A good reason to hate 'Rush Limbaugh Show'

Millions of Americans tune into their favorite talk-radio shows every day, but even loyal fans hate one thing about the listening experience: commercials.

A commenter at the conservative online outpost FreeRepublic.com sparked a firestorm with a post complaining about the type and number of "spots" he has to sit through while listening to Rush, Sean and company.

"I understand that the number of willing sponsors for any station or show is limited," "Minn" wrote. "But does that mean that the same exact commercial must be repeated over and over in the same hour, and hundreds of times a week? Do you understand that you don't sell products to people by annoying them and insulting their intelligence?"

Other "Freepers" joined in, and, eventually, the passionate conversation captured the attention of broadcasting-industry veteran Randall Bloomquist. He recommended that programmers and producers read this "thoughtful rant" for a valuable chance to hear what their audience is saying for a change.

Rush Limbaugh

The White House displayed its weird obsession with Rush Limbaugh again this week, when an exasperated Robert Gibbs criticized the talk-radio host at a press conference.

Limbaugh's jabs at "Obama Motors" – the "government takeover" of General Motors and Chrysler – clearly struck a nerve with the press secretary, who mangled his facts.

As The Wall Street Journal reported, Gibbs wound up his diatribe by saying, "And then you should ask Mr. Limbaugh – I don't know what kind of car he drives, but I bet it's not an F-150."

"The F-150 truck," The Wall Street Journal noted, "is made by Ford, which didn't get federal rescue funds."

Expressing understandable disbelief, Newsbusters reported that the once-venerable weekly newsmagazine Time had been forced to admit that "obnoxious anti-environmentalist Rush Limbaugh" actually "had a point" when he insisted, from the beginning, that the Gulf oil spill's ill effects were being exaggerated.

On the air, Rush analyzed media coverage of the Shirley Sherrod–Andrew Breitbart affair, slamming Republicans for "fighting against their own" (FREE webcam clips):

Sean Hannity

One of Hannity's regular guests, Democrat consultant Bob Beckel, called Andrew Breitbart an "idiot, a bigot and a jerk," accusing him of doctoring the videotape of Shirley Sherrod's address to the NAACP (FREE audio).

Hannity's new "Caller of the Day" website feature remains a must-hear, and not all the callers are the usual angry, one-named liberals: Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Rickey Medlocke phoned in to talk about the band's tour across America (FREE audio).

Mark Levin

Mark Levin spends almost as much time on Facebook as he does on the radio! Levin has embraced social media as a way to stay in touch with listeners and serve up timely thoughts on breaking news.

Levin's Facebook note entitled "What is a Ross Douthat?" – mocking the New York Times "conservative" columnist – attracted attention this week, as did his post calling the judge's decision on Arizona's immigration law "abominable."

Christine O'Donnell is running against Mike Castle for the U.S. Senate in Delaware and told the Right Online Conference this week she owes a great deal of her success to Levin's endorsement (FREE video).

On the air, Levin jokingly claimed he'd "found the real problem with Hillary Clinton" (FREE audio).

Laura Ingraham

Ingraham has been away from the microphone part of this week, promoting her new book "The Obama Diaries," which hit No. 1 on the New York Times bestsellers list in the hardcover nonfiction category.

Guest hosts this week included Jed Babbin and Jamie Allman of St. Louis' FM NewsTalk 97.1.

Michael Savage

The Wall Street Journal profiled Savage, highlighting his sometimes unorthodox views on many subjects:

"Mr. Savage said there is no contradiction. Environmental and animal-protection laws don't require more bureaucracy, he says. He cheers the tea-party movement but hasn't associated himself with it because he prefers 'to stand on my own two feet.' ... In person, Mr. Savage is more congenial than he sounds on air or in emails, which he often writes in all-capital letters. Ask him a question, and he chatters without the anger that has become the trademark of his radio show."

Savage also interviewed Andrew Breitbart to get his side of the story regarding the videos he released of Shirley Sherrod's NAACP address (FREE audio).

"Illegal aliens have sucked us dry like locusts," Savage told listeners this week (FREE audio), reacting with outrage to a judge's decision to gut the Arizona immigration law (FREE audio).

Glenn Beck

The media's fascination with Glenn Beck apparently knows no bounds: This week the Huffington Post gleefully published Beck's high-school yearbook photos for some mysterious reason.

Pajamas Media interviewed Beck about his first novel, "The Overton Window," and asked him to explain the theory behind the book's title.

On the air, Beck tackled a complex issue he called "shocking": the news that the Securities Exchange Commission denied a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Fox Business News. The clear implication is that this powerful government body doesn't feel it has to answer to citizens (FREE webcam).

And now, from the left side of the dial …

The story sounded like satire, but it was true: President Obama skipped the centenary celebration of the Boy Scouts to go on the catty all-woman talk show "The View."

Yet as "Radio Equalizer" Brian Maloney reported, it "isn't just conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh or Fox News who are openly questioning Obama's curious scheduling: Libtalker Rosie O'Donnell, a former co-host of 'The View,' raised her own concerns during Tuesday's satellite radio program" (FREE audio).

"I don't really think sitting presidents should go do fluffy daytime TV shows," said O'Donnell, whose own memorable contributions to her old program – such as spouting Sept. 11 conspiracy theories – were more nutty than "fluffy."

Once again, it is interesting to see Obama supporters beginning to criticize his activities. Perhaps these criticisms will begin to encompass more pressing issues, as Obama's popularity continues to decline.