25 Years Of Rush Limbaugh – Reactions from around the Web
RUSH: Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the first day of the 26th year of the Excellence in Broadcasting Network, a network named after the talent and ability of the host. That comment dedicated to all 24- and 25-year-old women. The door just opened. I thought we’d already done everything. It’s the 25th anniversary of the Excellence in Broadcasting. August 1st of 1988 is when this program began on a national scale.
(Staff singing Happy Anniversary to Rush.)
Thank you all very much. Ah, that is a gorgeous looking macaroni cake. That is gorgeous. The whole staff is here. Well, the Florida contingent is here. We did the big blowout on the 20th anniversary. Five years is too soon to do another big blowout, but it’s still 25, and that’s silver, and it’s big, and it’s about 24 and a half years longer than the Drive-By Media forecast that it would last. And 25 years and nine months longer than the Democrat Party predicted or hoped that it would last. Let me hold the cake up. Somebody is gonna have to pick the thing up because I’m getting sticky fingers and the paper is gonna — I just want to show it on the Dittocam. There you go. There it is, the 25th anniversary cake, for those of you watching on the Dittocam. Take it away. I’ll start eating it, which would not be cool.
Read Full Transcript @ RushLimbaugh.com
The Onion:
Rush Limbaugh’s eponymous national radio show celebrates 25 years in syndication this Thursday. Here are some of the major moments in the conservative pundit’s controversial career:
1988: Rush Limbaugh’s fledgling program receives initial grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
1990: Gushing, weeklong praise of the movie Ghost
1993: Enters a near nirvanic 19-day on-air trance in which he delivers a single uninterrupted rant against people on welfare wearing new clothes
2000–2008: Pretty much cool with everything government does
2004: Limbaugh’s third wife calls into the show to tell him she wants a divorce
2006: Apologizes for exaggerated impression of Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s condition with a practiced, spot-on imitation
Read More 25 Years Of ‘The Rush Limbaugh Show’
Rush Limbaugh’s most outrageous moments in 25 years on the radio — MSNBC
It was August 1, 1988. Ronald Reagan was about to finish his second term as president, Michael Dukakis had just become the Democratic nominee for president, the Republican National Convention was just a couple weeks away, and a 37-year-old named Rush Limbaugh premiered his nationally syndicated radio show on WABC in New York City.
Twenty five years later, he’s spent countless hours on the radio, inspiring his “Dittohead” followers and leaving more than a few liberals shaking their fists and rolling their eyes.
To celebrate his quarter century on the air, we rounded up 25 outrageous moments from the last twenty five years: the racist, the sexist, and the downright flabbergasting. Be sure to listen to “My City Was Gone” while reading for the full effect.
1. “Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?”
Comments made around 1990, exact date unknown (Source: FAIR)
2. “Socks is the White House cat. But did you know there is also a White House dog?”
Comments made while displaying a picture of Chelsea Clinton, then a 13-year-old, on his TV show in 1994. (Source: TIME)
3. ”Women should not be allowed on juries where the accused is a stud.”
A “truth” from his 1994 list of “Undeniable Truths” (Source: LectLaw.com)
4. “When a gay person turns his back on you, it is anything but an insult; it’s an invitation.”
Comments made on his radio program in the summer of 1994. (Source: The Most Dangerous Man in America: Rush Limbaugh’s Assault on Reason by John K. Wilson)
5. “Mrs. Clinton’s testicle lockbox.”
Although Limbaugh has been implying since the 1990′s that Hillary Clinton metaphorically castrates men, keeping the spoils in a “testicle lockbox,” he used the phrase again as recently as February 6, 2013 (Source: Media Matters)
6. ”Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society.”
Another of Limbaugh’s “Undeniable Truths” (updated version), also said on his radio program on August 12, 2005. (Source: Media Matters)
7. ”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.”
Comments made during Limbaugh’s short stint as a host on “Sunday NFL Countdown” in 2003 (Source: ESPN)
8. “I think it’s time to get rid of this whole National Basketball Association. Call it the TBA, the Thug Basketball Association, and stop calling them teams. Call ‘em gangs.”
Comments made on his radio program on December 8, 2004 in response to a brawl that had erupted at an Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons game on weeks earlier. (Source: Media Matters)
9. “Women still live longer than men because their lives are easier.”
Responding to a recent Census report on his radio program on March 1, 2005. (Source: Media Matters)
10. “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.”
Comments made on his radio program in October 2006 after Fox, who has Parkinson’s Disease, appeared in a series of ads for candidates who supported government-funded embryonic stem cell research. (Source: Washington Post)
via Rush Limbaugh’s most outrageous moments in 25 years on the radio — MSNBC.
Rush Limbaugh: Media to blame for biggest partisan divide since the Civil War | The Daily Caller
In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News’ Greta van Susteren on Tuesday night, conservative talker Rush Limbaugh said there is an alliance between President Obama’s White House and the mainstream news media.
“They agree with him,” Limbaugh said. “They’re him. They are — I think they’re all part of the elitist New York-Washington-Boston media academic corridor and they think they are Obama. They think same education, same school, same world view. But there’s also, I think — and I’ve been doing my radio show for 25 years. And it’s getting to the point now where things are starting to repeat. They’re hearing the same things over and over about the same issues. And you realize that not a whole lot really changes.”
“And the interesting thing to me about Obama and the media, I think, Greta, the explanation — the short answer to your question — is in 1988 you had CNN, the three networks and the newspapers and that was it,” he continued. “There was a media monopoly. My radio show starts in 1988.Even by 1995, I was still the only conservative national media
voice other than some magazines, National Review and so forth. It wasn’t until ’96-’97 that Fox came along and other radio talk shows and the blogosphere and the Internet blossomed and so forth.”
Read more:The Daily Caller.
Daily Kos: Rush Limbaugh, 25 Years Later
Twenty-five years ago today, Rush Limbaugh went on the air in New York City and began his syndicated radio show. I believe that Rush has been the most influential figure in American culture over that quarter-century. He helped turn Newt Gingrich into Speaker of the House and then pushed the Republican Party so far to the right it makes Newt look like a compromising moderate. He paved the way for Fox News Channel and an entire genre of conservative talk radio occupied by hundreds of his imitators. For decades, he has single-handedly had a bigger audience than all progressive radio shows combined. He has moved public opinion, convincing millions that global climate change is a fraud even while the scientific evidence has grown more and more overwhelming. He has had presidents carry his bags up to the Lincoln Bedroom and give him a birthday cake in the White House.
In my recent book about Rush, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Rush Limbaugh’s Assault on Reason, I noted:
He ridicules science and mocks intellectual arguments. He makes bigotry more publicly acceptable by his use of racial insults and sexist comments. He destroys the moderate wing of the Republican Party by imposing rigid adherence to his particular brand of conservatism. Rush Limbaugh is dumbing down America and coarsening our culture….Limbaugh is not some random guy who happens to express a political view every now and then; he’s a leader, I would say the leader, of the conservative movement in America, and his views are a powerful force in American politics. Limbaugh mobilizes and inspires the lunatic fringe of the far right. However, his influence extends far beyond the hard core conservatives; he popularizes right-wing ideas to a mass audience of mainstream Republicans and independents. Limbaugh pushes the Republican Party—and American politics—far to the right.
So what should progressives do about Rush? The most popular answer, and the worst one, has been to try to drive him off the air. The most successful approach has been to make Rush the face and voice of the Republican Party, and expose just how stupid, bigoted, and unpopular his ideas really are. But ultimately, progressives need to do what Rush himself did: build a media and political movement to bring our ideas to a wider audience.The unsuccessful effort to drive Rush off the air by the Flush Rush campaign has had one unexpected and highly beneficial side effect: it revealed that companies were unknowingly and unwillingly advertising on these shows, being secretly used by right-wing media companies to help fuel the conservative movement. And the backlash against these revelations has cost these companies millions. But it hasn’t cost Rush a dime, yet. In 2008, he signed an 8-year contract worth over $400 million. When he renews that contract, the boycotts against Rush will cost him many millions of dollars, but boycotts won’t force him off the air.
via Daily Kos: Rush Limbaugh, 25 Years Later.
Opinion: At 25, Limbaugh show still rules GOP – CNN.com
If you want to know why there’s little cooperation in Washington these days, I’d start with a campaign promise made in 1988 by presidential candidate George H.W. Bush.
“Read my lips: No new taxes.”
So, when he raised taxes two years later, quite naturally voters, particularly conservatives, were upset.
If you want to know why so little is being accomplished in Washington these days, I’d start with that broken promise, and what Bush did in an attempt to get those conservatives back.
He carried Rush Limbaugh’s bags.
That’s right. In 1992, President Bush invited Limbaugh for a sleepover and personally brought his guest’s bags into the Lincoln bedroom for him.
They were not friends.
In fact, Limbaugh didn’t care for Bush that much and “41″ knew it. But Bush was seeking re-election. He was saddled with a slumping economy and locked in a tough battle with Gov. Bill Clinton and businessman Ross Perot.
