Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations
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Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations Audible Audiobook – Abridged

Al Franken (Author, Narrator), Phoenix Books (Publisher)
See all formats and editions
Fed up with the Republican Right? Then you'll love Al Franken's scathingly hilarious look at America's largest talk show host and his conservative cronies. Hear this Emmy-winning Saturday Night Live writer's thoughts on exploding Medicare costs ("Why not shoot the elderly into space?"), feminism ("Limbaugh was railing about how feminists believe that all heterosexual sex is rape. The thing is, though, I know a lot of women, almost all of whom consider themselves feminists, and I know of only one who holds this belief. And we've been married nearly twenty years"), and Rush Limbaugh's fact-checker, the man with "the easiest job in America." Funny yet uncompromisingly fair, Franken tackles the issues - and the politicians - in ways few have dared.
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  1. Listening Length
    2 hours and 48 minutes
  2. Author
    Al Franken
  3. Narrator
    Al Franken
  4. Audible release date
    December 15, 1999
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Phoenix Books
  7. ASIN
    B0000545MW
  8. Version
    Abridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 2 hours and 48 minutes
Author Al Franken
Narrator Al Franken
Audible.com Release Date December 15, 1999
Publisher Phoenix Books
Program Type Audiobook
Version Abridged
Language English
ASIN B0000545MW
Best Sellers Rank #129,479 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#281 in Political Humor (Books)
#370 in Satirical Literature & Fiction
#928 in Political Science (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
305 global ratings
Al Franken is very funny.
4 Stars
Al Franken is very funny.
This is the 1st audiobook I bought by Al Franken. I think hearing him reading his book is better than reading the physical book. I just wish it was unabridged, because the paper book has even more funny stories.
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Top reviews from the United States

dEb
5.0 out of 5 stars This never gets old
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2023
Verified Purchase
Even though the main antagonist is deceased, Mr. Franken delivers a butt load of laughs. Not just with Rush-bashing!
Friend Al manages to let the air out of a number of old-time, one-time blustering buffoons in the political arena. I love Al Franken!
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frank a willis
5.0 out of 5 stars great buy
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2022
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the truth hurts sometimes!!!!! GREAT READ
One person found this helpful
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Donna Brown
4.0 out of 5 stars Somebody Has to Do It
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2009
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Ironically, just as I was finishing Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, I happened upon an essay by Limbaugh's niece, Julie Limbaugh,* about the ups and downs of being second cousin to a man who makes a living by (in his own words) making half the people in America hate him. She calls her cousin's long-playing farce a "self-aware self-parody," a "caricature"--in other words, a phony act (which, not incidentally, has made him a millionaire many times over).

In this book, Al Franken, who has no fear about wading into shark-infested waters, pulls no punches in lampooning Rush and his cohorts on the lunatic fringe of Republican conservatism. Franken is a very smart guy, and if his prose is often bent, he shoots accurately and straight from the hip.

After a poignant description about her conflict between love of a family member and discomfort at being judged by her name, Julie Limbaugh summarizes her current state of mind by saying, "it seems that Rush is no longer just playing the political game he plays so well. Rather, he has been attacking hope, and now it feels like there's little room for that."

That's exactly why Franken's book (first published in 1996) is still relevant. As long as Rush Limbaugh continues to be a parody of a man, an ambassador of hate, and an assassin of hope, someone out there has to call him on it.

*"Rusty and Me," Salon.com, April 1, 2009.
25 people found this helpful
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Obi-wan 'BEN' Kenobi
5.0 out of 5 stars ITS TRUE.RUSH WAS a BIG FAT IDIOT
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2021
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Great book. Very funny. Senator AL Franken makes many very astute observations. And it is true ... Rush Limbaugh WAS a big day stupid idiot LIAR.
4 people found this helpful
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Zach Roberts
5.0 out of 5 stars Al Franken is the best Satirist of our time
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2013
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While this book was written in the 90s and has some dated references, Al Franken does not disappoint with this hilarious and witty satire on Right-Wing politics. Within, Senator Franken also discusses his own "adventures in politics" such as hosting the White House Correspondents Dinner, meeting former Representative Newt Gingrich, and playing football with President Clinton. Any liberal Democrat will find the jokes within hilarious and will instantly purchase the rest of Al Franken's library (as I did). You will not be disappointed by this great read.
7 people found this helpful
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Joe R.
5.0 out of 5 stars This book speaks the truth
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2005
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Rush Limbaugh is probably the biggest BSer I ever heard on talk radio. His politics are motivated through bigotry, ignorance, arrogance, and extremeist conservative mumbo jumbo. its about time someone exposes this fraud! then again, all you gotta do is listen to Rush talk, and you will come to that conclusion yourself.

Oh, and a message to conservativeguy "Curly" who wrote a review on this book calling the author a obnoxious Jew...Howe typical of a conservative to use racist hate slander...and you guys preach morals..HA! what a joke you guys are! go back to church!
24 people found this helpful
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william miranda
3.0 out of 5 stars Funny, but it unintentionally converted me.
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2016
I read and thought it was funny. However, it prompted me to try to listen to Rush Limbaugh on the radio one time to see what Al Franken was talking about. As I did, it seemed Limbaugh was making more sense than Franken. The result was that now I listen to Limbaugh on the radio quite often. It seems the image created by Limbaugh's opponents and who he actually is are not accurate.
19 people found this helpful
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Josena
5.0 out of 5 stars Al Frankin
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2021
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I read this when it first came out and wondered if it was still as funny and good. It didn't disappoint.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Robert McK
5.0 out of 5 stars Dated, but (sadly) still highly relevant
Reviewed in Australia on May 31, 2019
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May not be the best of Al Franken’s books, but still contained a wealth of laughs at some of the idiots in US politics.
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Weasel powered cheese maker
3.0 out of 5 stars Too much fat not enough idiot
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 27, 2004
Verified Purchase
If you've read Al Franken's more recent "Lies and the lying liars that tell them..." you may find this book a touch dissapointing. It's a little less well structured and there is an over-reliance on the 'fat' element of the title for cheap laughs, while most of it's readers are probably more concerned with reading evidence of the 'idiot' side of things.
Anyway, I hear that Rush has lost weight now, there's even rumours that this book might have been the spur he needed to make him do it. One can only hope it might also spur him to increase the accuracy of his facts too.
No doubt about it though this is a funny book and it makes some serious points in a humorous manner.
I come from the UK and although I'm aware of Rush Limbaugh, who he is, what he does and the way he does it, I am well aware that the majority of my countrymen don't. Well let me say right now that this doesn't matter, you don't need to know Rush to enjoy this book. If you've ever wondered where those right wing folks who post their "liberals are evil, smoking doesn't cause cancer, the US doesn't pollute" rants on disscussion forums get their ready-mixed 'just add water' opinions from then there's a pretty good chance that old Rush is source. So why not save yourself a whole lot of hassle and read about them here with Franken's amusing commentary.
I read this one before "Lies...." and it makes a good intro to the later book, but if you only read one Franken book, then read "Lies..." it's a far more cohesive expose of the political dishonesty of US right-wing media pundits, and it's got less lard jokes too.
3 people found this helpful
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