Posted on 04/16/2014 12:00:15 AM PDT by Pinkbell
(Snip)
At long last, it appears that Rush Limbaugh has run out of steam.
I have to acknowledge that I have sensed Rush getting by on fumes for some time now (yes, I tune into his show from time to time to enjoy his broadcasting skills if not his message). However, it was only recently that the world of Limbaugh crossed that thin red line from partially serious to total self-parody and audience deception—a line crossed from which there is often no return.
It happened on the occasion of Stephen Colbert’s appointment to fill David Letterman’s soon to be vacated chair on the CBS late-night set.
By using this occasion to create a political narrative designed to stir up his listeners, Limbaugh telegraphed to his loyal followers that he is now dependent upon feeding fully faux political nonsense that his audience instinctively—or explicitly—knows is a bunch of baloney.
To be sure, this is hardly the first time Limbaugh has fed his audience a diet of twisted information and bizarre, conspiratorial memes. However, it may well be the first time that he attempted to shove a diet down the throats of any semi-rational listeners still living in the real world made up of nonsense that even his most loyal listener could not possibly swallow.
That’s a problem for Rush.
A show like Limbaugh’s is wholly reliant on his listeners’ willingness to believe—or suspend belief—no matter how ‘out there’ their guru’s arguments may be. While it is one thing for me to sneer at much of what Limbaugh may present, it is quite another when he attempts to sell his loyal audience on stuff they already know, through personal experience, to be false and fraudulent hokum.
Upon hearing the news of Colbert’s new gig, Limbaugh pronounced— as only Limbaugh can pronounce—
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
What should one expect from Forbes’ “token lefty”—substance?
I’ll point out the obvious here....the whole gimmick of Colbert is his “I’m-an-idiot-Republican” act. That’s what people tune into and watch for thrills. So, CBS puts out the message last week....he won’t be doing his ‘Republican’ act.
What do you think happens when folks tune in on his arrival? Some dull guy with limited interview skills, and virtually no humor without his Republican act. He loses a quarter of his audience by the sixth week, and CBS admits problems by the sixth month. It’s a five year contract and I doubt if they realize the limited capability of this guy without his signature acting piece.
I hardly listen to Rush anymore, but it’s because I don’t feel I’m learning anything. In 1988, Rush was reading the news from all over, and it was impossible for most listeners to get most of it anywhere else. Rush has been overtaken by the internet. For many years, anyone who followed FR and some other websites would learn little or nothing by listening to Rush.
And Rush, Levin, Hannity, and most other radio hosts refuse to deal with what everyone in Washington knows: that Obama/Soetoro is almost certainly an illegal alien. And that his “birth certificate” is absolutely certainly a crude forgery.
They all offer the excuse: “We will never get him out of office with that stuff.”
How about this?-—Broadcast the truth, and the evidence, and let the chips fall where they may.
There are some “conservative” radio hosts who are themselves part of the dinosaur media, and are being overtaken by others for the same reason that the Washington Compost and the New York Slimes are dying.
I think you’ve pretty much nailed it. Colbert is a one trick shtick. Unless he’s been holding back some major talent (which I somehow doubt), he’s not likely to fare all that well in the late night wars.
Then again, Craig Kilborn lasted almost five years on the air, and I remain mystified about that one...
they wish rush’s show was over.
everytime they say this, rush is doing just fine. with his new books he’s hitting a whole new younger audience with true american history you cant find in most public schools.
Who the hell is Rick Ungar? never heard of him,
Rush has been on the air over half my life. I have heard “the end of Limbaugh” stories every election cycle like clockwork.
If I were Fox News....I’d quietly sit there...until the week that Colbert is about to start up, and announce we’ve got Jay Leno...starting this week....lining up forty big names for interviews, and have Jay’s garage as the back-drop for the entire show. Colbert drops ten points just on the announcement.
Michael Alan Weiner, is that you? :-)
“Who the hell is Rick Ungar? never heard of him,”
He’s the Liberal prick on FBN! Sometimes shows up on the “Hannity Panels” He’s the “ white version” of Gemoooo Greene!
Sans the Bill O Reilly schtick all that’s left of Colbert is Mr Goodwrench.
If you don’t remember his being Mre Goodwrench then you will be just as impressed with his real persona.
The RINOs want him gone more than the LIBs.
Re: “Rush has been on the air over half my life. I have heard “the end of Limbaugh” stories every election cycle like clockwork.”
Exactly. My same experience as well. The libs’s dream is that Rush just goes away.
Weiner doesn’t cover nearly enough ground.
The worst of the worst is Ferguson. He follows the lame formula of: Here’s an event in the news. Here’s what I think about it. Now I want to hear from callers. Next hour: same issue.
Rick Ungar should feel a bit embarrassed to be so excited about this.
Everyone knows CBS doesn’t make decisions based on ratings.
Re: “The RINOs want him gone more than the LIBs.”
Very true, too.
I have no doubt that Rush will retire on his own terms. Had he retired 10 years ago he still would have been a huge media success story.
I don’t like Colbert and never watch his show. Never watched Letterman either.
“I hardly listen to Rush anymore, but it’s because I don’t feel I’m learning anything. In 1988, Rush was reading the news from all over, and it was impossible for most listeners to get most of it anywhere else. Rush has been overtaken by the internet. For many years, anyone who followed FR and some other websites would learn little or nothing by listening to Rush.
And Rush, Levin, Hannity, and most other radio hosts refuse to deal with what everyone in Washington knows: that Obama/Soetoro is almost certainly an illegal alien. And that his “birth certificate” is absolutely certainly a crude forgery.
They all offer the excuse: “We will never get him out of office with that stuff.”
How about this?-—Broadcast the truth, and the evidence, and let the chips fall where they may.
There are some “conservative” radio hosts who are themselves part of the dinosaur media, and are being overtaken by others for the same reason that the Washington Compost and the New York Slimes are dying.”
I think a lot of people feel the same. Claims of being just one of those fringe “Birthers” has shut up people on the subject, as was the intention of the left, and that is cowardice on the part of the right IMHO. The evidence is not easily discounted without the stigma from the propaganda experts on the left.
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