History of Feminism

TV hosts remember alleged Lafayette gunman as anti-tax, anti-feminist ‘gadfly’

John Russell Houser, the man police say opened fire inside a Lafayette, La., movie theater on Thursday night, had boasted in an online profile that he made dozens of appearances on television talk shows.

The hosts of those shows said Friday that Houser over-stated his role, but they do remember him as an argument-starting guest who was angry about high taxes and the growing power of women.

“I had him on strictly because he was entertaining,” said Calvin Floyd, the former host of the talk show “Rise and Shine” on WLTZ NBC 38 in Columbus, Ga. “He was radical, and when you’re looking for a person on a live show, taking calls, that’s what you want.”

On a LinkedIn profile, Houser claimed to have “guest hosted” the show at least “60 times.” According to Floyd, who has since retired from the station, Houser’s role was limited to call-ins and occasional debates on “15 or 20 episodes,” starting with a call about a fight he was having with the city’s water department. Sometimes, Houser – “pretty much a radical Republican,” in Floyd’s view – would be pitted against a local Democrat to tear into the issues of the day.

“Whatever he wanted to talk about, it would generate calls,” said Floyd. “He was anti-abortion. The best I can recall, Rusty had an issue with feminine rights. He was opposed to women having a say in anything.

Houser killed two people and wounded nine others who were watching the new comedy “Trainwreck,” a film written by and starring the feminist comedian Amy Schumer.