Hooked on Rush

BitPig Online ^ | 2003.10.10 | BitPig (B-Chan)

[B-Chan]

Popular radio show host Rush Limbaugh revealed today that he is addicted to illegally-obtained prescription painkillers and is entering a rehabilitation program for substance abusers.

His supporters have “rushed” to defend their idol, running around clucking about how this is really all no big deal. Well, I’m sorry to say, it is a big deal, and the legions of Rush Limbaugh devotees are just going to have to deal with the pain. It’s always devastating to find out your idol has feet of clay. “Say it ain’t so, Joe!”

I, however, am not among the breast-beaters and sackcloth-wearers who are crying in the streets over their toppled god. Frankly, I never understood what was so great about the Rush Limbaugh program. The man was a self-admitted entertainer, not a real political thinker; his brand of rubber-chicken, Chamber-Of-Commerce conservatism has as much to do with historic and traditional conservative thought as Coors Light has to do with real beer - they contain the same basic ingedients, true, but one is watered down for easy-drinkin’ smoothness, with no bitter intellectual aftertaste.

(Speaking of Coors Light, why was it that so many of the good ol’ boys that called in to Mr. Limbaugh’s show with their “cawmints” seemed to be drywall contractors cellphoning from their pickup trucks while driving home to Lewisville? Limbaugh’s listeners were good people, mind you, but not the deepest thinkers in the world.

Not that there‘s anything wrong with that. My point is that Mr. Limbaugh’s show was meant as mass entertainment, not serious politics.)

I guess one reason I never got hooked on Rush (to make a bad pun) was that his fan base kind of freaked me out. Cults-of-personality just make me feel weird. The frenzied worship many of Limbaugh’s fans showed towards him in public was positively embarrassing at times: behavior on the level of the kids who wear Star Trek uniforms to school or spend hours writing elegies in Elvish for fallen Glorfindel of Rivendell. In sci-fi terms, Rush Limbaugh was the Gene Roddenberry of American conservatism, with his own brand of Trekkies; it must be a bummer to realize that the Great Bird of the Galaxy is just another Hollywood sleazebag like everyone else in showbiz

The problem is that people have a natural tendency to make their heroes into larger-than-life supermen, and in so doing they set themselves up for inevitable disappointment. Limbaugh is not the political genius his followers see him to be — he is a showman. I agreed with a good bit of what Mr. Limbaugh had to say on the few occasions when I tuned in to his show over the years, but it was obvious to me from the beginning that most of it was pure schtick, complete with sound effects, zingers, and catchphrases. (The latter were the most cringeworthy; I always found talk of “el Rushbo”, the ”Maharushi”, and the “Golden Microphone” to be intensely stupid, and his constant talk of “excellence” conjured up images of the kind of profound Mission Statements one sees plastered on the walls of companies run by sleazy go-getters. “SlimeCorp — Maximizing Excellence!” Give me a break!)

Anyone who took Limbaugh seriously has got to be hurting right now; finding out that anti-drug Rush is a closet pill-popper has gotta be like finding out that Art Bell doesn’t really believe in the Chupacabra. I feel for his fans — but I hope they’ve learned the lesson in all this: all men are flawed; never get too excited about any one man.

My prayers go out to Mr. Limbaugh’s loved ones. May God grant him a speedy recovery, and may those who looked upon him as more than human finally get the message.

[section9]

(Speaking of Coors Light, why was it that so many of the good ol’ boys that called in to Mr. Limbaugh’s show with their “cawmints” seemed to be drywall contractors cellphoning from their pickup trucks while driving home to Lewisville? Limbaugh’s listeners were good people, mind you, but not the deepest thinkers in the world.

One thing I despise is elitism of any sort. Not only was that not necessary, B-chan, it adds nothing to your argument against Limbaugh. It was a gratuitous slam of his fans. I'm a fan of Rush, as are many conservative "deep thinkers". There is a reason that Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams sub for him or call him on his show.

