When Rush first came back from a commercial break it was obvious that one of his cohorts in the studio told him to try to smooth things over. It was obvious that someone in his crowd understood the possibility that people in the audience could interpret Rush's words as uncouth. And they were (jmo).
I heard the whole thing. I cringed as soon as I heard his words. Rush is far from a person who influences others to his side, and that is what we really need.
It was the Rush cam that was the real turnoff. Mimicking the disabled isn't nice.