Ed Asner: 'Hannity's next ... just like we went after Limbaugh'

WorldNetDaily ^ | October 10, 2003 | Kevin McCullough

[kimmie7]

In the news this week are several reports of an exchange between syndicated talk-show host Mike Gallagher and actor-turned-leftist-poster-child Edward Asner.

The account goes like this: Mike Gallagher approached Asner at a recent cocktail party promoting the new film "Elf" in which Asner stars as Santa Claus. As Gallagher introduced himself, Asner asked his profession. When Gallagher replied "radio talk-show host," Asner replied, "I love going toe-to-toe with you guys.''

''I know,'' Gallagher replied. ''I've heard you on Sean Hannity's show.''

''Hannity's next, you know,'' Asner responded.

''Huh?'' said Gallagher.

''Hannity's next,'' said Asner. ''We're going after him just like we went after Limbaugh. And you saw what happened to Rush this week, right?''

I can attest to these news reports because I was there. Standing not more than 10 feet from where the conversation was happening. Shortly afterward, as Mike and I were exiting the party, we were chatting on the elevator of the Empire State building.

"Kevin, did you hear what he said?" Mike exclaimed, "That was a truly strange experience." And he then proceeded to relate the story to the rest of the folks riding with us in the elevator.

The following day, as a part of the same film junket, I found myself sitting in a room with Mike and several others waiting for Mr. Asner to field his questions from us regarding the release of "Elf" – a movie that I believe will be huge at the box office this holiday season.

As Mr. Asner walked in, he saw both Mike and me sitting at the end of the table closest to him and quickly quipped, "What is this? The Salem witch trials?" This, of course, being a play on words alluding to Mike being a syndicated talk-show host for Salem Radio Network (and heard on better than 200 stations), and that I had just taken over as the host on the legendary New York's WMCA 570 "Home of the Good Guys," also a Salem property.

Upon seating himself at the end of the table and making small talk about cookies and cupcakes – he did seem to be in a particularly jovial mood – he asked point blank: "Does anyone at this table hate me? Hate my work as an activist or in any other way?"

It was such an odd question that the room fell dead silent for a moment before breaking into the short amount of time he had for questions about the film.

As he answered questions about the film, he often broke into stories about his days gone by, and even his reasons for getting involved in left-wing politics. He even talked somewhat reflectively about one of his first acting gigs, playing Santa for the downtown Chicago Marshall Field's store.

"It was the worst job I ever had," said Asner. "All I could do was put these poor – extremely poor – kids on my lap and say to them, 'Well Johnny, well Susie, Santa's gonna see what he can do about getting that for you. Knowing full well that these kids' parents were so poor that more than half these kids had no chance of ever seeing the gifts they asked for. It was just awful.'"

By the end of his time with us, I had not asked him a specific question yet, and in my mind I could not get away from the scene from the party of the night previous.

"Mr. Asner, I do have a question – unrelated to the film," I said. "In your long and distinguished acting career, going back to your earliest days in Chicago all the way up to present days working with Will Farrell on 'Elf', you have had the chance to do almost anything you could ever wish to do. But if you had the chance to play the biographical story of a historical figure you respected most over your lifetime, who would it be?"

Remembering the sad story he had told about the poor kids in Chicago, I half expected him to come out with a political name of some sort.

"I think Joe Stalin was a guy that was hugely misunderstood," said Asner. "And to this day, I don't think I have ever seen an adequate job done of telling the story of Joe Stalin, so I guess my answer would have to be Joe Stalin."

Suddenly the time had run out, and for the third time in less than 18 hours, Ed Asner had puzzled the room he was in, into a stunned and disbelieving silence.

Mr. Hannity ... I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[Spok]

I've always heard Asner was a mental midget and he has certainly proved it. I am, however, impressed with his honesty. Coming right out and admitting his fascist leaning is really courageous...or is the midget still speaking???

[weegee]

"I think Joe Stalin was a guy that was hugely misunderstood," said Asner. "And to this day, I don't think I have ever seen an adequate job done of telling the story of Joe Stalin, so I guess my answer would have to be Joe Stalin."

Just call him Red Asner.

[fishbabe]

how many celebrities got the same thing.judy garland and elvis are two good examples.they started with doctors okay and both ended up hooked.all i'm saying is rush has never had a lot of sympathy for people hooked on drugs.legal or otherwise.will he have more sympathy now that we all know he was hooked on drugs for years?

[Akira]

A "get a load of this" bump.

They try to crucify Arnold on a quote admiring one aspect of Hitler, yet leftists continue to be allowed to admire Stalin.

I don't think I have ever seen an adequate job done of telling the story of Joe Stalin

Didn't Brezhnev himself write a report that showed the world the truth behind Stalin? Is Ed waiting for a Michael Moore documentary that shows the REAL truth?

[blackie]

Rush doesn't want sympathy ~ sympathy is useless.

[weegee]

If this was happening to that idiot Al Franken rather than Rush, Freepers would be kicking him to the curb and mocking him (Franken), rather than posting prayers for him.

Just like FReepers savaged Jerry Lewis? Or can you see a difference between the recreational hallucinogens that Oliver Stone and the producer of the The West Wing were been caught with and the prescription pain relievers for surgical recovery?