I expected a lot better from you, B-chan. Rush is a human being with human flaws. Pretending that we placed him up on some godlike pedestal merely sets up a straw man argument. A few of us did, I know. But most of us didn't. You should have remembered that.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[WhoisAlanGreenspan?]

"Rush is popular for the simple fact that his views reflect the ideals that many people have.
About 20 million per week
Rush is free to destroy himself, but in the end doing so is not going change the reason for his popularity nor should it have any impact on what people hold true."

I certainly don't idolize Rush. I rarely post here anymore, and don't listen to Rush very often. But I must admit he had an influence on my own shift to the right many years ago. But I also blame Limaugh for influencing my 2nd vote against Reagan. And Reagan still sits as my greatest president in my lifetime. Plus one for Rush and minus one.

I absolutely never agreed with all of what Rush said, and I always considered him about a 50/50 entertainer / politcal thinker. But I think its also ridiculous to deny his influence on popular conservatism.
I think Rush will bounce back soon enough and he'll escape all this trouble he's found for himself as well. He loves the spot light and now can once again can talk about his movie star lifestyle.
His recent comments about black quarterbacks made me guess incredible stupidity, or a real itch for a knock down fight.
But the issue of black quarter backs in the NFL is about 5 or 10 year too late to even talk about. Many of the best QB's in the NFL have been black for some years now, pure competition in one of its most beautiful forms. Rush would probably agree with that statement if he said it rather than me.
He was obviously off the mark and he should be ashamed to show up for work like that. But contrary to what I've always heard Rush say, this is a drug culture. The people who defend the war on drugs has always been the big cats who do drugs. It is fashonable and so is bashing one thing when what you do is almost exactly the same.

Maybe Rush will come out of all this singing a different tune. Or maybe I shudder to think of him doing anti-drug commercials.

[GodBlessUSA]

You have not experienced debilitating pain. Had you experience this kind of pain, you would be more understanding. Your points are not persuasive as you do not have facts backing them up and you are just insulting Rush and his listeners. You also made mistakes with some of your observations. You claim observation is the basis of your opinions. Observation is an excuse for your emotions, which is the apparent basis for your opinions. You also admit that you were not a regular listener thereby proving your opinion is based on ignorance. Your judgements are harsh and not well thought out. You did not accomplish your goal regarding people worshiping others. You do not sound like an elitist, you sound pompous. Rush is not a Hollywood Sleezbag as you stated. By the way it is - Thomas Sowell.

[don-o]

Don-o I've been on this board since 1998. You seem new.

If you have been on since that year, you should know how to identify newbies. I think I am a '98'er as well.

Freepmail if you need some help on this.

[don-o]

Nope - you show as a 1999'er

[Graybeard58]

For the best post yet on this subject check out post #9 at:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/999238/posts?page=13#13


Posted by: Recovering_Democrat

[Calamari]

Could be as simple as the housekeeper telling the authorities that there are a lot of pills in the house neglecting to mention that the pills are all in presciption bottles.

Could be as simple as calling the local police from a pay phone and saying that I saw fml with a large quantity of pills near the local junior high school but I wish to remain anonymous.

It does not take much to have some one come to the attention of law enforcement.

[kylaka]

Rush always said he had one hand tied behind his back. Now we know why. The liberals should be quaking in their shoes about 30 days from now.

[Nov3]

The Kool-Aid drinkers will be coming for you now. Rush didn't explicitly admit that he illegally obtained drugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He just said the police told him not to talk about it. They pretty much do that to everyone who gets their drugs legally, you deep cover DU plant.

I would have never guessed!!! I wonder how many other DU deep cover operatives are around here. This brilliant sting operation by Rush is flushing us out into the open!

[B-Chan]

Damn! My carefully-constructed conservative façade has been shattered by keen-edged Dittohead wit! Now my status as an agent of the Worldwide Communist Conspiracy is plain for all to see. What a fool I was to criticize Limbaugh!

