Limbaugh on O'Reilly: The Man Is Ted Baxter

Can this writer who has spent years revealing the absurdities and damage done to real debate get a better gift?

In the Zev Chavets piece on Rush Limbaugh in this week's New York Times Sunday Magazine, El Rushbo, the undisputed, big buck, contract king of all of talk, actually said that "(O'Reilly) is Ted Baxter."

Will Keith Olbermann expand his "Best Person In The World" to the full hour?

Will Al Franken stop writing books?

Will SweetJesusIHateBillOReilly.com close its doors as nothing more need be posted?

Will Susan Sarandon be getting sweet, sweet love tonight?

So that the Folks™ don't buy the standard BillO "out of context" defense, here be the full context of his comments:

At dinner the night before, Bill O'Reilly's name came up, and Limbaugh expressed his opinion of the Fox cable king. He hadn't been sure at the time that he wanted it on the record. But on second thought, "somebody's got to say it," he told me. "The man is Ted Baxter."

Really, nothing more need be written... but for those of you who weren't here for the beginning of... Read the rest of the story.

Award-winning TV writer and author, Steve Young, blogs at SteveYoungOnPolitics.com

Comments

[djmc831]

I dunno, I think Limbaugh and O'Reilly are more like Milburn Drysdale....willing to spread any lie and step on anyone for one thing: money.

[DRaymond]

I agree that the two are similar in their poposity, ego, and their self-promotion, but Ted Baxter lacked BillO's spite and meanness. I couldn't imagine him shouting down or insulting a guest.

One of my favorite scenes had Ted having an idea of rescuing his image by finding a little boy's lost puppy and have the station show him returning the puppy to the boy. When asked how they would find the dog Ted replied "we'll steal it".

[WorkingClass]

That show was funny. I remember one of the characters complaining about a malfunctioning type writer. Ted Baxter, in full spectrum pomposity sez: "a good workman never blames his tools".

Of course O'Reilly is a moron in real life. Try reading one of his books some time.

[MGhamma]

So, wouldn't that make the limborgh Les Nesman?

[larry278]

Ditto heads buy what Rush sells. The same thing goes for Bile O'Really & the rest of Faux's talking heads. These programs aren't love fests. Anger is popular among ditto heads but ditto heads avoid thinking. They leave that job to Rash & Bile. OK, OK, neither Rash nor Bile would be found guilty if thinking was a crime.

[CARTERJ]

Couldn't disagree more. Although BIll, Rush, and Ted always get (got) their facts wrong and are blinded by egotism, Ted Baxter was lovable and the laughs were always on him. He wasn't vicious. O'Reilly and Limbaugh thrive on hatred. They are despicable.

RIP Ted Knight. You created one of TV's great characters. Anybody remember his wedding to Georgette?

[NotMcCain]

You're so right. Baxter was pompous and not bright, but he had no evil intent.

O'Reilly and Limbaugh are despicable. They use news platforms to spread lies and encourage hatred.

Except for the "pompous" part, they are NOTHING like the character of Ted Baxter. I can't think of a suitable character to compare them with, but it wouldn't be anyone with a shred of integrity, empathy, or likeability.

[radiclib]

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Limbaugh tells lies that cause people to die.
He defends pollution while promoting racism and sexism.
And this magazine article portrays him in the context of ``Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.''
What is wrong with this picture?
.
.

[Yola]

Rush failed to identify himself as the same. They are two peas in one pod... over rated and overpaid.