FCC Action Alert: Limbaugh Caught in On-Air Vulgarity

[Carolab]

Dear Rapid Responders:

Yesterday, Rush Limbaugh, our favorite right-wing hypocrite drug abuser, was caught saying the word "dick" in a deliberately vulgar, sexual context. (Thanks to Atrios of the Eschaton blog for catching this: http://atrios.blogspot.com/2004_12_12_atrios_archive.html#110305730452212714)

In keeping with the new emphasis on moral values, I think the FCC should be notified right away. Here's how to do it:

1. Go to http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/menu/rush.guest.html and find your Limbaugh station. (Or just use the handy list at the bottom of this letter.)

2. Send an email to [e-mail] with your own version of the following:

On Monday, December 13 in the 2nd hour of his program (1pm EST) broadcast on , Rush Limbaugh used the vulgar, sexual term "dick" when referring to a Miss Plastic Surgery pageant. Specifically, Limbaugh said:

"LIMBAUGH: Miss Plastic Surgery. (chuckle) And – I’d – I’d – I – I don’t – I don’t know what the winner – I – and, oh, I didn’t print out both pages, so I don’t know what the – I don’t know what the winner gets. Probably a certificate to go to San Francisco to have an add-a-dick-to-me operation. "


According to the FCC: (http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/obscene.html)

In making indecency and profanity determinations, context is key! The FCC staff must analyze what was actually said during the broadcast, the meaning of what was said, and the context in which it was stated. Accordingly, the FCC asks complainants to provide the following information:

Information regarding the details of what was actually said (or depicted) during the allegedly indecent, profane or obscene broadcast. There is flexibility on how a complainant may provide this information. The complainant may submit a significant excerpt of the program describing what was actually said (or depicted) or a full or partial recording (e.g., tape) or transcript of the material.

In whatever form the complainant decides to provide the information, it must be sufficiently detailed so the FCC can determine the words and language actually used during the broadcast and the context of those words or language. Subject matter alone is not a determining factor of whether material is obscene, profane, or indecent. For example, stating only that the broadcast station “discussed sex” or had a “disgusting discussion of sex” during a program is not sufficient. Moreover, the FCC must know the context when analyzing whether specific, isolated words are indecent or profane. The FCC does not require complainants to provide recordings or transcripts in support of their complaints. Consequently, failure to provide a recording or transcript of a broadcast, in and of itself, will not lead to automatic dismissal or denial of a complaint.

The date and time of the broadcast. Under federal law, if the FCC assesses a monetary forfeiture against a broadcast station for violation of a rule, it must specify the date the violation occurred. Accordingly, it is important that complainants provide the date the material in question was broadcast. A broadcaster’s right to air indecent or profane speech is protected between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Consequently, the FCC must know the time of day that the material was broadcast.

[pres2032]

1. if we're to go after Rush

we better go after Jon Stewart for saying it too. If we don't, then we're nothing more than hypocrites.

[Luminous Animal]

4. Stewart is cable

Not regulated in the same manner.

[Just Me]

9. You're standards are insurmountable,...maybe.

Look. If the right-wing, who hold themselves out as demi-gods, can be human,...why can't we,...be human.

How is being "human",...hypocritical.

Besides,...at least we really are far more consistent and morally equivalent than the likes of those who are being righteous.

Who among us has truly earned the title of "righteousness"?

DUH!?!?!?!?!!

[pres2032]

16. what?

while i agree that we are more consistant and no one can call themselves righteous, to purposefully allow an inconsistancy to occur is not being "human." to be "human" is to make a mistake, not doing something willingly on purpose and saying, "hey, i'm only human." That's just wrong.

[sonicx]

18. "to purposefully allow an inconsistancy to occur is not being "human.""

The history of Humans says otherwise. Examine your life and you'll find dozens of inconsistancies.

[juliagoolia]

19. Jon Stewart is on Late Night TV

He is not on public airwaves.
He is on CABLE.

Thats not the same as a radio dial your kid can accidentally turn to.

Big Dif.

Jon isn't pretending to be holy anyway. Its the RW Hypocrites that deserve what it is they dish out to the normal folks. Maybe if they take some of thier own medicine they will stop passing it out so much.

