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25 Years for Limbaugh

"No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." - H.L. Mencken

"There's a sucker born every minute" - David Hannum (commenting on customers of P.T. Barnum)
 
FredLeonard said:
"No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." - H.L. Mencken

"There's a sucker born every minute" - David Hannum (commenting on customers of P.T. Barnum)
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Sir, it is clear you don't care for Limbaugh. In your opinion, where is the best political talk to be found on the radio- FM, AM, XM or SW?
 
cefgw said:
where is the best political talk to be found on the radio- FM, AM, XM or SW?
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To have a discussion on the question you pose, we would first have to express what we expect from our "talk radio". In recent recent years we have put capital letters on the term, and Talk Radio has come to mean a program where a "host" or personality lays his politics on you... much like when you go to some churches, a Baptist/Evangelical preacher "lays his version of the Gospel" on you.

As I became an adult, I sorted my way through the various theological genre and settled in on one that think to be "The Pick of the Litter". I go to hear notable speakers explain why other pups in the litter have some value.... but I hover around my first choice.

Talk Radio as we know it is a lot like church and religion. Only certain churches spend time, energy and money on broadcasting, and other churches focus on other communication concepts. Only certain political "thinking" spend time, energy and money on Talk Radio, and othertheologies political groups communicate through other methodologies.

Prior to Rush, there was a form of Talk Radio that simply tried to draw people out, give people a platform to express themselves, and the show host was something of an usher, a referee, and a cheerleader all rolled into one. When a show participant (caller or in-studio guest) wasn't forthcoming, hit them with questions on topics maybe they would like to avoid.

Many of us today are hard pressed to respond to your question... because our favorites just aren't there. I like Terri Gross on NPR and Bob Edwards on XM. I wish Bill Moyers did radio.

When many of us say something less than complimentary about Rush, we are probably saying we don't like the way he made "disrespect for people you disagree with"... a respected form of political discussion.

It has taken Rush 25 years to make the "disrespect" concept a significant part of our political discourse. It will be interesting to see how long it takes us to get the poison and venom our of our political discussions. I'm guessing 100 years.
 
While not a talk radio host in the traditional sense, I enjoy Kai Ryssdal of the Marketplace program on public radio. He runs an informative program, presents it in a contemporary manner without getting overly cheeky and makes it fun to listen to. If I'm in the car at when it's aired, I seek it out and listen to it. Appointment radio.
 
It's clear who the Dittoheads are and to use GRC's religion metaphor, they can not abide blashphemy (i.e., any criticism of their favorite host/preacher). As GRC indicates, "best political talk" becomes all about agreement between host and listener.

If the standard is being interesting, challenging and thought-provoking, I consider the "best" interactive talk show hosts I've heard to have been...

Michael Jackson
Brad Crandall

Public radio has call in shows but callers and host really don't interact. Instead, listeners offer up very respectful questions for the guest. Rush was interactive in his first five years in syndication; not any more. Now he's a shill for the RNC and thinks he's got influence.
 
If the standard is being interesting, challenging and thought-provoking, I consider the "best" interactive talk show hosts I've heard to have been...

Michael Jackson
Brad Crandall
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There are still some good commercially syndicated shows out there with hosts who don't preach at you:

Jon Grayson (great overnight show)
Jerry Doyle (funny as hell -- thinks for himself)
Mike Gallagher (preaches sometimes but doesn't shout down opposing views)
Michael Smerconish (good show but now exiled to SiriusXM)
Art Bell (soon to be exiled to SiriusXM -- if you get past the aliens he's a compelling personality)
Geraldo (I find his show a decent listen -- he's not a rabid partisan hack)

NPR puts me to sleep. It's too bad there isn't more middle ground.
 
Thanks all for the excellent responses!
I listen to the Righties, but don't always agree with them. I listen to the Lefties, to find out their way of thinking, and sometimes they say things I agree with. It's a challenge to get any Left talk here in metro Boston- WWKB 1520 comes in OK when the D-layer goes away.
I've listened to NPR for decades, and found it (and still find it) lacking something. The interview questions are usually not questions I would ask. I don't think like they do.
To GRC's point, my spiritual home is EWTN. It is important for me to observe the 2nd Commandment by dressing up and going to church on Sunday.
Finally, the talk hosts and EWTN tell you what their bias is. NPR doesn't. Shame on them. I am glad I can see through spin, be it left or right. That is a lesson I learned from Rush.
 
del_griffith said:
While not a talk radio host in the traditional sense, I enjoy Kai Ryssdal of the Marketplace program on public radio. He runs an informative program, presents it in a contemporary manner without getting overly cheeky and makes it fun to listen to.
Click to expand...

I can't remember the name, but wasn't there an equally talented host on that show prior to Kai? Apparently the management/producer of that show has a good sense of excellent ingredients to cook up a batch of radio.
 
cefgw said:
To GRC's point, my spiritual home is EWTN. It is important for me to observe the 2nd Commandment by dressing up and going to church on Sunday.
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I'm with you on the gathering on Sunday business so maybe it is time for me to (again) clarify why it is that I can be rather flippant on the topic sometimes.

If you should wander across the fences and end up some Sunday in the same place where I am, and if that particular day I may be sitting in the teachers chair, strap yourself in. Get a mental picture of the "Good Ole Boys" out there in the forest somewhere strapped into their 4-wheel drive vehicles going up and down the hills. In my class we are likely to discuss what the official sanctioned teaching of the people who own and operate the place of worship where we are, maybe what we used to teach 60 or 70 years ago before a major shift in interpretation; what today's agitators who would like to see a new major shift in interpretation are trying to "sell us", and they we may take a look at what some other groups say on this subject that we will never agree to, but we need to understand their thinking. Forget about religion and/or politics for a moment. I am about as opposite from Rush Limbaugh as you can possibly be when it comes to gather information and digesting it. I say: "Take it all in, know where you stand, and move forward with confidence, but with something of an open mind." Limbaugh seems to be from the schools that says: "My Way... or the Hi Way!!!!"

