Granted Hugh (no pun intended) can be a bit sophmoric at times - believe me it did get under my skin at first. His lighter moments do, however, keep subjects from getting too deep. At times, we just need to lighten up and not take things so seriously... like spending a half-hour with David Allen White and Shakespeare. Rush is no different when he gets going on football and cigars. But, don't get me wrong... Rush is the best at what he does. So good and so unique that when he goes, nothing will be able to fill the void. What Hugh brings to talk radio, and the Right side of the debate, is his own brand of unique dialogue. He's quick, bright, and right. No one else links together the power of internet dialogue and the blogosphere, with an entirely new generation of alternative news commentary, political analysts, congressional insight, debate, civics, history, poetry, literature, religion, and neo-pop culture fusing it all into a meaningful perspective of our culture as it should be. Regardless of your opinion of him, he sets the precedent for a talk radio format beyond Rush. And he can hammer the opposition just as seriesly. I wouldn't write him off too quickly. For a shock-jock he's okay!
Atos
I happen to listen to the radio driving to and from work which takes about an hour. During my final effort of listening to his program, he actually spent a solid 45 minutes goofing around with his program director-- and this was on a fairly good news day!!! This is not that exceptional for him. It used to infuriate me when he spent the first fifteem minutes "warming up" but it became longer and longer amd more and more tedious. This is unfortunate because as I said, I was once a huge fan of his program (telling all my friends to tune-in). But it has
seriously gone dowhnill since that first year.
He acts as though he is somehow cute and that his audience relishes his monologues and quips on "Mini-so-cold" ice-fishing, hockey games, marathons (reminding us of his athleticism), jet ski mishaps, etc. He continues treating his audience like fawning adolescents, like groupies, and it is very insulting..
Your other point about the guests he manages to get in between this sophmoric jocularity is well-taken. But he has become a colossal bore who can't help but talk on-and-on about HIMSELF.
This obnoxious "ME-itis", "I'm so special" is less-evident on other programs. Sports-talk is far preferrable.