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Has Rush Limbaugh Finally Reached the End Of The Road?
Forbes ^ | April 15, 2014 | Rick Ungar

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 ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: halfbrainbehindback; liberalism; limbaugh; mentaldisorder; ratingsenvy; rickungar; rush; rushbashing; rushlimbaugh; stephencolbert; talkradio
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This is really a very flimsy (ridiculous really) reason to declare that Rush is done. I agree with Rush that CBS obviously wrote off conservatives by picking Colbert, but it wasn't a surprise to me because Letterman was about as liberal as they come. He didn't even try to be nonpartisan. Ungar's point is that CBS only cares about advertisements in the key demo of 18-49, and they think Colbert can pull it in. However, the bottom line is this, even if CBS could hire a conservative that would pull in ratings, CBS wouldn't do it because this timeslot is a perfect time to ridicule conservatives. Humor is one of their best weapons.
1 posted on 04/16/2014 12:00:15 AM PDT by Pinkbell
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To: Pinkbell

What should one expect from Forbes’ “token lefty”—substance?


2 posted on 04/16/2014 12:06:58 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Pinkbell

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.


3 posted on 04/16/2014 12:07:07 AM PDT by pepsionice
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To: Pinkbell

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.


4 posted on 04/16/2014 12:22:08 AM PDT by Arthur McGowan
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To: pepsionice

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...


5 posted on 04/16/2014 12:22:22 AM PDT by DemforBush (A repo man is always intense.)
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To: Pinkbell

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.


6 posted on 04/16/2014 12:23:41 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Pinkbell

Who the hell is Rick Ungar? never heard of him,


7 posted on 04/16/2014 12:26:18 AM PDT by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God!!)
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To: Pinkbell

Rush has been on the air over half my life. I have heard “the end of Limbaugh” stories every election cycle like clockwork.


8 posted on 04/16/2014 12:28:22 AM PDT by Organic Panic
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To: DemforBush

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.


9 posted on 04/16/2014 12:33:45 AM PDT by pepsionice
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To: Arthur McGowan

Michael Alan Weiner, is that you? :-)


10 posted on 04/16/2014 12:35:21 AM PDT by hamboy
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To: Jim Robinson

“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!


11 posted on 04/16/2014 12:43:49 AM PDT by vette6387
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To: Pinkbell

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.


12 posted on 04/16/2014 1:28:22 AM PDT by NoLibZone (The bad news: Hillary Clinton will be the next President. The Good news: Our principles are intact.)
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To: Pinkbell

The RINOs want him gone more than the LIBs.


13 posted on 04/16/2014 1:36:23 AM PDT by AdaGray
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To: Organic Panic

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.


14 posted on 04/16/2014 1:52:09 AM PDT by rusty schucklefurd
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To: hamboy

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.


15 posted on 04/16/2014 1:58:45 AM PDT by Arthur McGowan
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To: Pinkbell

Rick Ungar should feel a bit embarrassed to be so excited about this.

Everyone knows CBS doesn’t make decisions based on ratings.


16 posted on 04/16/2014 2:04:04 AM PDT by jean michael
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To: AdaGray

Re: “The RINOs want him gone more than the LIBs.”

Very true, too.


17 posted on 04/16/2014 2:04:28 AM PDT by rusty schucklefurd
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To: Pinkbell

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.


18 posted on 04/16/2014 2:26:13 AM PDT by The Duke ("Forgiveness is between them and God, it's my job to arrange the meeting.")
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To: Pinkbell

I don’t like Colbert and never watch his show. Never watched Letterman either.


19 posted on 04/16/2014 2:26:31 AM PDT by dforest
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To: Arthur McGowan

“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.


20 posted on 04/16/2014 2:27:27 AM PDT by Wildbill22 (They have us surrounded again, the poor bastards- Gen Creighton Williams Abrams)
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