I listened to his very first radio program on KGO in San Francisco, might have been 94 or so. He was guest hosting. His schtick that he uses now wasn't there. He was soft spoken, expressed probably mildly right of center views, and that lasted maybe the first few shows he did.
Then "Michael Savage" as we know him came out. It's schtick. It's an act for all of them. They don't talk that way at home, except maybe Hannity. I have heard that Hannity warts and all, is Hannity all the time.
They are entertainers. Enjoy their shows or not.
You're right, he's changed. Especially after he was syndicated nationally, things really started getting crazy.
All of a sudden he'd switch into a completely different Mike; McCain's bad, no, wait, McGain's good. In fact, McCain's GREAT..!
The same on a myriad of different things. For awhile there, if I didn't like the show, I'd switch off until the next day, and presto! It'd be back to the orginal Mike.
And then there was constant talk about Italian yachts, Ferrari Modenas, LA mansions, LA lifestyle...lots and lots of LA/Hollywood stuff. And name-dropping of folks I hated.
It was Mike wanted to turn into that high-living, 1970's porn director caricature played by Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights. You know...with the shades and neck cravat number...?
Hey, Russ is a great guy, but I think via Russ Mike was trying to vicariously re-live his youth, or something.
It was off-putting and totally at odds with his Outsider Image. Instead of spurned outsider shows 'em by making good, all of a sudden it was Insider, Insider, I'm big Mr. Insider.
And that's just not rock and roll.