I’ve only listened to Glenn Beck for a few minutes because a few minutes of his deranged ranting was all I could take. Frankly, I think the man sounds like he’s totally unhinged. Apparently, I’m not the only person who feels that way.
Washington Monthly’s Steve Benen writes: “Beck has spent months — literally screaming and crying — insisting that the president is a socialist/fascist/communist/racist who’s trying to destroy the country through totalitarian means. Major media outlets have plenty of irresponsible voices, but Beck has been unique in his insane rantings. It wasn’t hard to imagine some of his viewers/listeners getting so worked up, they might at least consider doing something dangerous.” ¹
Paul Krugman had this to say about Beck:
Exhibit A for the mainstreaming of right-wing extremism is Fox News’s new star, Glenn Beck. Here we have a network where, like it or not, millions of Americans get their news — and it gives daily airtime to a commentator who, among other things, warned viewers that the Federal Emergency Management Agency might be building concentration camps as part of the Obama administration’s “totalitarian” agenda (although he eventually conceded that nothing of the kind was happening).²
What about Beck’s right to free speech? Well, he has a right to free speech but advertisers have a right to not pay for his “free “speech. Along with free speech comes a certain responsibility and the bill for that responsibility has been delivered by the advertisers who refuse to condone his paranoid rantings.
Press Release from ColorOfChange.org
Procter & Gamble, Progressive Insurance Pledge Not to Advertise on Glenn Beck on Fox News; LexisNexis-owned Lawyers.com Pulls Ads from Glenn Beck
Changes Comes as Tens of Thousands of ColorOfChange.org Members Urge Beck Advertisers to Pull Their Support After Anchor Calls Obama ‘Racist’ on FNC
OAKLAND, Calif.–Three companies who run ads during Glenn Beck — NexisLexis-owned Lawyers.com, Procter & Gamble and Progressive Insurance — today distanced themselves from Beck. LexisNexis has pulled its advertising from Beck and says it has no plans to advertise on the program in the future. Both Procter & Gamble and Progressive Insurance called the Beck advertising placements an error that they would correct.
The decision by the three companies comes as over 45,000 ColorOfChange.org members call on advertisers to pull their ads from Glenn Beck after the controversial news host called President Obama a “racist” who “has a deep-seated hatred for white people” on “Fox & Friends” last week.
“Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention,” said John Michaels, Senior Communications Manager at LexisNexis in an email to ColorOfChange.org. “We have suspended further advertising during Mr. Beck’s program.”
“We have no plans to continue advertising on Mr. Beck’s show,” Michaels continued in another email.
When executives at Procter & Gamble were contacted by ColorOfChange.org, they said that any ads run during Glenn Beck were run by mistake, and that they would correct the problem going forward.
“No P&G ads should have appeared on this program in the first place,” said Martha Depenbrock, Brand Building Stakeholder Relations for Procter & Gamble in an email. “To be clear, if any of our advertising appeared on the Glenn Beck show, it was in error and we appreciate you bringing this matter to our attention. We will do what we can to see that it doesn’t happen again.”
Progressive Insurance said any ads running during Glenn Beck were a mistake by Fox News Channel — a mistake they have asked the network to fix immediately.
“Our (advertising) order specifies no Glenn Beck,” said Linda J. Harris, Media Director at Progressive Insurance in an email to ColorOfChange.org. “We have confirmed with the network that our spots should not be running there,” Harris said in a later email.
Last week, ColorOfChange.org called on its 600,000-plus members to sign a petition urging companies who advertise on Glenn Beck’s radio and television shows to cut off their advertising on Beck’s programs. The mobilization came after Beck called President Obama a “racist” who “has a deep-seated hatred for white people” during an appearance last Tuesday on “Fox and Friends.” More than 45,000 members responded to the call by signing a petition directed at advertisers, including LexisNexis-owned Lawyers.com as well as Procter & Gamble.
“What Beck is doing is race-baiting at its worst, it’s dangerous and it’s hard to imagine any company wanting their brand associated with it,” said James Rucker, executive director of ColorOfChange.org. “Beck has now shown that his extreme views are more appropriate for a street corner than a major media program. He no longer deserves the backing of mainstream advertisers.”
The ColorOfChange.org email urged members to go visit http://www.colorofchange.org/beck/, where they could send letters to executives of target companies. Some of the advertisers who are targeted as part of the campaign include GEICO, NutriSystem and United Parcel Service.
With more than 600,000 members, ColorOfChange.org is the largest African-American online political organization in the country.
UPDATE: Men’s Warehouse and Geico have pulled their ads from the Glenn Beck Show.
SOURCE FOR MEN’S WAREHOUSE INFO and
SOURCE FOR GEICO INFO
UPDATE 1: State Farm pulls ads from Glenn Beck Show.
