Yesterday, Broadcasting lost one of it’s legends with the passing of Conservative Icon Rush Limbaugh who was taken by Cancer at age 70.

Sometime after Rush’s show went coast to coast, I went to hear him give a speech at the Michgian Inn in Southfield. After his speech I went up to the Podium - where he was thanking people for attending, I introduced myself as “Dick Purtan from WXYZ radio” and told him how much I enjoyed his speech. Rush looked at me - stepped back a bit - and much to my amazement said, “You’re my hero”. And then he told me a story. Turns out the station managers at his ABC owned radio station in Pittsburgh were making him listen to tapes of my ABC owned station WXYZ in Detroit. He said they wanted his show to be more like mine. He said he had listened to those tapes which apparently led to his reference to me as his hero.

Years later, Rush mentioned me on his show a number of times. He said listening to tapes of my show had thought him how to connect and entertain his audience.

One of those times, my Dad happened to be listening in Buffalo. I think that was the moment my Dad was finally happy with my decision to go into Radio - and not into the furniture and mattress business with him. For that alone, I owe Rush a debt of Gratitude.

No matter how you felt about his viewpoints, even Rush’s harshest critics agree that he was an incredible Broadcaster. His talent was partly a gift (His ability to talk for hours can’t be learned - nor can the power of his booming voice) and partly honed by his years on Top 40 Radio (Know when to get in, when to get out… keep it short, and talk about things that are relatable to your audience).

For Rush, it proved to be a Powerful Broadcasting blend that breathed life back into AM radio which had been on life support since the stereo sound of music on the FM band had taken the country by storm.

And Rushes show - from Noon to 3pm - also revived a time slot long considered to be an afterthought in Radio.

Millions of like-minded conservatives turned to him for his thoughts and opinions on what was going on in Washington and around the country. Politics and Social Issues were his bread and butter - and his ever growing audience tuned in for his “Common Sense” take - often deadly serious, sometimes humorous and satirical - on the State of our Union.

Interestingly, many people who DISAGREED with his take listened with almost as much fervor as those that Agreed with him. How would they know they didn’t like what he had to say if they weren’t listening?

From those that loved him and what they considered his “Voice of Reason” approach to real life in America, you’d hear “Did you hear what Rush Said!” From those that found him offensive… “Did you hear what Rush said???” Same sentence, different meaning. Only a true icon can create that much passion on both sides.

For three hours everyday, Rush talked about the things on America’s mind. And he did it in an always interesting, consistently entertaining, remarkably relatable and - yes - many times controversial way - deepening on YOUR point of view.

For millions of Conservatives - half of this Country - Rush told it like it was. He said things many were afraid to say lest they be called out as Racist or Sexist or any of the other “ ist“ labels thrown on people so casually these days. He believed - and there were millions who agreed and still agree with him - that our country had more pressing things to worry about than the number of mandated Gender-Bending bathrooms in Shopping Malls or whether Men, too, can have babies.

He believed (as do I) that America may not be perfect, but it is hands down the greatest country on Earth. He stood up to the Cultural Elites in Manhattan, Hollywood and on TV who spend their days telling us what a horrible place America is…that we need to apologize for virtually EVERYTHING that America has done and stood for since it was founded… and even before that! He thought it wrong to remove hundreds-years-old statues and “Un-do” our history instead of learning from it. He railed against corruption and championed traditional American Values - Compassion, Civility, Decency, Hard Work, Self Reliance and good old fashioned Love of Country.

His death has left a gaping hole in the American discussion of Who We Were, Who We Are and Who We Want to Become. Love him or hate him… you have to respect and appreciate his talent and his impact.

How do you replace that?

-Dick

One of those people who just can’t be replaced.

All the naysayers - who continually tell us that America is a horrible place. It’s the best of the rest. And Rush knew that.

Cultural Elites. Twisted morality on us. Not morality at all.

Middle Americans resent the same condescension that Hollywood and Manhattan elites.

Appreciaton for the values that most of us… Civility, mutual respect, a semblance of decency and a little old fashioned love of country.

Rush built a forum for Millions of conservative.

Strongest voice of conservatives.

From a Broadcasters standpoint, his very strong voice represented half of the voices in this country.

Common sense. Brought back radio - AM at the time was a dead medium -

Conservative talk filled AM - Music on FM.

Saved AM radio. Gave people a reason to go to the radio during the afternoon (Noon to 3).

Saved the weak time period. (Noon to 3).

The strongest voice to re reckoned with.

Rush didn’t consider his show just serious - funny too - to be who did agree with him.

If if they disagreed with him at times.

Brought back civility and mocked the craziness on the left. Attacked the BIG problems that mattered. Not how many.

1951 to 2021.

Gave a different report on things that we were hearing from Washington, D.C.

Tried to mix fun in with straight stuff. Could talk for three straight ours.

So much of what we were left with - “On loan from Gawd”.

Disputed that there were more than two sexes. That men can have babies. COMMON SENSE.

Became a hero to many, many people who didn’t like statues being torn down. Said his show was “more than political”. Knew that you had to be funny at times…

Trained in Top 40. Understood how radio worked and how to attract and keep an audience.

Even during Chemo.

Pollical but also designed to be entertaining. Controversial subjects were often presented in entertaining way.

He was first and foremost a Broadcaster. You have to figure out what people are interested in and want to talk/hear about.

Personal…

Meeting him.

Rush gave a speech in Detroit at the Michigan Inn in his early days and afterward I went up to the podium where he was greeting people and thanking them for comments. I was the last guy in line.

Went up and introduced byself and how much I enjoyed speech.

WXYZ - Backed up from Podium. Said “You’re my hero”. How’d that happen…

“Well - told Dad a story that he had been. at KQV in Pittsburgh and that xyzzy in Dertoit was sending him tapes of Dad’s show and saying “This is what we would like you to do”. He thanked Dad for something he didn't even know he was doing. I’d never heard of him in those days. He was Top 40 then. Hadn’t started doing Politics yet.

ABC was trying to get him to be more entertaining on his show. (Put on calls??)

Learned his sense of timing and how to entertain and get out before it got boring.

Top 40 teaches you that.

XYZ was doing incredibly well. Morning and afternoon went to a 10 share with Dad. (Don’t need that).

Half the country has lost his spokesperson - the one they could always rely on to give the other side of the story. The one who refused to go along with this “Woke” stuff.

Helped America come to it’s senses -

Almost NO liberal stations on the air.

We are under attack from the outside (China/Russia)

And the inside…

Said he learned how to do radio and I was his hero.

Rush was one of two successful broadcasters who called me his

The blog you read on this page was originally created by my daughter Jackie and Myself was

Whether you agreed with Rush or not - he was an incredible broadcaster.

And I think it came from a natural talent that he learned - timing - He knew how to entertain. Make the content (political) intereting even though you may not have agreed with him. Your point of view.

You liked him if you agreed with him. Most likely didn’t if you didn’t agree with him.

Be fun . And if you can’t be fun… Be interesting. Informative and fun. Thought provoking. Said things that the left

Bernard Goldberg: The 110 People Screwing Up America.

Kept that voice even during Chemo.

One of those people who just can’t be replaced.

All the naysayers - who continually tell us that America is a horrible place. It’s the best of the rest. And Rush knew that.

Cultural Elites. Twisted morality on us. Not morality at all.

Middle Americans resent the same condescension that Hollywood and Manhattan elites.

Appreciaton for the values that most of us… Civility, mutual respect, a semblance of decency and a little old fashioned love of country.

Grandpa heard one of those times Rush mentioned him on the air. (A couple times on the air).