Ben Stein Makes "Jokes Disparaging Women," Loses Citi Gig

Ben Stein is a lawyer, a former Nixon speechwriter, a sarcastic Obama appreciator and, yes, Ferris Bueller attendance taker. But that's no match for a woman who felt his jokes at a Dallas private equity conference were sexist—and therefore demanded that Citigroup ditch Stein as keynote speaker for the banking giant's conference. And guess what—Citigroup agreed, "We have decided to present the conference without Mr. Stein’s participation." Yeah, probably doesn't help to have possibly sexist jokes dropped while Citigroup is dealing with a gender discrimination lawsuit.

According to Bloomberg News, Villareal, a Dallas bank executive, contacted former White House budget director and current Citi vice chairman Peter Orszag about Stein's jokes.

One joke was about a wealthy man, his wife and his mistress, she said.

Another involved a female airline passenger who, realizing the flight is about to crash, takes off her clothes and asks if there is a man aboard who will “make me feel like a woman,” according to Villarreal’s e-mail, which was also sent to Bloomberg News. A cowboy in a hat removes his shirt, hands it to the woman, tells her to iron it and fetch him a beer.

Villarreal said the jokes she sent to Citigroup were versions found on the Internet based on her recollection of what Stein said.

Orszag forwarded the email to the event's organizers, who quickly decided to lose Stein.

Stein told Bloomberg News "that the joke targeted the man, not the woman, and that in his Dallas telling the woman didn’t remove clothing," explaining, "It’s usually a joke understood to be making fun of a kind of cloddish, dopey guy. When I was finished with this speech, dozens of women in the room came up to me and wanted their pictures taken with me, wanted autographs from me. Dozens of them. I got fan mail from women who had been at the group saying how much they liked the speech." And he added, "Every one of those jokes are thoroughly vetted with my wife... I don’t think any woman in the world would call me a misogynist. For this woman to say this is just fantasy."

The speaking agency that represents Stein says that he usually gets $45,000 per engagement (plus first class airfare) and claims he'll still be paid for the Citi speech. If this is a sample of his humor, no wonder Citigroup needed a bailout.

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By Jen Chung in Arts & Entertainment on April 28, 2011 9:45 AM

Comments [rss]

OvaltineJenkins

Why do women have smaller feet than men? It's an evolutionary development that allows them to stand closer to the kitchen sink. Haw haw haw! Funny stuff, funny stuff.

Guest

Ben Stein years ago, cemented his place in the Town Hall of Idiots. There is nothing new about his ridiculous ideas on evolution and education and everything else in between. Stein is an idiot of the first class.

Guest

P.S.

robingee

Are these Playboy Party Jokes from the 60's?

birdtird

Bueller.....? Bueller....?

Guest

Maybe he can sponsor Vagino-American Night at CitiField as part of the national mea culpa tour that's going to follow.

ktinnyc

I'm glad you're showing your true colors okh. I knew you had it in you.

Guest

I'm sorry?

Daniel

Ben Stein just got a taste of his own medicine. I remember ten years ago he was supposed to do a phone in to a radio show, The Opie and Anthony show, and was on hold during a commercial spot. One of the hosts was doing a bit for the commercial about chewing down prices in an exaggerated sale's voice. Stein got on and lost his shit accusing them of saying "Jew down prices" and playing up to anti-semetic stereo types of Jewish cheapness. Even after they replayed the audio for him proving they said "chew down prices", he refused to admit he made a wrong assumption, instead accusing them of implying what he thought he heard anyway and then went around telling people that the hosts were anti-semites anyway because he refused to admit he made a mistake.

TheDoctorWhoCuresCancer

I have never heard the expression "chewing down prices." Has anyone used that expression other than Opie and Anthony?

IOW, don't be dense - everyone knows what they were doing. For them to feign innocence doesn't fool anyone except you, apparently.

Daniel

Really? Because it used to be common used car lot sale's lingo, and stop pretending that you ever even heard the original broadcast I brought up just because two other people commented on it too...

TheDoctorWhoCuresCancer

Okay we've established you're are now or used to be a used car salesman.

I've sold cars for dealerships in my former life, too. That term was never used. So I'm calling bs. The only way such a term would be used would be to pretend one wasn't saying, "J*wing down the price."

As for listening to Opie and Anthony, why would I need to listen to that show? You described the event in your first comment, Mr. Alzheimer's.

Daniel

The only true thing established here is that you're a phony knee jerking troll...

TheDoctorWhoCuresCancer

Actually what we've established is that you don't care too much for Jews.

There is nothing I've said that is either phony or knee jerking.

As for trolling, you are the one who smeared Ben Stein for standing up for his religion. You just don't like being called out on it.

Daniel

I'm a Jew you idiot...

TheDoctorWhoCuresCancer

And?
Stein stood up for his religion, and you don't.

Daniel

Wow are you reaching into thin air with the assumptions... I'll play the bizarre assumption game with you though, apparently you seem to have a healthy dislike of women based on your defense of the man. You probably grew up in a household where hitting women was acceptable...
Isn't there a carney show where you should be selling snake oil cures at?

TheDoctorWhoCuresCancer

You've never told a joke about the immortal differences between men and women? What a stick in the mud. A real killjoy.

Do you wear unisex Mao uniforms, too?