Glenn Beck Goes Off The Deep End Again

[bombshoo]

Isnt it obvious? He and Jon Stewart apparently share a huge amount of viewers. People who dont like Beck will watch Beck because of Jon Stewart and vice versa. Perhaps there is a conspiracy between the two to publicize each other to bump up viewership. No such thing as bad publicity in the media right?

I think Fox News and MSNBC probably do this to an extent. Even if it's an unspoken agreement.

Beck used to be on CNN. Did they fire him? I dont think they did.

I think he just left. Fox News probably pays a lot more.

 

[Askthepizzaguy]

I think Fox News and MSNBC probably do this to an extent. Even if it's an unspoken agreement.

I dunno. Maybe Olbermann, but when I watch Maddow during actual news events that she's covering, like the gulf oil spill, I saw her verbally kick Obama's for not doing enough and for originally caving to pressure to support more deep water drilling before it all happened.

I also saw a lot of on-the-scenes footage with actual experts talking matter-of-factly about what was going on, and it didn't make anyone, Republican or Democrat, look good. And the things that were mentioned rarely had anything to do with politics.

She's liberal and you'll see that when she interviews some conservative lobbyist where she's got hard questions to ask, but even the somewhat adversarial interview she gave to arch-libertarian Rand Paul was one that he agreed was fair, if pointed. In fact I've seen her do a lot of pointed but fair interviews with conservative guests.

I note that MSNBC now has more opinion programming, but all it replaced was the late night-repeats of their earlier opinion programming. The non-opinion mainstream news is still on most of the day, and the early show is hosted by a conservative Republican.

That and Olbermann got reprimanded for donating even a little bit of money (privately) to liberal politicians this one time, when Fox News itself donates millions upon millions of dollars all the time, as do their hosts donate truckloads of cash, and there's no policy against it.

It's really hard to say that the two are equal. You might have a point during the Olbermann hour (maybe) but other than that, there's really no comparison.

 

[SuperJay]

To call it bad journalism would be too kind. It's really, really good lying and excellent marketing. Glenn Beck's insane sensational conspiracy bull, if not because he really believes it (jury still out on that one) is for exactly one reason: to separate fools from their money.

Beck has actually admitted that he doesn't believe any of his own shtick. He has come right out and said that he's marketing a persona and spinning these theories to promote and profit from his own media company. I assume his viewers think he's really on "their side," but he's basically admitted that he's just fleecing them. I read the articles with those quotes a long time ago, but I'll see if I can dig them up for citation.

Apparently, there's a kind of American that wants to be afraid, that wants to believe that there's a vast conspiracy of some sort, that wants to "take our country back" (from who?) and wants to feel embattled and persecuted and righteous in the face of some vague, amorphous-yet-dire threat. For some, "patriotism" is the feeling that you're standing firm on behalf of "Real America™" against the rising tide of the foreign-sounding "ism" du jour.

There's nothing inherently wrong with that worldview, but those Americans - in their fear and anxiety - are open to being fleeced by snake-oil salesmen like Beck. I have no problem with opinion commentary on any "side," but Beck is convincing scared, elderly white people that they are under attack, fanning the flames of their fear, and using that fear to manipulate that audience for his own profit.

If you know it's a game, and you want to buy a ticket to ride that ride - go for it. Then it's really no different than WWF pro wrestling; you go into it with your eyes open, knowing it's not real but just enjoying it for the entertainment value. But if you actually believe what you're hearing from Brother Beck as the gospel truth, and you're shelling out for his books, DVDs, speaking appearances, rallies, his "university," and so on - and you're doing so convinced that "he's on your side" - you're being swindled. He's a con man of the first order.

 

[MobBoss]

He's taken a decidedly wacky extremist turn.

I listened to his radio show, many years back, lets say... 2004 about that time.

His show was conservative, yes, but it talked about politics far less than any other show that was on at the time. It was mostly skits and jokes and funny stuff.

I enjoyed his program. Yes, me.

He went on CNN and it started to turn a bit.... wacky. But not so wacky as it is now.

I dont disagree with the observation, and add the following as well. I think what we are seeing is simply him recognizing his success path and embracing it. The more wacky he got, the better his ratings got. And so forth, and so on.

 

[illram]

He is either legitimately insane/delusional (see, e.g., his belief in intelligent design) or a conniving real life troll who knows what he is doing and is cashing in. My money is on a bit of both.

 

[Cutlass]

He is either legitimately insane/delusional (see, e.g., his belief in intelligent design) or a conniving real life troll who knows what he is doing and is cashing in. My money is on a bit of both.

But either way he's a demagogue of the worst kind. And because people believe and follow him, he's a real danger to the country.

 

[warpus]

Obiously he's just in it for the money and tells his viewers exactly what they want to hear

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Why is Beck on Fox? Because Beck saw an opportunity and acted on it. And I emphasize acting, since Beck is not a fool. Beck probably doesn't buy half the things he says, but he's smart enough to know what his target audience wants to hear. And boy do they eat it up.

