Glenn Beck

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Glenn Beck
Born	February 10, 1964(age 43) Seattle, Washington
Occupation	talk-radio and television host

Glenn Beck (born February 10, 1964) is a Libertarian conservative American talk-radio and television host. His radio show, The Glenn Beck Program, is syndicated by 230 radio stations and on XM Satellite Radio. The Glenn Beck Program is the 3rd highest-ranked national radio talk show among adults ages 25 to 54, according to Premiere Research/Arbitron.^[1]

Beck also hosts an hour-long television show weeknights on CNN Headline News, which launched on May 8, 2006.

On January 9, 2007, Beck became a contributor to ABC's Good Morning America program.^[2].

Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life 3 Political views 3.1 Political correctness 3.2 George W. Bush 3.3 Global warming 3.4 Other issues 4 Glenn Beck Program 5 Glenn Beck on Headline News 6 Criticism 6.1 Ellison interview 6.2 Dina Sansing interview 7 Live events 8 Book and magazine 9 References 10 External links 10.1 Official websites

[edit] Career

Beck started in radio when he was 13 years old in Seattle, Washington by winning a local radio contest to be a DJ for an hour, and was eventually granted a part-time job. He hosted Christian radio on Saturday, rock on Sunday and country on weeknights, but according to Beck himself, he lost all of these jobs at the age of 14, all at the same time.

After high school graduation, Beck pursued his career as a Top 40 DJ, and experienced success and rapid growth in radio during his 20s. Beck was a DJ on WKCI-FM (KC101), a Top 40 radio station in Hamden, Connecticut, hosting the local morning show. Originally the show was billed as the "Glenn and Pat Show" with co-host Pat Gray. Later when Pat left the show, Beck continued with co-host Vinnie Penn.

Years later, he began to explore the world of talk radio with a one hour program on KC101's sister station WELI. Beck then worked at Tampa, Florida's WFLA-AM and launched The Glenn Beck Program during the afternoon drive, filling the slot vacated by Bob Lassiter. Beck hosted the new radio show, combining politics and comedy. In the first year, The Glenn Beck Program moved from 18th place to the #1 position. Within 18 months, Premiere Radio Networks, the leading radio syndication company in the country, offered Beck the opportunity to go national. In January 2002, The Glenn Beck Program launched on 47 stations growing to 234 stations by September 2006. With over three million listeners it was ranked 8th in the nation^[3] and 3rd among listeners age 25 - 54. Also in January 2006, CNN Headline News announced that Beck would host an hour long show during prime time; Glenn Beck on Headline News debuted in May 2006.

[edit] Personal life

Glenn Beck was raised a Roman Catholic in Mt. Vernon, Washington. Beck's father owned a bakery. His mother committed suicide when he was thirteen, one brother-in-law also committed suicide, and another had a fatal heart attack.^{[citation needed]}

Beck is a self-described reformed alcoholic and drug addict. In the aftermath of those three family tragedies, Beck said he used "Dr. Jack Daniels" to cope. That led to his alcoholism and drug use and also his divorce from his first wife. Beck cites the help of Alcoholics Anonymous in his sobriety, and he eventually converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Beck had two teenage daughters from his first marriage (his daughter Mary, 18, was born with cerebral palsy) and two children with his second wife, Tania: Cheyenne, born in July, 2006, and adopted 2-year-old Raphe (Beck discussed the adoption in September 2004).

[edit] Political views

"I am a conservative who doesn't happen to be a Republican", Beck often says while on-air. On his show, Beck addresses many current political, social, and economic issues.

[edit] Political correctness

Beck dislikes what he believes to be political correctness, especially that which concerns Christmas, and often mocks emerging phrases he sees as politically correct. For instance, during the Christmas season Beck plays a "politically correct" version of O Holy Night. The lyrics have been changed to remove all reference to religion and gender, and the song is re-titled, O Somewhat Important Night. Beck coined the term RamaHanuKwanzMas, a portmanteau of the religious holidays Ramadan, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas, as the name of the ultimate politically-correct winter holiday, although various other terms such as Chrismukkah and Hanu-Chrisma-Kwanzaaka that combine winter holidays precede Beck's show by many years.

Beck has said "political correctness is the classic Great Idea Gone Wrong. All it's done is shut us up. It hasn't changed anybody's mind. It hasn't changed our hearts. It's changed our faces. It's taken every opinion we have, it's taken every joke we have, and it's forced us to conceal it and hide it and bury it. It's made us superficial." ^[4]

[edit] George W. Bush

Beck generally agrees with the policies of George W. Bush. However, Beck sometimes questions the Bush administration on issues, including border security, government spending, some aspects of the Iraq War, and the nomination of Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court.

[edit] Global warming

Beck argues that global climate change is always occurring, but he is skeptical of the scientific opinion on climate change that global warming is largely attributable to human activity and that it may pose a threat to human civilization. Beck argues there is an under-reporting of scientific findings that do not support the theory of global warming.^[5]

[edit] Other issues

Beck's stated opinions include being pro-life, including being opposed to euthanasia and capital punishment. He approves of torture as a means of exploiting terrorist information in certain circumstances. He is critical of the entertainment industry, and is opposed to anti-smoking regulations. He describes himself as pro-business and against raising the minimum wage. Glenn Beck supports the 2nd Amendment, and is against new anti-gun legislation. During the summer of 2006, he began to repeatedly refer to the War on Terror as the Third World War.

