Misplaced Pages

Rush Limbaugh: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 00:17, 28 November 2006 view sourceDual Freq (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Rollbackers37,086 edits →Television appearances: removed unnamed anonymous CBS exec. Pat Sajak claimed it was notable, that's what he said, it is his personal claim.← Previous edit Revision as of 00:39, 28 November 2006 view source WillyWonty (talk | contribs)178 edits changing ""claimed" back to "stated," please use neutral language. Restore CBS exec quote -- if there is a reason for removing a statement sourced to two newspapers, explain it on the talk pageNext edit →
Line 69: Line 69:


====Television appearances==== ====Television appearances====
Limbaugh's first television talk show host experience came ], ], as a guest host on ]'s late-night program on ]. ] AIDS activists in the audience<ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Gehr |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Mouth At Work |url= |format= |work=Newsday | publisher= |pages= |page=4 | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> <ref>{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Kening |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Motormouth: Under the acerbic style hides the 'lovable' Rush Limbaugh you'll never hear |url= |format= |work=Chicago Tribune | publisher= |pages= |page=2C | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> repeatedly ] Limbaugh for his views on issues like abortion. "Women are dying every day all over the world because of people like you," said one woman while being cheered by others.<ref>{{cite news |first=Bruce |last=McCabe |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=It's 'Rush' hour on 'Frontline' |url= |format= |work=The Boston Globe | publisher= |pages= |page=62 | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> Ultimately the entire audience was removed. Six months after the incident, ] called it "one of television's most memorable fracases"<ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Gehr |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Mouth At Work |url= |format= |work=Newsday | publisher= |pages= |page=4 | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> while a decade after the incident Pat Sajak claimed it was "legendary around CBS" on CNN's Larry King Live. <ref>{{cite video | people = Sajak, Pat (Guest host) | title = CNN Larry King Live | medium = TV-series | publisher = CNN | location = | date = 2001-05-03 }}</ref> Limbaugh's first television talk show host experience came ], ], as a guest host on ]'s late-night program on ]. ] AIDS activists in the audience<ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Gehr |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Mouth At Work |url= |format= |work=Newsday | publisher= |pages= |page=4 | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> <ref>{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Kening |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Motormouth: Under the acerbic style hides the 'lovable' Rush Limbaugh you'll never hear |url= |format= |work=Chicago Tribune | publisher= |pages= |page=2C | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> repeatedly ] Limbaugh for his views on issues like abortion. "Women are dying every day all over the world because of people like you," said one woman while being cheered by others.<ref>{{cite news |first=Bruce |last=McCabe |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=It's 'Rush' hour on 'Frontline' |url= |format= |work=The Boston Globe | publisher= |pages= |page=62 | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> Ultimately the entire audience was removed. Six months after the incident, ] called it "one of television's most memorable fracases."<ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Gehr |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Mouth At Work |url= |format= |work=Newsday | publisher= |pages= |page=4 | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> Five years later one CBS executive remarked he had never seen a man sweat so much in his life, <ref>{{cite news |first=Feran |last=Tom |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Don't judge this Rush to hastily |url= |format= |work= The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) | publisher= |pages= |page=13E | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> <ref>{{cite news |first=Roush |last=Matt |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=PBS plays fair with Rush Limbaugh |url= |format= |work= USA TODAY | publisher= |pages= |page=3D | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> while a decade after the incident Pat Sajak called it "legendary around CBS" on CNN's Larry King Live. <ref>{{cite video | people = Sajak, Pat (Guest host) | title = CNN Larry King Live | medium = TV-series | publisher = CNN | location = | date = 2001-05-03 }}</ref>


In 1993, Limbaugh appeared on '']'' where he said one of the photos of ] in a ] spread looked like "a ] ]." Letterman responded by saying, "You know, you can say that because you are the finest-looking human specimen on the planet."<ref>{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Maurstad |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Stern, Limbaugh meet their match; Hosts Leno, Letterman hold their own in war |url= |format= |work=The Dallas Morning News| publisher= |pages= |page=1C | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> <ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Roeper |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Dogg, Stern and Rush Keep Late Night Lively |url= |format= |work=Chicago Sun-Times | publisher= |pages= |page=11 | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> Limbaugh went on to say it was a comment on the lay-out of the photo and not her appearance. {{fact}} In 1993, Limbaugh appeared on '']'' where he said one of the photos of ] in a ] spread looked like "a ] ]." Letterman responded by saying, "You know, you can say that because you are the finest-looking human specimen on the planet."<ref>{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Maurstad |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Stern, Limbaugh meet their match; Hosts Leno, Letterman hold their own in war |url= |format= |work=The Dallas Morning News| publisher= |pages= |page=1C | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> <ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Roeper |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Dogg, Stern and Rush Keep Late Night Lively |url= |format= |work=Chicago Sun-Times | publisher= |pages= |page=11 | date=] | accessdate= | language= }}</ref> Limbaugh went on to say it was a comment on the lay-out of the photo and not her appearance. {{fact}}

