WEBVTT - BONUS: Rush Limbaugh: The Man Behind the Golden EIB Microphone - "Behind Great Broadcasters" 0:00:02.560 --> 0:00:04.960 Thank all of you for listening to this podcast. Were 0:00:05.200 --> 0:00:10.559 as you know, this podcast is devoted to russlan Ball, 0:00:10.880 --> 0:00:16.720 my hero, my friend, my boss, the greatest broadcaster in 0:00:16.760 --> 0:00:21.520 my opinion, whoever lived. And behind every great broadcaster, though 0:00:21.520 --> 0:00:26.520 there's an organization, there are people that make what happens happen. 0:00:27.480 --> 0:00:30.479 You don't just go into a room one day and decide, Okay, 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:33.159 I'm gonna be a broadcasters. Somebody's there turns on the mic, 0:00:33.240 --> 0:00:35.800 well okay, and here you are. Know this happens as 0:00:35.800 --> 0:00:37.640 a result of a lot of hard work, not just 0:00:37.720 --> 0:00:39.720 on the part of what in the industry is referred 0:00:39.760 --> 0:00:42.640 to as talent. That would be what wrestling ball would 0:00:42.640 --> 0:00:46.600 be the talent, But behind every person that's the talent, 0:00:47.159 --> 0:00:49.440 there have to be so many other jobs. And people 0:00:49.440 --> 0:00:52.120 don't really realize a lot of people don't that are 0:00:52.120 --> 0:00:53.920 not in this industry. What it takes to have a 0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:57.480 very successful radio career. Well, you need people that have 0:00:57.520 --> 0:01:00.880 a radio stations number one, and they want to put 0:01:00.920 --> 0:01:04.640 you on those radio stations. But you are not going 0:01:04.680 --> 0:01:07.759 to those radio stations yourself. There are people that do 0:01:07.840 --> 0:01:10.800 that for you. There are people who sell your program 0:01:10.840 --> 0:01:13.280 for you so that you have advertisers. There are people 0:01:13.319 --> 0:01:16.400 who market your program for you so that the country 0:01:16.400 --> 0:01:18.080 knows who you are the way that you want to 0:01:18.120 --> 0:01:22.120 be framed. There are people that do so many jobs, 0:01:22.920 --> 0:01:25.880 and we have what in arnest is called traffic. Most 0:01:25.880 --> 0:01:28.959 people wouldn't know what that is. What traffic deals with 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:33.440 the commercials, how they're placed, where they are placed. We 0:01:33.480 --> 0:01:37.120 have engineers like the great engineers like Brian Johnson and 0:01:37.160 --> 0:01:39.959 Mike Mamone, who you hear from at some point in 0:01:40.000 --> 0:01:44.959 this podcast series. But then there are the executives, the 0:01:44.959 --> 0:01:47.720 guys that say yay, the guys are saying nay, the 0:01:47.800 --> 0:01:51.520 guys that make things happen behind the scenes. And in 0:01:51.600 --> 0:01:55.040 the radio industry, there is a man and I've referred 0:01:55.040 --> 0:01:58.920 to him in earlier episodes who would be the equivalent 0:01:58.960 --> 0:02:01.640 of a household name. You cannot be in the radio 0:02:01.680 --> 0:02:05.640 industry or not know who he is because he is 0:02:06.080 --> 0:02:11.160 the most successful executive there is in the broadcast industry. 0:02:11.560 --> 0:02:16.640 He's brought more people that have talent to light. He 0:02:17.040 --> 0:02:20.120 is one of the nicest men you will ever meet 0:02:20.160 --> 0:02:24.360 in life, unless you cross him, and then he'll be 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:28.960 your worst enemy. He is um. People don't know the 0:02:29.080 --> 0:02:32.160 generosity of his spirit. Maybe I'll be able to get 0:02:32.200 --> 0:02:34.080 some of that out because I know some things about 0:02:34.160 --> 0:02:35.760 him over the years that a lot of people don't. 0:02:36.880 --> 0:02:40.080 But he was with Rush for the last twenty years 0:02:40.200 --> 0:02:44.000 or some more. And he also runs This will show 0:02:44.040 --> 0:02:48.480 you the stature the Radio Hall of Fame. He's a legend. 