Rush Limbaugh Dead at 70
February 17, 2021 2:25pm
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III
1/12/1951 - 2/17/2021
Although I have only listened to Rush Limbaugh for a total of maybe ten hours over the past decade, I was one of his biggest supporters in 1988 shortly after he syndicated his radio show nationwide. While I'm certain he would have been picked up in Pensacola eventually regardless of my actions, I was the person who convinced WCOA Radio to pick him up in 1989 shortly after I began working at the station.
I successfully called in to his radio show six times. He referenced two of my calls his books. The first time, I was "a guy from Pensacola called..." in reference to an aircraft carrier the City of Pensacola was trying to keep homeported here.
The second time I said something he later referenced in his book, he tried to quote my joke but didn't quite get it right. Rush had mentioned a guy who had been arrested and charged with felonies for stealing (and thus killing) sea turtle eggs from a nest on the beach. He had made the point that unborn endangered species get more legal protection than unborn humans. I got through to him on the air and said, "If the judge rules that the unhatched sea turtles eggs are, in fact, 'life,' does that mean life begins at conception? Or that life begins when you get laid?" It was an original and funny joke. And Rush laughed.
Well, in his book, he tried to repeat my joke but finished it with a misquote of the punchline. He said, "... does that mean life begins at conception? Or that life begins when you're laid?" Sorry, Rush, but it had to be "get laid" for the joke to work. Regardless, I suppose it was cool that he thought my joke was worthy of repeating in his book - even if he flubbed it.
This photo was taken in 1996 in the studio of Rush's TV show immediately following an episode. I was the sales manager at WCOA at the time, and we had conducted an on-air giveaway of a trip to New York City to view a taping of Rush's television show. My wife and I accompanied the winner on the trip.
Whether you loved Rush Limbaugh or hated Rush Limbaugh, he was one of the most successful personalities in the history of radio. He has signed off the air for the last time.
Rest in peace, Rush.