Revision as of 00:39, 28 November 2006

Page semi-protectedEditing of this article by new or unregistered users is currently disabled.
See the protection policy and protection log for more details. If you cannot edit this article and you wish to make a change, you can submit an edit request, discuss changes on the talk page, request unprotection, log in, or create an account.
The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III
File:Rush Limbaugh 2004 cropped.jpgRush Limbaugh
BornJanuary 12, 1951
United States Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA
Occupation(s)Commentator, Author, and television personality
Spousedivorced
Childrennone

Rush Hudson Limbaugh III (born January 12, 1951) is an American radio talk show host. Born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, he is a self-described conservative, discussing politics and current events on his program, The Rush Limbaugh Show. He has been credited by some with reviving AM radio, and is considered by many to have been a catalyst for the Republican Party's 1994 Congressional victories.

The Rush Limbaugh Show has helped transform AM broadcasting. After the shift of music to FM in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Limbaugh's show was first nationally syndicated in August 1988. Conservative talk radio stations, many built around Limbaugh's show, have now come to dominate AM radio. As of 2005, Arbitron ratings indicate the show's audience to average 13.5 million listeners weekly, making it the largest radio talk show audience in the United States. Such high ratings have been a consistent hallmark of his show.

Limbaugh was the 1992, 1995, 2000 and 2005 recipient of the Marconi Radio Award for Syndicated Radio Personality of the Year (given by the National Association of Broadcasters), joining the syndicated Bob & Tom Show as the only other four-time winners of a Marconi award. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2002, industry's Talkers magazine ranked him as the greatest radio talk show host of all time. Relative to all other television and radio programs in the United States, Limbaugh's audience has the highest percentage (56%) of hard news consumers.

Personal life

Limbaugh began his career in radio as a teenager in 1967 in his hometown of Cape Girardeau, Missouri using the name Rusty Sharpe.

Education

He attended Southeast Missouri State University, where he famously failed a speech class with a "D." Limbaugh dropped out after one year. This would have normally made him eligible for the draft, thus to serve during the Vietnam War, but he was classified as "1-Y" due to an undisclosed medical problem. Limbaugh later stated that he was not drafted because a physical exam found that he had an "inoperable pilonidal cyst" and "a football knee from high school."

Relationships

Limbaugh was first married on September 24, 1977 to Roxy Maxine McNeely, a sales secretary at radio station WHB in Kansas City, Missouri. They were married at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. In March 1980, McNeely filed for divorce, citing "incompatibility." They were formally divorced on July 10, 1980.

In 1983, Limbaugh married Michelle Sixta, a college student and usherette at the Kansas City Royals Stadium Club. They were divorced in 1990, and she remarried the following year.

On May 27, 1994, Limbaugh married Marta Fitzgerald, a 35-year-old aerobics instructor, whom he met via the CompuServe online service. They were married at the house of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who officiated. On June 11, 2004, when the couple separated, Limbaugh announced on the air, "Marta has consented to my request for a divorce, and we have mutually agreed to seek an amicable separation. As I said, it's a personal matter and I want to keep it that way. I don't intend to say any more about this on the air." The divorce was finalized in December 2004.

Public life

1970s

After dropping out of Southeast Missouri State University, Limbaugh moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and became a Top 40 music radio disc jockey on station WIXZ. In October 1972, he moved to KQV, another Pittsburgh station, using the name Jeff Christie. Limbaugh developed some of his trademark patter there, such as a claim to use a "golden microphone" (which he definitely used in the 1990s on The Rush Limbaugh Show). After being fired from KQV, Limbaugh moved to Kansas City, where he also worked (and was subsequently fired from) KUDL, KFIX and KMBZ. After several years in music radio, Limbaugh took a break from radio and accepted a position as director of promotions with the Kansas City Royals baseball team.

