1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,759 Speaker 1: If you missed any episodes of Russia Limbaugh The Man 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: behind the Golden E I B Microphone, you've missed more 3 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: great stories from some of Russia's closest friends, family, and colleagues. 4 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: All previous episodes are available now on I Heart Radio 5 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:20,640 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your podcast. On this episode 6 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: of Russia Limbaugh The Man Behind the Golden E I 7 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: B Microphone, we'll be speaking with two industry icons, Michael 8 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: Harrison of Talkers magazine and Phil Boyce, who was the 9 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,480 Speaker 1: program director at w ABC in New York when Rush 10 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: was there and was the p D who hired Sean Hannity, 11 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 1: currently VP of Spoken Word for Salem Communications. Whether you 12 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: listened every day you are at the E I B 13 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 1: Network and the Russia Limball program heard on over six 14 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: hundred great radio stations every now and then, nation's leading 15 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: radio and talk show, the most eagerly intisepated program. Stories 16 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: you've never heard from the people behind the scenes who 17 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: knew him best and loved him most. Rushman having more 18 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: funds the human being it could be allowed to have 19 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: Rush Limpough The Man behind the Golden E I D 20 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: Microphones hosted by James golden Through the Stand Up for 21 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: Betsy Ross campaign, you changed the lives of dozens of 22 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: hero families in need. The campaign benefited The Tunnels Are 23 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: Towers Foundation. Tunnel to Towers bills mortgage free smart homes 24 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: for our nation's most catastrophically injured veterans and first responders 25 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: to give them their independence. For gold star families and 26 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: fallen first respond to families with young children, Tunnel to 27 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: Towers pays off mortgages in full for these families and 28 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: provides them with the comfort of a home when their 29 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: world has literally been turned upside down. And thanks to 30 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: this campaign to Stand Up for Betsy Ross campaign, you 31 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: have seen to it that we have been able to 32 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: send a charital donation in total of five million dollars 33 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: to Tunnel the Towers. Your kindness, generosity, and patriotism brought 34 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: hope when it was needed most but more of America's 35 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: heroes in their families need your support. Donate eleven dollars 36 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,639 Speaker 1: a month to Tunnel to Towers at T two t 37 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: dot org. That's the letter T the number two t 38 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: dot org. First up, the founder of Talkers magazine, Michael Harrison. Now, Michael, 39 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: you've you've interviewed dresslan Ball. You interviewed him early on. 40 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: But before we get to that, I'd like you to 41 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: tell our audience how it came to be that you 42 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: published the leading magazine for the entire talk radio industry. 43 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: I had a background in trade publishing and in broadcasting, 44 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: and i've i've I've always led a double life or 45 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: a double career of being involved in the trades and 46 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: also being involved in just about every end of being 47 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: on air or managing or I even owned a radio station. 48 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: I've been a program director, and I've been a personality, 49 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: and I've been involved in music radio and in talk radio. 50 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: In the trade arena, I was involved in the development 51 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: of Radio and Records. I was its first managing editor 52 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:27,119 Speaker 1: when it started, and had also worked with Billboard magazine 53 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: and published a couple of newsletters and tip sheets along 54 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: the way. So uh, and I was doing talk radio 55 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: on a rock station in l A for eleven years, 56 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: and I always felt that when the nineties would would come, 57 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: this was during the eighties, that the nineties were going 58 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: to be the decade of talk radio, that talk radio 59 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: was going to become the dominant form of radio. So 60 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 1: I wanted to do it professionally as a broadcaster, and 61 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 1: I also wanted to be involved in it as a 62 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:02,839 Speaker 1: trade publisher. So when came around, I decided to take 63 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: all the experience I had in both on air management 64 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: and trade publishing and put them into a trade publication 65 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: that dealt with talk radio back as if it were 66 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: the talk radio industry. We called it the the industry, 67 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: even though it was just at that time basically a 68 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: small portion of the radio industry. And uh, fortunately I 69 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: was right, and that was thirty one years ago. Talkers 70 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: Magazine is still operating and still thriving, thank goodness, for 71 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: which I'm very grateful and it's extremely gratifying. When did 72 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 1: you first meet When did you first become aware of 73 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: Russia Limball? How did that happen? I heard him on 74 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: the station that I had owned, UM shortly after I 75 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: sold the station, they put Rush Limbaugh on. I'm driving 76 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: down Route Highway ninety one in Springfield, Massachusetts, and I 77 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 1: hear on my former station, the that I owned, UM, 78 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: this is Rush Limball, and how I go, who the 79 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 1: heck is that? It was like it's like the first 80 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: time I heard Elvis Presley. I remember that I'm that old, 81 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: and I remember the first time I heard the Beatles. 82 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: I remember the first time I heard Rush Limbaugh on 83 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: the air, and it just came through the speakers like 84 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: a ton of bricks, that that voice, and and that 85 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: whole ownership of the airwaves, the ownership of the air 86 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: And that was the first time. And and of course, 87 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: being a student of the industry, I had not started 88 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: talkers yet, so I was in the process of thinking 89 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: about it. Obviously. Um, I asked, who who is this 90 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: Rush Limbo? First of all, the name is funny, rush Limball, 91 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: you know, and similar to Elvis Presley. When he first 92 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: showed up on the scene, the name sounded very funny. 93 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: People are making fun of it. They called him Elbow Parsley, 94 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: rush Limbaugh, and UM, you know, you become used to 95 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: a name after a while, and uh, we're certainly used 96 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: to the name rush Limbaugh now. But that's how I 97 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: first became aware of him. And it's very interesting. The 98 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 1: evolution that followed in terms of syndication during the midday 99 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 1: was not something that major market radio was very quick 100 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: to do. That was considered to be very daring to 101 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: put a syndicated program program on in the middle of 102 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 1: the day and Rush talked about that. By the way, 103 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,239 Speaker 1: he was told at the time, this is never gonna work. 104 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 1: It's not going to work. Radio stations will not pick 105 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: you up, et cetera. But he went ahead and and 106 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 1: he and Ed McLaughlin. Did you know Ed McLaughlin? I, 107 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: I subsequently knew Ed. I did not know Ed personally. 