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Glenn Beck Reborn?
January 4, 2008


For a reactionary, often ranting, talk-radio personality, Glenn Beck is unusually genial. I'm not talking about his off-air personality--even the vicious Michael Savage can come off as avuncular away from the microphone.

But whereas Rush Limbaugh's or Bill O'Reilly's on-air delivery is bombastic, or Sean Hannity affects a tone of haughty righteousness, Beck is strangely affable--even when he's saying vile things about immigrants or Hillary Clinton.

I think it has to do with the extent to which he tends to air his own faults--his prior substance abuse, his divorce. Shtick is shtick, but his self-deprecation has a whiff of authenticity.

Now, here he is in a new YouTube video, really letting it all hang out as he recovers from an apparently botched operation that, apparently, nearly killed him. Unshaven and lying down with the camera tight on his face, he talks vaguely about his eye-opening run-in with American health care. He talks about the learning the meaning of compassion (though he doesn't say what it is) and appears close to tears as he recounts how his wife's love "saved his soul" when he was "full-fledged suicidal" from pain medication.

So can we expect a new Glenn Beck when he returns to radio and his Headline News show on Monday? When I profiled Beck last year, his boss at Premiere Radio Networks, Kraig Kitchin, noted that Beck--who's been sober since 1995 and converted to Mormonism--"very openly talks about how this is his second try in life." Is he about to begin a third?


Posted by BC Beat on January 4, 2008 | Comments (27)


Industries: Programming
January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Stewart commented:

"....even when he's saying vile things about immigrants..." ???? First of all, Glenn loves immigrants. Did you mean to type, 'illegal aliens'? If you were referring to his stance on persons who are here illegally, like most Americans, he IS against it. However, Glenn only says "vile" things about the one committing vile crimes.




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Bob commented:

The article says far more about Joel Topcik than it does about Glenn Beck. "Reactionary" is not Glenn's style, but Joel's when it comes to anyone to the right of Michael Moore...




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
American commented:

May God Bless Glenn Beck and his family through this clearly difficult ordeal.




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
glc commented:

Hey, Glenn Beck's a GREAT guy! I watched this YouTube video and Glenn comes off very real and genuine. He's authentic. And what I love about him, is that he tells the truth. Even though pain, he tells the truth. God bless Glenn Beck. I'm rooting for you big guy! glc




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
harkin commented:

The 'vile things about immigrants' line shows that Topcik has either never listened to GB or that he's being disingenuous. Either way, he has no business posting such amateurish BS. Shame!




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Chris commented:

vile things about immigrants. Get a grip on yourself, Joel.




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
jenny commented:

That video was really vague. What did he have done that almost killed him?




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Hugh Jardohn commented:

Exactly Stewart, the author here gratuitously throws in the descriptor "vile" but provides no examples. I've never heard Beck speak in anything other than reverence for immigrants. I suspect as you do that the author is somehow trying to say that Beck says "vile" things about illegal aliens. Even though he does speak to this problem, it's never been "vile".




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
John Smythe commented:

Joel, Joel, Joel, I think they may have cut your hair a little too short, and nicked your brain. I don't watch Glenn Beck that often, but I have seen what he says about ILLEGAL ALIENS, i.e. criminal non-residents of this country, not immigrants. There is a difference.




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Terry commented:

When did the truth become vile?




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Fleming commented:

So Glenn is going the Britney route. This self-indulgent display is just like Brit's head shaving or attacking a car.




January 4, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
??? commented:

. . . yes, the vile crime of trying to have a better life.




January 5, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Billy commented:

Yeah like californians? The dude hates Californians.. maybe after his run in with the American Healthcare system, he will change his views on the subject.




January 5, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Mudhen Chris commented:

Not to be offensive but your piece clarifies nothing and adds nothing to what is obvious on Mr. Beck's own widely circulated clip. I’m guessing you were paid for your effort although it is hard to imagine why. This especially tiresome (effort?) gives you away at the outset. You can always count on people with limited insight to inflate the intellectual value of their piece with a thesaurus. You are like a girl stuffing Kleenex into her brazier: Over your head and bound to disappoint.




January 5, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
b trog commented:

ratings ploy.




January 5, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
questioning? commented:

My guess is he is planning a malpractice suit. Republicans have been disparaging of lawsuits as evil nuisances. So Glenn must explain how much he suffered from this "botched" surgery. I hope he had the surgery in Texas, where pain and suffering awards are limited, thanks to Glenn's hero George Bush.




January 5, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
craig commented:

Hillary is vile




January 5, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Moron commented:

Glenn Beck has NEVER said vile things about immigrants. You, sir, are a moron and you are part of the problem in America.




January 5, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Recovered Onetime Liberal commented:

"....even when he's saying vile things about immigrants..." Vile, so you think telling the truth about criminals is vile? You would have better luck at finding vile in your bathroom mirror.




January 5, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
WJ commented:

Thank you Stewart!!!!




January 5, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
Scott commented:

Vile Michael Savage? You are the vile little mind, Joel. Both Savage and Beck have very clear and reasoned logic on illegal interlopers: WE DON'T WANT ANYONE HERE ILLEGALLY stealing our tax dollar paid citizenship rights. They are not immigrants because they have not immigrated; they are trespassing thieves. If they want to work here, apply for citizenship and start paying taxes.




January 7, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
BCastaneda commented:

What surgery exactly did he have done?




January 10, 2008
In response to: Glenn Beck Reborn?
greg commented:

He says vile things about criminal illegal aliens, true vile things. They are not guest workers, political trespassers, or displaced persons from wars or natural disasters. They are criminal trespassers!!!





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