1980s

In 1984, Limbaugh returned to radio as a talk show host at KFBK in Sacramento, California, where he replaced one of his mentors, Morton Downey, Jr. In 1987, under Ronald Reagan, the FCC repealed the Fairness Doctrine, thus freeing radio stations to air opinion journalism without having to air opposing points of view.

After achieving success in Sacramento and drawing the attention of Edward F. McLaughlin, a former president of ABC Radio, Limbaugh moved to New York City in 1988, entering the nation's largest radio market on talk-format station WABC-AM, his flagship station to this day. He initially did a two-hour local program on WABC, where he was preceded by comedian Joy Behar and followed by Lynn Samuels, creating a six-hour block of politically focused radio, with Behar and Samuels leaning to the left politically.

On August 1, 1988 The Rush Limbaugh Show was syndicated nationally as a two-hour show and eventually expanded to three hours while dropping the local New York show, though he was still based at WABC. (Limbaugh refers on-air to the "Excellence In Broadcasting Network", or "E.I.B.", which is merely an on-air signature, as there is no organization with that name). While WABC remains Limbaugh's key outlet, he now broadcasts from either the Premiere Radio Network studios in New York or his private studio in Florida near his home.

Newsday media critic Paul Colford reported on Limbaugh in 1988:

Rush Limbaugh's act includes plenty of pokes at himself and lots of tongue-in-cheek pomposity such as: "I'm Rush Limbaugh, your guiding light in times of trouble and despair." His politics skew sharply to the right of the "liberal Democrats" and Gov. Michael Dukakis, known in Limbaugh parlance as "The Loser." The president of EFM Media is a former head of the ABC Radio Network, Edward F. McLaughlin. He believes that Limbaugh, a partner under contract to EFM, will become the most-listened-to radio personality in America - bigger than Larry King - by virtue of his midwestern manner and informed views. Bigger than Larry King? We'll see. For now, McLaughlin's goal is to have 200 stations signed to Limbaugh's show by 1990.

From this point forward, Limbaugh's radio program is covered in The Rush Limbaugh Show article.

1990s

The program soared in popularity and moved to stations with larger audiences. When the GOP won control of Congress in 1994, one of the first acts by many freshmen (calling themselves the "Dittohead Caucus") was to award Limbaugh the title of "honorary member of Congress" in recognition of his support of their efforts during this period.

Humor columnist and journalist Lewis Grossberger acknowledged that Limbaugh had "more listeners than any other talk show host" and described Limbaugh's style as "bouncing between earnest lecturer and political vaudevillian".

Television appearances

Limbaugh's first television talk show host experience came March 30, 1990, as a guest host on Pat Sajak's late-night program on CBS. ACT UP AIDS activists in the audience repeatedly heckled Limbaugh for his views on issues like abortion. "Women are dying every day all over the world because of people like you," said one woman while being cheered by others. Ultimately the entire audience was removed. Six months after the incident, Newsday called it "one of television's most memorable fracases." Five years later one CBS executive remarked he had never seen a man sweat so much in his life, while a decade after the incident Pat Sajak called it "legendary around CBS" on CNN's Larry King Live.

In 1993, Limbaugh appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman where he said one of the photos of Hillary Clinton in a Vogue magazine spread looked like "a Pontiac hood ornament." Letterman responded by saying, "You know, you can say that because you are the finest-looking human specimen on the planet." Limbaugh went on to say it was a comment on the lay-out of the photo and not her appearance.

Limbaugh also guest-starred, as himself, on a 1994 episode of Hearts Afire, in the 1995 Billy Crystal film, Forget Paris and in 1998, on an episode of the The Drew Carey Show. His persona has often been utilized as a template for a stereotypical conservative talk show host on shows, including an episode of The Simpsons, as a conservative talk radio host named Birch Barlow, as "Gus Baker" on an episode of Beavis & Butthead, and as "Lash Rambo," host of "Perfection in Broadcasting" on an episode of The New WKRP in Cincinnati.

Television show

Limbaugh had a syndicated half-hour show from 1992 through 1996, produced by Roger Ailes. The television show discussed many of the topics on his radio show, and was taped in front of a live audience.

Cigar Aficionado

In the early 1990s, when the cigar boom was gaining momentum, Limbaugh was seen frequently with a cigar in hand and by the end of the 1990s, cigars had become Limbaugh's staple in many public appearances. Often starting segments of his show with the phrase, "amid billowing clouds of fragrant and aromatic first, second, and sometimes third hand premium cigar smoke," cigars became a common topic of discussion. In the spring of 1994, Limbaugh appeared on the cover of the popular magazine Cigar Aficionado and shared the story of his conversion to cigars. He has since been a frequent participant in many events such as "The Big Smoke," hosted throughout the year by the magazine. Limbaugh has participated in many charity cigar auctions hosted by the magazine, and is known to talk frequently with his listeners about his and their cigar interests, preferences and recommendations. "I think cigars are just a tremendous addition to the enjoyment to life."