108 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: He was a major executive at ABC Radio. So being 109 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: in the broadcasting business, I knew who he was, but 110 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 1: I had not yet met him or interacted or done 111 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: business with him. But I certainly knew who he was, 112 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:56,559 Speaker 1: and I knew that his starting a syndicated venture after 113 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: leaving ABC was something to be taken seriously because he 114 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 1: was what we call in the business, a heavyweight, and 115 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: obviously he was. So let's let's advance you hear him, 116 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: this is before you started Talkers magazine. Correct, follow your 117 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: own evolution as a listener. Well, I certainly understood the 118 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 1: need to fill a void, because that's why I call 119 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: that positioning, and in radio, positioning is everything. And so 120 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: it immediately struck me that his approach to UH talk 121 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: radio from the conservative perspective, especially with humor, in many ways, 122 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: he was sort of what on the right, what Jon 123 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: Stewart was on the left. Heavy use of satire, heavy 124 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: use of humor, heavy use of production and entertaining elements 125 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: and parodies and wordplay and double entendres. Uh So he 126 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: was very entertaining and filled a void because talk radio 127 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 1: was political. It was post fairness doctrine, so you could 128 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: be opinionated without being too restrained by fear that you'd 129 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: be sense sword or sensored by the government. And uh, 130 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 1: I knew right away, Oh this tap, this makes total sense. 131 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: There's a there's a giant market out there for conservative 132 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: politics because, let's face it, most of the media was 133 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: either moderate or liberal, and conservative politics was marginalized as radical, 134 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: far right, very negative, pejorative. So I knew right away 135 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: this guy's got it all. He's positioned properly to fill 136 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: the political void, politics being the major topic of interest 137 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 1: on news talk radio. And he's entertaining and he sounds good. 138 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: His his mechanics were that of a really seasoned top 139 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: forty jock. He knew that mechanics. And I'm very, very 140 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: into mechanics because I just love radio, So I knew 141 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: this was a guy to watch. Explain what you mean, 142 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: because we have a lot of people here that are 143 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: not radio people. So when you say mc planics, okay, 144 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 1: what are they talk What is he talking about? What 145 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,839 Speaker 1: is mechanics? But you know, people think you just get 146 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: on the radio and you sit there and you spout 147 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: your politics, you spout what you want to do. But 148 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: radio is a symphony. Radio is a combination. It's a 149 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: continuum of elements. There there's music, and there's commercials, and 150 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 1: there are breaks, and there's timing, and we're working our 151 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,319 Speaker 1: way up to the clock and at one o'clock we've 152 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,239 Speaker 1: got the news and then we'll be back. And there's 153 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 1: it's a whole dance of thirty second elements, ten second elements, 154 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 1: sixty second elements, bed music. Um, there's a pacing to it. 155 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: There's a sound and a texture to it that DJs 156 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 1: who came out of the sixties and the seventies and 157 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: the eighties inherently knew how to do. It's it's the reps. 158 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: It's if you want to be a pianist, you have 159 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: to learn how to make your fingers work on the 160 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: on the piano. If you want to be a baseball player, 161 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 1: you have to do batting practice. You have to you 162 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: have to learn how to throw, how to catch the 163 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: basic mechanics of an entity, and radio is the same way. 164 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: So and you can hear it right away. Rush played 165 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 1: the continuum of sound, the symphony of a sound of 166 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: a radio station or a radio show as one of 167 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: its elements. He knew how to integrate his voice into 168 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: that flow. I know it sounds esoteric and maybe I'm 169 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: over analyzing it. No you're not, because this is one 170 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: of the things that Russie Rush talked about this on occasion. 171 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: He would talk about it, but but he wouldn't talk 172 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: about it in depth the way that you are now 173 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: explaining it. What he would say is that radio is theater, 174 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 1: and you have to understand just as as an actor 175 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: would or or someone in the theater business. You have 176 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:49,199 Speaker 1: to understand the theater. You have to understand and and 177 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: and there are no visuals, so what you have is 178 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: the complete attention of someone who's listening. It's an active 179 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: process to listen to somebody, as opposed to look at 180 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 1: something while you're busy doing something else. Absolutely, and and 181 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 1: and the theater is a perfect analogy. When you go 182 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: into a theater, there's the curtain, there's the chandelier at 183 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: the top of the roof. If it's if it's a 184 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:17,319 Speaker 1: classic old theater, there's there's the whole atmosphere of the theater, 185 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 1: and then the lights go down, and then if it's 186 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: a musical, the orchestra comes up, and then the curtain 187 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 1: opens and the lights start. It's not just somebody standing 188 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: on a stage talking to you. There's a whole environment 189 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: and the actor or the writer or each of the 190 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: elements finds its place within this whole, you know, montage 191 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: of synchronized entities, and Rush brought that to talk radio, 192 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 1: so it's like listening to a music radio station with 193 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 1: the station's format was part of the program, was it 194 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:54,079 Speaker 1: was actually part of the show. The format was part 195 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: of the show. He did that in Talk before anybody else, 196 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 1: and um, that is one of the things that made 197 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,319 Speaker 1: him successful. Obviously he brought content and and a lot 198 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: of intelligence and other things to it. But that was 199 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: the first thing I noticed was his position politically that 200 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: he's filling a gap and that's good for democracy, and 201 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: that's good for radio because people that feel left out, disenfranchised, 202 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 1: hungry for that type of a point of view, empowered 203 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: and and franchised as opposed to disenfranchised. They would like that, 204 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: but they're also radio listeners, and a radio listener knows 205 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: when they're hearing the radio that it's not television. When 206 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: you hear a television soundtrack on radio, it doesn't sound 207 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: like a radio station. It sounds like there's something different 208 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 1: about it has a hollowness to it. This was full 209 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 1: radio and that voice. It just was the right package 210 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: at the right time. But I definitely think that his mechanics, 211 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: back to that word, were one of the pillars upon 212 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: which his success was built. AM radio was in trouble 213 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: at that time. People were wondering if AM radio would 214 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: survive five talk about that for a moment please. AM 215 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: radio was in big trouble, and, as I think Chris 216 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: Christofferson wrote in the Janice Joplin hit, freedom is just 217 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 1: another word for nothing left to lose. There was nothing 218 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 1: left to lose. FM radio was eating AM Radio's lunch 219 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: with the music. It just didn't sound as good. So 220 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:22,439 Speaker 1: here's what happened AM radio. First, of all radio fans 221 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 1: post war Baby boomers uh knew how to use radio. 222 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: They grew up with radio and they knew what AM 223 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:33,199 Speaker 1: radio was, so they were not strangers to the dial um. 224 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: Talk sounded good on AM. The aforementioned fairness doctrine was repealed, 225 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: which means now you can talk about politics and have 226 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: opinion without having to hold back for fear that you're 227 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 1: not giving every side at the proper exposure. And that's 228 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: impossible to do because there are more sides two sides 229 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: than anybody can believe. It's very subjective. So rather than 230 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: be fair and have more points of view on the air, 231 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: radio station said we're not messing with this, they just 232 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: never talked about anything controversial. That was gone, so controversial 233 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: politics suddenly was was fair game. The post war baby 234 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:09,599 Speaker 1: boomers that grew up with pop radio and AM rock radio, Um, 235 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:14,200 Speaker 1: we're getting older and suddenly interested in politics, Suddenly interested 236 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 1: in taxation, suddenly interested in in in various aspects of 237 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 1: freedom of government, of community, education, health care, public safety, 238 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: foreign affairs, all of these things suddenly were of interest 239 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: to basically the same audience that grew up listening to 240 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 1: rock and roll. The demographic shift had happened. They were 241 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: getting older, so suddenly the audience was was there for that. 242 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: And the thing that Rush did and that talk radio 243 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: did was it provided uh, the listeners with something that 244 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: was important in their life, something that was more than 245 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 1: just back crowned. It was it was heavy duty, It 246 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 1: had teeth, It reflected the culture, and radio to succeed, 247 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 1: going all the way back to the beginning, unlike other 248 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 1: forms of media, had to be hip, grassroots, the sound 249 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: of the street, uh, the everyday person, and RUSSI accomplished 250 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 1: that and and and as a result, it kept AM 251 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: Radio alive, and I think to a certain extent, it 252 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 1: kept all of radio alive. Not only you, my professor, 253 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: but you're also a friend and a mentor and somebody 254 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: that I've looked up to and I dare say a hero, 255 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: uh due to the value that the true life values 256 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 1: that you have expounded out there. I remember many years 257 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 1: ago you spoke to being able to get a job, 258 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: and you talked about the different levels and what's required 259 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: and whether it was a high school, college education. And 260 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: I think that the top level of that had something 261 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:57,480 Speaker 1: to do with integrity and respect. And I think that 262 00:15:57,520 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: those are parts of values that you teach out there 263 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: that are invaluable. And I just I'm thankful that I've 264 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: been able to experience you for all these years and 265 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: many years to come. Well, I thank you very much. 266 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:11,960 Speaker 1: You know, I'm I'm always flattered and deeply appreciative when 267 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 1: I find out how detailed people's listening is, and you 268 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: have heard the details and they've obviously made an impression 269 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: on you. I remember many of the times, not all, 270 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 1: I'm sure, but I remember many times I've talked about 271 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 1: getting a job, versus finding a career, versus becoming productive, 272 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: versus finding what it is that you are born to do. 273 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: We are all born to do something, including be lazy. 274 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: Some people just have to find what what they were 275 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: born to do, and it's a rewarding thing to get 276 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: calls like yours. I deeply and and profoundly appreciated. In 277 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: each episode, we've been documenting the story of Russia's life, 278 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 1: narrated by some of his closest friends and colleagues. This 279 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:07,160 Speaker 1: week a good friend of the program, a good friend 280 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: of mine, the actor, the director, and he was a 281 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 1: guest host once on the Rustling Ball program, none other 282 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: than our friend Nick Sercy. The Life of Russia Limbaugh, 283 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 1: Chapter eleven, narrated by Nick Searcy. After the election of 284 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:29,919 Speaker 1: Barack Obama in two thousand and eight, Russia Limbaugh was 285 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: immediately concerned for the direction America was headed as he 286 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 1: intuitively sensed the growing loss of freedoms and liberty to 287 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,639 Speaker 1: come over the next eight years, and as the end 288 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:43,120 Speaker 1: of the Obama regime neared, Russia's listeners trusted him more 289 00:17:43,119 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 1: than ever as Conservatism's most vocal champion and opinion maker. 290 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:51,639 Speaker 1: As a well known businessman, a non political outsider, started 291 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 1: gaining steam in a long shot bid for the Republican 292 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: presidential nomination, Rush made clear where his priority stood. Whatever 293 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 1: you think I'm advocate aiding, it's not because I care 294 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: what happens to the Republican Party. I care about what 295 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 1: happens to America, and I know that any more of 296 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:10,360 Speaker 1: what we've had the last eight years, it's gonna be America. 297 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 1: But it's not gonna be America. You and I know. 298 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: As then candidate Donald J. Trump took off on a 299 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: meteoric rise, the mainstream media and political pundits were dumbfounded 300 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: by his success and his refusal to play by the usual, 301 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: tired set of rules. But Russ knew early on that 302 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: Trump was different and why he connected with the American people. 