Top Ten Things to Know about MDB

[_Trevor]

Slight derail (but then talking about Beck was already a derail), but my dad was here over the weekend. He was telling me that I really should watch Glenn Beck's show. He said, "Sometimes he gets really weird and weepy, and sometimes he's just plain nuts. But when he's on, he's on."

I'll grant that Beck has a certain populist appeal, which is completely undermined by the corporate interests that support him and the network he appears on.

I didn't think that was much of a ringing endorsement. I caught Beck's radio show a couple of times when I was commuting in Houston a few years ago. He struck me as not as smart as Limbaugh, and not as shrill as Hannity. But there wasn't really anything that stood out. These days all I hear about him are the dumb-ass things he says.

Well, Hannity and Limbaugh are hypocritical dickweeds, or more precisely, Limbaugh is a dickweed and Hannity is a complete asshole. Beck is a rather pathetic, rationalizing, younger brother who is eclipsing the popularity of his older siblings. What makes him in a sense more virulent, in spite of the fact that his personality is less vexing, is his penchant for conspiracy theorizing, which on one level is completely hilarious, but on another absolutely frightening because so many people are stupid enough to buy into it.

And what is sad is that the corporate fatcats are pulling the strings on all sides. There is your conspiracy, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the Communists, the Trilateral Commission, Bohemian Grove, the New World Order, or the Illuminati. It is a corporate plutocracy run rampant and hellbent to maximize profit with no thought for longterm stability or the collateral damage their games exact on everyone else.

[_Runtu]

Well, Hannity and Limbaugh are hypocritical dickweeds, or more precisely, Limbaugh is a dickweed and Hannity is a complete asshole. Beck is a rather pathetic, rationalizing, younger brother who is eclipsing the popularity of his older siblings. What makes him in a sense more virulent, in spite of the fact that his personality is less vexing, is his penchant for conspiracy theorizing, which on one level is completely hilarious, but on another absolutely frightening because so many people are stupid enough to buy into it.

And what is sad is that the corporate fatcats are pulling the strings on all sides. There is your conspiracy, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the Communists, the Trilateral Commission, Bohemian Grove, the New World Order, or the Illuminati. It is a corporate plutocracy run rampant and hellbent to maximize profit with no thought for longterm stability or the collateral damage their games exact on everyone else.

I'm not a fan of talk radio, right or left. Once on a road trip back from Texas, my CD player died, and all I had driving across New Mexico was AM radio. I listened to Air America, and it seemed to be the same kind of stupid, thoughtless diatribe that I have heard from Limbaugh and Hannity, though from the Left.

I do think that Limbaugh can be clever and intelligent, but that doesn't change the lowbrow nature of his show. You don't listen to that for reasoned or intelligent analysis of the issues. Hannity has none of Limbaugh's better qualities, and I can't listen to him for more than a couple of minutes.

I read a lot, from all sides of the political spectrum. I enjoy some conservative writers, such as Victor Davis Hanson (I'm not sure how to feel knowing I like a writer that Droopy likes). I appreciate good writing and thoughtful analysis, no matter the political position.

But talk radio doesn't attract me. My dad said he doesn't watch network TV anymore, but prefers to watch O'Reilly and then Hannity, and then he Tivos Beck to watch while he works out in the morning. I just can't imagine spending 3 hours of my day on stuff like that. I'd rather have time for the substantive debate of these message boards.

[_Trevor]

I listened to Air America, and it seemed to be the same kind of stupid, thoughtless diatribe that I have heard from Limbaugh and Hannity, though from the Left.

I simply can't listen to that stuff, or watch MSNBC. It is all too painful to take in. So embarrassing.

[_Runtu]

I simply can't listen to that stuff, or watch MSNBC. It is all too painful to take in. So embarrassing.

Yep. The stuff that passes for political dialogue these days is quite embarrassing.

[_CaliforniaKid]

When I watch anything political it's usually the Daily Show and Colbert.

I think Americans of both parties need to learn to take themselves less seriously.

[_CaliforniaKid]

Well, I take that back. I do tune in to Charlie Rose and NPR from time to time.

[_Runtu]

Well, I take that back. I do tune in to Charlie Rose and NPR from time to time.

I sometimes listen to NPR on my way to work. My dad says that I shouldn't listen to such a leftist organization. Despite what my dad thinks, I do know how to think for myself and make my own decisions.

[_CaliforniaKid]

I sometimes listen to NPR on my way to work. My dad says that I shouldn't listen to such a leftist organization. Despite what my dad thinks, I do know how to think for myself and make my own decisions.

lol. "Leftist" or no, they have some really excellent (and non-polemical!) reporting on NPR, most of which has nothing to do with American party politics.

[_JohnStuartMill]

I listened to Air America, and it seemed to be the same kind of stupid, thoughtless diatribe that I have heard from Limbaugh and Hannity, though from the Left.

I simply can't listen to that stuff, or watch MSNBC. It is all too painful to take in. So embarrassing.

I feel the same way, except that I'll make an exception for Rachel Maddow, who's pretty wonkish and almost always on-point.

[_richardMdBorn]

And that is precisely what I meant by unintentionally funny. In other words, like a really bad movie that takes itself very seriously, but which we laugh at because it is so bad and yet so earnest at the same time.

Slight derail (but then talking about Beck was already a derail), but my dad was here over the weekend. He was telling me that I really should watch Glenn Beck's show. He said, "Sometimes he gets really weird and weepy, and sometimes he's just plain nuts. But when he's on, he's on."

I didn't think that was much of a ringing endorsement. I caught Beck's radio show a couple of times when I was commuting in Houston a few years ago. He struck me as not as smart as Limbaugh, and not as shrill as Hannity. But there wasn't really anything that stood out. These days all I hear about him are the dumb-ass things he says.

John Batchelor is intelligent.

http://www.wbap.com/goout.asp?u=http:// ... orshow.com

So is Milt Rosenberg.

http://www.wgnradio.com/shows/ext720/