Other ventures

In 1992, Limbaugh published his first book, The Way Things Ought To Be, followed by See, I Told You So in 1993. Both went to number one on the New York Times Best Seller list. Limbaugh acknowledges in the text of the first book that he taped the book and it was transcribed and edited by Wall Street Journal writer John Fund. In the second book, Joseph Farah of WorldNetDaily is named as his collaborator.

As a result of his television program, Limbaugh became known for wearing distinctive neckties. In response to viewer interest, Limbaugh launched a series of ties designed primarily by his then-wife Marta. Sales of the ties reached over US$5 million in their initial sales year, but were later discontinued.

2000s

Rushlimbaugh.com

In July 2000, Limbaugh launched the fledgling Web site bearing his name, which includes brief overviews of the current show along with recent headlines from which Limbaugh drew content for his daily radio program. In the beginning, the Web site was a text commentary and transcript-only Web site that allowed his listeners to review the contents of the day's show from a news-based perspective. By December 2000, major changes to the Web site were made: new downloadable audio-links of daily highlights were available to internet users free of charge. In spring 2001, the Web site had launched a brand-new subscriber based Web site to what would be called "Rush 24/7". Rush 24/7 was now offering the entire, commercial free audio of the daily show available all day via streaming internet audio. The new subscriber Web site came to include Limbaugh editorials, commentaries from previous years, and reruns of Limbaugh's defunct television show. By summer 2002, the hallmark achievement of the Rush 24/7 Web site had been introduced: a live streaming video feed (the "Ditto Cam") of the radio show was made available to Rush 24/7 subscribers. By 2003, the rushlimbaugh.com Web site introduced a fully interactive Rush Limbaugh store, selling products that Limbaugh marketed including a signature line of golf apparel, sporting equipment and novelties. The Rush 24/7 site now includes the Podcast feature, in which subscribers can have daily audio and video of the radio show downloaded directly to their iPod or other MP3 player.

Hearing problems

By August 2001, Limbaugh's listeners had noted changes in his voice and diction, changes that Limbaugh at first emphatically denied on the air. However, on October 8, 2001, Limbaugh acknowledged that the changes in his voice were due to complete deafness in his left ear and substantial hearing loss in his right ear. He also revealed that his radio staff was helping him receive calls on his show by setting up a system where he could appear to hear his callers. The system worked remarkably well, but did not convince all listeners, some of whom noted a long delay between a caller ending his point and Limbaugh responding and occasionally speaking over a caller. Occasionally Limbaugh asked callers to hold on momentarily, while the caller's comments were typed and shown on Limbaugh's computer monitor.

In December 2001, Limbaugh underwent cochlear implant surgery, which restored a measure of hearing in his left ear. His voice and enunciation returned to normal after the implant. According to his doctors, the deafness was caused by an autoimmune disease.

Some medical experts pointed out that chronic use of opioids, such as OxyContin and particularly hydrocodone, both which Limbaugh later admitted abusing, can compromise the function of the immune system and cause deafness, speculating that his use of these drugs could have caused or contributed to his problem. Limbaugh's doctors stated that "they were unsure of the exact cause of Limbaugh's hearing loss, but said that overuse of medication was not a factor."

Prescription drug addiction

On October 3, 2003 the National Enquirer reported that Rush Limbaugh was being investigated for illegally obtaining prescription drugs. Other news outlets quickly confirmed the investigation.

On October 10, 2003, Limbaugh admitted to listeners on his radio show that he was addicted to prescription painkillers and stated that he would enter inpatient treatment for 30 days, immediately following the broadcast. Speaking about his behavior, Limbaugh went on to say:

I am not making any excuses. You know, over the years, athletes and celebrities have emerged from treatment centers to great fanfare and praise for conquering great demons. They are said to be great role models and examples for others. Well, I am no role model. I refuse to let anyone think I am doing something great here, when there are people you never hear about, who face long odds and never resort to such escapes. They are the role models. I am no victim and do not portray myself as such. I take full responsibility for my problem.

Limbaugh has said his addiction to painkillers came as a result several years of severe back pain heightened by a botched surgery intended to correct those problems.