[Just Me]

25. I am trying really hard to wrap my brain around your post,..

,...maybe our "valley" lies in ASSUMING the intentions/motivations of others(which we simply have NO capacity to do except by their actions).

Yes?

Ashame that humanity has become so distant and disconnected,...that we not only persecute one another,...but, we don't even trust ourselves to ask and receive genuine answers.

What a sick lot we have become.

[Walt Starr]

32. Standards for Cable only channels are different than for public

broadcast stations.

Stewart can say it and get away with it. Rush can't.

[UL_Approved]

2. A pig and a poke

Stick it to the baconious bastard!

[rockedthevoteinMA]

3. NICE!!

Howard Stern would love this - someone should post this on his board!

Nice catch Carolab! :hi:

[WildClarySage]

5. Rush Limbaugh IS an on-air vulgarity.

[Just Me]

6. Seriously, folks,...we must NAME these hypocritical butts,...

I thought about this earlier tonight.

For example:

Rush "TO DRUGS" Limbaugh

Bill "OHHHHH Hard-On" Reilly

THEE one and only "Rove ALL over you".

Bushes "The Boss Hogs"!!!!

These people DESERVE "titles".

Let's give 'em to them!!!!

:bounce:

[juliagoolia]

7. THIS IS CRYING FOR US

WE need to USE the FORM on the
PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL WEBSITE!!!!!!!

THEY FILE 98.7 % of all complaints(all but about 250).

RUSH needs to think his OWN FANS are coming after him.

NOT ONLY THAT>> why not use an easy to use form that works!!

https://www.parentstv.org/ptc/fcc/fcccomplaint2.asp

I CANT RESIST FILING IT FROM THERE!!!!!

BECAUSE THE FOUNDER OFTEN SITS IN FOR RUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!when he is out. BRENT BOZELL the FOUNDER IS A SLUG ON RW BROADCASTS>> THIS IS HIS WEBSITE>> USE IT

[Just Me]

10. Hmmm. Yes. I will join that membership.

I want to end hate-mongering, discriminating, anti-progession propaganda.

I also oppose all the 21st C games which are strictly "good vs evil" blood draws.

Cool!!!

:bounce:

[Just Me]

14. We really MUST join this "vigilante"!!! n/t

[confusa]

17. So perfect!

Ha, I just finished reading this about the same group:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/12/13/DDG79AA71B1.DTL

Too fitting..

[CornField]

29. Hey - I like that!

[nickgutierrez]

36. That's brilliant.

:D

I love it. Especially since their founder is such a fan of the fat windbag.

[Erika]

8. His rehab didn't take. How sad.

I did not think he could keep up his hateful diatribes without substance abuse again.

If he had had a real "take" he would have knocked off the hatefulness.

Now he's lost his wife, again, another divorce and still no reality as to political situations. As much as I detest him for his silly and hateful diatribes, I feel sorry for him. He needs to learn that the answer is that there is no answer and carry on. Siddartha.

It is tragic that so many listen to him without knowing what's going on with the guy.

[CoffeeCat]

21. It is sad about Limbaugh...

I totally agree that Rush failed his rehab.

The man spews hate and vitriol for 15 solid hours a week. He's very angry about something--and it has nothing to do with politics.

If Rush can get to the heart of his anger, his need to self-medicate will evaporate. Then he won't need the show, because the hostility that fuels his rage will disappear.

I feel sorry for Rush too. He's obviously in a great deal of personal pain.

It seems like many rabid neo-con Republicans have a great deal of unresolved conflict and pain in their lives--most likely stemming from child abuse. I feel for these people, but it's a crime that they run around our country--destroying democracy and spewing lies--as a way to vent their pent-up rage and anxiety.

Get some therapy, do a few EMDR sessions--and stop destroying our country.

[Anakin Skywalker]

Hell, Why Not Complain?

Just to mock that sourpuss Brent Bozo III? His group does 98% something of all complaints to FCC.