There is NOTHING that clabbers my buttermilk quicker than someone who shows up for a Sunday discussion event who gives us all the reasons why what we are discussing can only be seen in the way that would me Rush Limbaugh's approval if he were in the room with us.

I don't care if we are looking into things religious or things political: Don't expect me to like being in a room full of people who have had a brain-ectomy and a bear-trap has been implanted.

I say it nicely, but when someone who hasn't received the memo yet tries to inject Rush into a religious setting, I suggest that they see if he is available to join us next week and participate in our give-and-take.... but on this turf, WE write the rules of conversion. On his show, HE can write the rules of conversation.

From a job stability and financial rewards perspective, the Rush formula has worked very well for HIM. For our nation, for our society..... maybe not so well.
 
Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:
del_griffith said:
While not a talk radio host in the traditional sense, I enjoy Kai Ryssdal of the Marketplace program on public radio. He runs an informative program, presents it in a contemporary manner without getting overly cheeky and makes it fun to listen to.
Click to expand...

I can't remember the name, but wasn't there an equally talented host on that show prior to Kai? Apparently the management/producer of that show has a good sense of excellent ingredients to cook up a batch of radio.
Click to expand...

I only started listening the past couple of years. So I must have missed the previous host.

Kai to me takes a glass half full approach (but doesn't blow sunshine up your skirt), seems well informed, communicates it well, has excellent guests to discuss hard to understand topics and puts them at layman's level and does it in 30 minutes.
 
Yes, Kai has all of what you described... but there is something there that I don't know the best word to define what he brings. He not quite cocky, he's quite smirky, and whatever he has may be irritating to some people but I love his edgy humor, his comedic timing.... it's just a great package. Many of us may have a little bit of one or two of his ingredients, but to have the whole package of presentation skills and not come across as smug and arrogant.... is just a breath of fresh air. I'm not sure you have enjoy business news and financial news to enjoy whatever that "scent" is that he brings into the room.

O.K., Kai. You can send me those two concert tickets now. ::)
 
Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:
From a job stability and financial rewards perspective, the Rush formula has worked very well for HIM. For our nation, for our society..... maybe not so well.
Click to expand...

That has to be the understatement of this young century!
 
FredLeonard said:
It's clear who the Dittoheads are and to use GRC's religion metaphor, they can not abide blashphemy (i.e., any criticism of their favorite host/preacher). As GRC indicates, "best political talk" becomes all about agreement between host and listener.

If the standard is being interesting, challenging and thought-provoking, I consider the "best" interactive talk show hosts I've heard to have been...

Michael Jackson
Brad Crandall

Public radio has call in shows but callers and host really don't interact. Instead, listeners offer up very respectful questions for the guest. Rush was interactive in his first five years in syndication; not any more. Now he's a shill for the RNC and thinks he's got influence.
Click to expand...

Brad Crandall. Wow! There's a blast from the past. A very good host and also quite intelligent in discussing many different topics. He also hosted some hours on NBC's Monitor during the 1960's ;)
 
Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:
Yes, Kai has all of what you described... but there is something there that I don't know the best word to define what he brings. He not quite cocky, he's quite smirky, and whatever he has may be irritating to some people but I love his edgy humor, his comedic timing.... it's just a great package. Many of us may have a little bit of one or two of his ingredients, but to have the whole package of presentation skills and not come across as smug and arrogant.... is just a breath of fresh air. I'm not sure you have enjoy business news and financial news to enjoy whatever that "scent" is that he brings into the room.

O.K., Kai. You can send me those two concert tickets now. ::)
Click to expand...

I too can't think of an appropriate word. He's not sarcastic. He does have an edge but it's not overboard edgy. And yes, he injects just the right amount of humor for a serious topic and doesn't become clownish about it. And he doesn't need to rely on extensive production elements to bring it all off. And the only agenda seems to be to educate.
 
There was a book that came out a few years ago that was a series of profiles of public radio hosts. The chapter on Kai Ryssdal had a line that I've never forgotten. The author (who made no secret of having a crush on him) wrote something to the effect of "he always sounds like he's just finished telling a really good joke just before the mic came on."

I always think of that line when Kai comes on the radio, and I always wonder just what the joke was...
 
I decided to search the web a bit to learn more about Kai, and I came across the name of the other "commentor/newsman" that seems to belong on the same herd with Kai: that would be David Brancaccio.
 
Goat Rodeo Cowboy said:
I decided to search the web a bit to learn more about Kai, and I came across the name of the other "commentor/newsman" that seems to belong on the same herd with Kai: that would be David Brancaccio.
Click to expand...

Of course. David was quite good too.
 
Scott Fybush said:
There was a book that came out a few years ago that was a series of profiles of public radio hosts. The chapter on Kai Ryssdal had a line that I've never forgotten. The author (who made no secret of having a crush on him) wrote something to the effect of "he always sounds like he's just finished telling a really good joke just before the mic came on."

I always think of that line when Kai comes on the radio, and I always wonder just what the joke was...
Click to expand...

That is an apt description. Or he's just received good news. Whatever it is, after work it's great to hear a cheerful yet informed voice.
 
Within the last year I read the obit of a man who worked years ago at a station at the same time I did. In a more country-boy way he encouraged that sytle (I sound like I just told a good joke).

At least once a day, typically at the end of his shift, his mantra would roll off his lips:

"SMILE. ... It makes people wonder what you've been up to!"


R.I.P. Bob Lunningham
 
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