303 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:35,880 Speaker 1: He's real, he isn't phony, he is not politically correct, 304 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 1: and he's fearless. He's not afraid to tell people what 305 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: he actually thinks about other people or things. Trump is 306 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: showing that the things the Republican Party is afraid of 307 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 1: are baseless. They don't need to be afraid. With his 308 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: signature insight, Limbaugh told his listeners why the experts were 309 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 1: failing to understand the man who was promising to make 310 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 1: America great again. Despite the scores of critics and doubters, 311 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 1: Trump never gave up, and he campaigned relentlessly right until 312 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:08,200 Speaker 1: the early morning hours of election day, November eight, two 313 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: thousand sixteen. So it's so officially Tuesday November. Did you 314 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: ever think you'd be hearing a major speech like it 315 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:23,480 Speaker 1: around close to one o'lock in the morning? Are we phrasey? 316 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: And as America came alive the next morning, it discovered 317 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 1: Trump had shocked the world with a decisive win over 318 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: Hillary Clinton. For his part, Rush became one of President 319 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:38,360 Speaker 1: Trump's most vocal advocates throughout his presidency and the election. 320 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: He saw Trump as a uniter who would be good 321 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: for America in the long run. He is out trying 322 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:45,959 Speaker 1: to get as many people in this country as he 323 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 1: can to join his movement. He's not trying to lose. 324 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 1: He's not trying to clean things up and make the 325 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 1: party something that it isn't. He's trying to rename it, 326 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,919 Speaker 1: reshape it, so that is a party of victory. And 327 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:03,200 Speaker 1: what's the slogan, America great again? America First. Everything he's 328 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 1: talking about is real. The outcome of the last presidential 329 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: election of Russia's lifetime didn't produce the results for which 330 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:13,199 Speaker 1: he had hoped. And if the world ever needed his 331 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:17,439 Speaker 1: insight and commentary, it does today more than ever. But 332 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 1: if you listen close, even though the Golden E I 333 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: B microphone sits empty, through the speakers of radio stations 334 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:26,919 Speaker 1: across the country, you can still hear the man we 335 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: knew and loved for more than thirty years. The voices 336 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 1: offering their opinion on the radio now may be different, 337 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: but the footsteps in which they follow undoubted belong to 338 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: Rush Limbaugh. Hey, James Golden, here, you know what it's 339 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 1: time that you treat yourself to a little bit of luxury. 340 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: You know the company. It's my pillow. But what you 341 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: may not know is that my pillow may more than 342 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 1: just the incredible pillows that have captivated America. They make sheets, 343 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 1: and these aren't just any sheets. These sheets are smooth, 344 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: they're soft, They're comfortable. 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Now that's my 354 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 1: pillow dot com promo code icon. Back with Michael Harrison. Mike, 355 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 1: when did you meet Rush? I met Rush? Uh, it 356 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 1: was I think it was nine. I met Rush on 357 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 1: the telephone when I interviewed him for the second issue 358 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:14,159 Speaker 1: of Talkers magazine. UM, but I met him personally. I 359 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: believe it was at the National Association of Broadcasters convention 360 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: in San Francisco, in which he and I were on 361 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 1: the same panel, and UM the panel had a couple 362 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 1: of other people. I think ron Owens from KGO and 363 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:34,159 Speaker 1: San Francisco was on it, and the conversation was or included, 364 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:38,639 Speaker 1: is it possible for a national syndicated personality to to 365 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: appropriately put a mid day on on a major market 366 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: radio station. That was the issue. It was that outrageous, 367 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:51,239 Speaker 1: and the audience was a little hostile to Rush and 368 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 1: very positive about ron Owens and UM. I believe the 369 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: moderators were Kennan Daria Dolan, and I was on there 370 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 1: as the observer. Talker was only one year old at 371 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: the time, but fortunately we already were very popular and 372 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 1: I was the I was the impartial observer UM and 373 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,360 Speaker 1: that was where I met Rush Limbaugh. You know, one 374 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 1: of the things that I've thought for years is that 375 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: so many broadcasters and not just broadcasters. It's it's because, 376 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 1: as you know, this is an industry that, to use 377 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 1: a political phrase, trickles down into other areas. Jobs are 378 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 1: not just created in a radio and just where you 379 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: have the jobs that come from advertising, you have all 380 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: the jobs that come from the advertising support, and it 381 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: goes on and on. So Rush coming in and and 382 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 1: and doing what he did for radio at such a 383 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 1: critical time, one would think that there would be this 384 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: swell of appreciation for it. Yet you mentioned there was 385 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 1: a little bit of hostility. What did you attribute that to? One, 386 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 1: A lot of people in the business felt he was 387 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: taking away jobs because, UM, I don't know, maybe there 388 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 1: were a hundred stations fifty two, it was far less 389 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:10,639 Speaker 1: than today. Um, during the original ascent of Rush Limbaugh 390 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 1: and what I call the modern era of talk radio. 391 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: So a lot of a lot of radio personalities felt 392 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: he was taking away their jobs. There was the feeling 393 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: that it was sacrilegious to have something that wasn't local 394 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 1: on a radio station in the middle of the day. 395 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 1: So there was hostility towards that. And I have to 396 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: say that at that time, most of the ownership and 397 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: most of the people in the radio business were of 398 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: a moderate to liberal bent, and they found his politics 399 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: offensive and disagreed with it. So the combination of what 400 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 1: they perceived to be taking away jobs, which which mathematically 401 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: turned out not to be absolutely true. And we can 402 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: talk about that if you want to. But um, there 403 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: was hostility from an industrial standpoint, in terms of the 404 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:55,159 Speaker 1: economics of it, the aesthetics of it, in terms of 405 00:24:55,160 --> 00:25:01,000 Speaker 1: local versus national, and uh, politically, Um, there wasn't a 406 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: fully developed conservative constituency within the radio business. Um And 407 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,199 Speaker 1: And one of the interesting things James that happened in 408 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: that encounter because I was on the panel with him, 409 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 1: and we also had dinner together. UM. I had dinner 410 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:18,880 Speaker 1: with Rush and the Dolans, and that was a very 411 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: interesting dinner. But I had an encounter with him in 412 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 1: the whole way. Um withstanding, it was just the two 413 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: of us, and he looked at me and he said, Michael, 414 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: I have a question I want to ask you. Maybe 415 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: you can give me an honest answer. I said, sure, Rush. 416 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 1: What he said, how come people don't like me? Blew 417 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: me away. It blew me away when he said, how 418 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 1: come people don't like me like I like like today 419 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:43,399 Speaker 1: in the panel, I just get the sense that people 420 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 1: in this business don't like me. I think. He then, 421 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,679 Speaker 1: you know, specifically pointed out as in this business. And 422 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 1: I looked at him and I said, hey, they're jealous. 