Remember, the target audience is the same target audience that believes all who voted Obama see him as a messiah, while adoring Beck and Palin as if they're the Joseph and Mary of baby America.

It doesn't make any sense, but hey, Friends and Twilight are also successful. Go figure

 

[MobBoss]

Remember, the target audience is the same target audience that believes all who voted Obama see him as a messiah, while adoring Beck and Palin as if they're the Joseph and Mary of baby America.

As in all things, this type of situation only works if there is indeed a modicum of truth to it, and in all fairness, there were a great many examples of people seeing Obama as the messiah.

I mean I remember people on talk shows saying how they thought all their problems will be solved once Obama took office, and that somehow he was magically going to get them all jobs, pay their bills, etc. I remember one woman actually saying that....that she didnt have to worry about her bills now that Obama was going to be in office, and that he would pay for them. Amazing.

I mean he even sent chills down Chris Matthews leg for goodness sake.

Its kinda hard to deny how much Obama was over-hyped during the run for President. So much so that the poor guy was doomed to disappoint no matter how succesful he was.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Obiously he's just in it for the money and tells his viewers exactly what they want to hear

Perhaps Beck does but Ailes and Murdoch? No. I think these people actually believe their own drivel, and so does most of the far-right in the US.

And the ones who claim they don't believe it apparently have no desire to make them stop telling obvious lies and deliberate distortions of the facts. Instead, most of them do all they can do defend Fox News by claiming the other media are just as bad while even complaining that Muslims don't do enough to condemn terrorism.

 

[warpus]

Dude, Beck is a troll, and one of the best rolls around. He probably doesn't believe half the stuff he says. He knows what his viewers want, and he delivers.

 

[Formaldehyde]

As I clearly stated, that is perhaps the case with Beck. But can you say the same thing about his "puppet masters" who pay the bills? Why is the Chairman of a major US "news" corporation claiming that NPR are "Nazis" and that Jon Stewart is a pawn of the "liberals" who "hates conservatives" if he doesn't really believe it all?

 

[MobBoss]

As I clearly stated, that is perhaps the case with Beck. But can you say the same thing about his "puppet masters" who pay the bills? Why is the Chairman of a major US "news" corporation claiming that NPR are "Nazis" and that Jon Stewart is a pawn of the "liberals" who "hates conservatives"?

Because this is America and they get to have an opinion just like everyone else?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

As in all things, this type of situation only works if there is indeed a modicum of truth to it, and in all fairness, there were a great many examples of people seeing Obama as the messiah.

"A great many". That's my Mobbie. Never specific but always implying I said "all" for a reason. maybe the Beck audience hate Obama to such an extent that they project that on those who voted for Obama. If we hate him this much, they love him this much. I don't know, I'm not a psychiatrist. I think a great many people also voted for Obama because they absolutely didn't want Palin. I think a great many people also voted for Obama because they always vote D. As with the Tea party, the number of crazies are greatly exaggerated by media selection. I think we agree about that.

And now Beck and Palin are hailed as the saviours of America. See my point?

My point being one I I think I've seen you make a couple of times as well. I'll leave it there

 

[JollyRoger]

I mean he even sent chills down Chris Matthews leg for goodness sake.

Chrissy Matthews is a sucker for stuff like that. He was giddy as a schoolgirl on Mission Accomplished day talking about how manly Bush was in his little flight suit get-up.

 

[MobBoss]

"A great many". That's my Mobbie. Never specific but always implying I said "all" for a reason.

/meh. I dont recall a survey making the rounds asking 'do you think Obama is the messiah', so exact numbers arent exactly available, so you will just have to deal with my observation.

Or not. /shrug.

maybe the Beck audience hate Obama to such an extent that they project that on those who voted for Obama.

Ah, I see. So there was no huge over-hype of Obama on taking office, and these are not the droids you are looking for. Got it.

I think a great many people also voted for Obama because they absolutely didn't want Palin.

Well, since Palin wasnt running for President, I would have to disagree to an extent. I will admit many didnt like her on the ticket with McCain, and she certainly didnt help, but the election was still about Obama vs McCain...not Obama vs Palin.

And now Beck and Palin are hailed as the saviours of America. See my point?

Odd, I dont see any conservatives in this forum doing that. Do you?

 

[mrt144]

Because this is America and they get to have an opinion just like everyone else?

That's a ******** answer because it doesnt explain why he has those opinions. Pick up the pace Mobboss.

 

[useless]

They called a Holocaust survivor a Nazi collaborator.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

If you suck money from the teat of Satan (Rupert Murdoch), you end up like Glenn.

 

[FriendlyFire]

What's funny is that the 3 revolutions Beck spoke of were 100% pro-democracy revolutions. He counts on the utter dumbassery of his followers to not know that.

/facepalm