0:02:48.600 --> 0:02:50.640 His name is Craig Kitchen, and Craig is here with 0:02:50.720 --> 0:02:55.799 us today. Whether you listened every day, you are at 0:02:55.800 --> 0:02:58.480 the E I B Network and the Russia Limball Program 0:02:58.560 --> 0:03:01.600 heard on over six hundred great radio stations where every 0:03:01.639 --> 0:03:04.040 now and then nation's leading radio talk show, the most 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:07.600 eagerly inticipated program in em are the stories you've never 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:10.120 heard from the people behind the scenes who knew him 0:03:10.160 --> 0:03:13.800 best and loved him most. Rushman War having more fundily 0:03:13.919 --> 0:03:16.440 human being, it could be allowed to have Rush Limbaugh, 0:03:16.639 --> 0:03:20.119 the man behind the Golden E I D Microphone, hosted 0:03:20.120 --> 0:03:24.079 by James Golden. Through the Stand Up for Betsy Ross campaign, 0:03:24.520 --> 0:03:28.120 you changed the lives of dozens of hero families in need. 0:03:28.560 --> 0:03:32.440 The campaign benefited The Tunnels Are Towers Foundation Tunnel to 0:03:32.520 --> 0:03:37.200 Towers Bills mortgage free smart homes for our nation's most 0:03:37.240 --> 0:03:43.240 catastrophically injured veterans and first responders to give them their independence. 0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:47.640 For gold star families and fallen first respond to families 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:53.360 with young children, Tunnel to Towers pays off mortgages in 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:57.920 full for these families and provides them with the comfort 0:03:57.920 --> 0:04:01.280 of a home when their world has literally been turned 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:06.000 upside down. And thanks to this campaign to Stand Up 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:10.760 for Betsy Ross campaign, you have seen to it that 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:13.840 we have been able to send a charitable donation in 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:19.880 total of five million dollars to Tunnel the Towers. Your kindness, 0:04:20.000 --> 0:04:24.000 generosity and patriotism brought hope when it was needed most 0:04:24.560 --> 0:04:28.240 but more of America's heroes in their families need your support. 0:04:28.680 --> 0:04:32.880 Donate eleven dollars a month to Tunnel to Towers at 0:04:32.960 --> 0:04:36.680 T two t dot org. That's the litteral t the 0:04:36.800 --> 0:04:47.000 number two t dot org. So Craig, welcome, Thank you, 0:04:47.440 --> 0:04:49.640 very kind to where it's I'm not sure I deserve 0:04:49.680 --> 0:04:51.520 all of them, but thank you you do deserve all 0:04:51.560 --> 0:04:53.599 of them. Now let me ask you a question, Craig, 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:58.679 how did you meet rush? I met Russia? When Premier 0:04:58.760 --> 0:05:02.680 Networks obtain the distribution rights of Russia's program From Ed 0:05:02.800 --> 0:05:06.760 McLaughlin and the FM Media a financial transaction, the first 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:12.480 one that really really put Russia Lumball's radio program value 0:05:12.520 --> 0:05:15.920 on the map for the industry. It gave ed McLaughlin 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:21.000 the funds to retire very comfortably on It gave rush 0:05:21.240 --> 0:05:24.919 Uh an incredible stipend to continue wanting to be on 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:29.279 radio and to focus on it. And most importantly, it 0:05:29.440 --> 0:05:34.000 gave him the the underwire and the current and the 0:05:34.080 --> 0:05:37.120 background and the backbone to say, I can do this 0:05:37.160 --> 0:05:39.279 for as long as I want to, because I've got 0:05:39.279 --> 0:05:41.960 a company that's got my back and got my resources 0:05:42.000 --> 0:05:45.279 and has every last thing he needs. And that was Premiere, 0:05:45.279 --> 0:05:48.200 and you founded Premiere Radio Networks. There were six of 0:05:48.240 --> 0:05:52.400 us that founded Premiere, and it took ten years of 0:05:52.440 --> 0:05:55.240 growth and hard work to be able to earn the 0:05:55.279 --> 0:05:58.760 trust of personalities like Russia Lumbaugh to be able to say, 0:05:58.880 --> 0:06:00.680 that's a company that I can be with that I 0:06:00.720 --> 0:06:02.960 know we'll have my back. How did you get in radio? 