423 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:56,879 Speaker 1: Don't worry about it. Because I knew this guy was 424 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 1: was heading for start um. I mean, it was just 425 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: obvious to me. I've always been prey about that type 426 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:03,399 Speaker 1: of thing, and I certainly was in that time. But 427 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 1: I said, don't worry about it, they're jealous, but he 428 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: was very The thing that I learned and that moment 429 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:13,440 Speaker 1: was that he even though he's tough and and and 430 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 1: and uh, you know, his teeth, as I said before, 431 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: in terms of what he did on the air, personally, 432 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,280 Speaker 1: I got the impression that he's a very sensitive individual 433 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: and was first coming around to understanding what it was 434 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,399 Speaker 1: like to be a public figure, even though the public 435 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: in this case was in the industry. Who who meets 436 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 1: with tremendous resistance and enemies? And I think it should 437 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 1: come up a little bit, you know that. It is 438 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 1: really an interesting observation. Let's and you mentioned before the jobs. 439 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: I do want to hear what you have to say 440 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: about that. Well, he did take jobs from people that 441 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: would be local on the stations that he was installed at, 442 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: but conversely, he created more stations as a result of 443 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 1: the success he brought to the format. So he may 444 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,640 Speaker 1: have taken one job or two jobs from each station 445 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 1: that existed when he first emerged on the scene. But 446 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 1: as a result of Rush Limbaugh, hundreds of radio stations 447 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 1: across America turned to the talk format, which created countless jobs, 448 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 1: from management to sales to on air to engineering. So 449 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: I sat down and figured it out because it was 450 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: a major issue. The guy's taking jobs. He's not taking 451 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:28,399 Speaker 1: jobs at all. He was making jobs in terms of 452 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,879 Speaker 1: the total sum of his impact. Michael, here's the here's 453 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: the money question, as it were, What is the legacy 454 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:44,120 Speaker 1: of Russia Limbaugh in the radio industry and beyond? Will 455 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:49,639 Speaker 1: there ever be anyone that does what Rush was able 456 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 1: to do by way of accomplishment in this industry. I 457 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 1: certainly hope somebody comes along and gives a shot in 458 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:58,440 Speaker 1: the arm to this industry going forward that would be 459 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:00,520 Speaker 1: equal or greater than Rush, But I doubt that's going 460 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,399 Speaker 1: to happen. I do believe there will be other media, 461 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 1: other platforms, other chapters of history, and other great movements. 462 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 1: So you know, I'm a I'm a believer in the future, 463 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 1: and I'm optimistic. But in terms of the time and 464 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: space the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty 465 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: one century that Rush Limbaugh operated in, I think his 466 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:23,359 Speaker 1: legacy will be that he was certainly one of the 467 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,200 Speaker 1: greatest I'm not talking about whether I agree with him politically, 468 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,440 Speaker 1: just one of the greatest broadcasters of the first one 469 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:34,479 Speaker 1: hundred years of radio UH and a major figure in 470 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 1: keeping radio iconic and pertinent. And I believe also he 471 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:43,480 Speaker 1: will go down in history as being one of the 472 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: most influential leaders of the modern conservative movement, the American 473 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 1: conservative movement of the late twentieth century and early twenty 474 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,200 Speaker 1: one century. And that's a hell of a lot, it 475 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: really is. Let me give you my view for a 476 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:02,440 Speaker 1: moment on honest this. You know, I when I first 477 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:06,240 Speaker 1: started with Rush, he was the first radio host I 478 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 1: had ever heard that integrated email, this new thing that 479 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 1: people were using. And back then he was using compu serve, 480 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: used to give his compu Serve address out invite listeners 481 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 1: to to UH to to be in contact with them, 482 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: and in real time during the show would read some 483 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:26,959 Speaker 1: of those emails and respond to them and integrated that. 484 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 1: And well, of course today we have this direct messaging 485 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 1: all over the place, instant messaging, and now it's text. 486 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:36,760 Speaker 1: Now it's instantaneous that you can get through. We have 487 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 1: entire social media platforms built on interactivity. When Rush started 488 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,719 Speaker 1: and and and as the show became what it was, 489 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: it wasn't just radio. Television changed. What you mentioned about 490 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: radio and the ownership was certainly true. Of television too. 491 00:29:55,960 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 1: There was no conservative space on television for conservative politics. 492 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 1: That has changed. The publishing world has changed, and that 493 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 1: happened after Rush too. So my own view is that 494 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: he is all of that and more in radio, but 495 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:19,440 Speaker 1: his impact on electronic and print media is sometimes not recognized. 496 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:21,760 Speaker 1: What do you think about that? I think you're absolutely 497 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: right as a matter of fact, as you were saying, 498 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:25,680 Speaker 1: and I'm going, yeah, I missed that. That's that's definitely 499 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: part of it. He definitely was a catalyst for our 500 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 1: evolution during the aforementioned time from the analog era to 501 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:39,239 Speaker 1: the digital era in terms of communications, and that of 502 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:43,960 Speaker 1: course goes way beyond any of the individual media platforms 503 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 1: that we've cited. It really ties into a rapid jump 504 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 1: ahead in terms of the wiring of the human nervous system. 505 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:54,960 Speaker 1: I mean, the way we're wired, the way we think, 506 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 1: the way we are ties into this analog to digital 507 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 1: transition which he did play a major role in in catalyzing. 508 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 1: So yeah, I agree with you fully, Michael. This has 509 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 1: been a real treat Um. You and I have known 510 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 1: each other for quite a while, UM, and you are 511 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:16,840 Speaker 1: just an incredible force in this industry. You know, It's 512 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:20,480 Speaker 1: amazing that you your passion and you were equipped, you 513 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 1: were born to do what you're doing, apparently because you 514 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 1: had this dual interest in radio and in trade publications, 515 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 1: and you were able to execute both of them flawlessy. 