[edit] Glenn Beck Program

Main article: Glenn Beck Program

The Glenn Beck Program began in 2000 airing on WFLA (AM) in Tampa, Florida, and took the afternoon time slot from 18th place to #1 within a year.^[6] In January 2002, syndicator Premiere Radio Networks launched the show nation wide on 47 stations. The show was then moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where it picked up new flagship station WPHT-AM. In the spring of 2006, Beck relocated his studios to Radio City Music Hall in New York City in preparation for his new TV show with CNN Headline News.

Beck's show is often compared to talk radio programs of hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michael Savage. Beck's show contains less discussion about politics, and more social commentary and humor. Beck frequently says that he hates politics, and claims that his show contains "half the politics and twice the comedy" and "is not about left and right, it's about right and wrong".

The program can be heard live on weekdays from 9:00am-12:00pm EST (with a "best of" weekend edition on some affiliates).

[edit] Glenn Beck on Headline News

Main article: Glenn Beck (TV program)

Glenn Beck on Headline News airs nightly at 7:00 p.m., repeating at 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. (All times Eastern.)

His show is an hour-long show on CNN Headline News that premiered May 8, 2006. The network has described the show as "an unconventional look at the news of the day featuring his often amusing perspective on the top stories from world events and politics to pop culture and everyday hassles."^[7] The program is not supposed to be a traditional news program, as Beck has said that he intends it to be a news talk show for people who can't take the news anymore.^[8]

Beck's special on Islam entitled "Exposed: The Extremist Agenda" on November 15, 2006, was the #1 rated show on all cable news in the 25-54 demographic.^[9]

[edit] Criticism

Beck has been accused of using "hateful rhetoric" by his critics, some calling him a "professional hatemonger".^{[citation needed]} A left-leaning media watchdog group, FAIR, criticized CNN president Ken Jautz's description of the newly hired Glenn Beck as "cordial" by pointing out statements he made against figures like Michael Berg, Michael Moore, Hurricane Katrina victims, and 9/11 victims. Some of his more controversial statements include speaking about the victims of hurricane Katrina and saying "I didn't think I could hate victims faster than the 9/11 victims".^[10]Beck responded that this and other such comments were taken out of context. In another incident he said he was "surprised that former President Jimmy Carter did not attend Iran's December conference on Holocaust denial".

[edit] Ellison interview

In November 2006, Beck drew criticism on Keith Olbermann's Countdown for a part of his interview with then Congressman-Elect Keith Ellison of Minnesota, the first Muslim to be elected to the United States Congress in which he said "What I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies'"^[11] Olbermann named Beck the winner of the "Worst Person in the World" award for his comments,^[12] while Ellison shrugged the incident off. "It's just shock TV", he said. "Some pundits think they have to ask the most outrageous questions."^[13] On Jan. 9, 2007, at the Television Critics Association's semiannual press tour, Beck spoke with contrition about his comment to Ellison about what he felt like saying. Beck said it was "Quite possibly the poorest-worded question of all time. That might come from my lack of intelligence."^[10]

[edit] Dina Sansing interview

Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Truthdig and Media Matters have each criticised Glenn Beck for making sexually suggestive comments to US Weekly's Dina Sansing on the February 28 2007 broadcast of Headline News. During their discussion about controversial nude photos of an American Idol semifinalist, Beck jokingly propositioned Sansing by saying "Dina, I've got some time and a camera. Why don't you stop by? No? OK." A transcript is available from CNN and the clip can be viewed at YouTube.com.

[edit] Live events

In March 2003, Beck ran a series of rallies called Glenn Beck's Rally for America in support of troops deployed for the upcoming Iraq war. While generally attended by war supporters, Beck spoke of those who "disagreed with the war, but still supported the troops." He ran the final rally at Marshall University over the Memorial Day weekend. The event drew an estimated 25,000 people.

In subsequent years, Beck has toured American cities twice a year, presenting a one-man stage show. His stage productions are a mix of stand-up comedy and inspirational speaking.^[14]

For his annual winter tour, Glenn Beck's Christmas Tour, Beck focuses on a Christmas theme.

In 2005, the summer show Glenn Beck on Ice focused on the need to diminish the role of politics in our lives. The 2006 summer show The Mid-Life Crisis Tour featured life's lessons from the perspective of a middle aged man.

Each year in January, Beck and Steve Burguiere return to their original home station of 970 WFLA to provide commentary on the yearly Gasparilla Pirate Festival parade.

[edit] Book and magazine

Beck has authored The Real America: Messages from the Heart and Heartland (ISBN 0-7434-8633-1). Beck is the founder and editor of a comedy magazine called Fusion, which is a play on The Glenn Beck Program's motto, "The Fusion of Entertainment and Enlightenment."

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Official websites

• Glenn Beck - official website
• Glenn Beck - CNN
• Glennpedia.com - wiki website
• List of radio stations streaming Glenn Beck Radio Show