Posted on 02/22/2021 8:59:34 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
When I was a much younger man in Kansas City in 1984, Rush Limbaugh worked for me. I fired him.
As you might suspect, managing Rush was a formidable challenge, and the fact that he was largely unmanageable was probably a part of the secret sauce that fueled his rise to meteoric success. I am saddened by his passing. And like him or hate him, any fair-minded or knowledgeable analysis of Rush's career would have to end by concluding that he was probably one of the most influential media forces in the past 100 years.
In 1984, I was a 24-year-old station manager of some radio stations in Kansas City that included KMBZ-AM. Rush was my afternoon news/sports guy and I paid him about $32K a year.
Rush's job was fairly straightforward: Watch and follow the "clock" and give news summaries and sports commentary at the appointed times.
Rush came into my office on my first day, sat down in a chair across from me, and announced, "It is only a matter of time before you are going to fire me."
I was taken aback, and confused. I told him, "Rush, these stations are a mess and I am not LOOKING to fire anyone, especially anyone who doesn't deserve it. Just do your job and be a team player, and you'll be fine."
The next few months, Rush gave me heartburn on a number of topics — including adding some bold commentary where none was required, and dropping a few words that were less than desirable for a Midwest radio station news/talk station whose audience had an average age of probably 50 years old.
(Excerpt) Read more at cdapress.com ...
My brother lived in and around Sacramento for many years. He says that many people in Rio Linda were druggies, ex-cons and other low-life types. It apparently was common to make jokes. Rush at least was not mean about it.
Great story. Thanks you for sharing.
Bkmk
I’ve heard that same description of Rio Linda from others. You are right — Rush was always good natured about it. That was one of his hallmarks. I never heard him disparage anybody (except Democrats and communists, of course) and he always wanted the best for everybody.
Very nice
Loving the stories of Rush people are speaking about.
This guy goes down in history along with the GM who traded Babe Ruth and the scouts who said Tom Brady was not NFL material.
The professor I worked for became the first person to see C-60. It later became known as Buckyball . It is pleasing to me that I was the guy who fixed the equipment that made his discovery possible.
The airwaves aren’t the same.
Neither is my daily schedule. From 12 to 3 I’m at a loss.
Rush talked about Ed McGlaughlin a bit. Had great respect for the man.
The name “Ed McGlaughlin” is vaguely familiar to me from Rush’s show.
Though it may seem like serendipity to us, there is nothing serendipitous about what God planned all along.
$32,000 a year in Kansas City in 1984 was a comfortable pay check for a married guy with no kids and the Reagan tax cut.
That is $81,000 in 2020 dollars.
btt KC
PING!! Rush is gone but will never be forgotten.
How would you like to be the guy whose claim to fame is that he fired Rush Limbaugh? LOL. Of course, I don't think Rush could have become what he did in that kind of slot.
What a beautiful and witty tribute!
The story of their corroboration is a little different than this fellow recalls.
And Bill Bellichek who thought HE made the team great, not Brady.
+1
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