A subsequent investigation into whether Limbaugh had violated Florida's doctor shopping laws was launched by the Palm Beach State Attorney which raised privacy issues when investigators seized Limbaugh's private medical records looking for evidence of crimes. On November 9, 2005 following two years of investigations, Assistant State Attorney James L. Martz requested the court to set aside Limbaugh's doctor-patient confidentiality rights and allow the state to question his physicians, stating it was necessary because "I have no idea if Mr. Limbaugh has completed the elements of any offense yet." Limbaugh's attorney opposed the prosecutor's efforts to interview his doctors on the basis of patient privacy rights, and argued that the prosecutor has in fact violated his Fourth Amendment civil rights by illegally seizing his medical records. The ACLU issued a statement supporting Limbaugh, claiming that the district attorney violated Limbaugh's constitutional rights by "fishing" through his private medical records. The Florida courts ultimately upheld Limbaugh's right to privacy. On December 12, 2005, Judge David F. Crow delivered a ruling prohibiting the State of Florida from questioning Limbaugh's physicians about "the medical condition of the patient and any information disclosed to the healthcare practitioner by the patient in the course of the care and treatment of the patient." The investigation was concluded in April 2006 with a prearranged settlement in which Limbaugh appeared at the Palm Beach County, Florida Sheriff's Office for processing on a single charge of doctor shopping, filing a "not guilty" plea and posting a $3,000 bond. In exchange, the prosecutor agreed to dismiss the charges if Limbaugh paid $30,000 to defray the cost of the investigation and completed an 18-month therapy regimen with his physician.

... he State Attorney's Office and Mr. Limbaugh have reached an agreement whereby a single count charge of doctor shopping filed today by the State Attorney will be dismissed in 18 months. As a primary condition of the dismissal, Mr. Limbaugh must continue to seek treatment from the doctor he has seen for the past two and one half years. This is the same doctor under whose care Mr. Limbaugh has remained free of his addiction without relapse. Mr. Limbaugh and I have maintained from the start that there was no doctor shopping, and we continue to hold this position. Accordingly, we filed today with the Court a plea of 'Not Guilty' to the charge filed by the State.

Limbaugh asserts that the state's settlement agreement resulted from a lack of evidence supporting the charge of "doctor shopping." Under the terms of the agreement, Limbaugh may not own a firearm and must continue to submit to random drug testing, which he acknowledges having undergone since 2003.

Roy Black stated that "Rush Limbaugh was singled out for prosecution because of who he is. We believe the state attorney's office is applying a double standard." A review of county Clerk of Courts Office records revealed only one case in which charges of illegally acquiring overlapping prescriptions were filed in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Controversy

ESPN controversy

On July 14, 2003, ESPN announced that Limbaugh would be joining ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown show as a weekly commentator when it premiered on September 7. Limbaugh would provide the "voice of the fan" and was supposed to spark debate on the show. On the September 28 episode of Countdown, Limbaugh commented about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb's role in his team's 0-2 start to the season:

Sorry to say this, I don't think he's been that good from the get-go. I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team.

McNabb was the highest-paid NFL player in history at the time, and defenders of Limbaugh's comments point out that McNabb had the worst start of his career in the 2003 season and was the NFL's lowest-rated starting quarterback. McNabb's defenders say that to his credit, McNabb was a runner-up for the year 2000's Most Valuable (NFL) Player, was a member of three Pro Bowl teams, led his team to two straight NFC championship games, and had been slow to recover from a broken leg suffered during the 2002 season.

On October 1, 2003, Limbaugh resigned from ESPN with the statement:

My comments this past Sunday were directed at the media and were not racially motivated. I offered an opinion. This opinion has caused discomfort to the crew, which I regret. I love NFL Sunday Countdown and do not want to be a distraction to the great work done by all who work on it. Therefore, I have decided to resign. I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the show and wish all the best to those who make it happen.

