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Posted on 10/10/2003 4:58:15 PM PDT by jmcclain19
Al Franken to Substitute for Rush Limbaugh
(2003-10-10) -- Former comedian Al Franken will replace Rush Limbaugh on the Excellence in Broadcasting Network for the next 30 days while Mr. Limbaugh participates in an addiction treatment program.
Premiere Radio Networks announced the substitution shortly after Mr. Limbaugh told his millions of listeners that he is addicted to prescription painkillers and is going to deal with it "once and for all."
"When Rush told us he needed 30-days off, we knew we had to find a top-notch replacement," said a Premiere spokesman. "Although we had not heard of Al Franken before, we received a barrage of emails suggesting he is the next great American radio host. Apparently he used to be a comedian, and knows Bill O'Reilly personally. We were impressed with that. We're hopeful that America's ditto-heads will warm to Mr. Franken right away."
More likely he's done his share of narcotics.
W.P.F.
(when pigs fly)
He hasn't been silent. He already struck on this topic last week.
Rush Limbaugh Takes a Hit (CNN calls on Professional Rush-Hater Al Franken as a Rush "expert"!!!)ZAHN: Rush Limbaugh isn't known for going easy on his opponents. Al Franken isn't a shrinking violet, either. He joined me from Kansas City to talk about his reaction to Rush Limbaugh's double dose of trouble. I asked him if he was surprised by the allegations about Limbaugh and drug abuse.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AL FRANKEN, AUTHOR/HUMORIST: I was surprised.
ZAHN: Why?
FRANKEN: Well, I just don't think of him as someone who's involved in a drug ring. I wasn't surprised by the racist comments he made on Sunday night. That's sort of par for the course. You know, in my book Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot, I cite an example where he said that, late at night when you're watching television and they put up a picture of a criminal, it's surprising how often he looks like Jesse Jackson. So I wasn't surprised by the comments about McNabb. I was surprised about how long it took for ABC to fire him.
ZAHN: I'd like to share with you now, Al, something Rush Limbaugh told his listeners in 2001, when he announced he had some hearing problems. He said, "You would not believe the medications that are flowing through me in an attempt to reverse this. I'm popping pills. I'm shooting up stuff. I've never done stuff like this before."
If there is a drug problem, do you think it possibly could have stemmed from the medication he took during this very difficult time of his life?
FRANKEN: I'm sure it could have. What's sad is is that, you know, a public figure like himself, who's gone on record as being slightly holier than thou is afraid to go to a 12-step program like narcotics anonymous, and afraid that someone from the program will out him to a "National Enquirer" or something like that for money.
So I think that, especially these right-wing celebrities, these virtue guys. Bill Bennett, I don't know if he was a gambling addict or not. Usually when you lose $8 million or something like that, it might mean you have a problem. It's very hard than to go to gamblers anonymous.
But I think, actually, the statements that Rush made about black quarterbacks, he may have said it because he was high at the time. He may -- you know, I'm a Minnesota Vikings fan and Daunte Culpepper is our quarterback, he's great, he's a great quarterback and it's probably because he has that extra bone in his foot that I understand the blacks have, that bone can make him jump higher and run faster.
Isn't that what Al Campanis said? Or was it Jimmy the Greek? And I guess, Rush thinks the blood goes from the bone, from their head so that's how they have trouble calling plays and stuff and remembering the whole playbook and stuff.
ZAHN: In the past 48 hours, have any of these ailments (ph) slowed down the Rush Limbaugh empire?
FRANKEN: I don't think the -- the ESPN thing said you can't take him anywhere. He can't succeed in the mainstream media because of who he is. Someone's thought process -- he was supposed to represent every fan, because he doesn't know all that much about football, but it turned out he represented every racist fan. And I suppose there's a place for that, but within his own radio empire, I don't think this affects him at all. The drug addict stuff might. Right-wing listeners, conservative listeners tend to be anti-drug ring. ZAHN: And you can say that with 100-degree certainty this evening, with so many facts out --
FRANKEN: They tend to be. They tend to be anti-drug ring, right-wing listeners.
ZAHN: All right. Al, we're going to have to leave it there this evening. Thank you for dropping by.
FRANKEN: Okay. Paula. Thank you.
ZAHN: Good luck with the book.
FRANKEN: Thank you.
And there it is-- the admission that even with the world's largest radio audience, it ain't "mainstream media" unless its liberal broadcast networks.
Two things. First Rush needs our prayers. Let's hope he finds a cure for the demon that has taken over a truly talented individual.
But once he has been cured, he needs to go on O'Reilly and the No Spin zone and explain the words that he has spoken about personal weaknesses and whether he now sees those in a different light. No spinning allowed. He needs to set across from Tim Russert on MTP and have Tim show or read clips of previous statements where he has been critical and made light of public figures guilty of the same or similar moral failings and let him explain why he should be held to a different standard. He needs to sit at a roundtable with Jennings and Stephanopolous and other journalists who he has skewered and explain why he shouldn't be the butt of their satire face to face. Let him sit on Jesse Jackson's CNN program (does it still exist?)
He needs to sit at a roundtable with Jennings and Stephanopolous and other journalists who he has skewered and explain why he shouldn't be the butt of their satire face to face.
Skewering a "journalist" who was a top Democrat operative prior to his "news" position is not hypocrisy in light of his prescription medication addiction. Neither is skewering a journalist who refused to become an American citizen for over 20 years and then when he finally takes the loyalty oath lies because he still lays claim to his Canadian citizenship in violation of same oath.
You'll need to look for Rush's statements about Jeb Bush's daughter's addiction to prescription medication like Xanex for a proper analogy. Even recreational dopers don't fit the definition.
I wish I could see those and compare them to what he may have said about Robert Downey or other libs who have either used recreational drugs or prescription drugs. Unfortunatley, like most newscasts or interview shows such as MTP, there are not transcriptions of his shows. Though the years there have been several people (individuals) who have started transcribing his shows only to be shut down by Rush and his syndicator with the threats of lawsuits if they didn't. Seems they don't want a record of what has been said.
It is copyrighted material. Excerpts may be reported but complete transcripts are not permitted on unaffiliated sites.
Donawho and other shows SOLD transcripts of their broadcasts. Rush now has his 24/7 program; I am not a member and do not know what transcripts (at least of monologues) and broadcast show archive exists there (it is a pay site with some free areas).
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