The rise and rise of Glenn Beck: His appeal and the method to his madness

VIDEO: Glenn Beck panel: Stephanie Miller VS Steve Malzberg 

moderated by Howard Kurtz

Partial transcript of Howard Kurtz' introduction, describing Glenn Beck's persona and setting the table for the partisan discussion of the man by Radio Talkers Steve Malzberg (conservative) and Stephanie Miller (liberal)

HOWARD KURTZ:If there's one guy on TV who is "mad as hell and doesn't want to take it anymore", it's Glenn Beck. Since jumping from CNN's Headline News to Fox News last year. Beck has become a bigger hit in the ratings and a magnet for media attention not always of the favorable kind.

Some folks love him, others can't stand him and some think he's a little "looney tunes". Here's Beck this week on America's reaction to the Obama Presidency with a striking visual in the background (Nazi marches).

VOICEOVER: The New York Times gave him front page billing this week... MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' had a bit of fun with the Beck bombast and Stephen Colbert seems to view Glenn as something of a rolemodel...

Watch Stephen Colbert mockingly adoring Glenn Beck
The 10.31 Project (Colbert's parody of Beck's 9-12 project)

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The 10.31 Project
comedycentral.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor NASA Name Contest

Stephen satirises Glenn Beck's theatrics with moments of levity as well as a pointed shot at his shamelessness

STEPHEN COLBERT: Good point, the 9-12project is not directed at families directly affected by 9/11. Just people building their careers on them...
I'm sorry (tearful) I just love Glenn Beck's sanity and I fear for it

Download video of Stephen Colbert's parody of Glenn Beck

White House correspondents and CNN's Ed Henry targetted by Rush Limbaugh and Barack Obama

CNN's senior White House correspondent Ed Henry has been in smackdowns in recent days with arguably the two most powerful men in America, President Barack Obama and RadioTalker Rush Limbaugh.

Watch a full clip from the Presidential Press Conference

VIDEO: Barack Obama smacks down CNN's Ed Henry

Ed Henry appeared on CNN's 'Anderson Cooper 360' to talk about the exchange. Commenting on Obama's temper and reinforcing the conservative meme of Obama's reliance on the teleprompter.

VIDEO: CNN's Ed Henry VS President Obama on AIG bonuses

Ed Henry in a seemingly self-indulgent op-ed also reiterated his take on his exchange with President Obama:

Behind the scenes: Ed Henry's take on exchange with Obama
Still early, so nobody had asked AIG yet. Plus my "sidebar" question now seemed off-point so early in a newser focused on the economic pain in the nation.

The pressure was on now because the president had called on me. Someone handed me a microphone, millions were watching, and it's scary to think about changing topic in a split second because you might get flustered and screw up.

But it's fun to gamble and like any good quarterback (though I was never athletic enough to actually play the position), I decided to call an audible...

Washington Post Columnist Eugene Robinson and Keith Olbermann touched on this Ed Henry/Obama stoush. Reliably it inflates things in favor of President Obama but Eugene uses a nice basketball analogy. It's interesting as the way Ed Henry wrote his op-ed was reminiscent of how a young boy would imagine their dream encounter with their basketball hero.

Bill O'Reilly and Dennis Miller has their say on Ed Henry, Dennis Miller bring up the "off-teleprompter" meme and suggest President Obama develop some Rhino skin. Bill O'Reilly manages to make it about himself again whilst making a valid point.

VIDEO: Miller & O'Reilly on the Ed Henry/Obama exchange

Though in no way as direct, Rush Limbaugh rhetorically called on Ed Henry and took White House Correspondents to task.

VIDEO: Rush Limbaugh to CNN's Ed Henry - "Ed, you're a butt-boy."

Ed Henry has made great headway in developing a profile amongst viewers and bloggers by being talked about by the punditocracy. But if Dennis Miller and Rush Limbaugh are to be believed, the real winner seems to be ABC's Jake Tapper. Commended unprompted by both talkers as the most diligent White House Correspondent (and Obama challenger) today.