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:05.760 I mean, how do you what's your story? I was 0:06:06.279 --> 0:06:10.680 an air personality in nineteen eighty one, in nineteen eighty two, 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:13.760 and I was very mediocre when I was behind the microphone, 0:06:14.400 --> 0:06:18.400 very mediocre. But by eighty three I had discovered that 0:06:18.480 --> 0:06:22.120 I was very good behind the scenes helping people realize 0:06:22.640 --> 0:06:25.680 their full potential, and so I took some time to 0:06:25.760 --> 0:06:28.920 learn how to sell advertising and how the radio industry worked, 0:06:29.360 --> 0:06:32.000 and by nine eight seven I had found half a 0:06:32.040 --> 0:06:34.880 dozen partners who wanted to make what in the radio 0:06:34.920 --> 0:06:37.479 industry we call a radio network, a place where air 0:06:37.520 --> 0:06:41.360 personalities like yourself could come and be their very best, 0:06:41.440 --> 0:06:44.159 and that radio network would find radio stations to be 0:06:44.240 --> 0:06:47.880 heard on and advertisers to pay your paycheck. What was 0:06:47.920 --> 0:06:50.320 it like when you first met Rush? What what when 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:53.080 you for the first time? It was in New York 0:06:53.160 --> 0:06:56.880 City and Rush was broadcasting that week from w ABC, 0:06:57.640 --> 0:07:00.800 And like a lot of individuals that come to New 0:07:00.920 --> 0:07:03.240 York City and go to work, Rush was suit and 0:07:03.279 --> 0:07:07.960 tie that day and very very formal and very focused 0:07:08.000 --> 0:07:11.000 on his radio program. And we had arranged some time 0:07:11.000 --> 0:07:14.240 in the morning to have a meeting, and in that 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:18.120 time when I met him, I had no idea how 0:07:18.200 --> 0:07:21.360 focused he was between eight thirty and noon when he 0:07:21.400 --> 0:07:24.080 first went on the air. But for some reason, the 0:07:24.120 --> 0:07:26.520 meeting time that he had set up was at ten 0:07:26.600 --> 0:07:29.200 thirty in the morning, and so I went to have 0:07:29.240 --> 0:07:32.160 a meeting thinking we're going to spend the next hour, 0:07:32.320 --> 0:07:36.720 hour and a half talking until noon. Because Rush made 0:07:36.760 --> 0:07:40.400 it look and listen so easy that to anybody who 0:07:40.440 --> 0:07:43.200 ever has tuned in to listen to him, it sounds 0:07:43.240 --> 0:07:45.920 like it is a gift from God that the microphones open, 0:07:46.000 --> 0:07:48.320 the music plays, and he just starts talking to you 0:07:48.360 --> 0:07:51.040 as your best friend. I had no idea that he 0:07:51.080 --> 0:07:53.200 spent the better part of fifteen hours leading up to 0:07:53.240 --> 0:07:56.200 that moment preparing for that show. So on that morning 0:07:56.200 --> 0:07:59.240 in New York City, I find the equivalent suit and 0:07:59.280 --> 0:08:01.880 tie for that, and I go to w ABC to 0:08:02.000 --> 0:08:04.000 meet the man I'm just about to sign a new 0:08:04.040 --> 0:08:06.920 four year agreement with and start working with. And I'm thinking, 0:08:06.920 --> 0:08:08.960 we've got the better part of ninety minutes just to 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:11.760 get to know each other. And you find out very 0:08:11.840 --> 0:08:16.560 quickly you have about eight minutes, and those eight minutes 0:08:16.640 --> 0:08:19.880 better counts. And so we had a great eight minutes together, 0:08:21.120 --> 0:08:23.720 and we understood that we were going to be working 0:08:23.760 --> 0:08:26.200 together again, and he made it very clear to me 0:08:26.280 --> 0:08:28.880 that he's got it really all figured out, and I 0:08:28.960 --> 0:08:31.200 just and I needed to find my groove and my 0:08:31.280 --> 0:08:35.160 rhythm and my relationship with the different staff members that 0:08:35.760 --> 0:08:38.640 he was working with at the time, but he could 0:08:38.640 --> 0:08:43.080 