Dr. Laura: Renewed Protest

By Stephen M. Silverman

09/09/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

Demonstrators on New York's Fifth Avenue protested against Laura Schlessinger's upcoming syndicated TV series yesterday, in an attempt to convince advertisers not to go with the program. "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Dr. Laura's got to go!" they yelled. At issue were Dr. Laura's past comments on her radio show, in which she referred to homosexuality as a "biological error" and "deviant," and her stance on women's rights. Three weeks ago advertising powerhouse Proctor & Gamble withdrew from a deal to sponsor the TV show, which is set to debut Sept. 11. Paramount TV, which will syndicate the proposed show and was one target of yesterday's gathering, said in a statement that it supports "the civil and human rights of all people," and that the company is "committed to presenting society's moral and ethical issues without creating or contributing to an environment of hurt, hate or intolerance."