SOURCE
UPDATE 2: Big news today. We’ve confirmed that eight more major advertisers have pulled their support from Glenn Beck’s show — Wal-Mart, Best Buy, CVS, Travelocity, Allergan (maker of Restasis), Ally Bank, Broadview Security, and Re-Bath.
Overall, twenty advertisers have now ended their support of Beck.
SOURCE.
I watched him a bit today where he claimed he was a libertrian.
He’s in more trouble now after what happened in FL today
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/06/tampa-town-hall-on-health_n_253478.html
Sage Reply:
August 6th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
I just finished getting a post ready for tomorrow about this in Tampa. Sorry I didn’t see your comment earlier.
Beck should change the word “obama” to “glen beck” and then everything would be right
Sage Reply:
August 6th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
I don’t like listening to anybody who rants and raves. I don’t watch Keith Olbermann for that very reason, so I know I’m not going to waste time listening to Beck act like a crazy person.
barga Reply:
August 7th, 2009 at 8:53 am
I caught him in a trap once on live air, he was so bloody pissed off and went right to commercial
Sage Reply:
August 7th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Details please!
barga Reply:
August 7th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Long story
Basically, when i was opening a shop that i used to manage, i would always listen to beck. One day, he was talking about how muslims were refusing to sell bacon at one store (probably bull, but whatever). he was bitching and moaning and all that. So i called in, asked him if he had an issue with this then why did he ever support christians not giving out birth control pills.
He started screaming, i pointed out that it was the same, and the show immediatly went to commercial. As for our phone convo, he was not to pleased, but told me, once off the air, nice play.
I LOVVVVVVVE Glenn Beck. I listened to him for years before he went to TV . I guess the fact that he is so dang EMOTIONAL is what sets him apart from the rest. But he is a LOON! But this just shows what the MARKET does to dictate the flow of things. Instead of firing him, like uh…what’s his name, hat, old wrinkled guy? The advertisers decide WHO gets to say what. So while I like Beck personally ( i never watch him much though) I think this is a good thing,, very American, in how MONEY TALKS, BS walks. So it will be interesting to see what Fox does with him and what advertisers stick,e tc. Free speech means say whatever you like. But that doesn’t alwasy mean you will get PAID to say it
This guy, glenn beck, is mentally sick. He was raise in a dysfunctional family. His mother and brother committed suicide. He’s a functional alcoholic. This guy is totally sick. By the way mental illness is hereditary.
Sage Reply:
August 13th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Hi, Olin. Yeah, he acts deranged.
barga Reply:
August 13th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
you know, as a person with several friedns and family members who are mentally ill, i find this slanderous to even compare them to Mr. Beck. How dare you
marli Reply:
August 14th, 2009 at 9:29 am
I agree – Olin’s comment is terribly offensive. It must be nice in his perfect world.
Anonymous Reply:
August 14th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
that was the craziest eamil i ever got from your system sage
barga Reply:
August 14th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
what the hell is this sage?
an email from your site:
“Mountain Sage inform respectfully: your comment on post Advertisers pull ads from Glenn Beck Show now have new reply
here is your comment:
you know, as a person with several friedns and family members who are mentally ill, i find this slanderous to even compare them to Mr. Beck. How dare you
here is new reply comment:
I agree – Olin’s comment is terribly offensive. It must be nice in his perfect world.
You can see detail for the comment on this post here:
http://mountainsageblog.com/2009/08/06/advertisers-pull-ads-from-glenn-beck-show/#comment-25970
Thanks for your attention of Mountain Sage
This email is sended by blog system automatically, don’t reply this mail please.
“
Sage Reply:
August 14th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I don’t know where the text comes from. It’s in the WordPress software.
It’s informing you that there was a reply to your comment.
Marli wrote: I agree – Olin’s comment is terribly offensive. It must be nice in his perfect world.
Do you know where I can fix that language…inform respectfully and now have new reply? I don’t know where to find it to change it.
I went to the plugin developer’s page and asked how to change the language of the email. It’s horrible I know.
barga Reply:
August 14th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
it is new, what plugins have you recently installed?
and, it is odd, half the time i get it, half the time i get the regular
Sage Reply:
August 14th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Nope. It’s the only one I have ever used.
What’s the regular one look like?
Pingback: glenn beck advertisers
Glenn Beck is a trouble maker rascist, who likes to hear himself rant & rave. Some day someone will be injured or killed because of him! HE SHOULD BE FIRED!!!!
There is a new comment on the post “Advertisers pull ads from Glenn Beck Show”.
http://mountainsageblog.com/2009/08/06/advertisers-pull-ads-from-glenn-beck-show/
Author: Sage
Comment:
Nope. It’s the only one I have ever used.
What’s the regular one look like?
See all comments on this post here:
http://mountainsageblog.com/2009/08/06/advertisers-pull-ads-from-glenn-beck-show/#comments
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Sage Reply:
August 14th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I have no idea why you get one kind one time and the other another time.
WAITTTTTTTT.
What is so offensive about Olins post? I have a family plagued with mental illness, and so , apparently , does G Beck. It’s fact, not slander.
The thought of the person in my family who is bipolar and schizophrenic having a nationally televised forum for people to hear though…………WOW!
marli Reply:
August 14th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Does Olin have a PhD? (He/she might, I’m not sure.) I guess it’s the ‘tone’ of the message: people with mental illnesses are sick people. Why don’t we segregate them all from society so that their voices can’t be heard? That way people who aren’t plagued with a ‘mental sickness’ won’t bother those who have no problems.
I do not agree with Beck, but I don’t know that he is bi-polar or schizophrenic as I am not qualified to make that determination. TV is his medium. Think of all of the ‘mentally sick’ writers and artists…maybe they should be squelched also.
Olin Ross Reply:
August 14th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
No, I don’t have a PhD. Do you need to have a PhD to determine if a person is crazy. But I do have an AA in Sociology, BA in Psychology and a MS in the Criminal Justice System. A person demeanor such as bizarre and speech behavior can easily lead anyone to say this person is off his rock. It is a fact that in some cases mental illness is hereditary. It is also a fact that Glenn Beck’s mother and brother committed suicide. It is also a fact that he is or was a functional alcoholic and through out his life he has exhibited erratic behavior. This is hard data and not glitter generalities.
marli Reply:
August 17th, 2009 at 11:05 am
I agree – he is nuts. I used to listen to him, but my work hours don’t allow for it now. Seems he’s gone a little far off his rocker now. But he was entertaining. Again, just because someone is ‘crazy’ doesn’t mean they should be allowed to have a medium in which to demonstrate their craziness. If people don’t like art or music from ‘crazy’ artists, then they don’t buy it…same goes with Beck. People will stop listening.
Tell me, though, if the president where white and someone called him racist, would anyone really care? I don’t think so, but I would hope that people hold the utmost respect for our president, no matter who he (or she!) may be and be offended either way.
I’m just trying to determine what offended him. My guess is he doesn’t ever listen to beck.
OHH SNAP! Sorry,,, it was barga who said they were totally offended. This thread being some few days old got me confused and lost. Sorry all
barga Reply:
August 15th, 2009 at 12:13 am
was making a joke, apparently a bad one at that
Sage Reply:
August 15th, 2009 at 12:25 am
Really, you were joking? I didn’t catch that either. Sorry.
Hey, I finally found where that email about your comment came from and I edited the text. Obviously English was not the first language of the person who wrote it.
It was generated by the threaded comment plugin ……LOL the wording was a mess.
barga Reply:
August 15th, 2009 at 12:26 am
yeah, was saying it was slanderous to mentally ill to even associate them with Beck
that said, new plugin?
what a coward…dare not post an opposing view?
Sage Reply:
August 17th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I don’t know what opposing view you posted but if it didn’t get posted it either was determined by the software as spam or I deleted it because it offered nothing but insults. I suspect it is the later. I post plenty of opposing views, but I do not allow comments through that consist of nothing but insults. If you have something of any value to post why don’t you try that instead of insults.
Barga Reply:
August 17th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Dude, go into any article on here besides one about Beck or Birthers and you will see sage and I going for each other’s throats
She always allows opposing views
marli Reply:
August 17th, 2009 at 11:15 am
What was the post that Ransom wanted to hear an opposing view about? Who is the coward? I must be missing something.
Sage Reply:
August 17th, 2009 at 11:48 am
I’m not sure what post he is talking about. I had a couple last night that were nothing but hateful screeds with no discussion of the topic and I deleted them. Not because I’m a coward but because I don’t pay to have a blog as a platform for hate. I also deleted one post a couple of days ago that was nothing but misinformation and basically spam.
I have people whose first post on here is not just an insult to me but basically an attack on everyone who comments here. I don’t let those posts through. Plus everyone’s first post is moderated and does not post immediately. That’s to protect the blog from spam.
And I’m the one accused of being a coward.
I don’t think you’re a coward
You’re the one allowing for this discussion. I like when people can actually talk (and have something interesting to say) and I can learn – I never learn from hate talk….doesn’t make sense to me! Those people are the cowards!
Sage Reply:
August 17th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Thanks marli. I’m glad you are here.
As Barga said , he and I butt heads a lot but we don’t insult each other and the rest of the people who comment here.
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