Why does the NY Times keep referring to Rush Limbaugh as an "Entertainer"?

[mathpol]

There is a "puff piece" in today's New York Times entitled "For Conservative Radio, It’s a New Dawn, Too." As usual, they refer to Rush Limbaugh as an "entertainer". Here is the letter I sent to the Times.

Why does the Times keep referring to Rush Limbaugh as an "entertainer"? Does anybody there actually listen to him? Well I do, as much as I can stand it. He used to be primarily an entertainer, and also very insightful. Now he primarily rants, and he distorts the facts and cherry-picks them in support of his agenda, which is to trash Barack Obama and other "liberals" by any means necessary. He shouldn't be treated with respect, but rather as a pariah, given the venom that he spews. And he doesn't mean it as a joke! (end of letter)

I think Barack Obama should be concentrating his fire on Limbaugh, rather than Sean Hannity. Hannity is a dimwit, but he is not mean-spirited, and he will argue with people who disagree with him. Also, he doesn't pretend to be an entertainer. I guess Alan Colmes is leaving their show. Al Franken joked that Colmes had trouble getting a word in on his own show!

[Lifetimedem]

1. Well we can not call him

a newsman or a serious commentator ...so entertainer is as good as anything

[Jackpine Radical]

2. I think Limbaugh sometimes refers to himself as an "entertainer."

That way he doesn't have to be held accountable for his lies. He's only an "entertainer--" therefore he can say whatever he wants about anything with no accountability.

[GodlessBiker]

3. LOL! Calling him an "entertainer" is an insult. That's very funny actually.

He puts on a show. That's all.

[DrDan]

5. his followers would suggest otherwise.

Have you ever spoken to one?

I had a neighbor a few years back who would religiously tape his shows should he not be able to listen daily. And this guy was a auto union leader in Detroit.

[DrDan]

4. because he is - he is certainly NOT a journalist

which some of his followers would claim.

Obama should continue to do what he does with pigboy - as well as inSanity etc. Ignore them. To do otherwise gives them credibility.

[yellerpup]

6. He calls himself an entertainer and David Letterman calls him

"comedian, Rush Limbaugh", all stemming from slander and libel lawsuits filed against him going back quite a few years. I'm remembering this and too lazy to find the link/references, but I believe he originally called himself by these terms in court to exempt himself from libel laws.

[mathpol]

7. What's in a Name?

Limbaugh can call himself whatever he wants, but that doesn't mean it's an accurate description. He may act like he's a comedian, but he's more Joseph Goebbels than George Gobel. And the ditto-heads take him seriously, and there are lots of them.
Obama has commented recently on Hannity. During the campaign I heard him refer to Limbaugh as an entertainer.
Limbaugh is a menace and should not be given the time of day by any serious media outlet.

[ovidsen]

10. A menace?? You give him too much credit.

Limbaugh is an ENTERTAINER. Period.

I disagree with almost everything he says, but he does have wit, and can sometimes be downright funny.

But censor him? Ban him? Are you kidding??

You see, there's this thing in the US Constitution granting Americans the RIGHT of free speech. In other words, every citizen has the right to speak and make an absolute fool of himself or herself. Which, IMO, Limbaugh does daily.

I put Rush in the same "league" where I put Howard Stern. I don't have to listen to either one of them. But I'm not going to take away their soapboxes. It's not like they're dealing crystal meth, flying planes into buildings, robbing me with a weapon, breaking into my home to steal my stuff, etc.

If we do take away their soapboxes, they might take away OUR soapboxes. Like DU. Think about it.

[abbeyco]

8. Because A$$hole isn't polite

KO calls him a comedian, too. Rush is an uneducated idiot - if it weren't for his "golden microphone" he'd probably be shoveling shit somewhere which is about the only job he'd be qualified for.

Rushie wants it both ways - to be considered an "important journalist" because he thinks his viewpoint matters. However, he doesn't want to be held accountable, journalistically, so he's then an entertainer.

I think he's a non-funny, drug addicted, child molestor...but there are plenty of mouth-breathing moonbats out there that would disagree with me.

[opihimoimoi]

9. Peeps canardly unnerstan DEMAGOGUE perhaps???

He is a one sided asshole....the other half ruined by a puss filled boil a long time ago...

[Harry Monroe]

11. "Entertainer" is a perfect word to describe what he does

Isn't that what you would call a clown?? He certainly makes me laugh. A serious journalist, he's not.

I think a better word to use when referring to Limbaugh would be "douchebag".

[MISSDem]

12. He is an entertainer just like weathermen (weatherpeople?) are entertainers

and as such should not be taken seriously. Anyone who does is being naive.

[Doctor_J]

13. Hannity is not mean-spirited?

On what planet? :crazy: