There Will Never Be Another Like Rush Limbaugh

I imagine that right now many journalists are busy writing “THE DEATH OF CONSERVATIVE TALK” stories. The death of Rush Limbaugh, an icon in the world of talk radio, leaves an almost unfillable hole in the talk radio world, and as different people scramble to fill that void.

My introduction into the world of conservative media began in 2009, when I began working at a small news/talk station in Natchitoches, Louisiana*. It was largely a conservative lineup, starting with Bill Bennett in the morning, then a morning show that I eventually hosted, followed by Moon Griffon (a syndicated host in Louisiana), followed by Rush. I was the news director, so I would be assembling newscasts throughout the day, and that left me in the studio while Rush’s show was on the air.

Eventually, I started listening outside of work. There were a couple of reasons for this. First, you can always tell what smaller news/talk guys will be talking about the next day because it’s the stuff Rush talked about on his show. The second reason I would listen when I could is that I was learning the job. I needed to listen to the heavy hitters, learn how they were carrying themselves on the air, learn how they handled callers, and all that stuff. I didn’t have a Snerdley. I was the phone screener/host/board operator. I had to do it all, and I needed that guidance.

There are many people out there who tried (or try) to mimic Rush’s style. They’ll never be successful because they aren’t using their own voice. They’re trying to borrow his, and it doesn’t work for them. Rush’s success and dominance of the industry came because he wasn’t trying to be anyone else. He was entirely himself, and that is the lesson that I had to learn (the hard way) when I was in radio.

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