The Revenge of Sandra Fluke

[AUDub 11,426]

I found this interesting article about the challenges Rush is facing and how it all ties back to his comments about Sandra Fluke. I thought it was interesting how of all the incendiary things he's has said over the years, it was this particular incident that significantly damaged the worth of his brand and that of talk radio in general so that even as he has record audiences, he is losing stations and will likely face a significant pay cut when his contract is renewed this year. It also shows the remarkable staying power of the boycott.

Why? Because four years after Limbaugh called Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a “slut” on air, spurring a major boycott movement, reams of advertisers still won’t touch him. He suffers from what talk radio consultant Holland Cooke calls a “scarlet letter among national brand advertisers.” And for someone who has said that “confiscatory ad rates” are a key pillar of his business, that spells trouble. ...

Limbaugh’s extremely lucrative eight-year contract—estimated to be worth roughly $38 million a year—is up this summer. What will happen to “America’s Anchorman,” as Limbaugh quasi-ironically refers to himself, once the contract is up, is anybody’s guess. Because as he is learning, political power does not necessarily a stellar business make.

But by attacking Fluke in such grotesque terms, Limbaugh broke a cardinal rule of radio—not to mention polite society, says Darryl Parks, a radio industry veteran and former Clear Channel news-talk format chief based in Cincinnati: “Don’t beat up on a woman, and don’t beat up on a [young person].”

In one fell swoop, he had done both.

The Sandra Fluke incident “did a lot of harm to talk radio,” Darryl Parks says. “Thirty-eight percent of revenue disappeared overnight.” And the damage was not limited to Limbaugh; he hurt all of talk radio, including even some liberal hosts. Certain programs—Michael Savage, for example, and in an earlier era, Bob Grant—had always been considered “toxic” by some advertisers, but after the Fluke incident, entire stations—or indeed, the entire format of talk radio—were deemed no-go zones by blue chip brands.

[channonc 466]

Funny, I was going to post this article today too.

Rush's influence reminds me of Grover Norquist's influence. Somehow, even though he is on the decline, people still treat him as though he has the following he used to. We are headed for a tipping point, where the very movement he created will overthrow him. I do anticipate that Rush will be forced to move to an alternative means like satellite radio where ratings aren't important and subscribers account for more revenue than advertisers.

[TitanTiger 20,708]

He could have made all the same criticisms of her ridiculous position on the issue without calling her a slut. And he would have been fine. But instead of most people seeing her as the entitled brat she is, he turned her into a victim. Not a bright move there, genius.

[AURaptor 1,137]

Has less to do with Fluke than it does with him getting older & losing a step or two off his game.

He didn't call her a slut. He made a joke which was rooted in truth, yet was less funny than he thought .

[TitanTiger 20,708]

Has less to do with Fluke than it does with him getting older & losing a step or two off his game.

He didn't call her a slut. He made a joke which was rooted in truth, yet was less funny than he thought .

But it was still an unforced error that didn't need to happen.

[AUDub 11,426]

He didn't call her a slut. He made a joke which was rooted in truth, yet was less funny than he thought .

Not just a river in Africa.

What does it say about the college co-ed Susan Fluke, who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex, what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex. She's having so much sex she can't afford the contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex. What does that make us? We're the pimps. (interruption) The johns? We would be the johns? No! We're not the johns. (interruption) Yeah, that's right. Pimp's not the right word. Okay, so she's not a slut. She's "round heeled". I take it back.

[AURaptor 1,137]

Has less to do with Fluke than it does with him getting older & losing a step or two off his game.

He didn't call her a slut. He made a joke which was rooted in truth, yet was less funny than he thought .

But it was still an unforced error that didn't need to happen.

True. Thus part of his being too old.

Remember Don Imus (! I Man's ) " nappy headed Ho' " inident ? He survived .

[cptau 169]

There were a couple of examples given, but just how many stations are willing to let his show and his listeners go to a competing station in their area?

It's not just Limbaugh. The national advertisers are scared of any negative attention based on what is said on any talk radio show. ESPN will fine, suspend and or fire their on air talent for anything ESPN deems to be politically incorrect.

National business are very afraid of losing market share based on coordinated attack campaigns. The use of social media and automated systems makes it appear to the advertisers and the media that millions of people are objecting when it may be only a few people using automated systems.

[AUDub 11,426]

True. Thus part of his being too old.

Remember Don Imus (! I Man's ) " nappy headed Ho' " inident ? He survived .

No one here thinks he won't survive. It's that he's looking at a 50-60% pay cut. Now the guy has millions and makes millions so it's not like he'll be applying for food stamps, but it's nice to know that we do have some standards in this country and that public outrage can translate into repercussions for the powerful, even if it's only a pay cut.

