Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!ucsd!ucbvax!CTRVX1.VANDERBILT.EDU!EWINGRA From: EWINGRA@CTRVX1.VANDERBILT.EDU (Rick Ewing) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: RE>Re- Rush Limbaugh on App Message-ID: <9012050251.AA03907@apple.com> Date: 5 Dec 90 02:53:00 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 59 QuickMail from Rick Ewing Attn:INFO-APPLE ___________________________________________________________________ Reply to: RE>Re: Rush Limbaugh on Apple Given Rush Limbaugh's general view on the world, I'm not at all surprised at his comments on Apple (since those comments reflected the general community at one time), but I have to question Rush's show in general. Rush Limbaugh (*not* his real name) is the host of a three hour national "talk" show airing from 12 noon to 3 pm EST. His views are conservative at best, and loony hawkish at worst. He loves taking pock shots at just about anything in the liberal community, or perceived to be liberal. His "homeless updates", "animal rights updates", and "feminazi updates" are a common feature of his program. What really bothers me is that his show breaks all the rules of traditional talk show, but in a negative way. He rarely has anything positive to say about anything but himself ("Talent on loan from God"). He has no guests, which means all you get to listen to is him griping and bitching about things day in and day out, usually about how the looney liberals are screwing things up again. He's even gone after Bush recently, challenging whether or not that he is a true conservative. His opinions are often seeded with outright deragatory remarks which are based in only rumor or heresay, and sometimes downright incorrect in fact. He does take calls, making him a "talk" show, but quite often things degenerate into a "talking down" session ("you people this...you people that") to anyone who doesn't agree with what he has to say. Not to say that Rush Limbaugh isn't popular. If you believe what he says, then he is currently the most listened to host on radio right now. But then again, so was Morton Downey Jr. Downey was extremely popular with his style of "talk" show, but of course his style grew tiresome very quickly and he's now off the air. I don't question that Rush has the right to air his conservative views to anyone who cares to listen to them. But he is an entertainer before he is a talk show host, and I believe that sooner or later, the majority of his audience will quickly begin to wane as he continues to treat them like children. A little disclaimer about me. Okay, so I'm a liberal democrat. And damn proud of it. I even like to listen to certain conservative columnists like Will and Buckley, because at least they make sound arguments that provoke thought. And George Will can always play devil's advocate, even to his own views, which I greatly respect. I even think that Larry King (*not* his real name either!) can get out of line sometimes with his guests. But at least King gives his callers that disagree with him a chance, and can understand different points of view. Limbaugh doesn't do this, and until he learns, I believe that untimately his show will fail on the long term (5-10 years) basis. --Rick Ewing Vanderbilt University ___________________________________________________________________