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Yesterday, Broadcasting lost one of it’s legends with the passing of Conservative Icon Rush Limbaugh who was taken by Cancer at age 70.
Sometime after Rush’s show went coast to coast, I went to hear him give a speech at the Michgian Inn in Southfield. After his speech I went up to the Podium - where he was thanking people for attending, I introduced myself as “Dick Purtan from WXYZ radio” and told him how much I enjoyed his speech. Rush looked at me - stepped back a bit - and much to my amazement said, “You’re my hero”. And then he told me a story. Turns out the station managers at his ABC owned radio station in Pittsburgh were making him listen to tapes of my ABC owned station WXYZ in Detroit. He said they wanted his show to be more like mine. He said he had listened to those tapes which apparently led to his reference to me as his hero.
Years later, Rush mentioned me on his show a number of times. He said listening to tapes of my show had thought him how to connect and entertain his audience.
One of those times, my Dad happened to be listening in Buffalo. I think that was the moment my Dad was finally happy with my decision to go into Radio - and not into the furniture and mattress business with him. For that alone, I owe Rush a debt of Gratitude.
No matter how you felt about his viewpoints, even Rush’s harshest critics agree that he was an incredible Broadcaster. His talent was partly a gift (His ability to talk for hours can’t be learned - nor can the power of his booming voice) and partly honed by his years on Top 40 Radio (Know when to get in, when to get out… keep it short, and talk about things that are relatable to your audience).
For Rush, it proved to be a Powerful Broadcasting blend that breathed life back into AM radio which had been on life support since the stereo sound of music on the FM band had taken the country by storm.
And Rushes show - from Noon to 3pm - also revived a time slot long considered to be an afterthought in Radio.
Millions of like-minded conservatives turned to him for his thoughts and opinions on what was going on in Washington and around the country. Politics and Social Issues were his bread and butter - and his ever growing audience tuned in for his “Common Sense” take - often deadly serious, sometimes humorous and satirical - on the State of our Union.
Interestingly, many people who DISAGREED with his take listened with almost as much fervor as those that Agreed with him. How would they know they didn’t like what he had to say if they weren’t listening?
From those that loved him and what they considered his “Voice of Reason” approach to real life in America, you’d hear “Did you hear what Rush Said!” From those that found him offensive… “Did you hear what Rush said???” Same sentence, different meaning. Only a true icon can create that much passion on both sides.
For three hours everyday, Rush talked about the things on America’s mind. And he did it in an always interesting, consistently entertaining, remarkably relatable and - yes - many times controversial way - deepening on YOUR point of view.
For millions of Conservatives - half of this Country - Rush told it like it was. He said things many were afraid to say lest they be called out as Racist or Sexist or any of the other “ ist“ labels thrown on people so casually these days. He believed - and there were millions who agreed and still agree with him - that our country had more pressing things to worry about than the number of mandated Gender-Bending bathrooms in Shopping Malls or whether Men, too, can have babies.
He believed (as do I) that America may not be perfect, but it is hands down the greatest country on Earth. He stood up to the Cultural Elites in Manhattan, Hollywood and on TV who spend their days telling us what a horrible place America is…that we need to apologize for virtually EVERYTHING that America has done and stood for since it was founded… and even before that! He thought it wrong to remove hundreds-years-old statues and “Un-do” our history instead of learning from it. He railed against corruption and championed traditional American Values - Compassion, Civility, Decency, Hard Work, Self Reliance and good old fashioned Love of Country.
His death has left a gaping hole in the American discussion of Who We Were, Who We Are and Who We Want to Become. Love him or hate him… you have to respect and appreciate his talent and his impact.
How do you replace that?
-Dick
