COMMENTARY| Rush Limbaugh is known for making controversial comments, but of course that’s probably why he makes the big bucks. In March, when the radio talk show host launched the vicious attack on young female law student, Sandra Fluke, after she had boldly spoken up for women’s rights, calling her a slut and a prostitute, he may have gone too far.
According to Politico.com who notes a “selection of the March 29-April 25 Arbitron ratings provided by an industry source, “Limbaugh’s ratings dropped rather significant in some key markets. In New York City, in the key 25-54 demo, they fell 27 percent, 31 percent in Houston-Galveston, 40 percent in Seattle-Tacoma, and 35 percent in Jacksonville.
Earlier this month CEO Lew Dickey of Cumulus, one of the biggest radio companies in the country, said the advertiser boycott that ensued after the controversy cost him “millions” in 2012.
Limbaugh himself had a different take on the situation, according to the Huffington Post. The simple truth according to Limbaugh was that his ratings were up, but they weren’t. He even had the gall to cite statistics, stating his show’s ratings were up “anywhere from 10% to 60% depending on the station.”
Did he pull those numbers out of thin air? When it comes to Limbaugh, twisting the truth is something he is rather adept at, so that news is not exactly shocking.
Could this mean that Limbaugh’s time in the spotlight is finally dimming? He’s already made plenty of money off his angry, hateful rants, and could easily just take his big ego and disappear forever into the sunset.
While I don’t think it’s going to happen this year, I think it will happen in the near future. People are bound to get tired of his delusional and often hypocritical comments. While it may take decades, I would hope that the American people will one day realize that negativity only breeds more negativity, and will refuse to give people like Limbaugh the opportunity to spread their dark and often hateful views.
Less than two weeks ago, Limbaugh said that President Obama’s decision to support same sex marriage was akin to ” waging a war on traditional America.” He angrily insisted that it was people like him who would have to defend traditions and institutions from people like the president who is “waging a war on traditional American.”
A rather bizarre statement coming from a man that’s been married four times. But most of us already realize the words that come out of Limbaugh’s mouth are usually full of hot air and little substance. Perhaps the small slice of America that actually believes what he says are starting to get a clearer picture of what he’s all about. The day Limbaugh is off the air for good, will be a day to celebrate.
