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Book Review: Rush Limbaugh -- An Army of One
"Rusty"
Back home in Cape Girardeau, MO, Rush Limbaugh was known as "Rusty". He shined shoes in a barber shop and worked at a radio station. He strayed from the path of studying the law unlike most of the men in his family.
It's hard to believe that he was pretty much "apolitical" until his mid-thirties! In fact, he didn't register to vote until that age.
Zev Chafets, a writer for the New York Times somehow managed to get Rush's permission to visit the Cape, speak with friends and relatives and write this biography. Limbaugh also granted Chafets access to his studio in Florida, the "Southern Command", his fiance, psychiatrist, and Rush himself.
Perhaps not since the 1993 Playboy interview has Limbaugh been so accessible. Chafets did not squander the opportunity.
The Limbaugh Method
Rush Limbaugh's typical modus operandi is an almost masterful use of satire and parody. Often he pushes the envelope to the extreme. Is there a literary term for "extreme satire"?
My review of Zev Chafets' new biography of Limbaugh is available now at Blogcritics.org -- the link is below.
One of the many topics covered is a favorite tactic of Limbaugh. He takes things his opponents say, write, or do, and turns it on them as parody or comic farce. A noteworthy example is the reference made to Obama by David Ehrenstein, an African-American writer for the Los Angeles Times. Ehrenstein referred to the then candidate as "the Magic Negro". (See the video.) More details in the review.
David Ehrenstein serves up a home run ball. Limbaugh hits it out of the park.
Click here to read the entire review.
- How will Rush Limbaugh influence the 2012 Presidential election? - San Francisco History | Examiner.
What do Rush Limbaugh and Bettie Page have in common? They both appeared in Playboy magazine. Bettie Page was the “Playmate of the Month” in J
2010 Wedding
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Buckley's book. Rush considers William F. Buckley to be a significant influence.
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Comments
I was unaware of this book. When I first turned my back on the Democratic party I listened to Rush quite a bit. Now I do occasionally. At least one of my liberal friends detests him. He is interesting for just being there.
Thanks for the review, FC. To answer your question about extreme satire. Satire is fun to write and fun to read but extreme satire could be seen by the subject as malice or even defamation.
Good review...I read it in entirety. You paint the book in such a fashion that even a liberal might consider satisfying the curiosity to read it. Good Job! WB
This is well put together. Thank you.
I can't stand the guy, though I'm a diehard Republican. Still a well written hub!
- Author
Thanks for your attention, interest, and comments.
Please take a moment, click the "Share" button and help me spread this hub around the internet. (Especially with "Digg" and "Twitter".
Thank you!
FCE
Great review! I've never been a Rush fan, but now I'm curious.
- Author
Thanks habee! He describes himself as "an entertainer who sells advertising for a living".
Maybe Rush is the "Magic Whitey". I've tried to listen to the show time and time again, but he goes off on these imaginary scenarios that don't even make sense sometimes. I have to switch stations.
I can,t stand the man, and i,m so disappointed that Elton John would even attend his wedding, Very informative hub.
Thank you
I love that Elton John performed at the wedding. We can all get along.
You've collected some interesting comments :) Will Tweet this hub -- thanks for encouraging me to! Great read of a review :)
People resort to sarcasm when they have nothing good to say, which breeds only hate and vindictiveness. Quite a shame that people have to stoop so low. When pointed in your direction, you will understand what it feels like. The 'passion' of radical talk creates schisms in society, rather than 'compassion' and cooperation to solve the ills of the world. Just my two-cents worth.
I'm an old fan of Rush, and I find it curious that those who say they hate him and don't agree with a single word he says have never listened to him!
To this day, most Rush haters don't know that David Ehrenstein coined the term 'Magic Negro', not Rush, and the left wing media is certainly in no mood to set the record straight.
Great Hub! Well done.
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