To the escape pods — quickly!

(Re the Kool-Aid drinkers: Bring ’em on.)

[OUSoonerFreeper]

Rush only admitted to being addicted to pain killers. He never said that he used pills that were obtained illegally.

You do not have to get the drugs illegally to be addicted. I know from experience.

How many liberal actors, musicians and politicians have admitted to being addicted to medication? A bunch, and I do not remember the stake burnings then.

[B-Chan]

Rush may not be a great "political thinker." But he's very loyal to conservative principles and conservative leaders.

I never claimed that he wasn’t.

As Hubbard once said, "an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness." And a lot of "Freepers" seem to be grasping for the latter. Those who can't keep a decent level of respect for one of our own need to find another web site.

The number of foaming, rabid responses to my innocuous little opinion piece here on this thread only serve to support my suspicion that a cult of personality based around Mr. Limbaugh exists within the universe of his audience. You’ll pardon me if I don’t join in; if I wanted to be a member of a creepy cult I’d join the Scientologists.

The Right does not need its own version of L. Ron Hubbard. I wish Mr. Limbaugh well, but I’m nobody’s Dittohead, and no one else should be either. Our loyalty should be to God and to the conservative cause, not to any one man, however entertaining he may be.

[Nov3]

I unfortunately have been unmasked also. Dane and several others have noted that I am from DU and did not drink the Kool-aid. The body snatchers are attempting to deal with me harshly. They have me strapped down to a cot and laid the pod next to me. I will stay awake as long as I can. Don't trust me if you see me later!

To the others B-Chan is toast and can't be trusted from now on. The rest of you need to be safe and nod in agreement. Good luck to all of you.

[Allan]

Catholic. Monarchist. Texan. Any questions?

Who is your candidate to be monarch?

[B-Chan]

One thing I despise is elitism of any sort.

That’s a shame, because elitism is a thoroughly conservative philosophy; egalitarianism is the religion of the Left, not the Right. I’d be happy to supply references to support this contention if you like.

Not only was that not necessary, B-chan, it adds nothing to your argument against Limbaugh.

I never had any argument against Mr. Limbaugh. My argument is with those who idolize the man. Does the right really need its own version of Chairman Mao? Judging from the words written by some of the people who have posted to this thread, the Cult of Rush already exists, complete with cadres of wild-eyed Red Guards ready to roundly criticize splittists who fail to promote Rush Limbaugh Thought with sufficient enthusiasm. What’s next — re-education golf camps?

andIt was a gratuitous slam of his fans.

Keep in mind that ”fan“ is short for ”fanatic“. I was under the impression that fanaticism was something to which we conservatives are to be opposed.

I never slammed anybody. I slammed fanaticism. I am against fanaticism in any form, whether it be for Star Trek, Mohammed, or Rush Limbaugh.

I expected a lot better from you, B-chan. Rush is a human being with human flaws.

Please re-read my essay. I never claimed otherwise. In fact, I clearly stated in my essay the obvious fact that all men are flawed, which supports my point that one should never get too excited about any one man.

Pretending that we placed him up on some godlike pedestal merely sets up a straw man argument. A few of us did, I know. But most of us didn't. You should have remembered that.

Chris, all I know is what I see, and I have seen a great many people calling themselves Dittoheads lashing out in anger at any criticism of their Dear Leader. The responses to my essay here on this thread are evidence that more than a few Rush Limbaugh listeners are fixated on the man rather than his message.

I fail to see how this is a good thing.

[B-Chan]

Who is your candidate to be monarch?

That would depend upon which nation we are discussing.

[Allan]

Yours

[B-Chan]

Do you mean the United States? I do not advocate monarchy for the United States. Please see my Profile page for more info.

[My Favorite Headache]

Counterparts

[Destro]

You know way too much about Star Trek and Tolkien....we should hang and do a convention.