[weegee]

how many celebrities got the same thing.judy garland and elvis are two good examples.they started with doctors okay and both ended up hooked.all i'm saying is rush has never had a lot of sympathy for people hooked on drugs.legal or otherwise.will he have more sympathy now that we all know he was hooked on drugs for years?

Oh please. Elvis went through his doctor's cabinet one night telling him what drugs he wanted.

Or are you in agreement that there are gateway drugs that lead to rougher addictions?

[weegee]

If you listened to his monologue you heard him say that he DID try to kick the habit

I doubt that many of Rush's libertinarian dectractors on FR have listened to his show, let alone today's broadcast.

[nutmeg]

FoxFan ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my FoxFan list. *Warning: This can be a high-volume ping list at times.

[fishbabe]

he may have done that towards the end of his life,but not at the beginning..i'm sure the good doctor didn't bother to tell elvis he could get hooked.

[100American]

Interesting logic Lucky, I am well versed in the Bible and I don't remember seeing abuse of prescription drugs as a mortal sin, of course maybe I missed the part God had you write personally. Probable got left out in the translation where they messed up and said God forgives us, but Mr. Lucky doesn't

[SwinneySwitch]

"I think Joe Stalin was a guy that was hugely misunderstood," said Asner. "And to this day, I don't think I have ever seen an adequate job done of telling the story of Joe Stalin, so I guess my answer would have to be Joe Stalin."

Holy She-IT!

[Blood of Tyrants]

20 million in the Ukraine alone. Add another 30 million or so POW's, refugees, and anybody he even THOUGH was disloyal and you come closer.

[fishbabe]

i wish i were but i have had to work since i was 15..it amazes me how many people get irritated by my typing.if it bothers you ,don't read it...and by the way i do have high self-esteem..it takes a lot for a person to make it in life and keep a sense of humor about it all...

[mplsconservative]

"did you have this much sympathy with bill clinton after he got caught with monica and only
came clean when he got caught....rush had the ability,money and smarts to get clean and he
said he tried twice,okay,so now the next time some liberal falls short will rush be
compassionate towards them because they couldn't quite get it together till they got
caught????? "

Comparing these two situations is like comparing apples...to what...hmmmm....dog doo? I have no sympathy for a president who defiles the Oval Office in such a manner. The president should be held to a higher standard as the elected leader of the greatest nation on earth. He failed miserably and morally, countless times. You've been a member of this forum for awhile. You should know that. Rush is a talk show host, a fabulous one, though not the president. He became addicted to painkillers due to a physical problem, not by being morally decrepit as der schlickmeister has demonstrated over and over. As for Klinton's ever "coming clean," that's another matter. (Don't even want to think about that!) Do you always exhibit such troll-like behavior on FR?

[weegee]

There are some allegations that Elvis Presley had been popping pills (uppers) since his days as a truck driver. Even Sun Studios recorded a rockabilly number titled "Bop Pills" back in the 1950s.

[Wondervixen]

>>Limbaugh, on the other hand, only determined to seek help AFTER he got caught and isn't worthy of either our pity or our support.

I think that's a matter for INDIVIDUAL'S to decide. I'll thank you to make your own decision and keep it to yourself. He'll have my support, and I'm sure, countless others.

[fishbabe]

but clinton is still a human being ,no matter how much you dislike him!!!!!!clinton and limbaugh are not good comparisons okay......celebrities and limbaugh are good comparisons because he is one..and he has not had a lot of sympathy for their downfalls...if this had been al franken,we can only imagine how much mileage rush would have gotten out of a situation like that...

[Wondervixen]

>>Everything that's happened to Rush is due to Rush himself, not Ed Asner.

So true, so true...What Rush does/did has no relation to Ed Asner.

Now, Ed Asner flapping his alligator gums might get his Dumbo ass kicked, and it has no relation to Rush Limbaugh.

I trust we understand the difference, don't we?

[weegee]

The whole "Monica" deal depends on what you mean by "got caught". X42 obstructed investigations into the affair and even tried to buy her silence. He continued to deny the affair while she was being questioned.

Additionally, Bill had been caught in a number of other affairs before Monica and he still has not come clean on those (Jennifer Flowers anyone?).

I don't think that there is much evidence that Rush's show has suffered from his addiction. Meanwhile, Bill Clinton's sexual addiction led to him getting oral gratification during the work day; making heads of state wait while he received head and dispatching troops (a security issue) while he was orally engaged. Bill Clinton's job performance suffered even without investigators trying to catch him in the act. Plenty of people enabled Bill Clinton. His sexual addiction may even extend beyond unwanted sexual harassment all the way to rape. Again, Bill Clinton has never addressed these allegations.

President Kennedy was also heavily prescribed pain killers (you are only "addicted" if you ever try to stop) as well as other medications. There is even evidence to suggest that John Kennedy smoked marijuana and ingested LSD while he was in the White House. At some point that drug use goes beyond medicinal and into "recreational" (although JFK's drug guide insists that it was for "enlightenment"). It certainly is a dangerous scenario to have the Commander in Cheif incapacitated because of the influence of drugs. President Bush briefly handed the reigns over to Dick Cheney when he had his colon cancer screening.

Rush Limbaugh just has never had anywhere near this kind of power.