Features

FartinMowler · #1

Quote:

he Nation Wed Oct 25, 1:40 PM ET

The Nation -- Rush Limbaugh has proven time and again what a nasty bully he can be. Remember his feeble attempt to insult Chelsea Clinton by criticizing her appearance when she was just a child? And his racist musings on whether black men were equipped to play quarterback? (FYI, Rush, at least five African-Americans are starting quarterbacks in NFL right now.)
ADVERTISEMENT

This week however, Limbaugh sank to a new low by mocking actor Michael J. Fox and his battle with Parkinson's disease.

p> Fox has become a Limbaugh target because he has appeared in political ads for Democratic senatorial candidates who support stem cell research, such as Rep. Ben Cardin of Maryland and Claire McCaskill in Missouri.

"He is exaggerating the effects of the disease," Limbaugh told listeners Monday. "He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act...This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting."

Limbaugh ultimately offered a half-hearted apology, but it's difficult to take this seriously. With a weekly audience of 10 million, he lives to generate this type of controversy. He and Ann Coulter seem to be in a competition for who can be the most consistently repugnant and woefully ignorant.

With his acting career essentially over, Fox now works to raise awareness of the plight of people who suffer from Parkinson's. Even if Limbaugh objects to stem cell research, it certainly isn't a crime for Fox to weigh in on the issue. Muhammad Ali has done this admirably. So did the late Christopher Reeve. Will they be the next to draw Limbaugh's vindictive ire?

Does anyone think that because there a comedians like John Stewart that these clowns (Rush Limbaugh and Coulter) think it's ok to just blurt out anything to regain some kind of audience?

KevinTheOmnivore · #2

First of all, Limbaugh is one of the most popular radio personalities of all time. He doesn't really need to "regain" anything.

What he said about Fox faking the convulsions was fucking disgusting. He should be ashamed of himself, and people should hear that and figure out what kind of a man he is.

However, his point about being challenged once you enter into political debate is a valid one. By coming out for Democratic candidates he jumps into it.

Preechr · #3

I was actually listening to that show the other day. What he said wasn't disgusting at all. He asked for clarification on his suspicions and got it. He immediately corrected. He apologized for any bad implications to his musings.

I'm no Rush fan, but this is nothing but political gamesmanship on the part of those that are making it a big deal.

Grislygus · #4

As much as I dislike Rush, in light of Preechr's comment, I'm going to try and find the whole quote before making any judgements...

FartinMowler · #5

Your radio sucks. In my travels down through your states from Toronto it's either Bible belt crap or John Tesh and his fucking annecdotes and commentary as often as his schedule permits

I really got "the answer" to my question of how the fuck could Americans re-elect Bush by travelling down to Florida listening to the bile of American Radio. Howard Stern going to Satellite was wonderful only because it really is a way to seperate the truelly ignorant from the inanly insane religous freaks that must carry a weapon. I was watching a show talking about how Georgia is being flooded with Mexicans and the local white people are happy because it's got an economy

DALTON, Ga. -- Making carpets has been very good to Emiterio Fraire. The Mexican immigrant recently moved his family into the Frazier Acres subdivision here, leaving a rental to buy a $104,000 house. He loves his new, forest-green Ford Expedition and the backyard patio that's perfect for Mexico-style Sunday grilling.

Mr. Fraire and his immediate family, who hold five jobs in the nearby carpet mills, were their cul-de-sac's first Mexicans. Now two more Mexican clans have arrived, also carpet workers who have leveraged multiple incomes from the mills to leap from Third World poverty to suburban security.

"I'm surprised how much this feels like home," says the 53-year-old Mr. Fraire, who has spent a quarter century toiling amid the whirring looms of about 15 different Dalton carpet makers. "I guess as long as I'm doing this work, I'm never leaving."

Summary: Rush Limbaugh stated that Mexican immigrants who illegally enter the United States are "a renegade, potential[ly] criminal element" that is "unwilling to work."

You really think this guy is the "most popular radio personalities of all time?" It's wierd to think that because someone can hold a job on a radio show for years trying to appease the public with any spin on what makes the general public upset is regarded as something great. Howard Stern is a pig to Canadians because we gave him a chance to be on our air waves and he failed....we don't regard him as " One of the most popular personalities of all time" :/

I'm sorry I can't get the FUCKING QUOTES to work on this site :

KevinTheOmnivore · #6

Nobody cares about Canada. What do you have, like 20 people living up there?

FartinMowler · #7

20 white people

and a monkey

mburbank · #8

I don't know how it came out over the radio, I saw the video of him immitating Fox, and it was pretty much what you'd expect from fatty. Mean spirited and not funny.

Now having watched the Fox commercial, I assure you that I could do an immitation of it that while it was in poor taste, would make you laugh.