[AURaptor 1,137]

Most of that " outrage " is fabricated and agenda driven.

But that's his problem. Doesn't affect me.

[AUDub 11,426]

Most of that " outrage " is fabricated and agenda driven.

But that's his problem. Doesn't affect me.

Again, not just a river in Africa

Can you imagine if you're her parents how proud of Sandra Fluke you would be? Your daughter goes up to a congressional hearing conducted by the Botox-filled Nancy Pelosi and testifies she's having so much sex she can't afford her own birth control pills and she agrees that Obama should provide them, or the Pope.

[homersapien 11,812]

He didn't call her a slut. He made a joke which was rooted in truth, yet was less funny than he thought .

Not just a river in Africa.

What does it say about the college co-ed Susan Fluke, who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex, what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex. She's having so much sex she can't afford the contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex. What does that make us? We're the pimps. (interruption) The johns? We would be the johns? No! We're not the johns. (interruption) Yeah, that's right. Pimp's not the right word. Okay, so she's not a slut. She's "round heeled". I take it back.

Raptor does denial by sheer reflex.

[AURaptor 1,137]

" ok, she's not a slut. I take it back."

[homersapien 11,812]

There were a couple of examples given, but just how many stations are willing to let his show and his listeners go to a competing station in their area?

It's not just Limbaugh. The national advertisers are scared of any negative attention based on what is said on any talk radio show. ESPN will fine, suspend and or fire their on air talent for anything ESPN deems to be politically incorrect.

National business are very afraid of losing market share based on coordinated attack campaigns. The use of social media and automated systems makes it appear to the advertisers and the media that millions of people are objecting when it may be only a few people using automated systems.

Since when did common decency become "political correctness"?

Is refusing to have your business associated with radically misogynistic language really a sign of fear?

Do you have any limit for what should sort of language should be rejected, politics aside?

[AUDub 11,426]

" ok, she's not a slut. I take it back."

You chopped a part

She's "round heeled."

Do you know what that euphemism means, Raptor?

[homersapien 11,812]

True. Thus part of his being too old.

Remember Don Imus (! I Man's ) " nappy headed Ho' " inident ? He survived .

No one here thinks he won't survive. It's that he's looking at a 50-60% pay cut. Now the guy has millions and makes millions so it's not like he'll be applying for food stamps, but it's nice to know that we do have some standards in this country and that public outrage can translate into repercussions for the powerful, even if it's only a pay cut.

This article shook me up a little - in a good way. With the success of Trump I was beginning to think it was no longer possible.

[homersapien 11,812]

" ok, she's not a slut. I take it back."

You chopped a part

She's "round heeled."

Do you know what that euphemism means, Raptor?

He weasels by reflex too.

[AUDub 11,426]

" ok, she's not a slut. I take it back."

You chopped a part

She's "round heeled."

Do you know what that euphemism means, Raptor?

He weasels by reflex too.

I imagine this is what King Arthur felt like fighting the black knight.

[cole256 17,085]

I knew what this was going to be before I clicked on the thread, lol

[AURaptor 1,137]

" ok, she's not a slut. I take it back."

You chopped a part

She's "round heeled."

Do you know what that euphemism means, Raptor?

It was a joke. Get over it

[AUDub 11,426]

" ok, she's not a slut. I take it back."

You chopped a part

She's "round heeled."

Do you know what that euphemism means, Raptor?

It was a joke. Get over it

LOL!

"He was only kidding!"

That's some weak sauce.

[AURaptor 1,137]

" Drag a $100 bill through a trailer camp and there's no telling what you will find " - James Carvill, on Paula Jones.

Where's the outrage ?

[cole256 17,085]

LMAO!

[AUDub 11,426]

" Drag a $100 bill through a trailer camp and there's no telling what you will find " - James Carvill, on Paula Jones.

Where's the outrage ?

BWAHAHAHAHAHA dude I was 10.

Solid attempt at a deflection though

[AURaptor 1,137]

" Drag a $100 bill through a trailer camp and there's no telling what you will find " - James Carvill, on Paula Jones.

Where's the outrage ?

BWAHAHAHAHAHA dude I was 10.

Solid attempt at a deflection though

What does YOUR age have to do w/ anything ?

I was speaking of the fake feminists, who ran to Sandra's defense, but let Paula , Monica and all of Bill's sexual targets twist in the wind, as Hillary's Nuts and Sluts ( yep, that's what it was called ) campaign set out to destroy anyone who Bill had slept with who dared to come forward.

But thanks for showing your ignorance a well as your age. I see they go hand in hand on this topic.