516 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: And thanks to you you have we have now an 517 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 1: informed media. You are doing something unique, and you've done 518 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:44,320 Speaker 1: something unique in this industry, and you are just one 519 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 1: of the giants, and so it is certainly our honor 520 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: and pleasure to have you here with us today. Thank 521 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: you so much for saying that. I really appreciated, James, 522 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 1: and Um, I wish you and everybody associated with that 523 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 1: great chapter of broadcasting history the best going forward. Thank you. 524 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: This whole experience, not one bit of it is work, 525 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 1: not one bit of it. It is all just more 526 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:09,680 Speaker 1: fun than I've ever had in my life. It is 527 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: absolutely no hardship whatsoever to fly around the country to 528 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:17,080 Speaker 1: see people, to be on the radio, or any of that. 529 00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:21,880 Speaker 1: You enjoy my show, and I appreciate that more than 530 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:24,560 Speaker 1: you'll ever know. I don't want to beat this into 531 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 1: the ground. I'm sure you've all felt like you aren't 532 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 1: going to ever amount to anything, even though you knew 533 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:32,320 Speaker 1: you were capable of and I felt that way. The 534 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: only difference between you and me is that I'm up 535 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 1: here and you're out there, And the only reason I'm 536 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 1: up here is because you're out there. Right. It's true 537 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 1: you may enjoy my show, but I'll tell you people, 538 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 1: especially you people, you don't know it. So I'm gonna 539 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 1: tell you you rejuvenated my life because a successful radio 540 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: person is not a success simply because he does what 541 00:32:57,320 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: he does. People have to listen to it, appreciate it, 542 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 1: and support it. And everybody in this room has. I 543 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:06,080 Speaker 1: mean for me six years ago to be mired in 544 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 1: loneliness and aimlessly walking through life and then to come 545 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:13,719 Speaker 1: here and have tickets sell out in two hours, My friends, 546 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 1: that hits me in the heart like nothing you can 547 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 1: ever imagine will nothing you can ever imagine will Well. Today, 548 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:26,680 Speaker 1: we are so pleased to have a man. His title 549 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 1: in the business is about a paragraph long, and I'm 550 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,120 Speaker 1: gonna read one sentence of it, so the rest of it, 551 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 1: you know, would take about half an hour. Phil Boyce, 552 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: the senior vice president of Spoken Word for Salem Media Group. 553 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:47,600 Speaker 1: Now this is I think impressive on a number of levels. 554 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 1: Salem is a competitor, but yet Phil is here with us, 555 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:55,440 Speaker 1: and Phil welcome. James, Thank you so much. It's an 556 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: honor to be on with you. I think I met 557 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 1: you in when I joined w ABC as program director. 558 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:06,600 Speaker 1: The station at the time when I got there was 559 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:08,920 Speaker 1: the most listened to the news talk station in the nation. 560 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:12,680 Speaker 1: And I'll never forget sticking my head around the corner 561 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 1: and seeing you sitting there at the control seat of 562 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: the E. I B Network with Kick Carson and I 563 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,200 Speaker 1: think it was Brett winter Bull. It was like looking 564 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:28,040 Speaker 1: into the Starship Enterprise and seeing uh Spock and Kirk 565 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 1: and Zulu and you guys were at the center of 566 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:38,719 Speaker 1: the universe. I mean at that time, this was so 567 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,719 Speaker 1: You've been doing the syndicated show with Rush for I 568 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:44,600 Speaker 1: think seven or eight years. You guys were the top 569 00:34:44,640 --> 00:34:47,040 Speaker 1: of the world at that time, and you stayed there. 570 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:49,520 Speaker 1: That was the amazing thing. You stayed there for a 571 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:53,200 Speaker 1: long long time. Now, you already alluded to the to 572 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 1: Rush when you came into w A b C and 573 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 1: you saw him. What was it like the first time 574 00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:00,080 Speaker 1: you met Rush? Well, I want to go back for 575 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:02,239 Speaker 1: the first time I heard Rush coming out of the 576 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:05,360 Speaker 1: speaker because That's a Kennedy like moment for me. I 577 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 1: remember where I was and what I was doing when 578 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:11,320 Speaker 1: I first heard Rush Limbaugh coming out of the speaker. 579 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:14,480 Speaker 1: So I was the news director in Denver of Khal 580 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:18,000 Speaker 1: kho W and I had worked the morning ship. So 581 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:20,400 Speaker 1: I was driving home in the middle of the day 582 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 1: and I was in the car right next to the 583 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:26,000 Speaker 1: Wiltshire Hills golf course when Rush comes out of the speaker. 584 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:28,880 Speaker 1: Apparently somebody was on vacation at k o A that 585 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 1: day and Ed McLaughlin convinced them to try Rush for 586 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 1: a day. Well, I was immediately blown away. I mean, 587 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 1: this guy was saying things that I had been thinking 588 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 1: in a way that I had never heard anybody before. 589 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:45,759 Speaker 1: And back at Khal, we had been thinking about going talk. 590 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 1: We were still playing music back in and we we 591 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:53,840 Speaker 1: just didn't have the right talent. We needed horses to 592 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:56,920 Speaker 1: do it. And I drove back to the station, went 593 00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:59,399 Speaker 1: into the g MS office right that moment, and I said, 594 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,200 Speaker 1: turn on k Away, You've got to hear this guy. 595 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:03,880 Speaker 1: He's the guy we need to get to build the 596 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 1: station around. So he did, and he liked Rush, and 597 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:12,040 Speaker 1: he called his boss, the president of viacom Bill Figgenshu, 598 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:16,120 Speaker 1: and he asked Bill Figgenshu, could we grab this guy 599 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:20,360 Speaker 1: Rush Limbaugh. Apparently he's available. And Bill Figginshu said, you 600 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: know what, that guy's not gonna make it. He was 601 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: my roommate when we were both rock chocks at KQB 602 00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:30,520 Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh, and he was a slab. He left half 603 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:33,719 Speaker 1: eaten pizza in boxes around the apartment. I don't think 604 00:36:33,719 --> 00:36:36,479 Speaker 1: he's gonna make it. No, you cannot do that. He's 605 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 1: not gonna make it. Well, of course we know the 606 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 1: rest is history. Uh. But and and Bill Figgershu was 607 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:44,480 Speaker 1: a nice guy. He just missed it. A lot of 608 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:48,759 Speaker 1: people missed it on Rush Rising like he did. But 609 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:51,759 Speaker 1: you know, stations that picked up Rush back in the 610 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:57,760 Speaker 1: day would get massive complaints from listeners