Rushy really blew it this time, by making a regional commercial a huge national issue, and making himself look bad. You want to attack Barbara Striesand, that's fish in a barrell. You want to Mock michael J. Fox, who's work MOST people like better than I do and who has Parkinsons, which is a VERY nasty disease and actually relevant to what he's talking about, you better be very, very, very funny.

And the R's celebrity comeback ain't helping. Pitchers and Patricia Heaton? Fox has some serious motivation to know something about Stem Cell research. Did miss where Heaton has Parkinsons and still has moral qualms?

I'd say, and unusually poorly played moment for Fatty. Maybe he can follow up by picking on Christopher Reeve, who buy the way looked pretty funny as bald as Lex Luthor and may well have been faking it for sympathy.

mburbank · #9

Here's the quote, by the way.

"Now, this is Michael J. Fox. He's got Parkinson's disease. And in this commercial, he is exaggerating the effects of the disease. He is moving all around and shaking. And it's purely an act. This is the only time I have ever seen Michael J. Fox portray any of the symptoms of the disease he has. I know he's got it and he's raising money for it, but when I've seen him in public, I've never seen him betray any of the symptoms. But this commercial, he—he's just all over the place. He can barely control himself. He can control himself enough to stay in the frame of the picture, and he can control himself enough to keep his eyes right on the lens, the teleprompter. But his head and shoulders are moving all over the place, and he is acting like his disease is deteriorating because Jim Talent opposes research that would help him, Michael J. Fox, get cured."

Grislygus · #10

That's not as bad as I had hoped, that's just the fatass seeing what he wants to see.

KevinTheOmnivore · #11

There are two insinuations being made here by Rush. One is that Fox was "acting". Well, that's something we really can't know, and it's a pretty rotten thing to say of a man who will ultimately die because of this disease. So on that point-- disgusting.

Or, maybe he just didn't take his medication that day. Ok. We all know that piece of crap pops his pills every day, maybe one or two too many, am I right?

"I know he's got it and he's raising money for it, but when I've seen him in public, I've never seen him betray any of the symptoms."

This is amazing. So according to Rush, the symptoms of Parkinsons Disease are the ones he sees in public at cocktail parties and media events. This of course isn't the disease that Fox sees every day, when he gets out of bed in the morning, or has to simply get dressed and function. But I'm glad Dr. Rush can diagnose the matter so well-- we again all know how good he is at self-medication.

Once again....disgusting. I'll be the first to admit that by doing this add Fox opens himself to be challenged on the substance of the issue. And a part of me agrees with Limbaugh when he says the Left likes to create victims in order to stifle debate (i.e. troops against the war, women who have had abortions who like abortion, mothers who have lost sons in war, etc. etc.). Fine. Attack Fox on the facts-- there are enough questions about Embryonic stem cell research to do that. You can have that argument. But to attack him over the veracity of his condition is fucking ridiculous, and yes, DISGUSTING.

mburbank · #12

But not surprising, concidering the source.

El Blanco · #13

Quote:

And his racist musings on whether black men were equipped to play quarterback? (FYI, Rush, at least five African-Americans are starting quarterbacks in NFL right now.)

Oy, if you want to hammer him, there is plenty of material to do so. You don't need to make shit up.

He questioned whether Donovan McNabb was such a media darling because he was a black QB. He never said anything about black QBs in general.

And is it true that Fox actually did stop taking his meds for that ad? I'm just asking. If true, I'd actually approve of it to show people what it can be like for those with the disease but can't afford the medication.

And are we really so shocked Limbaugh said something crude and controversial?

mburbank · #14

When he testified before congress, he stopped taking meds, so that people could see the uncontrolled syptoms, but he was upfront about that.

My grandfather, who died of Parkinsons (at a quite advanced age, though) said that until the very end, it was possible to control symptoms for short periods of time. It's possible Fix was not exerting control. Also, sufferers have good days and bad days.

It hardly matters. No one debates that Fox has Parkinsons, or tat he'll die of it, so he doesn't need to act. In his recent performances in Scrubbs and Boston Legal, he's incorporated a fair amount of twitchiness into his characters.

Fatties riff was tactical, as are all his blusterings, and he's made quite a living off it. I think, though, that this particular bit shows he's off his game, and I think he's ctually done some damage to himself and his interests this time around.

KevinTheOmnivore · #15

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Blanco

And is it true that Fox actually did stop taking his meds for that ad? I'm just asking. If true, I'd actually approve of it to show people what it can be like for those with the disease but can't afford the medication.

I think this is a good point, and I meant to add it. Like I said-- Limbaugh's version of the disease is what he sees of Fox in public at celebrity events. But that isn't the reality of the disease, which Fox gave us a glimpse at in this spot.

I don't think there's any evidence that Fox didn't take his medication, I think that was pure speculation on Rush's part.

