Scattered thoughts on Beck
Since I stayed home with my 7-month old daughter Bernadette a couple of days last week, it afforded me an opportunity to catch a couple of Glenn Beck shows on Fox News. It’s the first time I’ve really been able to see more than a few minutes of the program since he started, and I was a bit curious. He’s no longer on the radio here in DC, so it’s really the first time I’ve seen or heard Beck at any great length in some time. A few thoughts.
- For the first time in my life I thought to myself, “Gee, I could really go for a commercial break right about now.” I believe the first segment on each show ran for almost 20 minutes uninterrupted. I often complain that most talks shows – both political and sports – run far too many commercials, but that was just too much unfiltered Beck to take in one sitting. Maybe MTV, even though I haven’t watched it in about 12 years, has spoiled the way I look at television. Whatever it is, there needs to be more breaks in the action just to slow down the pace of the show. I realize that part of the problem is the idiotic bycott aginst Beck, but man, just throw it back to the studio or something if you can’t find advertisers.
- Beck’s at an 11. He needs to be at a 7. I appreciate the emotion, and it makes for an entertaining program. But the constant drumbeat of “OH MY GOD WE NEED TO GET THESE RASCALS OUT NOW GRRRRRRR!!!!” combined with the hammy over-performance and the “I’m on the verge of tears and/or a nervous breakdown” is again too much to take.
- That said, I do not think he is a threat to the republic. Yeah, he is a bit of a ham who tends to over-dramatize things, but I’ve seen far worse. We’ve got bigger issues than whether or not Beck is an over-the-top performer.
But he does make me appreciate the truly good talkers like Rush, Laura Ingraham and Mark Levin all the more. I have mixed emotions about Beck, quite frankly. I appreciate his fortrightness and his true passion for trying to restore some of our Founding ideals. But in a lot of ways he reminds me of Hannity – though, to be sure, he’s much better than Hannity. Neither really offers up any unique insight. It’s sort of the same old stuff packaged in a different way. Rush, Laura, and Mark – say what you will about them – have unique takes on any given topic and offer fresh perspectives. They go a little deeper and really make interesting connections. Beck is more about throwing out the red meat. There’s a place for that, but in the end it’s actually just a bit boring.
Well, I suggest you not watch him anymore. He has help open the eyes of many Americans and I am thankful to him. Agreeing with his techniques does not matter, it’s the results that count. Just check the numbers at the 9/12 march on Washington and see how successful he has been. Please just drop the negative articles on Beck and focus on something you think important. We’ll continue to enjoy and appreciate his show.
It’s not like I’m completely bashing Beck or don’t appreciate some of what he has done, especially as regards ACORN. I just think Rush and others are better.
Congratulations (belated) on your seven month old.
I like Glenn Beck and actually find his radio show entertaining (although I do not listen to it every day). In my market Rush follows Beck, so there is no conflict there.
Beck’s television show? I could only make it through a handful of times and I found it boring. Not anywhere near as good. What I like more about the radio show is he is more relaxed and funnier and operates more on a 7 as opposed to an 11, so I am in full agreement with you Paul on that score. In the long run, humor works realy well and Beck has that self depreciating gift of being able to tease and mock his oponents without coming off as a bitter Dave Letterman (Bill O’Reilly and Olberman, in contrast, only engage in humor unintentionally).
Bill O’Reilly and Olberman, in contrast, only engage in humor unintentionally
Agreed. I’ve actually enjoyed Beck on the radio, and wouldn’t mind it if the other conservative talker in town brought him back (for some reason, their 12-3 time slot against Rush is the Ed Schultz show). I think I’d like the tv show more if, as I suggested, it had a few more breaks and if Beck dialed it back just a bit. Then again, considering the time slot, I probably won’t be seeing much it anyway.
You cite Levin as a “truly good talker” and then say Beck has to dial it back? Eegads man.
