’t have a problem with what Baxter said. There’s a pretty wide difference between calling someone stupid, and calling someone a racial slur. Likewise, between insinuating that someone is dangerous, and making violent threats. On the other hand, I don’t have a problem with Geico firing him, either. His job is to be the representative of the company. If he’s running around alienating potential customers, his employer is absolutely justified in showing him the door. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/5 "2010-04-22T21:54:37Z")
I’m familiar with Breitbart, of course, from his Pulitzer-Prize-winning work with James O’Keefe. Can’t say I’ve heard of “FreedomWorks,” let alone heard a compelling argument why I should give a shit about them being verbally abused by a talking gecko. Perhaps the OP could explain further how this “incident” palliates the racist and incendiary remarks of tea party faithful? Have any of them been fired for speaking their uh, minds? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/6 "2010-04-22T21:58:46Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Why did they fire him? Was he acting as a GEICO representative? > > If people aren’t allowed to be idiots on their own time, then every Tea Bagger should be fired for being in the lunatic group I’d say once you’re high enough within a particular organisation, you’re pretty much \*seen \*as a representative, whether rightly or wrongly. Anyway, seems like a stupid, jerkish thing to do, really. No, it was not proper. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/7 "2010-04-22T22:00:59Z")
Baxter was certainly allowed to call up Freedom Works and ask them what their plans were for when one of their members kills someone. It was a pretty stupid thing to do, but hey, people are stupid. Geico was within their rights to fire him, as his behaviour brought bad press to their brand (even if he was not representing the company at the time). It’s their decision to make. Freedom of speech does not really enter into it. He was free to make the comments to Freedom Works. They were free to repeat them to the public. Geico was free to ask Baxter to seek new employment. Are you happy with this **Clothahump**? Or do you require us to condemn Baxter with the outrage of 10,000 suns? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/8 "2010-04-22T22:01:20Z")
Yep, Mr. Baxter was a terrible threat. The incendiary language of the Tea Baggers is just boys having fun. How could anyone think the violent rhetoric of the Tea Klux Klan will result in someone getting hurt? When it happens, it will become a fair question then? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/9 "2010-04-22T22:03:11Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Are you happy with this **Clothahump**? Or do you require us to condemn Baxter with the outrage of 10,000 suns? That may depend on whether being high in **Clothahump** ’s esteem is important to you. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/10 "2010-04-22T22:03:57Z")
Also, I edited your title to make the thread subject clearer. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/11 "2010-04-22T22:15:59Z")
Why did you put this in the Pit? Did you expect outrage? Seems like it played out rather uneventfully. Guy does something rather childish and tarnishes the image of his client. Guy gets fired. So what? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/12 "2010-04-22T22:26:41Z")
Insult Breitbart and Freedumb Works? Almost impossible by definition, if they fall into the river, the catfish crawl onto shore and puke… ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/13 "2010-04-22T22:26:42Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Baxter has been fired from his job at Geico, and rightly so. Sure, as a spokesvoice he ought to know to keep his nose out of nutty political kerfuffles. I’d expect some such clause was even in his contract. Still, assuming he’s not a retard, it was a pretty humorous way for him to bow out. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/14 "2010-04-22T22:31:12Z")
Was it actually the voice of the little lizard, or the voice over announcer? ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/15 "2010-04-22T22:51:04Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Based on the number of threads and messages that I’ve read denouncing the Tea Party folks as being dangerous, racist, etc., etc., I’d like to ask those doing the denouncing if it was proper for Lance Baxter, the voice of GEICO, to call up Freedom Works and ask them how many retarded people work for them, and what their plans were for when one of their members kills someone. > > [http://biggovernment.com/mkibbe/2010/04/14/is-the-geico-gecko-a-tea-party-crasher-too/](http://biggovernment.com/mkibbe/2010/04/14/is-the-geico-gecko-a-tea-party-crasher-too/) > > (contains links to the voice mail message he left, and to the callback that Freedom Works made to him) > > Baxter has been fired from his job at Geico, and rightly so. “right” doesn’t enter into it. The guy did nothing wrong except be a jerk. If Geico feels that his conduct in his personal time has the chance to hurt the company’s bottom line, then more power to them. No, it wasn’t ‘proper’ for him to call and be a jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/16 "2010-04-22T22:53:39Z")
Shit, now all they have is that wad of money with the staring eyeballs. Worst. Mascot. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/17 "2010-04-22T22:54:16Z")
Not a _lizard_, **luci** , a _gecko_. Sheesh. It was the lizard that ate all his breath mints. And no, I don’t have a problem with Geico firing the guy. Whatever else can be said about Teabaggers, they are potential consumers, and a corporation is not going to tolerate an employee deliberately alienating potential consumers. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/18 "2010-04-22T22:58:11Z")
They came for the Geico Gecko and I said nothing… ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/19 "2010-04-22T23:01:12Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Shit, now all they have is that wad of money with the staring eyeballs. Worst. Mascot. Ever. Don’t forget the offenderati/incompetent/modern society challenged cave men! Hey, the guy is just damn lucky he didnt work for Lipton…they would probably put a hit out on him… ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037/20 "2010-04-22T23:25:07Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Was it actually the voice of the little lizard, or the voice over announcer? It was NOT the voice of the lizard. The article in the OP says “he is the voice at the end of the Geico commercials.”, [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-correct-thing-to-do-geico-announcer-fired-over-call-to-tea-party-org/537037.md?page=2)