Rush Limbaugh

It did not matter if you liked Rush Limbaugh, or did not like him, if you listened to him or you did not listen to him, if you talked about him or refused to say his name, he was a polarizing character that for better or for worse changed politics in the late twentieth century.  A republican radio talk-show host for many years, he started out trying to be a deejay, before getting his break in Sacramento.  In 1984, Limbaugh received his first “hands-off” job with no restrictions from a station named KFBK.  It was three hours of uncontrollable banter in the morning and certainly a foreshadowing of his career to follow. His main shtick was a serious of discriminating jokes against anyone that basically was not him.  He was rude, obnoxious, and he hated everything that was not a male republican WASP.    

Rush Limbaugh

  

Rush Limbaugh then received his first real big opportunity in 1988 when the ABC president at the time, Edward McLaughlin, made Rush the star of the Excellence in Broadcasting Network.  He simply took off from there to become the “Most Dangerous Man in America.”  This man had no limits, he was chasing one thing and one thing only, that was money and he got there.  Rush certainly had his agendas that were pro-republican and wanted to see America turn to his eyes but he did it while trying to fill his pockets.  Limbaugh told the people what they wanted to hear and if they did not want to hear it, he did not care.  He was certainly successful and ABC road his coat tails, just as the Sacramento station did.  

Rush Limbaugh in the radio booth

Rush Limbaugh understood how to use media to his advantage.  We see this sometimes today but it should occur much more.  This was an average Joe from the street that became an icon for the public.  He brought the idea of "infotainment" by combining news with entertainment to increase interest. Limbaugh used his power for good, at least in his eyes, when he released him minions to the voting booths for the midterm elections in 1994.  He pushed to turn the House of Representatives and the Senate to republican control.  He was successful again in dethroning so many longtime Democratic seat holders.  Will America possibly see someone break out of the Occupy America to lead us even though it is based on no one person having control?  Why just one?  We need people to use the media to sprea ideas and thoughts.  Facebook is a great tool but an even better one is Twitter.  The people on twitter with the largest number of followers are TV / Movie stars and athletes.  Neither of which are using this platform to its fullest instead they are tweeting, “going to the gym now” #gettinginshape. 

Attribution:

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