Heh. Good point. Normally Levin is the type of guy I wouldn’t like, but I give him a pass because he’s one of the most brilliant guys on talk radio, and in between shouting he’s offering excellent analysis. Also, he doesn’t engage in quite the same type of theatrics as Beck. Levin just yells. Beck, meanwhile, seems to hold William Shatner up as some kind of role model.
If you don’t have the attention span to listen to someone for “almost 20 minutes uninterrupted”, perhaps it WOULD be better just to turn it off WITHOUT commenting.
If you don’t have the attention span to listen to someone for “almost 20 minutes uninterrupted”, perhaps it WOULD be better just to turn it off WITHOUT commenting.
Obviously I had the attention span to listen to the whole thing or else I wouldn’t have commented. I was noting how the lack of any type of break was a bit jarring. That is all.
I do note the irony of someone telling another person not to comment if they don’t like something.
Interesting comments here. Apparently, if you are a conservative with the temerity to voice dislike for a conservative voice, you should just keep your mouth shut (at least according to Chris-2-4 and B.Barbarisi, who apparently only like to hear from people who trumpet the party line on all things, whether related to style or substance).
Just to clarify: my problem isn’t with 20 minutes of uninterrupted discussion, it’s with 20 continuous minutes of Beck expressing MAXIMUM OUTRAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul:
With respect, I did NOT say “don’t comment if you don’t Like it”. I said PERHAPS it would be better to “turn it off and not comment”.
As opposed to not REALLY listening, but commenting.
Chris:
THANKS for your useful INPUT. You have CLARIFIED where you are coming FROM.
Of course, WITH RESPECT, you’re still not QUITE getting what I said. But again, THANKS.
Please note, my “not commenting” comment was not tied AT ALL to “dislike”, “disagreement”, “disdain” or any similar sentiment. It was tied to “LISTENING”…
Errr, okay, except I didn’t indicate that I didn’t listen, nor did my post indicate that I didn’t grasp the content of what Beck had to say. I indicated that the way that Beck presents himself for 20 uninterrupted minutes is jarring.
Unreal.
“I indicated that the way that Beck presents himself for 20 uninterrupted minutes is jarring.”
Oh. Well then..
“DUH!”
I agree!
Though, confessing you started daydreaming about a commercial is an indication that you stopped listening at some point.
Nevertheless, I apologize. Your point is valid.
Rush is my favorite and an unmatched master at talk radio – on one comes even close. That being said, I like the fact Back has some notches on his gun so to speak – Van Jones and ACORN. With results like that, I can suffer through some of his wackiness and he is VERY funny at times. God bless the Mad Man.
That should be “no one comes even close.”
As Paddy Chayefsky said, television is democracy with a vengeance. Of course, Mr. Chayefsky wrote the Howard Beale shtick decades before Glenn Beck aped it.
As for talk radio, is it merely coincidence that folks like Rush (Big Pharma) Limbaugh have flourished in a medium that doesn’t require its audience to know how to read?
Perhaps. But Limbaugh listeners scored significantly higher in political “common knowledge” than NPR listeners, who presumably know how to read, and “Daily Show” viewers, who hopefully are at least learning in between bongloads.
http://people-press.org/report/?pageid=1068
Mark Levin’s Liberty and Tyranny, with words and everything in it [and no pictures], was at #1 on the NYT bestseller list for 3 months this year.
It of course, remains unreviewed by the Times, which is mebbe why our friends on the left haven’t heard of it.
NPR wouldn’t make it a week if the government teat was taken away from them. They’re leaches like the rest of the statists in America. They may be able to read, but they’re too stupid (and lazy) to support themselves.
PS – NPR = limousine liberals
NPR is annoying, but I find it strangely compelling at times–it is refreshing to hear the other side of things. And I do like Click and Clack on Saturdays.
I can’t stand more than a few minutes of Air America, but fortunately I can’t recall where it is on the dial. But Pacifica is so nutty, I can occasionally listen to it for entertainment.