[juliagoolia]

13. thats why I used bozellllls website who subs for RUSH

[Erika]

15. I agree

All of us should complain to Michael Powell. Of course it's doubtful if he'll acknowledge any complaint against the right wing. Fox TV has the smuttiest shows on TV but Powell isn't going to say a word. He's going home with those that brung him to the dance.

Yes, please complain to the FCC.

[Straight Shooter]

11. Isn't the dickhead funny, ha ha.

:nuke:

[juliagoolia]

12. exactly what I sent to them via Bo-ZELLS WEBSITE

On Monday, December 13 in the 2nd hour of his program (1pm EST) broadcast on , Rush Limbaugh used the vulgar, sexual term "dick" when referring to a Miss Plastic Surgery pageant. Specifically, Limbaugh said:

"LIMBAUGH: Miss Plastic Surgery. (chuckle) And – I’d – I’d – I – I don’t – I don’t know what the winner – I – and, oh, I didn’t print out both pages, so I don’t know what the – I don’t know what the winner gets. Probably a certificate to go to San Francisco to have an add-a-dick-to-me operation. "


Its not only vlugar its bigoted and insensitive and plain UGLY. My daughter was flipping around on the radio dial, and heard this. I was AGHAST when she asked why would he say that? This was followed with quesitons about having things added to your body!!!

YUCK RUSH! We don't want to accidentally hear this stuff while carting our kids around!~

WE need to stop this man from not only billowing out hate, but now he is going obscene,(by your definition.) I find the HATE that he spews daily equally as offensive and I WOULD NEVER allow my child to listen to his bigotry and hate. THAT IS EVEN WORSE> WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT??

[Erika]

20. We have also sent our Message to Michael Powell

telling of our disgust with Limbaugh's use of obscenities.

[Erika]

22. Send emails to Michael Powell

at [e-mail].

[Dr Fate]

23. Jeff Christie does think about dicks a lot.

I thought everyone knew that.

[Old Mouse]

24. DO NOT COMPLAIN!!!

Powell is not responding to the claims on an individual level. He is using the TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS to validate the need for greater censorship.

Complaining about Rush will only pad the number of complaints he is using for this argument.

[Erika]

26. Powell is tracking where the complaints come from

but then he says the source does not matter. If he can hit up Janet Jackson and Stern, he can hit up Limbaugh.

[NashVegas]

27. Moving This to GD

As great as it is to see this story, it is more of an action alert rather that a news article.

[juliagoolia]

28. morning kick

[Walt Starr]

30. I sent my email off yeasterday

It felt good asking for the Viscous Pigboy to get fined!

[juliagoolia]

31. Bozell says its not his site sending the complaints! USE HIS SITE!!!!

http://www.parentstv.org

[New Democrat]

33. No way.

I support freedom of speech for everyone, including right wingers.

[noonwitch]

34. Has Howard Stern heard about this?

He'll love to talk about it, I'm sure.

[maxrandb]

35. Here's what I sent to the FCC and WNIS in Virginina Beach

And I sent it from Bozwell sight

Would like to file a complaint with the FCC for indency on the 13 December 2004 Rush Limbaugh show. In speaking about plastic surgery, Rush made a comment that someone was having an "add a dick to me". My 12 year old daughter heard this and immediately began asking questions about what a dick is? Where would a dick be added to a person? What is the function of a dick? What is a dick for? Etc.

I would rather teach anatomy and sex to my daughter on my terms, not yours. Children are listening to these shows and this type of obscenity should not be tolerated.

[donhakman]

37. Bush the 1st could say kick your ass

so rush can say dick

[raggedcompany]

38. I made my complaint last night

after reading this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2827662

[leesa]

39. I don't care if he used that word.

[maxrandb]

40. Arghhhhh!

That's not the point IMHO. The point is that they are using the FCC to shut down any type of disent, or reference to liberal ideals, in the form of "protecting the children". Do you think they would have gone after Stern if he was a flaming * supporter?

We need to fight back against these frickin' people with the same type of "take no prisoner" approach they use. If we don't, then by God, AMERICA WILL NOT SURVIVE! Jesus used to say "turn the other cheek", but like Woody Hayes said; "I'm not going to do that if I will only get it fractured".

Sorry, but IMHO, the time to be "nice" is past.