Not really a pit-worthy rant, more MPSIMS perhaps, but since it’s a TV personality I’ll put it here.
Does Lou Dobbs actually have a fan base that warrants a multi-million dollar contract? I’ve never actually met a fan of his either among left wingers or right wingers. I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s like Andy Rooney- a guy who nobody likes but due to an ancient contract or photos of network execs in compromising poses he keeps working, except unlike Andy Rooney he’s not relegated to a five minute “good time to pee before the summation” spot but an hour long show.
I know this board is a bit left leaning in general to ask, but I can’t even understand a rightwing fanbase for him. He’s so damned boring and monomanic-
When the big news story is Somali pirates, he descends into rants about illegal aliens. When the big news story is the credit crisis, he descends into rants about illegal aliens. When the big news story is in Iraq or Afghanistan, he descends into rants about illegal aliens, “and then on Friday’s just to be different” he’ll rant about Keith Olbermann or Media Matters or someone else who called him a boring old fart for his eternal and nightly descent into rants about illegal aliens. Add to this a dye job that makes him look like Mickey Rooney’s Bill and the absurdity aspect of having a Mexican wife (and daughters who are equestrians and [outed on several shows] use stables and tracks that rely on illegal aliens for cleaning and other menial labor) and it convinces me he’s a performance artist and not a particularly good one.
I understand he has a popular radio show, though popularity in radio is a different critter entirely. (Rush is huge on radio but his TV show never got massive ratings.) I can’t even imagine people who are rightwing AND also obsessed about illegal aliens (which not all rightwingers are) liking this guy because he’s so damned obsessive (I care a lot about gay issues among others but I don’t have to hear them talked about every single night) and so “get off my lawn!” but with none of the charm and charisma of Clint Eastwood.
So I was curious: does he have a large fan base? And if so why? And if not then why does he get millions from CNN?
PS- Just to clarify, it’s not his politics that make him such an enigma to me. While I can’t stand Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, or most other rightwing pundits, I can actually understand why they’re popular- even Ann Coulter for that matter. They’re all good at what they do (even if you loathe what they do). Dobbs doesn’t even have that going for him.
Plus, his attacks on the Bush White House’s “War on the Middle Class” should even alienate the right wingers while every other position alienates the left wingers. So I’m actually curious as to who his popularity is with.
People like me, who enjoy watching an economist-turned-hack ramble every evening about how Mexicans are crossing the border illegally specifically for the purpose of raping white women and shooting cops, regardless of whether the discussion has anything to do with immigration, illegal or otherwise. The Somali pirates hubbub is another good example of this. It’s hilarious. I also watch *Fox and Friends *every morning, so I can rile myself up about what a hate-filled cretin Gretchen Carlson is right before work.
I hate him. I hate is endless harping about illegal aliens. I hate his stupid 1960s boy’s haircut. The phrase “Old Fuddy-Duddy” was created for him. I hate the stupid questions he poses to his audience.
My husband watches him and still believes that he’s a middle-of-the-road guy who represents the working stiff. It’s all I can do to sit through it.
Q: Are you ravenously consumed by outrage, every waking moment, by the terrorists in Congress who are using your tax dollars to bail our murderous illegal aliens?
A: 99% Yes, 1% No Answer
You’re a better woman than I. I wish I could find him amusing. He’s so fucking annoying that I have to sit on my hands to keep from throwing shit at the TV.
I also love his letter section each night in which "Mr. Richard Feder from Fort Lee, New Jersey"writes in to agree with him and ask “why don’t more people think like Lou Dobbs”. Of course Bill O’Reilly does this as well, but it’s even more annoying with Dobbs since you know it’s probably an intern writing it outside.
I was watching The Rachel Maddow Show yesterday and she dropped a Mr. Bungle referrence. Of all things on cable news, how cool is that? Sort of off topic I guess, but I didn’t know where else to share that little nugget of gold.
As for Lou? Never watch him. While I might occasionally flip on and see what the Faux crew is up to, his is one I avoid, even on C&L. I’m not sure why that is exactly, I guess he just doesn’t have the spectacular trainwreck appeal as the others. Makes me want to throw my shoes at the TV equally though.
ETA: I was just thinking how awesome it would be to watch Cafferty take him down in an old fashion rumble.
I’m 63, and I always thought of Lou Dobbs as 10-15 years older than I am . . . someone who I could never identify as “my generation,” someone who just seems so old, in so many ways. Until I recently discovered that he’s precisely ***one week ***older than I am. :eek:
I always wondered about these surveys. Even on a show that panders to the immigrant-hating crowd as much as his does, I figured there’s got to be at least a few people who watch it for kicks who would call in to disagree with him.
You and me both, sister. But my Fox ‘n’ Friends target is Steve Doocey. I watch every morning just in case today’s the day he finally comes out of the closet and announces his total man-lust for Brian “I’m Just Happy To Be Here” Gilmeade.
Lou’s demographic is middle-aged petit-bourgeois males who are not conservative enough to be Fox Noise 100%ers, but are prone to get a snootful of an evening and start yelling at the TV.
Ah, Mr. Douchey used to be the target of my ire, but then Carlson went off the deep end about the War Against God, and the separate but related War On Marriage. I could never muster up enough contempt for the Brown Haired Guy Who Isn’t Steve Doocey, or as I call him, The Stupid Guy. He’s just too pathetic.
So in answer to the OP, Lou Dobbs has five fans, and a couple of other people who watch him because he’s gone mad. Now make with the Dobbs-Cafferty fisticuffs!
I’m a little reminded by this tread of the old “I don’t know how he could have lost, everyone I know voted for McGovern!” line. I don’t like Dobbs, but obviously he has a sizeable audience and obviously it’s not here on the Dope.