not have been warmer and more gregarious in that period 0:08:43.080 --> 0:08:46.440 of time. Rush has an ability, when he meets somebody 0:08:46.520 --> 0:08:49.959 for the first time, to be singularly focused on you 0:08:50.320 --> 0:08:52.320 and make sure you feel like you are the single 0:08:52.400 --> 0:08:55.920 most important person in his mind. And you have that. 0:08:56.840 --> 0:09:00.440 So I left feeling absolutely fantastic. I'm sure you have 0:09:00.559 --> 0:09:03.160 felt that, and others who have appeared on this podcast 0:09:03.200 --> 0:09:05.880 is said the same thing. Do you know who else 0:09:06.559 --> 0:09:10.320 that that very description. There's one other person I've heard 0:09:10.360 --> 0:09:16.080 that very description about Bill Clinton, that ability to focus 0:09:16.120 --> 0:09:20.000 in on you so clearly that you think you're the 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:22.720 only one, You're the only one that exists, and and 0:09:22.720 --> 0:09:25.839 he's there for you every single moment. And you've got that, 0:09:26.080 --> 0:09:29.960 You've got that that ability to Craig, thank you. You 0:09:30.000 --> 0:09:32.560 know it's it's it's either in your nature's or not 0:09:32.640 --> 0:09:35.040 in your nature. I don't stop and take inventory of 0:09:35.080 --> 0:09:38.400 myself that way. But um I certainly saw that and 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:40.160 felt that in the first time that I got to 0:09:40.200 --> 0:09:43.320 meet Russian if I were of the attitude that my 0:09:43.440 --> 0:09:46.320 primary goal was to go in that studio every day 0:09:46.400 --> 0:09:49.120 and make sure that America heard everything I said. And 0:09:49.280 --> 0:09:51.160 acted on it. You know, the ratings of the show, 0:09:51.160 --> 0:09:53.080 which is Plumber. I think I just happened to be 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:56.160 saying what a whole lot of people think they don't 0:09:56.200 --> 0:09:58.520 have a chance to say themselves. That's why they called 0:09:58.520 --> 0:10:03.679 me the most dangerous man in America. As you know, 0:10:03.920 --> 0:10:07.600 on this series, we've been talking with some of Russia's friends, 0:10:07.640 --> 0:10:10.880 his colleagues, and family members. Today we have a very 0:10:10.880 --> 0:10:13.520 special guest on Russia, Limbaugh, the man behind the Golden 0:10:13.600 --> 0:10:16.439 the I B. Mike. He's a special friend of our program. 0:10:16.480 --> 0:10:19.320 In fact, he's come down to our Southern Command to 0:10:19.360 --> 0:10:23.040 interview Rush for his television show any number of times. 0:10:23.080 --> 0:10:26.920 Every time it was like a family reunion, A dear 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:31.599 friend to Rush, a dear friend to the Russia Limbaugh Program. 0:10:31.640 --> 0:10:37.079 Sean Hannity The Life of Russia Limbaugh, Chapter three, narrated 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:41.680 by Sean Hannity. After during a painful year of college 0:10:41.720 --> 0:10:46.240 at Southeastern Missouri University, young Rush Limbaugh, he bid farewell 0:10:46.360 --> 0:10:50.400 to college life and then immersed himself into his next 0:10:50.480 --> 0:10:54.520 big radio job. After loading up his nineteen sixty nine 0:10:54.640 --> 0:10:58.280 Pontiac Lamans, Rush headed east with dreams of making it 0:10:58.360 --> 0:11:01.480 big in the Iron City. D J Rusty Sharp from 0:11:01.520 --> 0:11:06.520 Cape Dorado, Missouri, was soon reborn as Bachelor Jeff Christie, 0:11:06.760 --> 0:11:09.640 first hosting an afternoon drive shift and later holding down 0:11:09.679 --> 0:11:13.679 the morning show on Wixie thirteen sixty, known as one 0:11:13.720 --> 0:11:20.079 of Pittsburgh's premier top forty radio stations, continues with much 0:11:21.600 --> 0:11:24.760 slid rock and goal seven three in the morning. I 0:11:24.760 --> 0:11:28.800 wish he saw Jeff Radio networked from sixte want to 0:11:28.800 --> 0:11:31.080 have a big hand for Mr and Mrs Arnold Feluci, 0:11:31.160 --> 0:11:33.160 a couple of new members for the Christie Radio network 0:11:33.240 --> 0:11:41.080 this morning, celebrating refrigerator favorites. Jeff Christie lasted barely eighteen 0:11:41.120 --> 0:11:44.679 months on w i Z before he was fired. I 0:11:44.800 --> 0:11:47.720 was in the fall of nineteen seventy two over what 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:53.240 were described as quote differences over format. His departure from 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:57.200 Wixie thirteen sixty quickly led to a bigger opportunity for Rush. 0:11:57.440 --> 0:11:59.959 It's a k h Jeff Christie and in early nineteen 0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:04.320 seventy three, Crosstown Top forty competitor k q V Radio 0:12:04.480 --> 0:12:07.120 Well they hired him to be their new nighttime DJ. 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:12.000 That afforded Rush an even bigger platform and another opportunity 0:12:12.080 --> 0:12:15.199 to further develop his on air persona hey qu V 0:12:22.120 --> 0:12:26.240 three g K Jeff Christy Rocky Roll radio show Friday 0:12:26.280 --> 0:12:29.400 Night Johnson minutes away from forty four not stopping right 0:12:29.440 --> 0:12:33.160 out of statistics. Jeff Christie was beginning to hone future 0:12:33.320 --> 0:12:36.839 on air skills would eventually become the trademarks of Rush 0:12:37.000 --> 0:12:41.720 Limbaugh's excellence in broadcasting. Now, Rush would soon learn success 0:12:41.760 --> 0:12:44.959 in radio is kind of fickle, especially a station ownership 0:12:45.040 --> 0:12:47.760 change his hands, and a dramatic turn of events. The 0:12:47.880 --> 0:12:50.920 lame duck k QUB management well, they pushed the new 0:12:50.960 --> 0:12:54.559 program director to fire Rush, and ninety days later Rush 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:58.200 Limbaugh Jeff Christie was out of work. When I got fired, 0:12:58.679 --> 0:13:01.560 I thought I was finished. I'd given it a shot. 0:13:01.920 --> 0:13:04.840 D J didn't work out. I didn't want to do 0:13:04.920 --> 0:13:09.760 anything else. This has been my one passion. And then 0:13:09.800 --> 0:13:12.880 a stinging rebuke that Rush would remember for decades. The 0:13:12.960 --> 0:13:16.440 station's general manager told the twenty something Rush Limbaugh that 0:13:16.520 --> 0:13:18.880 he would quote never make it in radio as an 0:13:18.880 --> 0:13:21.800 air talent, and that he should strongly consider the sales 0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:26.200 end of the radio business. I had an interview with 0:13:26.280 --> 0:13:28.360 a sales manager at the station that the guy was 0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:31.719 a genuine lunatic. He's I'm just me. I'm interviewing for 0:13:31.800 --> 0:13:33.920 the job, and he's yelling and screaming at me about 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:36.760 what his demands will be and what they are, and 0:13:36.800 --> 0:13:38.840 I said, he's not gonna face this every day. So, 0:13:38.960 --> 0:13:41.240 after three years of trying to make a go of 0:13:41.240 --> 0:13:44.160 it in Pittsburgh, while Rush was out of another radio gig, 0:13:44.280 --> 0:13:47.680 Feeling defeated and dejected, he returned to the security and 0:13:47.760 --> 0:13:51.240 comfort of his home in Cape Girardo, Missouri. Russia was down, 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:54.760 but as we all know, far from out, his determination 0:13:54.880 --> 0:13:58.680 for success far outweighed the idea of failure. The long 0:13:58.880 --> 0:14:02.079 version here telling you that this has been That's why 0:14:02.080 --> 0:14:05.240 I'm so fortunate I've I was able to end up 0:14:05.280 --> 0:14:07.320 doing what I think I was born to do. I've 0:14:07.360 --> 0:14:11.760 never had passion for anything else, I mean, career wise, 0:14:11.840 --> 0:14:17.360 like I've got for this. Not long ago, Mike Lindell, 0:14:17.480 --> 0:14:20.560 the inventor of My Pillow, and his team fit me 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:24.760 for my very own my pillow. They also introduced me 0:14:24.840 --> 0:14:30.560 to their other incredible products, like their mattress topper, sheets, towels, slippers, 0:14:30.560 --> 0:14:33.880 and more. Sleep is important to me, and I assumed 0:14:33.920 --> 0:14:36.960 to you too. It's time you give my pillow a 0:14:37.040 --> 0:14:41.720 try and see for yourself. Listeners have helped build My 0:14:41.800 --> 0:14:46.160 Pillow into the incredible company it is today, and Mike 0:14:46.320 --> 0:14:49.920 Lindell wants to give back to you now. Get great 0:14:50.000 --> 0:14:53.280 discounts on My Pillow products by going to my pillow 0:14:53.480 --> 0:14:57.800 dot com right now and cooking on the radio listener 0:14:57.920 --> 0:15:02.040 special Square. You'll see offers up to sixty six percent 0:15:02.280 --> 0:15:06.120 off on products like their pillows, mattress, Tappa and Geza 0:15:06.240 --> 0:15:11.479 sheets as well or new products like their slippers, weighted blankets, 0:15:11.680 --> 0:15:15.480 robes and waffle blankets. All My Pillow products come with 0:15:15.480 --> 0:15:19.120 a sixty day money back guarantee into promo code icon. 0:15:19.560 --> 0:15:28.400 That's I c o N. You've been with all of 0:15:28.480 --> 0:15:31.320 us for so long. Let me go back through that 0:15:31.320 --> 0:15:35.720 that day because that day was so profound. Like I said, 0:15:35.760 --> 0:15:37.800 you could you called us at different times. Dawn said, 0:15:38.080 --> 0:15:40.080 I didn't know until today that you had talked to 0:15:40.160 --> 0:15:43.840 Dawn the night before you talked to me that morning 0:15:44.400 --> 0:15:47.320 you talked to Brian. When did you find out what 0:15:47.400 --> 0:15:50.800 was going on with Rusha's illness? And what was your 0:15:51.000 --> 0:15:53.200 reaction when you heard it? And who did you hear 0:15:53.240 --> 0:15:56.480 it from? I heard it from Rush and Catherine and 0:15:56.560 --> 0:15:59.760 I had heard it the week before and late in 0:15:59.840 --> 0:16:05.400 the week before, and so I learned in a very 0:16:05.520 --> 0:16:10.360 very difficult conversation from Rush that he had advanced lung cancer. 0:16:10.880 --> 0:16:15.120 And like you, we had seen some irregularities in his 0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:19.240 on air behavior and his availability in a couple of 0:16:19.240 --> 0:16:21.680 weeks leading up to that. Rush is a very private 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:24.280 person and if he chooses to take a day off, 0:16:24.360 --> 0:16:27.880 it's for a very important reason, and typically he does 0:16:27.920 --> 0:16:30.120 not need to tell you you're on an information need 0:16:30.160 --> 0:16:33.000 to know basis. But he had taken several days off 0:16:33.040 --> 0:16:37.120 over the last three weeks leading up to February three UM, 0:16:37.160 --> 0:16:41.800 and so late the week before we had an afternoon 0:16:41.840 --> 0:16:45.320 phone conversation, which is rare because Rush typically did not 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:49.840 like to use the telephone for conversations. Email was one form, 0:16:50.000 --> 0:16:53.160 text messaging may have been another form, but in this 0:16:53.200 --> 0:16:56.000 particular case, he had asked to have a phone conversation 0:16:56.080 --> 0:17:00.720 that afternoon, and so he shared the new news that 0:17:00.920 --> 0:17:04.240 he had advanced lung cancer and that he had been 0:17:04.600 --> 0:17:07.800 diagnosed not once but twice, to get a confirmation that 0:17:07.880 --> 0:17:11.800 he was dealing with that. In my time with Rush, 0:17:11.840 --> 0:17:15.199 I have learned to um work with him. When he 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:18.240 lost his hearing like you did. I have worked with 0:17:18.320 --> 0:17:21.439 him when he's had some problems with other parts of 0:17:21.440 --> 0:17:24.639 his body, you know, one of them being you know, 0:17:24.720 --> 0:17:26.640 as a man gets older in life, is your heart 0:17:26.680 --> 0:17:29.040 working regularly? What do you do in terms of good 0:17:29.080 --> 0:17:33.240 heart health? All of those things, And now along I 0:17:33.359 --> 0:17:38.800 hear advanced lung cancer, and I also heard a confidence 0:17:38.840 --> 0:17:42.119 in his voice that he had been diagnosed once but twice, 0:17:42.200 --> 0:17:44.320 but that there was a good group of doctors, a 0:17:44.359 --> 0:17:46.560 team of doctors and scientists that were going to come 0:17:46.600 --> 0:17:48.840 to help him. And because I had lived through the 0:17:48.840 --> 0:17:52.600 worst of life with Rush in his health and a 0:17:52.640 --> 0:17:57.080 couple of different capacities. To me, Rush was a man 0:17:57.160 --> 0:18:00.600 who had incredible mental capabilities if he put his into something, 0:18:00.680 --> 0:18:03.160 if you focused on it, if he looked for the answers. 0:18:03.440 --> 0:18:05.639 And I was right behind him and saying, we're going 0:18:05.680 --> 0:18:07.960 to get all the resources that you need for this, 0:18:08.160 --> 0:18:10.280 knowing full well that he had his wife Catherine to 0:18:10.320 --> 0:18:12.640 help him, that he had a good group of people 0:18:12.680 --> 0:18:16.080 to go to. So he shared with me several days 0:18:16.080 --> 0:18:18.640 before I had the chance to share with you, and 0:18:18.720 --> 0:18:22.280 he asked me to maintain my quietness, And so I 0:18:22.359 --> 0:18:27.000 carried that conversation in my mind apart from any other 0:18:27.080 --> 0:18:30.840 human being until that Monday when he wanted to be 0:18:30.920 --> 0:18:34.800 the one to share with you. And aside from you James, 0:18:35.040 --> 0:18:38.240 and and Don and Brian, who were the nucleus the 0:18:38.280 --> 0:18:41.440 family of four in the studio, there were twenty more 0:18:41.440 --> 0:18:44.120 people that are on our team and they're all over 0:18:44.160 --> 0:18:48.000 the United States, and he felt it was important to 0:18:48.040 --> 0:18:51.880 share the news simultaneously with each of you because just 0:18:52.000 --> 0:18:55.800 like he has relationships with you that are so uniquely special, 0:18:56.440 --> 0:19:00.480 he has the same with individuals in New York and 0:19:00.520 --> 0:19:03.439 in Los Angeles and and other parts of the United 0:19:03.440 --> 0:19:07.520 States that will work together to make the program, the website, 0:19:07.640 --> 0:19:11.560 the Limball letter, all of those pieces. So that was 0:19:11.600 --> 0:19:15.320 the day, and we took into account everybody's schedule so 0:19:15.359 --> 0:19:18.480 that we could get everybody together before the show. You 0:19:18.520 --> 0:19:21.120 talk to everybody on the staff pretty much. I did, 0:19:22.080 --> 0:19:24.480 so I tried my best to get in touch with 0:19:24.600 --> 0:19:27.639 each of the staff without disclosing to them what we 0:19:27.720 --> 0:19:30.960 are going to be talking about, and without putting fear 0:19:31.000 --> 0:19:34.320 and worry. You know, one of our team members was 0:19:34.400 --> 0:19:37.040 driving that morning six and a half hours to get 0:19:37.080 --> 0:19:42.119 to that meeting, Dawn, and the thing that carried in 0:19:42.240 --> 0:19:46.199 My mind was, you don't want to tell somebody news 0:19:47.240 --> 0:19:50.520 that is gonna hinder their ability to safely drive. You 0:19:50.560 --> 0:19:54.919 want her to arrive safely for that meeting. Um, So 0:19:55.040 --> 0:19:56.760 you find a balance, You find a way to get 0:19:56.800 --> 0:20:00.760 it done and so that everybody is there together for 0:20:00.800 --> 0:20:02.400 what it's going to be one of the toughest days 0:20:02.400 --> 0:20:05.880 of their life. Rush was so stoic when he did. 0:20:06.080 --> 0:20:08.199 I mean you, you know, there was not a lot 0:20:08.280 --> 0:20:11.200 of emotion going on, except which I still to this day, 0:20:11.280 --> 0:20:14.560 can I believe that he actually apologized to us and 0:20:14.600 --> 0:20:16.840 said that he and said somehow he thought he was 0:20:16.920 --> 0:20:20.720 letting us down. That still blows my mind. But aside 0:20:20.760 --> 0:20:23.879 from that, he was he could have been. He was 0:20:23.920 --> 0:20:27.520 so stoic about it all. He started that conversation as 0:20:27.560 --> 0:20:29.679 if it was just a staff meeting, and we did 0:20:29.840 --> 0:20:32.399 never had staff meetings, right, right, two of them in 0:20:32.440 --> 0:20:35.320 twenty five years of working together. Right. But you're right 0:20:35.440 --> 0:20:38.400 he was stoic that moment. Did you get any hint 0:20:38.400 --> 0:20:41.200 to whether he was scared or what? You had another 0:20:41.240 --> 0:20:44.400 conversation with him, do you? And and and like all 0:20:44.400 --> 0:20:46.840 of us, we all have different relationships with him. Your 0:20:46.880 --> 0:20:49.719 relationship with Rush was was different than ourards. It was 0:20:50.040 --> 0:20:54.560 you as business partner. Yes, So what was what did 0:20:54.640 --> 0:20:57.719 you get from him? Um? I got the fact that 0:20:57.760 --> 0:21:00.320 he was resolved to get the best medical treat meant 0:21:00.680 --> 0:21:03.080 I got the fact or I got the sensation that 0:21:03.119 --> 0:21:05.600 he was up against something that he had never come 0:21:05.680 --> 0:21:09.080 up against before. That it was much more serious than 0:21:09.119 --> 0:21:11.440 losing his hearing and making your living as a talk 0:21:11.480 --> 0:21:15.959 show host. It was much more serious than um, worrying 0:21:15.960 --> 0:21:19.399 about family health history and having it happened to you. 0:21:20.800 --> 0:21:24.640 I got mom Millie died of lung cancer, and Milly 0:21:25.000 --> 0:21:27.920 was for those I I had. I had a lot 0:21:27.920 --> 0:21:32.359 of great interactions with Milly. Milly would would mail me 0:21:32.480 --> 0:21:37.719 cousettes of music. We love talking about music together. Um. 0:21:37.800 --> 0:21:40.480 When Rush in the early days, we'd go like places, 0:21:40.720 --> 0:21:43.480 Milly would would be there and Milli and I always 0:21:43.520 --> 0:21:48.240 hung out. I remember rocking Kristen to sleep, David's daughter 0:21:48.280 --> 0:21:50.600 when she was a baby while I was, you know, 0:21:50.680 --> 0:21:53.320 speaking with Milly and I were having a conversation when 0:21:53.320 --> 0:21:55.639 I was It's like memories like that that that that 0:21:55.840 --> 0:21:59.760 stick out. Would you remember James, for instance, the fact 0:21:59.760 --> 0:22:03.040 that Rush talked to his mom, Millie every day until 0:22:03.080 --> 0:22:07.280 she passed away. How many adult grown men who do 0:22:07.320 --> 0:22:09.920 not live in the same city with their mother as 0:22:10.119 --> 0:22:13.159 high profile and is busy and in demand as that 0:22:13.240 --> 0:22:16.120 gentleman was, would find time to talk to his mother 0:22:16.240 --> 0:22:19.240 every day. Every day, I'd go home to visit my mother, 0:22:19.320 --> 0:22:20.960 and I'd get there to be a hundred and fifty 0:22:21.000 --> 0:22:23.360 books stacked up on the table in the dining room 0:22:23.400 --> 0:22:25.639 that she'd collected from people have been sending them in. 0:22:26.920 --> 0:22:29.080 And I said, Mother, I'm coming here to get away 0:22:29.119 --> 0:22:31.360 from the no son you, but these people love you. 0:22:31.359 --> 0:22:33.360 You got to send me those books, and you've got 0:22:33.359 --> 0:22:35.160 to sign them so I can send them back. I said, 0:22:35.160 --> 0:22:37.280 I'm not gonna have time to talk to you. That's okay. 0:22:37.680 --> 0:22:40.840 You have to pay attention to these people. She just 0:22:42.040 --> 0:22:44.919 the fact that people all over the country loved her 0:22:45.000 --> 0:22:49.240 little boy just was was the greatest thing that ever 0:22:49.280 --> 0:22:52.040 happened to her, and she wanted to make sure that 0:22:52.200 --> 0:22:55.080 they knew that our family appreciated him. It's just like 0:22:55.200 --> 0:23:00.879 his dad all over. He is just the political his 0:23:01.040 --> 0:23:04.800 dad's alcoholic city and got his smart from his dad. 0:23:05.000 --> 0:23:08.639 And I must say silliness from me. Do you know 0:23:08.720 --> 0:23:11.840 I found a picture it's not It's not the greatest 0:23:11.840 --> 0:23:13.760 picture in the world. But I found over the weekend 0:23:13.800 --> 0:23:19.560 a picture of Rush had had rented a yacht for 0:23:19.760 --> 0:23:21.720 those of us on the show, and we this was 0:23:21.760 --> 0:23:24.359 when we were still up at w ABC and and 0:23:24.400 --> 0:23:27.200 so it was party night around Manhattan in this yacht 0:23:27.480 --> 0:23:29.480 and Milly was there. And I found a picture of 0:23:29.600 --> 0:23:32.280