He believed he needed Rush Limbaugh.
The party has been carrying Limbaugh’s bags ever since.
via Opinion: At 25, Limbaugh show still rules GOP – CNN.com.
25 Examples That Prove Rush Limbaugh Is A “Low-Information” Radio Host – MMFA
Limbaugh Displays Debt Ceiling Ignorance While Attacking CNN’s Velshi. Limbaugh insisted that the federal debt ceiling is like a limit on credit card spending in an attempt to prove that CNN’s Ali Velshi was a “low-information reporter.” In fact, failure to raise the debt ceiling is actually like refusing to pay a credit card bill because it restrains the government’s ability to pay its debts, not future spending. [Media Matters, 1/4/13]
Limbaugh Falsely Claims Union Members Have No Say In How Dues Are Spent. Limbaugh claimed that “there a lot of union workers who are not Democrats, not liberals,” but they “have no control” over how union officials spend their dues on political activities. In fact, workers at unionized workplaces already can choose whether to pay for the political activities of the union that bargains on their behalf. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 12/12/12, via Media Matters; Media Matters, 12/11/12]
Limbaugh Mocks Fact That Unemployment Benefits Are Stimulus. Limbaugh denied that unemployment benefits have a positive effect on the economy, saying it’s a “crock” that extending them translates into economic growth. In fact, studies show that these benefits stimulate the overall economy and provide greater economic impact on growth than the Bush tax cuts for upper-income earners. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 12/10/12, via Media Matters]
Limbaugh Dismisses Guns’ Role In Domestic Violence Deaths. Limbaugh dismissed the notion that Kasandra Perkins, who was killed in a murder-suicide by her boyfriend, NFL football player Jovan Belcher, would still be alive today if Belcher hadn’t had a gun. In fact, data show that guns greatly increase the probability that women who are victims of domestic violence will be killed by their abuser. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 12/3/12, via Media Matters]
Limbaugh: “Everything — Except The Polls — Points To A Romney Landslide.” Under the headline “Everything — Except The Polls — Points To A Romney Landslide,” Limbaugh’s website posted a transcript of his radio show in which he said his “intellectual analysis” of the election was that “it’s not even close. Three hundred-plus electoral votes for Romney.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 11/5/12]
via Media Matters for America.
Press Release:
LOS ANGELES, Aug 01, 2013 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Premiere Networks, the number one audio network in the U.S., is proud to announce that today, August 1, marks the 25th anniversary of The Rush Limbaugh Show in national syndication. Heard on nearly 600 stations by nearly 20 million people each week, it is the highest-rated national radio talk show in America. Celebrating 25 years of Excellence in Broadcasting, Mr. Limbaugh has spent 788,918,000 seconds, 13,148,640 minutes, 219,144 hours, 9,131 days and 1,304 weeks serving as “America’s Anchorman.”
“The relationship we’ve established here – between the audience and myself – is everything,” stated Mr. Limbaugh. “It’s meant more to me than I’ll ever be able to fully describe. It’s the best three hours of the day! We’re going to do this for a long time to come.”
Known as the media pundit who reshaped the political landscape with his entertaining and informative brand of conservatism, Mr. Limbaugh is widely credited by many industry experts with resuscitating AM radio. In 1988, Mr. Limbaugh and his partners founded EIB, the Excellence In Broadcasting network, and he launched his phenomenally successful radio broadcast into national syndication on August 1 of that year with 56 radio stations. Adding 100 affiliates in just a few months, Mr. Limbaugh set a rapid pace for growth and paved the way for the expansion of the Talk radio format. Here’s a snapshot of the Talk radio format 25 years ago: In 1987, the year before his emergence, there were approximately 150 traditional News/Talk radio stations in America. Today, there are more than 2,000 News/Talk/Information stations (source:Arbitron “Radio Today” report)(source:2013).
Mr. Limbaugh also pioneered an entirely new model for Talk radio. Defying industry convention, he does not book guests on his program. Centered on the news of the day, he describes his unique approach as “a serious discussion of issues, combined with irreverent humor.” He has enjoyed uninterrupted status since the early 1990s as the leading Talk radio host in the U.S., and the program continues to expand its reach. In the past year alone, The Rush Limbaugh Show has experienced an 11% audience increase (source:Arbitron)(source:Nationwide)(source:FA’11 to FA’12)(source:Exact Times)(source:AQH)(source:P 12+). Mr. Limbaugh has also been recognized with Marconi Awards for “Syndicated Radio Personality of the Year” in 1992, 1995, 2000 and 2005 from the National Association of Broadcasters. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993, the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Hall of Famous Missourians in 2012.