who just hated Rush. 611 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:01,320 Speaker 1: But what they didn't understand was that every time somebody 612 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:04,600 Speaker 1: hated Rush, two or three or four people fell in 613 00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:06,880 Speaker 1: love with him, and by the time they started looking 614 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:09,840 Speaker 1: at the numbers, he was just like on fire. So 615 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:11,480 Speaker 1: by the time I got to W A. B C. 616 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:13,920 Speaker 1: And I was so honored to be the PD of 617 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:16,760 Speaker 1: a station with Rush. I mean I was in Detroit 618 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:19,600 Speaker 1: for four years trying to get Rush off the other station, 619 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,160 Speaker 1: and they were so loyal they wouldn't move him over 620 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:24,480 Speaker 1: to w j R, even though I was a fifty 621 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:27,399 Speaker 1: one flamethrower and he was on a pea shooter. They 622 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:31,239 Speaker 1: were loyal to that station. And I always admired that 623 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:34,799 Speaker 1: about how they built the Russia Limbaugh network. They were 624 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:37,160 Speaker 1: very loyal to those that went with them at the beginning. 625 00:37:38,239 --> 00:37:41,120 Speaker 1: And so now you're at w ABC. You're the program 626 00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 1: director at w ABC. This is the flagship station. By 627 00:37:45,080 --> 00:37:47,440 Speaker 1: the way, it was the flagship station, the most iconic 628 00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:52,240 Speaker 1: call that is perhaps in the radio industry. And here 629 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:56,520 Speaker 1: you are program director and Russia Limbaugh is the lead 630 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:59,759 Speaker 1: show on w ABC. Now take use. What was it 631 00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:03,239 Speaker 1: your first interactions with Rush? Well, the thing that amazed 632 00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:07,959 Speaker 1: me about Rush was how humble he was. And I'll 633 00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:10,600 Speaker 1: never forget walking down the hallway to his office to 634 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:13,839 Speaker 1: stick my head in and ask him about something. And 635 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:16,080 Speaker 1: I said, you know, I've only been there a few weeks, 636 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:18,480 Speaker 1: and I said, Rush, I just have to tell you 637 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 1: what an honor it is for me to be the 638 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:24,439 Speaker 1: p D of w ABC, where you are our lead 639 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:28,399 Speaker 1: lead pony. And this has been a dream come true 640 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:30,600 Speaker 1: for me. I've been an admirer of you for years 641 00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:32,839 Speaker 1: and now I get to work with you. And you know, 642 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:37,720 Speaker 1: he was embarrassed, he was humble. Uh. He didn't react 643 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:41,160 Speaker 1: the way I expected. Uh. And I saw him like 644 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:44,640 Speaker 1: that in many occasions. Here's Rush Limbaugh, the king of 645 00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:47,719 Speaker 1: talk radio by that time, and he was always a 646 00:38:47,719 --> 00:38:50,960 Speaker 1: little bit embarrassed and shy to be given that kind 647 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:54,120 Speaker 1: of high praise. And I admired that about him because 648 00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:59,440 Speaker 1: he didn't take it for granted. He knew the humble 649 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:02,520 Speaker 1: beginning he had. You know, here's a guy that had 650 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:05,399 Speaker 1: been a rock jock. I mentioned Pittsburgh. He had been 651 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:10,520 Speaker 1: a rock jocks seven different places and fired seven different 652 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:13,880 Speaker 1: a M rockers. And I think he was probably fired 653 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:17,399 Speaker 1: because he wanted to talk. He didn't want to play rock. 654 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:19,919 Speaker 1: He wanted to talk, and the p d s said, 655 00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:22,200 Speaker 1: drive him crazy, and they would eventually get tired of 656 00:39:22,239 --> 00:39:25,600 Speaker 1: his talking and fire him until finally one day somebody said, 657 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:27,200 Speaker 1: you know, you need to be on a talk station. 658 00:39:27,239 --> 00:39:30,759 Speaker 1: They put him on in Sacramento. The p D There 659 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:32,839 Speaker 1: is a friend of mine, Tyler Cox. He's the guy 660 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:35,360 Speaker 1: that put him on in Sacramento. I think it was 661 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:38,560 Speaker 1: KF B K and uh he just took off. He 662 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:42,480 Speaker 1: took off like Gangbusters. So yeah, it was a joy 663 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:45,839 Speaker 1: and an honor for me to to work with Rush 664 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:49,400 Speaker 1: and working with him in New York. Do you recall 665 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:52,839 Speaker 1: any story that stands out about the experience, that just 666 00:39:52,880 --> 00:39:55,719 Speaker 1: stands in your mind? Is this maybe the singular story? 667 00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:57,200 Speaker 1: And I'm sorry if I put you on the spot 668 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:00,080 Speaker 1: with that one, philm No, no you didn't. I to 669 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:04,720 Speaker 1: tell two stories, but the first one is what happened 670 00:40:04,719 --> 00:40:07,760 Speaker 1: to me at w ABC one year into my fourteen 671 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:11,800 Speaker 1: year run there. So uh wait, wait, wait, wait what 672 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:16,479 Speaker 1: second home on my second Folks? A fourteen year run 673 00:40:17,239 --> 00:40:23,439 Speaker 1: at any radio station for a program director is an 674 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:27,560 Speaker 1: amazing feat. I just wanted to insert that. It is. 675 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:33,200 Speaker 1: It's like a hundred years and dog years. And I'm 676 00:40:33,239 --> 00:40:35,920 Speaker 1: convinced one of the reasons I lasted fourteen years was 677 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:39,920 Speaker 1: because I had Rush Limbaugh. Because with Rush Limbaugh, you 678 00:40:39,960 --> 00:40:44,120 Speaker 1: could tear the station down to nothing. As long as 679 00:40:44,160 --> 00:40:46,400 Speaker 1: you had Rush, you could rebuild it around Rush. And 680 00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:49,279 Speaker 1: you know why, I know that I did that so 681 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:52,120 Speaker 1: and and it did take five years to build w 682 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:54,200 Speaker 1: ABC back. I didn't know if I get five years. 683 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:57,080 Speaker 1: You know, they treat us like NFL head football coaches. 684 00:40:57,120 --> 00:40:59,520 Speaker 1: They hire you one year, they expect Super Bowl the next. 685 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:02,400 Speaker 1: It took me five years to rebuild the damage that 686 00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:05,880 Speaker 1: we had done and bring in the talent like Hannity 687 00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:08,560 Speaker 1: and Levin, and we got back to the most listen 688 00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:11,520 Speaker 1: to the news talk station in the nation in two 689 00:41:11,520 --> 00:41:14,600 Speaker 1: thousand one. And it was that year that I told 690 00:41:14,600 --> 00:41:19,240 Speaker 1: Sean Hannity, we want to syndicate you after Rush Limbaugh, 691 00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:22,720 Speaker 1: and I'm convinced that it's because of Russia limbaugh success. 692 00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:26,360 Speaker 1: We were able to syndicate Hannity, and before long, Hannity 693 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:31,160 Speaker 1: became the fastest growing syndicated talk show host in history. 