I like to listen to talk radio a lot. Probably more than is healthy. The following is a list of my favorite shows. I can’t say that I always agree with everything said by these folks, but I can certainly say they keep more informed as a citizen and challenge me to think.

Rush Limbaugh - http://www.rushlimbaugh.com
I mention him first, because he was one of the first. I used to listen to him a lot in the early 90’s. Then I went for about almost 8 years and hardly ever listened to him. But the past year or so, I’ve been listening to him more again. He seems to have mellowed a bit, and he isn’t as funny or arrogant (although new listeners might disagree), but he still talks a lot about very interesting things. However, his “Club Gitmo” thing he started a few years ago is very funny (I think anyway!)He rarely has any guests on the show though. Since the departure of Peter Jennings and Dan Rather, he now calls himself “America’s Anchorman”. He talks mostly all about Washington DC politics. He has great guest hosts when he is on one of his golfing jaunts. My two favorite are Professor Walter E. Williams and Roger Hedgecock.

Sean Hannity - http://www.hannity.com/
I think Sean is to me now, what Rush used to be. I like Sean - he is very upbeat, very positive, and he has a lot of guests, including many who disagree with him. I think even his enemies like him. He is a very likeable guy. And of course, he also hosts the Hannity and Combes show on Fox each night and has very excellent stories. He seems to speak right to you - as a person - and doesn’t stuff his personality. He occasionally has Mark Levin (aka “The Great One”) on as a guest which is always an entertaining segment.

Glenn Beck - http://www.glennbeck.com/
Glenn has got to be the funniest guy in the world. He uses different voices to hold conversations with himself to make points about the insanity of things. If you listen to just one or two shows of Glenn, you’ll be hooked. Unlike Rush or Levin, you don’t need a “lingo” to understand the show.

Michael Savage - http://www.michaelsavage.com/
I’m sorry. I guess you have to apologize when you say you actually “like Mike”. Truly, he is way out there and the guy sometimes make me think he might possibly burst a blood vessel, but he does make you think. I can never get through a whole show, sometimes even a segment without disagreeing with him, or thinking he could have said it a bit more diplomatic. I read his first book - haven’t got to his second yet - and overall, he is on the money. He’s one of those friends you agree with and like to hang out with, but just don’t want to be seen with in public. You’ll know what I mean after 20 or 30 minutes. Still, I can’t help but listen. Must be his commanding voice.

Jerry Doyle - http://www.jerrydoyle.com/
Jerry is probably a bit like Bill O’Reilly - kind of middle of the fence. I can’t stand O’Reilly though - his “what say you” thing is so lame. Jerry seems to sort of relish the fact that he isn’t branded as right-wing or liberal. He is kind of libertarian in his views. But still, he has a very fast mind and a very fast-paced show. Good guests. And I like the way he thinks. Again, he challenges the norms, things we’ve come to accept. Jerry is pretty funny when he wants to be, but sometimes he gets that tirade going.

Laura Ingraham - http://www.lauraingraham.com/
My wife hasn’t yet allowed me to figure out a way to keep her and marry Laura, too. Laura is my absolute favorite out of all of these. Sardonic, charasmatic wit - and she is a true music lover to boot. Woo-hoo! Not to mention a beautiful woman - but you can’t see her on the radio, so buy her books or check out her site. I have to think that some of the feminist pigs I’ve met in my life must hate Laura more than anyone. However, Laura, like Sean, doesn’t shy from political enemies. She had the head of Planned Parenthood on her show a few weeks back and even though they obviously disagreed on everything, it was an amicable, interesting conversation that ended nicely with a warm invite from Laura to have her back on some other time. She is gracious and highly, highly intelligent (used to be a Reagan administration speechwriter and a Supreme Court clerk - yikes! - smarty pants supreme!). I sure wouldn’t want to play chess with her! And I should probably add - just in case you didn’t catch it earlier - that she is absolutely hysterically funny. Just reading through her website will prove it.

Posted in: General