Preechr · #16

Except that Fox wrote a book wherein he explained that when he is appearing on film in hopes of raising awareness of Parkinsons, he either stops taking or takes too much of his meds for effect. O'Reilly discovered that, and Limbaugh, Hannity and Boortz have all said they have no problem with that tactic at all, instead praising him for his ingenuity and bravery.

This commercial, however, was not actually designed to raise awareness of or money for Parkinsons. It was produced to help elect a specific political candidate in a specific political election, though it's now being used in other markets. The ad specifically states that voting for one candidate over the other will better help support a cure for Fox's disorder. I'm sorry. That's just not cool.

Republicans are against releasing more lines for EMBRYONIC stem cell research. Among actual cures credited to stem cell treatments, embryonic stem cells are just not that promising. The problem is rejection. The research of embryonic stem cells is important, as the younger the cells the less they've degraded, but there's no evidence that more lines are necessary as the research so far isn't producing effective cures, like the one Fox wants, as well as is the research into affected, adult stem cells.

Now, I may be totally be talking out of my ass here. I believe this is a pretty good representation of the truth of the matter, but I simply don't care enough about the issue to read a book about it, much less sort through a bunch of google debris on the subject. Like Max, I don't really care for Michael J Fox, and this little spectacle doesn't raise him a bit in my esteem. I feel incredibly sorry for his condition, as I wouldn't wish something like that on anybody for my life. My interest in stem cell research STEMS, haha, from the experiences and hopes of some of my customers actually being treated for spinal fractures. I've seen a girl learning to walk again, but only on Montel so far, unfortunately.

Stem cell research undoubtedly offers a lot of promise, though I think the jury's still out on the practical benefits of the embyonic version, while the process of politicizing this is the truly disgusting thing that's happening.

VinceZeb · #17

Quote:

Originally Posted by mburbank

I don't know how it came out over the radio, I saw the video of him immitating Fox, and it was pretty much what you'd expect from fatty. Mean spirited and not funny.

Now having watched the Fox commercial, I assure you that I could do an immitation of it that while it was in poor taste, would make you laugh.

Rushy really blew it this time, by making a regional commercial a huge national issue, and making himself look bad. You want to attack Barbara Striesand, that's fish in a barrell. You want to Mock michael J. Fox, who's work MOST people like better than I do and who has Parkinsons, which is a VERY nasty disease and actually relevant to what he's talking about, you better be very, very, very funny.

And the R's celebrity comeback ain't helping. Pitchers and Patricia Heaton? Fox has some serious motivation to know something about Stem Cell research. Did miss where Heaton has Parkinsons and still has moral qualms?

I'd say, and unusually poorly played moment for Fatty. Maybe he can follow up by picking on Christopher Reeve, who buy the way looked pretty funny as bald as Lex Luthor and may well have been faking it for sympathy.

It's cute that you are calling someone "fatty" when there is photographic evidence that you have big ol' greasy bitch-tits.

Great political commentary there, putz.

mburbank · #18

I'm currently five nine and weigh 185 lbs, but if thinking about my 'bitch tits' gets you through the night, be my guest. It would be great if you told us your measurements. You could send them in along with your submarine letter. Say, are you in the military yet They lowered the IQ requirement, and they're pretty desperate, I bet they'd ignore that whole swooning thing you do where you get all rashy and pass out. Or are you too busy on your inspirational speaking tour for Subway? Get it? SUBway? SUBMARINE LETTER?

Is it too much to hope that you'd come back? We all miss you, and it would be soooooooo much fun to have you here now that Bush has approval ratings in the thirties, The Afganistan war which you were so sure we'd already won is still going on, and Pat Tillamn's brother has become a huge anti-war activist and Preechr and I are pals.

But I imagine you have to spend most of your time with your head in a paper bag due to the immense shame of being you.

Jeanette X · #19

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9WB_PXjTBo

The commercial in question.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhtYk5crxVY

Limbaugh's wonderful fucking commentary, and Fox's response.

Fox looks better in the response, but you can still see that he's got the same damn movement. Maybe he did go off his meds to show the disease in its full force, but he wasn't fucking faking.

RectalWart · #20

I tried to bring this whole mess to my christian right-wing bible-thumping sister, and she slapped on her headphones to keep from hearing/watching the videos. Fucking ostrich bitch. I asked her "Did you see what that piece of shit Limbaugh said about Michael J. Fox?" and she said "I like Rush." Fucking robot bull-shit fed moron. Anyone wanna help me stuff broken glass up her ass?

Emu · #21

Give her a hug and tell her you love her I hear girls are into that kind of thing

kahljorn · #22

who cares her political opinions will change in the next three years to the exact opposite, in then in two more years she'll be in the same position as now except more "high-minded".