694 00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:36,120 Speaker 1: Because what happened to Hannity was amazing because we syndicated 695 00:41:36,200 --> 00:41:40,360 Speaker 1: him on and you know what happened on day two 696 00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:45,640 Speaker 1: of Hannity in syndication. Happened and Sean knocked off Dr 697 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:49,840 Speaker 1: Laura a hundred places in six months. So he became 698 00:41:49,880 --> 00:41:53,560 Speaker 1: the fastest growing syndicated host in history. Okay, Phil, So 699 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:58,359 Speaker 1: one question for you, as time quickly evaporates, what do 700 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:01,600 Speaker 1: you think Russia's legacy he will be not just in 701 00:42:01,640 --> 00:42:06,520 Speaker 1: the radio industry, but in the largest sense for the country. Yeah, 702 00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:11,160 Speaker 1: I think he'll go down as a icon of our time. 703 00:42:12,120 --> 00:42:14,160 Speaker 1: I think he will go down much bigger than just 704 00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:18,160 Speaker 1: the guy who we did talk radio and we launched 705 00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:21,359 Speaker 1: talk radio, or the grandfather of talk radio. I think 706 00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:26,840 Speaker 1: he'll be an icon of our time in his wisdom, 707 00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:30,880 Speaker 1: in his knowledge, in the things that he said that 708 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:34,640 Speaker 1: resonated with people. The thing that I always will never 709 00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:37,439 Speaker 1: forget is people who hear Rush for the first time 710 00:42:37,560 --> 00:42:41,440 Speaker 1: say he's saying what I'm thinking, and nobody else is 711 00:42:41,480 --> 00:42:43,719 Speaker 1: saying it for the first time. When he came on 712 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:47,120 Speaker 1: the scene, we realized we weren't alone those of us 713 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:50,359 Speaker 1: who thought this way. And today we need that kind 714 00:42:50,360 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 1: of wisdom more than ever. Uh. We'll never forget Rush, 715 00:42:54,280 --> 00:42:57,319 Speaker 1: will never forget the legacy, will never forget what he 716 00:42:57,360 --> 00:43:00,359 Speaker 1: taught us, and will benefit from it for many many 717 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:02,319 Speaker 1: years to come. What was it like for you when 718 00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:05,560 Speaker 1: you saw Rush being given the Middle of Freedom Award 719 00:43:05,600 --> 00:43:08,239 Speaker 1: by President Trump? Well, I admit I teared up a 720 00:43:08,280 --> 00:43:12,759 Speaker 1: little bit because I realized, first we're getting close to 721 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:14,880 Speaker 1: the end for Rush. I don't think I realized that 722 00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:17,640 Speaker 1: till I saw him there. You know, he had just 723 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:21,040 Speaker 1: come out. I think of rehab or or some kind 724 00:43:21,040 --> 00:43:23,640 Speaker 1: of cancer treatment when he went up on on the 725 00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:27,640 Speaker 1: platform there at the Capitol, and uh, but to see 726 00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:30,840 Speaker 1: them give him a standing ovation. And I know the 727 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:34,239 Speaker 1: Democrats didn't stand, but the Republicans did and showed him 728 00:43:34,320 --> 00:43:38,400 Speaker 1: so much praise. But what really amazed me, Well, I 729 00:43:38,880 --> 00:43:42,359 Speaker 1: talked about the humility of Russia Limbaugh. He was genuinely 730 00:43:42,880 --> 00:43:47,080 Speaker 1: touched by that, and that I will never forget. Here's 731 00:43:47,080 --> 00:43:49,760 Speaker 1: a guy who had it all, but you could still 732 00:43:50,200 --> 00:43:54,040 Speaker 1: bring him to tears by giving him a much deserved 733 00:43:54,040 --> 00:43:57,120 Speaker 1: honor and that meant a lot to a lot of people. Well, 734 00:43:57,200 --> 00:44:00,719 Speaker 1: speaking of an honor, Phil, this is in a real 735 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:06,240 Speaker 1: honor for me. You have been one of the most 736 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:09,840 Speaker 1: incredible success stories of our time in the radio business. 737 00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:15,319 Speaker 1: And more importantly to me, um than all of that, 738 00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:21,040 Speaker 1: you are a great and decent human being. You treat 739 00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:26,640 Speaker 1: people with respect, you treat people with kindness. You can 740 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:30,560 Speaker 1: be a demanding boss when you have to be. I 741 00:44:30,600 --> 00:44:35,680 Speaker 1: know this from experience, but even in those circumstances, you 742 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:40,080 Speaker 1: do it without being demeaning and without making someone feel bad. 743 00:44:40,400 --> 00:44:42,280 Speaker 1: And let me tell you, there are so many bad 744 00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:46,440 Speaker 1: actors in that people come across during their careers. It 745 00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:49,719 Speaker 1: is truly a pleasure and an honor to be to 746 00:44:50,040 --> 00:44:53,399 Speaker 1: know someone that's really one of the good guys, and 747 00:44:53,440 --> 00:44:57,760 Speaker 1: that's who you are. Well, now you're making me feel embarrassed, 748 00:44:57,800 --> 00:45:00,960 Speaker 1: sort of like I made Rush feel embar us. I 749 00:45:01,840 --> 00:45:05,200 Speaker 1: really appreciate you saying that. Uh, you know, you never 750 00:45:05,200 --> 00:45:08,520 Speaker 1: know in this business. You know, we joked about fourteen 751 00:45:08,600 --> 00:45:10,880 Speaker 1: years being a hundred years and dog years as a 752 00:45:10,920 --> 00:45:14,359 Speaker 1: p D in this format, you never know when they're 753 00:45:14,360 --> 00:45:16,239 Speaker 1: going to call you in and say that's it. Here's 754 00:45:16,239 --> 00:45:19,640 Speaker 1: a box, put your stuff in it. Uh, and security's 755 00:45:19,640 --> 00:45:22,560 Speaker 1: gonna escort you out. You really don't. And for me 756 00:45:22,640 --> 00:45:25,000 Speaker 1: to be still in this business, still doing what I 757 00:45:25,080 --> 00:45:29,640 Speaker 1: get to do, Uh, it's just an honor. And uh, 758 00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:32,000 Speaker 1: you know, look, I give credit to God. God wanted 759 00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:35,760 Speaker 1: me here, He gave me this career and I'm honored 760 00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:39,520 Speaker 1: to do it every day. And thank you so much 761 00:45:39,560 --> 00:45:41,680 Speaker 1: for what you said, because James, you're the same way. 762 00:45:41,960 --> 00:45:44,760 Speaker 1: I mean, you're You're one of the kindest, most decent 763 00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:48,240 Speaker 1: people I've had the privilege of working with in this business. 764 00:45:48,280 --> 00:45:51,440 Speaker 1: So let's let the good guys succeed. Amen to that. 765 00:45:51,600 --> 00:45:53,840 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. Phil We really appreciate you that 766 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:57,760 Speaker 1: having you here. Thank you, James. What is American exceptional 767 00:45:57,800 --> 00:46:00,279 Speaker 1: is just not that we're better people. It's not that 768 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:04,160 Speaker 1: we're smarter. It's not that we have an advantage because 769 00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:06,560 Speaker 1: of our geography, because we clearly don't. But what what 770 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:10,240 Speaker 1: is it that sets us apart? And there's one answer, 771 00:46:11,680 --> 00:46:15,280 Speaker 1: and it's found in the Declaration of Independence. We're all 772 00:46:15,640 --> 00:46:20,840 Speaker 1: endowed by our Creator, so we acknowledge God as a 773 00:46:20,880 --> 00:46:25,200 Speaker 1: country when we were founded, we acknowledge God that we 774 00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:28,440 Speaker 1: were all created. We are rolling down by our Creator 775 00:46:28,520 --> 00:46:34,120 Speaker 1: with certain inalienable rights, undeniable. They're just there and they 776 00:46:34,160 --> 00:46:39,920 Speaker 1: come from the Creator among them, but not just life, liberty, 777 00:46:40,320 --> 00:46:46,080 Speaker 1: pursuit of happiness. That's pretty simple to me. Those three things, 778 00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:51,880 Speaker 1: the acknowledgement of our creation by God, loving God, that 779 00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:56,240 Speaker 1: our creation, that our that our spirit has this natural 780 00:46:56,320 --> 00:46:59,239 Speaker 1: yearning to be free and to be happy, and that 781 00:46:59,320 --> 00:47:01,480 Speaker 1: there's nothing wrong with either of thom. There's nothing wrong 782 00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:04,200 Speaker 1: with being created, nothing wrong with being happy or trying 783 00:47:04,239 --> 00:47:07,120 Speaker 1: to be and there's certainly nothing wrong with living. It 784 00:47:07,200 --> 00:47:14,200 Speaker 1: was that codification that made one crucial thing possible, and 785 00:47:14,320 --> 00:47:20,840 Speaker 1: that is for ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. Not 786 00:47:21,000 --> 00:47:28,160 Speaker 1: the smartest, not the brightest, not the wellborn, not the richest. Ordinary. 787 00:47:28,600 --> 00:47:33,640 Speaker 1: This is a nation. It became the greatest nation in 788 00:47:33,960 --> 00:47:37,919 Speaker 1: human history. However, many hundreds of thousands, billions, whatever years 789 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:41,560 Speaker 1: you want to say, we've been plotting the earth, ordinary 790 00:47:41,640 --> 00:47:53,320 Speaker 1: people accomplishing extraordinary things. Thanks to Michael Harrison and Phil Boyce, 791 00:47:53,360 --> 00:47:56,560 Speaker 1: coming up on our next and final episode of this series, 792 00:47:57,000 --> 00:48:00,320 Speaker 1: loaded with special treats. First of all, the broad cast 793 00:48:00,360 --> 00:48:03,760 Speaker 1: engineer for almost the entire length of the Russiland Black Program. 794 00:48:03,760 --> 00:48:07,160 Speaker 1: Our good friend Mike Mamone joins us for a few moments. Plus, 795 00:48:07,400 --> 00:48:09,760 Speaker 1: We're going to share the thoughts and words of many 796 00:48:09,800 --> 00:48:13,520 Speaker 1: of those in Russia's world, whose voices you already know 797 00:48:14,280 --> 00:48:17,400 Speaker 1: because they sat in the seat they were the guest 798 00:48:17,480 --> 00:48:21,080 Speaker 1: host on the show. If that weren't enough, we have 799 00:48:21,160 --> 00:48:23,360 Speaker 1: a very special v I P guest who will share 800 00:48:23,440 --> 00:48:26,040 Speaker 1: his thoughts on Russia, lan Ball, none other than the 801 00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:29,839 Speaker 1: forty President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, will 802 00:48:29,920 --> 00:48:32,440 Speaker 1: join us for a few minutes as well. All that 803 00:48:32,640 --> 00:48:37,839 Speaker 1: in our jam packed final episode, Russia. Limbaugh, The Man 804 00:48:37,960 --> 00:48:41,080 Speaker 1: behind the Golden E I B Microphone, is produced by 805 00:48:41,160 --> 00:48:45,640 Speaker 1: Chris Kelly and Phil Tower, the best producers in America, 806 00:48:46,120 --> 00:48:51,240 Speaker 1: Production assistant Mike Mamone and the executive producers Craig Kitchen 807 00:48:51,239 --> 00:48:55,440 Speaker 1: and Julie Talbot. Our program distributed worldwide by Premier Networks. 808 00:48:55,480 --> 00:48:58,400 Speaker 1: Found on the I Heart Radio app or wherever you 809 00:48:58,480 --> 00:49:03,000 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite podcast. This is James Golden. This 810 00:49:03,200 --> 00:49:06,560 Speaker 1: is both Snerdley, This is James Golden. I'm honored to 811 00:49:06,600 --> 00:49:10,240 Speaker 1: be your host for this in every single episode of Russia. Lumbaugh, 812 00:49:10,320 --> 00:49:13,560 Speaker 1: the man behind the Golden E I B microphone, thank 813 00:49:13,640 --> 00:49:15,120 Speaker 1: you for being with us,