Rating the radio talk show hosts

[EveningStar]

Since I retired several months ago, I've had plenty of time to listen to talk radio and I've been able to come up with my own factors for rating some of the hosts.

It is this: Who provides depth and insight and who doesn't?

To me, those who provide depth and insight include: Rush Limbaugh Dennis Prager Michael Medved Larry Elder

Those who fall into the "No **** Sherlock / Captain Obvious to the Rescue" category include: Laura Ingraham Sean Hannity

That's my opinion. What's yours?

[southparkNationalist]

Liberalism is a mental disorder!

-Micheal Savage

[Dead Corpse]

Boortz.

There are other talk show people? ;-)

[HitmanLV]

By quick witted I mean his response to callers, mostly, and not wisecracks to recorded audio clips. And Rush is a fairly funny guy, I think.

Truth is I haven't heard much more than 10 hours of his show in the last 6 or 7 years. I find him to be too much of a GOP cheerleader for my taste.

I have seen maybe 3 or 4 hours of Mahr and he doesn't strike me as terribly witty. He has his 'lines' and lobs bombs but it's nothing notable. I think he and Rush would be fairly evenly matched (and no, thats not complimenting either of them).

[Allan]

Bump

[varon]

Laura Ingraham is definitely in the top three in my book.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Dontcha love his humor, as well as his deep thinking and political know-how?

This is what makes great talk radio. I like to be enlightened and entertained at the same time. The other night I was listening to Doyle and he was talking about Ward Churchill and he mentioned a few things about Churchill that I had not heard about before.

[American Quilter]

My favorites are:

Rush (by a mile)
Bill Bennett
Walter Williams
Dennis Prager

Second Tier:

Sean Hannity (yes, he lacks Rush's depth, but he's good for listeners who are new to politics)
Laura Ingraham (I like her in-your-face style toward liberals)

Hosts I haven't been able to listen to but would like to:

Larry Elder
Ken Hamblin

Host I no longer listen to: Bill O'Reilly. Talk about insufferable arrogance.

[roylene]

Brilliant simply brilliant!!!!!!

[BigSkyFreeper]

I forgot about Ken Hamblin! I remember him from his days doing late nights at KOA in Denver many moons ago!

[Beemnseven]

I find him to be too much of a GOP cheerleader for my taste.

Agreed. There was a time when he was openly ripping on Bush for his domestic policies: Campaign Finance Reform, spending...

Then the 'Bushbots' started threatening him. Ever since then, you're right, he's been serving and drinking the kool-aid.

[BigEdLB]

TAKE ME TO ART BELL!

[Conservative4Ever]

Good list. I like Laura Ingraham very much. Mark Levin I wish was on XM radio replace Savage with Mark Levin any day and locally here in SoCal is John Ziegler just moved to the evening slot. He is a libertarian/conservative, but has a good show.

Red

[EmilyGeiger]

Is Ken Hamblin still on the air? I haven't heard him since late 90's.

[E.G.C.]

BTT!!!!!

[E.G.C.]

BTT!!!!!

[ladiesview61]

Rush I can listen to all the time. Hannity, only during an election as he is great a firing people up. Otherwise, Hannity is way too full of himself and he reminds of the kid in school who always had his hand up blurting out stupid answers...aka class kiss up..

[corlorde]

Howie Carr, Savage

[HitmanLV]

Honestly for my taste he was going in this direction for a long while. Like I said, I gave up years ago. Same with Hannity.

I think they are both good fellas, though. Sean still has occasional segments I will keep an eye on - 'Man on the Street' is one of the funniest/scariest things on radio.

Flipper was the best with that in the respect that she clearly didn't really even know much about what she was asking wandering NYers.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I haven't heard him in what seems like ages. The last I heard him, he was working at KNUS (K-News) in Denver.

[compuguru]

If you like debate, try Michael Medved. I think he tells his screener to NOT take calls from people who agree with him.