Michael J. Fox comments controversy

Actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease, has appeared in political campaign ads for candidates who support the stem cell research he believes may help cure Parkinson's, including ads for Pennsylvania Republican Senator Arlen Specter in 2004 and Missouri Democratic Senate candidate Claire McCaskill in 2006. On the October 23, 2006 edition of Limbaugh's radio show, Limbaugh imitated the physical symptoms of Fox's disease and stated that "He is exaggerating the effects of the disease. He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act.... This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting." In the same October 23rd radio show Limbaugh said he would "bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong, and I will apologize to Michael J. Fox if I am wrong in characterizing his behavior on this commercial as an act, especially since people are telling me they have seen him this way on other interviews and in other television appearances." When Limbaugh's accusation sparked great controversy in the media it was revealed by Mr. Fox that he had actually been overmedicated. Fox claimed that it is difficult to get the dosage correct and that " not by design, I just take it, and it kicks in when it kicks in. Sometimes, it kicks in too hard, and then you get what's called dyskinesia, which is that rocking motion that I had when I did the commercial." True to his word, Limbaugh apologized on his October 26 show. He said " OK. I need to apologize. I was wrong, because I speculated he either didn't take his medication or he was acting- never said the word 'faking'..." He then goes on to mention that Fox took too much medication and Limbaugh insinuates that it was done purposefully because Fox does not appear on Boston Legal looking like that. In an interview with Katie Couric later that day, Fox suggested that it was comical to him and other Parkinson's sufferers to imagine titrating the medication to elicit just the desired amount of movement.

Fox’s memoir, Lucky Man, confirms that he intentionally did not take his medication prior to his testimony before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee in 1998. "I had made a deliberate choice to appear before the subcommittee without medication. It seemed to me that this occasion demanded that my testimony about the effects of the disease, and the urgency we as a community were feeling, be seen as well as heard. For people who had never observed me in this kind of shape, the transformation must have been startling." Later Fox said: "The symptoms that I had in the ad that I did, that's called dyskinesia, and that's actually from too much medication."

Elaine Richman, a neuroscientist in Baltimore who co-wrote Parkinson's Disease and the Family, has stated "Anyone who knows the disease well would regard his movement as classic severe Parkinson's disease. Any other interpretation is misinformed."

Philosophy

Defining the conservative movement

Limbaugh made the following comments in an op-ed piece in The Wall Street Journal in 2005:

  • I love being a conservative. We conservatives are proud of our philosophy. Unlike our liberal friends, who are constantly looking for new words to conceal their true beliefs and are in a perpetual state of reinvention, we conservatives are unapologetic about our ideals.
  • We are confident in our principles and energetic about openly advancing them. We believe in individual liberty, limited government, capitalism, the rule of law, faith, a color-blind society and national security.
  • We support school choice, enterprise zones, tax cuts, welfare reform, faith-based initiatives, political speech, homeowner rights and the war on terrorism.
  • And at our core we embrace and celebrate the most magnificent governing document ever ratified by any nation — the U.S. Constitution. Along with the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes our God-given natural right to be free, it is the foundation on which our government is built and has enabled us to flourish as a people.
  • We conservatives are never stronger than when we are advancing our principles.

Leukemia and lymphoma telethon

Limbaugh holds an annual fundraising telethon, called the "EIB Cure-a-Thon" for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In 2006, the EIB Cure-a-Thon conducted its 16th annual telethon raising $1.7 million, totaling over $15 million since the first cure-a-thon. According to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society annual reports, Limbaugh personally contributed between $100,000 and $499,999 from 2000 - 2005, and Limbaugh claims to have contributed around $250,000 in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Additionally, NewsMax claims Limbaugh donated another $250,000 in 2006.

Statement regarding abortion and homosexuality

In 2003, Limbaugh broadcast the following hypothetical on abortion choices made by parents based upon trait selection and the anticipated reaction by advocates of gay rights:

Imagine we identify the gene — assuming that there is one, this is hypothetical — that will tell us prior to birth that a baby is going to be gay.... How many parents, if they knew before the kid was gonna be born, was gonna be gay, they would take the pregnancy to term? Well, you don't know but let's say half of them said, "Oh, no, I don't wanna do that to a kid." gay community finds out about this. The gay community would do the fastest 180 and become pro-life faster than anybody you've ever seen. They'd be so against abortion if it was discovered that you could abort what you knew were gonna be gay babies..

Balance and point of view

Limbaugh is highly critical of environmentalism and has disputed human-caused global warming and the relationship between CFCs and depletion of the ozone layer. He is also vocal supporter of capital punishment, having once said "the only thing cruel about the death penalty is last-minute stays."

On his radio show, news about the homeless has often been preceded with the Clarence "Frogman" Henry song "Ain't Got No Home." For a time, Dionne Warwick's song "I Know I'll Never Love This Way Again" preceded reports about people with AIDS. These later became "condom updates" preceded by Fifth Dimension's song, "Up, Up and Away (in My Beautiful Balloon)." In 1989, Limbaugh performed "caller abortions" where he would end a call suddenly to the sounds of a vacuum cleaner and a scream, after which he would deny there was ever a caller, explaining that the call had been "aborted."