Howard Kurtz: Tucker Carlson, Stephanie Miller on Jon Stewart and "partisan hackery"

Recently Howard Kurtz hosted a panel that discussed the smackdown between CNBC's Jim Cramer and The Daily Show's Jon Stewart. The panel also featured two APF pundits, conservative Tucker Carlson and liberal Stephanie Miller. It's notable because Tucker was on the receiving end of one Jon Stewart's most memorable smackdowns. Appearing on CNN's Crossfire co hosted by Tucker, Stewart condemned the show's format of combative "partisan hackery".

Understandably after Jim Cramer and CNBC's format was criticised by Stewart, Tucker used this opportunity to get back at Stewart labelling him a "partisan hack" and warning his "sanctimonious" tone will lead him to being considered "unfunny".

VIDEO: Stephanie Miller and Tucker Carlson scoring the basic cable
showdown between CNBC and Jon Stewart

Read a partial transcript of this panel discussion on CNN- State of the Union: Reliable Sources - Aired March 15, 2009

Watching Tucker Carlson speak of Jon Stewart, the common theme is Carlson's concern for Jon Stewart's "unfunniness"

TUCKER talking Jon Stewart with Howard Kurtz: He's [Jon Stewart] smart, he's talented but he's becoming so self-serious and sanctimonious that it's just a matter of time that he becomes unfunny
TUCKER defending himself on CNN's Crossfire: Wow I thought you were going to be funny. C'mon be funny.... Is this really Jon Stewart. What's it like to have dinner with you? It must be excruciating do you lecture people when you come over their house... I think that you're more fun on you show

VIDEO: Jon Stewart on Crossfire with Tucker Carlson

Franken, Coulter, Stephanie and Dennis: Pundit debates

In previous posts I've stated that pundits rarely venture outside their fiefdoms and challenge other pundits face to face. Often times they will call each other out on their own TV shows (like Olbermann) or on the radio (like Levin). Every so often they will challenge each other directly but usually with someone holding court (like O'Reilly hosting Maher).

The best debates however are the long form debates, traditionally held in University settings. Independent moderators moving the proceedings, wrestling-style live crowd feedback, body language and extemporaneous thought.

Here are a collection of some of the best:

A Conversation Between Al Franken & Ann Coulter
Friday, May 14, 2004. Hosted by The Connecticut Forum

From the Left...Al Franken Bestselling author of LIES and The Lying LIars Who Tell Them and From the Right...Ann Coulter Author of the bestseller TREASON-Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism. Political fireworks!
Moderated by Steve Roberts

Talk Radio's "The Great Debate" Stephanie Miller(L) VS Dennis Prager(R)
October 7, 2008. Hosted by Democracy Broadcasting

Talk-radio's Left meets the Right in Los Angeles following the Obama - McCain televised debate. 1-hour of spirited debate between Prager and Miller taped before a live audience of their fans in Glendale, California.

Book Panel including Al Franken and Bill O'Reilly (audio only)
May 31, 2003. Hosted by C-SPAN and BookTV
Read BuzzFlash' reader account:

The story of how Franken tracked down and debunked this claim ran on for 10 or 15 minutes, in excruciating detail. O'Reilly, still silent through most of it, was beside himself and looked to be ready to jump out of his chair and tackle the speaker.

Read a BuzzFlash interview of the incident

4 New APF face posters

A treat for all you APF fans- Large face posters of the 4 newest APF pundits. Posters for the rest of the pundits can be found in this previous post. Feel free to use this art in anyway you deem necessary. Drop me a line if you have any suggestions or would like share some of the creative ways you've used the art.

Click to download the images:
Glenn Beck
Michael Savage
Stephanie Miller
Marc Maron

The Unveiling of NEW APF wrestlers: Maron, Beck, Miller and Savage

The time has arrived. Without further adieu the APF presents the 4 new pundits. In the Blue corner..... In the red corner.....

Tell your friends! But make sure to keep the pundits a surprise so they can see for themselves.

Teaser: 4 new pundits

The countdown has begun. It's only a matter of time now.

Tell all your friends!