The Morning Rant

This happened during the time (early 80s) when Rush was doing his talk show in Sacramento, California, and he's starting to develop his signature flamboyant style make some waves (Such as "caller abortions"). He gets a call from a reporter from the local newspaper requesting an interview. Rush agrees and goes to meet the guy in the early evening in some restaurant. Journalist asks Rush if he's like to eat and declines, saying that he's just had dinner. Reporter presses him. Rush says no, he's not hungry. Reporter continues to insist that he eat, c'mon, he says, just one hot dog. Finally, Rush says OK, fine, let's get on with it, so he orders and eats a hot dog. Unbelievably, the reporter doesn't let up, saying, c'mon, Rush, just one more. Rush really isn't hungry *at all*, but the guy is so insistent, Rush finally gives in and eats another hot dog just so he can get to the interview.

So the interview is published, and, get this, it's an absurdly slanted hit piece. It had stuff in it like this:

Rush is a bit fat guy who likes to stuff his fat face. He can't seem to stop eating. This reporter met with him for this interview and even though he had just eaten a full meal, he ordered not one, but two hot dogs, and I had to sit there and watch his thick neck bulge as he crammed them, one after the other, down his throat. Because he's a big fatty fat fat guy.

It wasn't those exact words, of course, but that was pretty much the gist of it. It was only then that Rush realized he had been suckered into eating -- just so the guy could write about him eating. But he learned his lesson. "From that day on", Rush concluded the story, "...I never again trusted the media."

(Although several years later, he did sit down for an interview that was published in Playboy, which I don't recall him complaining about, so I guess it was OK.)

But, in retrospect, the only sane response would have been for Rush to track down the reporter and punch him in the face. Well, not really, of course, but how is a hit piece like this not libel? Even with the bar set high, where you have to prove malicious intent to harm, how does something like this not qualify?

The only alternative to rigorously enforced libel laws is dueling, and I'm not sure we want to go back to that.

"Moderate Radicalism?"

As Predictable As Clockwork:

And Now, President Biden Addresses the Country:

Who Dis:

For the 'Ettes:

Wednesday Who Dis: I was surprised that I could find almost no information anywhere on the internet about French actress France Anglade, other than the dates of her birth (1942) and death (2014). I think her beauty is quite remarkable and reminds me of Brigitte Bardot, which is why I added the admonition "no, it's not her." She starred with Daniel Gélin in a 1970 drama titled The Servant.

Bonus Who Dis: Who Dis Couple?

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Today's Edition Of The Morning Rant Is Brought To You By Garlic Mashed Potatoes :

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Mashed potato recipe available here.

posted by OregonMuse at 11:17 AM

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