In 1986 I was discussing politics with a friend. He told me “ You sound just like that Rush Limbaugh guy”. All I knew of Rush was a billboard ad in Sacramento that said “Rush Limbaugh is a wonderful human Being” or something like that, but it had fake tomato blotches all over it, as if in thrown in disgust. I thought my friend was insulting me. I didn’t know he was paying me the greatest compliment.
Been listening every day for over 20 years.
Stop me if you’ve heard me tell this story dozens of times...short version...
A friend used to listen to Rush. I would ask her how she could stand listening to that racist. She asked me how did I know he was a racist since I didn’t listen to him. I could only say that I’d heard people say he was racist. She challenged me to listen for one week and then make my own decision.
So, come the following Mon, I braced myself...gagging, hyperventilating, hoping no one would find out I’d tuned in to listen to the racist. Lo and behold, the announcer comes on and says: “And now, black by popular demand, filling in for vacationing RL, Walter Williams.” You could have knocked me over with a feather!!
The rest is history.
Williams will always be my fav fill-in host.