Today, Mr. Limbaugh is dedicated to revolutionizing how he connects with and engages his loyal audience beyond the airwaves. The Limbaugh Letter, a subscription-based monthly print companion to the radio broadcast, recently surpassed the 20-year milestone with the launch of a digital version of the publication, which is available via desktop and on mobile devices including Amazon Kindle and the iOS and Android operating systems for smartphones and tablets. The Limbaugh eLetter now offers subscribers additional audio and video content, exclusive interviews, as well as incisive analysis and hilarious comments on news and politics. In addition, RushLimbaugh.com, which includes the popular Rush 24/7 subscription service, recently launched mobile applications for iPhone and Android devices.
“Few broadcasters have achieved the same level of success as Rush Limbaugh, and to sustain it for 25 years while delivering positive results for our partners is truly remarkable,” stated Julie Talbott, President of Content and Affiliate Services for National Media Groups, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. “We congratulate Rush on this tremendous milestone and we look forward to celebrating many more together.”
For more information, please visit www.RushLimbaugh.com.
About Rush Limbaugh
Born Rush Hudson Limbaugh III in Jan. 1951 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to a family with generations of attorneys, he chose to explore his passion for broadcasting at age 16 by working on-air as a disc jockey for a radio station in his hometown. After four years, he left for Pittsburgh to work at the former ABC owned and operated KQV. He later moved to Kansas City where he eventually tired of disc jockey life and left broadcasting for business. He joined the Kansas City Royals as director of group sales in Feb. 1979 and later served as director of sales and special events.
By 1983, Mr. Limbaugh got the broadcasting bug back and re-entered radio as a political commentator for KMBZ in Kansas City. A year later, he was the host of a daytime talk show on KFBK in Sacramento, Calif., where he nearly tripled the program’s ratings in four years. From there, he went to New York in 1988 where his record-breaking national show was born.
In addition to his radio program, broadcast weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. ET, Mr. Limbaugh hosts “The Rush Limbaugh Morning Update,” a 90-second commentary which debuted in March 1992 and airs Monday through Friday. “The Rush Limbaugh Show” and “The Rush Limbaugh Morning Update” are produced and distributed by Premiere Networks.
With his diverse media background, Mr. Limbaugh is also the author two best-selling books, The Way Things Ought to Be and See, I Told You So, which have sold more than 8.9 million copies. The sales of See, I Told You So set an American publishing record.
In June 2011, Mr. Limbaugh introduced America’s largest radio audience to his new iced tea brand Two if By Tea(TM). A modern twist on the famous line “one if by land, and two if by sea” in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” the brand of tea was created by Mr. Limbaugh, his wife Kathryn, and a loyal core team. To date, Two If By Tea(TM) has donated more than $1,000,000 to charitable causes including The Marine Corps – Law Enforcement Foundation. Two If By Tea(TM) is available to consumers nationwide via www.TwoIfByTea.com, as well as in select stores.
About Premiere Networks
Premiere Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, syndicates 90 radio programs and services to more than 5,000 radio affiliations and reaches over 190 million listeners weekly. Premiere is the number one audio content provider in the country and features the following personalities: Rush Limbaugh, Ryan Seacrest, Glenn Beck, Bob & Tom, Delilah, Steve Harvey, George Noory, John Boy and Billy, Sean Hannity, Elvis Duran, Randi Rhodes, Nikki Sixx, Kane, Andy Dean, Mario Lopez, Bobby Bones and others. For more information, please visit http://www.premiereradio.com/ or www.facebook.com/PremiereRadio.
SOURCE: Premiere Radio Networks Inc.
Twitter:
25th Anniversary of RUSH LIMBAUGH SHOW. Most-talked about broadcaster in history [Winchell #2] More than 20,000 hours on air..
— MATT DRUDGE (@DRUDGE) July 25, 2013
Rush Limbaugh went on the air 25 years ago today. A day that will live in infamy forever.
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) August 1, 2013
BB: The man to whom all radio hosts owe their careers and his nation owes an incalculable debt: 25 Years Today for Rush Limbaugh/Show.
— Jay Severin III (@Jay_Severin) August 1, 2013
25 Years Of Rush Limbaugh – Reactions from around the Web http://t.co/IkonBNa69P
— Florida Politisite (@Politisite_FL) August 1, 2013
Mega Dittos to Rush Limbaugh who celebrates 25 years of entertaining and educating America today! -JW 100.7 WFLA Tallahassee's Talk Radio
— WFLAfm Tallahassee (@WFLAFM) August 1, 2013
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