THIS guy???

Will Glennn Beck be the new Rush? The big man can't last forever (can he?). Everyone has always thought it would be Sean Hannity or Laura Ingraham, but today it looks like the sulfurous, talking squid could inherit the throne that increasingly looks like a golden toilet seat.

But hell, golden is golden!

Radio-info's Tom Taylor: Glenn Beck joins fellow radio talkers Rush Limbaugh (Power Rank #23) and Howard Stern (#34) on this year's Forbes "Celebrity 100" list of top earners and influencers. Beck breaks into the list at #81. Forbes estimates he makes $10 million from radio, $5 million from books, $3 million from his website, $2.5 million from appearances, $2 million from TV, and $500,000 from speeches.

How depressing it must be to intelligent, educated radio conservatives such as Michael Medved or Dennis Praeger who try to frame real debate; have been long and hard at it, watch this silly, aping little demagogue skate past.

Comments

[KS]

Dennis Praeger is no longer heard in this market. Medved is on the same station.

Why has he become seen a surge in popularity ? Geez, it must be the way he resonates to moderates, some conservatives and libertarians, to the chagrin of the hives of progressives strewn about. Or maybe it's because he is now on that freakin' Fox News Channel.

[Corporate Suit]

That is because both Medved and Praeger are on second-tier networks which are not in the top markets. Even though Medved will say "Tom in Chicago,"...it's actually "Chicago Heights"...When he says "Los Angeles" he really means a suburb outside of LA. His producers tell callers that they will introduced as calling from a large market radio. Notice he never says the call letters of this big market cities---only the city.

[mrogi]

Michael Savage is heir apparent. Only Rush & Hannity have a bigger radio audience. Since the dustup with the former British Home Secretary, Weiner hss expanded his notoriety to an international scale. Don't be surprised if Savage inherits the throne from the Fat One.

[Jingleheimer]

Still, they all, Beck, Ingraham, Sean Hannity have a long, long way to go to get the total listeners that Rush claims. I'm not sure any one program can automatically step into his place if, god forbid, he should choke on his (or somebody else's) chicken or suffer a pie overdose.

[KS]

In case there is a threat by the FCC through regulation that the Bama administration tries to shut down talk radio through the back door, there will be a lawsuit pending - already taking shape from none other than Weiner and the Thomas More law group.

Time will tell if this is just paranoia mainly from the right or if it is for real. Meanwhile, party on...

[rodman]

I would say Rush is not so much the King of Talk Radio as he is the genericized trademark for a right-wing talk host. When he's out of the picture I doubt there will be an heir to the throne, just like Phish and Dave Matthews didn't exactly replace the Grateful Dead.

[jvwalt]

Beck's the obvious heir apparent. He outdoes all the right-wing ranters (including Rush himself) in using production bits and other audio elements that give his show a different (and younger) sound than the others. And, like Rush, he's crafted a persona all his own -- he's not a generic Rush wannabe, and he doesn't sound absolutely bilious all the time, unlike (say) Savage or Ingraham.

This is not to say that I like Glennnn, not at all -- can't stand him. He's doing his part to poison the well of political discourse in America. But as a radio entertainer (and that's his job description), he's the rising star of the Right.

[KS]

"He's doing his part to poison the well of political discourse in America."

He is also exposing the rest of the story about the progressives on both sides of the aisle - that is well hidden by mainstream news services, so if you call it poisoning the well - be clear that the political discourse in this country is already significantly poisoned thanks to the heavy media bias and lack of accountability of the press, TV.

Meanwhile, the rest of world looks on in disbelief at how incredibly naive and stupid we are being with our economy, which also affects theirs.

[Cretonne]

Is it me or is klueless posting more lately? Me thinks he had his ass handed to him last week.

[Puget Sound]

If it was true 'Cretonne' that KS had his 'ass handed to him' why not post under your regular handle instead of this new 'Cretonne' name.
This will probably turn out to be a rhetorical question as 'Cretonne' will no doubt slink away...Nevets called it right a long time ago.

[KS]

Cretonne - who in the hell are you ? you seem to be a phony or should I say Ph(J)oanie loser with nothing to stand on. Right here, you change the subject and have nothing to contribute to the current post. Your lame remarks indicate that you are a drive-by troll. Grow up...

I stand by what I have said then and now.

[Exiled in Central America]

Whoever he/she is, she certainly struck a nerve! :)

[mrogi]

Michael Medved is the heir apparent. Medved is hip, he is exciting, he is up on youth culture, he knows the streets...

Ok Ok I'm full of shit. Medved is a straight laced Mercer Island recluse and a bore.

[KS]

As the slogan in New Hampshire goes; Live free or die...

[joanie]

Well, this was a conversation worthy of Glennnnn. Insipid and empty.

[BenSeattle]

Beck has successfully tapped into the next level of the Screaming Pundit; dispensing ever-more strident, fanatical and unreasoned mindlessness that effectively out-shouts more thoughtful debate. "Shock Jock" continues to be the ideal term for one who offers nothing but the loudest, most fearful primal screams. Beck's act is so over-the-top that his meteor of fame is certain to be relatively short-lived as the pitch cannot be turned ever higher without actually BECOMING the crazed Howard Beale. Rachet up the nutiness and you get nuke-wisher Michael Savage. Fact is, Amercans simply do not require these say-anything-for-a-ratings-point yakkers to point out the failures of government; we're quite capable of determining that for ourselves.

[KS]

He is infuriating the O-bots (your know those liberal progressive airheads that worship Obama as the 2nd coming).

His profile was on 20-20 last night and he likes to emulate Howard Beale and be dramatic, but there is a resonating chord struck by what he says. His style gets mocked and ridiculed, but don't read much substantive disagreement on his view. Also like what Morning Joe (Scarborough) has to say - the one beacon of hope on MSNBC. Neither Beck or Scarborough bolsters either political party at this time.

[KS]

"Fact is, Amercans simply do not require these say-anything-for-a-ratings-point yakkers to point out the failures of government; we're quite capable of determining that for ourselves."

If that were really true - which I have my doubts about, then why are electing the same old corrupt pathetic incumbents in Congress that we did in the last election. I believe that many voters are continually duped by the Liberal progressive biased media that is compliant to the corrupt mismanagement going on by the White House. So much for people knowing how to vote intelligently.