References

  1. Toner, Robin. "POLITICS: ON THE AIR; Radio Talk Show Host Fears For True Conservatism's Fate." New York Times. February 23, 1996. Retrieved on October 13, 2006.
  2. "Latest top host figures". Talkers magazine. October 2005.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  3. "Rush Limbaugh: The King of Talk Radio Reigns Over Liberal Talkers in Top 25 Radio Markets" (Press release). Premiere Radio Networks. 2005-10-28. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. "The 25 Greatest Radio Talk Show Hosts of All Time". Talkers magazine. September 2002.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  5. "News Audiences Increasingly Politicized" (Press release). Pew Research Center. 2004-06-08. Retrieved 2006-04-29. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. "Rush Limbaugh Gives Sean a Rare Interview". Fox News Channel. October 19, 2005. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. Smollar, David J. "RADIO: The prof who 'flunked' Rush Limbaugh in speech is alive and well and running a California university campus." The Orange County Register. February 25, 1996. Pg. F3
  8. "Rush Limbaugh: Biographical Sketch." NNDB. Retrieved on October 13, 2006.
  9. Mikkelson, Barbara; Mikkelson, David P. "Draft Notice." Snopes. December 16, 2002. Retrieved on October 13, 2006.
  10. Colford, Paul D. (1993). The Rush Limbaugh Story. Martin's Press. pp. pp 14–20. ISBN 0-312-09906-1. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  11. McCabe, Scott (June 12, 2004). "Limbaugh, third wife parting after 10 years". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  12. Herald Staff. "Rush's divorce final" The Miami Herald. February 19, 2005. Pg. 4A
  13. Colford, Paul (December 21, 1988). By+Paul+Colford&pub=Newsday&desc=AM%252FFM+Combat+in+the+Morning "AM/FM Combat in the Morning". Newsday. p. 13. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. Carlson, Margaret (26 December 1994). "Public Eye - My Dinner With Rush". Time. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); External link in |title= (help)
  15. Grossberger, Lewis (December 16, 1990). "The Rush Hours". New York Times. p. SM58. {{cite news}}: More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)
  16. Gehr, Richard (1990-10-08). "Mouth At Work". Newsday. p. 4. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  17. Kening, Dan (1990-08-28). "Motormouth: Under the acerbic style hides the 'lovable' Rush Limbaugh you'll never hear". Chicago Tribune. p. 2C. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  18. McCabe, Bruce (1995-02-28). "It's 'Rush' hour on 'Frontline'". The Boston Globe. p. 62. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  19. Gehr, Richard (1990-10-08). "Mouth At Work". Newsday. p. 4. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  20. Tom, Feran (1995-02-28). "Don't judge this Rush to hastily". The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio). p. 13E. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  21. Matt, Roush (1995-02-28). "PBS plays fair with Rush Limbaugh". USA TODAY. p. 3D. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  22. Sajak, Pat (Guest host) (2001-05-03). CNN Larry King Live (TV-series). CNN.
  23. Maurstad, Tom (1993-12-20). "Stern, Limbaugh meet their match; Hosts Leno, Letterman hold their own in war". The Dallas Morning News. p. 1C. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  24. Roeper, Richard (1993-12-21). "Dogg, Stern and Rush Keep Late Night Lively". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  25. Rothstein, Mervyn. "Rush's Judgment". Cigar Aficionado. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  26. "Joseph Farah". Speakers and Talk Show Guests. WorldNetDaily.com. Retrieved 2006-07-19.
  27. Parker, Penny (March 20, 1996). "Ties loud, just like Limbaugh". Denver Post. pp. C-1. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. Vinciguera, Thomas (August 4, 1996). "No Talk Show, But a Loud Tie". New York Times. p. 43. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. "Rush's Voice". Free Republic Forum. 2001-08-31 – 2001-09-25. Retrieved 2006-04-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  30. Dotinga, Randy (2003-10-16). "Painkillers May Have Caused Limbaugh's Deafness". HealthDay. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. Roy S, Loh HH (1996). "Effects of opioids on the immune system". Neurochem Res 21 (11), 1375-86. PMID 8947928. Retrieved 2006-06-04. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  32. Friedman RA, House JW, Luxford WM, Gherini S, Mills D. (2002). "Profound hearing loss associated with hydrocodone/acetaminophen abuse". The American Journal of Otology. Retrieved 2006-04-29. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. Oh AK, Ishiyama A, Baloh RW (2000). "Deafness associated with abuse of hydrocodone/acetaminophen". Neurology. Retrieved 2006-06-23. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  34. "Abuse of painkiller could cause sudden hearing loss". Palm Beach Post. October 3, 2003. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  35. Candiotti, Susan (October 3, 2003). "Limbaugh mostly mum on reports of drug probe". CNN. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. George Bennett & John Pacenti (2003-10-11). "Talk host Limbaugh to enter drug rehab". Palm Beach Post. p. 1A. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. "Settlement Agreement Ends State Investigation of Rush Limbaugh". RushLimbaugh.com. April 28, 2006. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. Skoloff, Brian (2006-05-01). "Limbaugh Facing Drug Tests Under Deal". Associated Press. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  39. "Limbaugh may face a rarely used charge". Associated Press. 2004-01-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Text "St Petersburg Times" ignored (help)
  40. "Limbaugh will be voice of fan on ESPN NFL show". ESPN. July 14, 2003. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  41. "New England 31, Philadelphia 10". Yahoo! Sports. September 14, 2003. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  42. "Limbaugh's comments touch off controversy". ESPN. October 1, 2003. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  43. "Eagles' McNabb out until playoffs". CBC Sports. November 18, 2002. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  44. "Limbaugh resigns from NFL show". ESPN. October 2, 2003. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  45. http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=26480
  46. http://www.abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/story?id=2613377&page=1
  47. "Rush Limbaugh On the Offensive Against Ad With Michael J. Fox", Washington Post, accessed on November 1, 2006
  48. CBS News. Transcript
  49. http://www.michaeljfox.org/news/article.php?id=5
  50. Rush Limbaugh.Transcript. October 26, 2006.
  51. Rush Limbaugh On the Offensive Against Ad With Michael J. Fox
  52. Limbaugh, Rush (2005-10-17). "Holding Court: There's a crackdown over Miers, not a "crackup."". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2006-10-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  53. "EIB Cure-a-Thon". Rush Limbaugh. RushLimbaugh.com. Retrieved 2006-08-04.
  54. "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society". 501(c). Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Retrieved 2006-08-04.
  55. "EIB Cure-a-Thon". Rush Limbaugh. RushLimbaugh.com. Retrieved 2006-11-15.
  56. Newsweek. Rehabbing Rush. 2006.
  57. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Annual reports.
  58. Rush Limbaugh Show. Transcript. April 28, 2005.
  59. NewsMax Media. Rush Limbaugh Donates $250K for Cancer Cure. April 29, 2006.
  60. Kovacs, Joe (23). "Rush Limbaugh: Abortions kill liberal causes" (web article). World Net Daily. Retrieved 2006-11-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  61. On the Issues.org. Rush Limbaugh.
  62. Grossberger, Lewis (1990-12-16). "The Rush Hours". The New York Times. p. 58. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  63. Remnick, David (1990-12-16). "Day of the Dittohead". The Washington Post. p. C1. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  64. Grossberger, Lewis (1990-12-16). "The Rush Hours". The New York Times. p. 58. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  65. Remnick, David (1990-12-16). "Day of the Dittohead". The Washington Post. p. C1. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

Further reading

Books written by Limbaugh

  • Limbaugh, Rush (1992). The Way Things Ought to Be. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-75145-X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  • Limbaugh, Rush (1993). See, I Told You So. New York: Atria. ISBN 0-671-87120-X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)

Books written about Limbaugh

  • Colford, Paul D. (1993). The Rush Limbaugh Story: Talent on Loan from God : An Unauthorized Biography. ISBN 0-312-09906-1. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  • Kelly, Charles M. (1994). The Great Limbaugh Con: And Other Right-Wing Assaults on Common Sense. ISBN 1-56474-102-8. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  • Rendall, Steve, Naureckas, Jim and Cohen, Jeff (1995). The Way Things Aren't: Rush Limbaugh's Reign of Error : Over 100 Outrageously False and Foolish Statements from America's Most Powerful Radio and TV commentator. ISBN 1-56584-260-X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Perkins, Ray, Jr. (1995). Logic and Mr. Limbaugh: A Dittohead's Guide to Fallacious Reasoning. ISBN 0-8126-9294-2. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Franken, Al (1996). Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations. ISBN 0-385-31474-4. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)

See also

External links

Other links

Categories: