Bill Maher = Rush?

[EmmieJ]

In my opinion, Rush Limbaugh, Bill Maher and Jon Stewart are no different in their careers. They are all entertainers who believe what they talk about, although they entertain in slightly different ways.

Interesting. Jon Stewart has a show on Comedy Central. His show is not supposed to be taken seriously. Rush Limbaugh puts himself out there as the voice of conservatives, and Republican politicians are afraid to speak out against anything he says because he carries a lot of clout. I don't agree that Jon Stewart carries the same amount of clout among elected Democrats (or really, much clout at all).

The Daily Show highlights political news of the day, usually skewers the politics involved or shows the hypocritical nature of it, has a staff of writers and "special correspondents" and is hilarious and (IMO) good for the soul.

How Rush Limbaugh's ravings about the President supposedly being Muslim, calling a college student a slut and a prostitute and asking her to post sex videos for Limbaugh's perverted enjoyment, can be equated as the same as the clever satirical humor produced by Jon Stewart, I find hard to follow. But maybe that's just me.

I might also point out that Jon Stewart married his first (and only) wife in 2000, and apparently is quite a devoted family man. Rush Limbaugh is working on his 4th marriage, and thankfully has no children. Leaving aside the characterization of Limbaugh as an entertainer, he also falls flat when compared to Jon Stewart on a more personal level. Failure as an "entertainer," failure as a husband, failure as a person in a decent society.

Edited to add: I don't believe in censorship. What's happening to Rush is not censorship, but public censure. He has many times gone beyond the bounds of common decency on his radio show, has caused smaller furors to erupt, but they quickly died down. He has been allowed to continue. But like all people with overinflated egos and no moral compass, he is his own undoing. He spewed vileness one time too many (well, at least 53 times too many re Sandra Fluke), and when people realized what he had said, over and over again, they were disgusted. Rightly so. So people have contacted his advertisers in droves to say "enough is enough. If you want to support this guy, we will NOT support you." Money talks. Bullshit walks. It's not censorship, it's just business.

[EmmieJ]

I think it's about level with "nigger" vs "cracker".

Agreed.

[Austin]

Interesting. Jon Stewart has a show on Comedy Central. His show is not supposed to be taken seriously. Rush Limbaugh puts himself out there as the voice of conservatives, and Republican politicians are afraid to speak out against anything he says because he carries a lot of clout. I don't agree that Jon Stewart carries the same amount of clout among elected Democrats (or really, much clout at all).

The Daily Show highlights political news of the day, usually skewers the politics involved or shows the hypocritical nature of it, has a staff of writers and "special correspondents" and is hilarious and (IMO) good for the soul.

How Rush Limbaugh's ravings about the President supposedly being Muslim, calling a college student a slut and a prostitute and asking her to post sex videos for Limbaugh's perverted enjoyment, can be equated as the same as the clever satirical humor produced by Jon Stewart, I find hard to follow. But maybe that's just me.

I might also point out that Jon Stewart married his first (and only) wife in 2000, and apparently is quite a devoted family man. Rush Limbaugh is working on his 4th marriage, and thankfully has no children. Leaving aside the characterization of Limbaugh as an entertainer, he also falls flat when compared to Jon Stewart on a more personal level. Failure as an "entertainer," failure as a husband, failure as a person in a decent society.

ITA, Emmie, that Jon Stewart in no way deserves to be put in the same category as Limbaugh or Maher. You'd have to have never seen the show to believe that he does. I do believe, however, that he has amassed more and more clout among elected officials.

[EmmieJ]

ITA, Emmie, that Jon Stewart in no way deserves to be put in the same category as Limbaugh or Maher. You'd have to have never seen the show to believe that he does. I do believe, however, that he has amassed more and more clout among elected officials.

I hope you're right. :)

[wtfrenchtoast]

Yes, Bill Maher is a dick at times. However, he's often got more than a kernel of truth to his observations, and he is not afraid to have all sorts of guests on his show with widely varying viewpoints. I do not appreciate any man calling a woman a c--t. But there is no way I'd agree with the statement that Maher = Rush, i.e., is as "bad" as Rush. No way.

Maher is intelligent, witty, bitterly sarcastic at times, but I don't believe he tries to stir people up into a frenzy of hate and fear. Limbaugh, on the other hand, is all about stirring up people's basest feelings and spewing consistently hateful beliefs, beyond what used to be called "common decency." In my mind, there is no comparison between the two.

Slightly off topic, but I find it interesting that you're against using derogatory genitalia slant for women, but in the same paragraph you use the same kind of term for men. Can I ask why you think they're different?

[Austin]

This is a prime example of why Jon Stewart is not anything like Limbaugh. It is still awesome:

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[AudreyE]

Edited to add: I don't believe in censorship. What's happening to Rush is not censorship, but public censure. He has many times gone beyond the bounds of common decency on his radio show, has caused smaller furors to erupt, but they quickly died down. He has been allowed to continue. But like all people with overinflated egos and no moral compass, he is his own undoing. He spewed vileness one time too many (well, at least 53 times too many re Sandra Fluke), and when people realized what he had said, over and over again, they were disgusted. Rightly so. So people have contacted his advertisers in droves to say "enough is enough. If you want to support this guy, we will NOT support you." Money talks. Bullshit walks. It's not censorship, it's just business.

That's such a good point. I was irritated by a CNN poll that said something, like, "Should Rush be banned from the airwaves?" I mean, how fucking stupid. Very few people are going to agree with that, and how the fuck do you ban someone from the airwaves anyway? It doesn't mean people think he's worth listening to.

I love Jon Stewart. I respect him so much for turning a silly news show into something truly meaningful. I don't stay up late enough to watch The Daily Show, but I will often see clips that inform me of things that I hadn't heard in the regular news. Often these things are so laughable or appalling that I cannot believe the regular media has ignored them. It's astonishing to me some of the stuff politicians pull without getting called out, even when it's so incredibly easy to do.

[valsa]

Slightly off topic, but I find it interesting that you're against using derogatory genitalia slant for women, but in the same paragraph you use the same kind of term for men. Can I ask why you think they're different?

I can't speak for Emmie but please see my above "'nigger' vs 'cracker'" comment. Some words have nasty histories and centuries of oppression associated with the people they're attached to.

[wtfrenchtoast]

I can't speak for Emmie but please see my above "'nigger' vs 'cracker'" comment. Some words have nasty histories and centuries of oppression associated with the people they're attached to.

I guess I can understand that, but I still see 'cracker' as highly offensive. Not as offensive as 'nigger' but I still don't use it to refer to white people, because I don't use racially derogatory terms. Most people I know that won't say nigger won't say cracker either, so I was just curious as to why she uses one term and not the other.

[lilwriter85]

Maher can be an ass at times, but I find him more tolerable than Rush. Maher was pretty calm when he had that late show on ABC years ago.

[HoneyBunny]

ITA, Emmie, that Jon Stewart in no way deserves to be put in the same category as Limbaugh or Maher. You'd have to have never seen the show to believe that he does. I do believe, however, that he has amassed more and more clout among elected officials.

This last point is the key. Rush is, by most counts, the undisputed de facto head of the Republican party. Bill Maher (I happen to agree with most -not all- that he says) is clearly not similarly considered. With power comes responsibility. Rush has a responsibility and should be held to a higher standard.

And I love, love, love Jon Stewart and the Daily Show. He absolutely keeps me sane. Sometimes I feel so alone, living in the upper middle class White Republican town I live in. Jon Stewart gives me strength and reminds me that I'm right in my beliefs, damn it. He is the hero of thinking people everywhere, most of whom just happen to be liberals.

[JesusFightClub]

Well, what do you guys think of "cunt" vs "dick." I've always found cunt to be sexist, but maybe it's not. Maybe it's just "turn about is fair play." I think "bitch" is sexist, but there is a clear association with that word toward powerful women.

I use "cunt" a lot IRL but don't on FJ because it offends people.

How I see it is like you. I don't think "cunt" should be more charged than "dick". That seems to suggest women's genitals are peculiarly disgusting.

"Bitch" is more sexist, like a woman is getting above herself, and also comparing her to an animal.

[valsa]

I guess I can understand that, but I still see 'cracker' as highly offensive. Not as offensive as 'nigger' but I still don't use it to refer to white people, because I don't use racially derogatory terms. Most people I know that won't say nigger won't say cracker either, so I was just curious as to why she uses one term and not the other.

Meh. I use "cracker" all the time. Granted, it's only while making jokes but I wouldn't even joke using "nigger". I also use the word "dick", though I use it for both men and women.

[apple1]

"Bitch" is more sexist, like a woman is getting above herself, and also comparing her to an animal.

(not saying this applies to others)

I have been known to tell an occasional person, "Now I will earn my Bitch title," immediately before telling it like it is. IYKWIM. In my "old age" (58) I try to be courteous, but I far prefer having things out in the open to having them stuffed under the carpet.

And as a dog-lover to the nth degree, and one who shares her home with dogs (always), I find dogs better than humans many days. So I don't consider bitch necessarily insulting.

As always, context matters and YMMV.

Hope this makes sense.

[BayLee_10]

Yes, Bill Maher is a dick at times. However, he's often got more than a kernel of truth to his observations, and he is not afraid to have all sorts of guests on his show with widely varying viewpoints. I do not appreciate any man calling a woman a c--t. But there is no way I'd agree with the statement that Maher = Rush, i.e., is as "bad" as Rush. No way.

Maher is intelligent, witty, bitterly sarcastic at times, but I don't believe he tries to stir people up into a frenzy of hate and fear. Limbaugh, on the other hand, is all about stirring up people's basest feelings and spewing consistently hateful beliefs, beyond what used to be called "common decency." In my mind, there is no comparison between the two.

This is my opinion, too. I think I might have fallen in love with Bill, though when he called 'W' the cowboy from 'Toy Story.' It is especially funny when his ex-wife is on the show. Wish I could remember her name.