The Death of AM Radio and Decency

In light of the death of Rush Limbaugh I want to start this on a high note and say that while taken aback and sad that Rush has passed, he lived a full life. Becoming a nationally syndicated radio host and being played on over 600 stations is no easy feat. All over the world and in America especially, the entry into political dialogue and making money off of it is slim to none. If becoming famous through radio in America came down to ideas and values, Howard Stern would be homeless. It’s not just the message that made Rush famous, but it was the way he connected with his audience. He had grown men crying real tears calling into him in his final days. Plain and simple, the people really had faith in this man. It’s no secret that Rush had that special connection, take a close look at your average boomer Trump supporter and you’ll see the sadness in their eyes about Rush and his passing. 

Being given The Presidential Medal of Freedom by Trump at the State of the Union is a privilege only a handful of Americans will ever have the pleasure of receiving. It’s not about the ideas, again I can not stress that enough, It was his charisma and place in American homes everywhere that won him that reward. In the world we live in today it takes guts to defend the country, but to do that everyday to an audience of millions of listeners it becomes a whole new ball game. Let’s be honest, while some of us felt sorrow over his passing, someone somewhere popped a bottle of champagne. They took every cheap shot they could at him on social media. With their picture, their full name, and every piece of their personal information except for their blood type, they cemented their internet footprint by being joyous in death. 

No, I’m not taking a moral high ground, nor do I ever care to. Morality and politics don’t mix. It’s like throwing water on a grease fire. You’re just gonna make it worse. I just have a certain amount of respect for the deceased especially when it’s only been a couple of hours since their passing. Like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a person who was a professional and pioneer in their respective trade not only deserves, but demands a certain amount of respect whether dead or alive. Now I can safely segue into being an asshole. Was RBG a complete cunt before her passing? Yes. Holding a supreme court seat hostage and trying to stop a Trump SCOTUS nomination is as petty as it gets. While not successful, she did a damn good job at it and gave it her all. But you know what? She fought long and hard in her lifetime for anyone to take her seriously regardless of her politics. Being the first woman nominated on the Supreme Court, graduating top of her class while being a mother at Harvard Law School, and then to become a professor at Rutgers takes an intelligent, devoted, and most of all driven human being to accomplish said feats. Long story short, she has an illustrious track record that is second to none. More accomplished than the beer belly, mouth breathing, idiot who took shots at her the minute she passed. 

Now, for you skinny, IPA drinking, art degree having, homos that think you’re so damn good you best listen up. You may piss me and the rest of your family off for being such an insufferable do-gooder, always making sure you get the one up on orange man, but that’s all you will ever be. You're just a minnow in a pond full of your kind. You will never have the guts to go against the grain and find the same success Rush did on radio. Limbaugh pissed off millions of people on a weekly basis. He captivated audiences from east to west sparking debates on social and political issues. Was he correct all the time? No, none of us are. He’s human just like us, but he had the charm and brazenness to get people listening and challenge their own ideas. A member of the Radio Hall of Fame, Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and recipient of The Presidential Medal of Freedom, he will have accomplished more than any of you will in a span of over 100 years. You’re happy because a man died, but the only reason you’re happy he died is because he consistently out did you on every intellectual level you idiots kept challenging him on. Albeit I disagreed with him on what feels like more than a few issues, the guy just kept winning. You know why that is? He beat his competitors by being genuine and speaking from the heart. It’s why he had more of a following than any of these million dollar jack asses on the cable news channels. Like the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, both of these people earned a level of respect that only few will ever obtain. So in closing, I guess what I’m trying to convey is this… We will have our disagreements in this lifetime. Sure, they may be on issues bigger than ourselves, but it’s who we are and the track record we left behind that will live to tell the tale. So before any of us get on our high horse and feel the need to celebrate someone who died, take a look at yourself and remember that you ain’t shit. 

Rest in Peace Rush, you will be missed.


(Tony Montana) 2021. “The Death of AM Radio and Decency”  Hard Hat Philosophy.  2/18/2021 HARD HAT PHILOSOPHY - Home
​