Common Nonsense: Glenn Beck and the Triumph of Ignorance

This book is a MUST READ. It's not a hard read, and is presented and written in great detail. All Glenn Beck haters and lovers should read this book and find out how the master con-artist is using his devoted followers for his own self promotion and wealth. Watch the Camelion change it's colors to fit his madness. What's most frightening, is that this master showman has millions of True Believers that follow his every word as if it was handed down by God himself.

Let me start by saying I am not a fan of Glenn Beck. I have seen the show possibly a half dozen times and was turned off by the heavily marked up black boards with arrows, and circles all pointing to various forms of conspiracy theories. I am not a big fan of anyone who sees a conspiracy behind every tree and bush, which appears to be what motivates Beck. The question becomes whether he is a showman of high caliber that has found a way to keep an audience or whether he really believes what is spewing from his mouth on a nightly basis. From the information provided in this book, it appears to be a combination of both. It is obvious that at one time Beck was a gifted and talented Top 40 radio jock that could lure in an audience. It is also apparent that he toasted himself on drugs and alcohol and flamed out at a very early age from a career that could have been great. And it is apparent, by some of the stunts that he pulled while in that position, that he is sadistic and cruel. But whatever else he is, Beck is a consummate showman. Following his flameout from Top 40 radio, he switched to talk radio where he also came very close to a flameout. Only very fortunate circumstances (for Beck) kept him from being a washed up former disc jockey at a fairly early age. And, because of that luck, he was able to hone his abilities to the point where he became a success in talk radio. The question is what makes him so successful? Is it that he mixes conservative mantra with a showman's gift to sell, or that people love to gather to watch a train wreck? On that count, only time will tell. The author did an extraordinary job of interviewing people and researching this book. He exposes much of the hypocrisy that is Beck, along with the mantra that drives him. It is not a book for fans of Beck who will dismiss it out of hand. If, however, you are an individual with an independent mind and wants to learn what makes Beck tick then this is a prefect book for your enjoyment.

I finished reading COMMON NONSENSE about a week ago, shortly before Glenn Beck had his encounter with actor James Gandolfini (HBO's Tony Soprano) at a New York theater. In Beck's own words: "I said, 'Hey Jim, we have a mutual friend' and I told him and I shook his hand," Beck said. "And he said, 'What is Satan doing here?' I have my 5-year-old in my arms. I didn't shoot back: 'Why are you glorifying killing, mobsters, whoredom.' None of that ... Leave my kids out of it. Leave people's families out of it." Upon hearing this, I had mixed emotions... I'm certainly no Beck fan, but perhaps Gandolfini could have moderated his comment a bit. Then again, I thought it was rather ironic that Beck would be "gushing" over the idea of meeting the TV star, and the moment Gandolfini indicated that the respect wasn't mutual, Beck tears the man down for the portrayal of his Tony Soprano character. You can't have it both ways Glenn. You either like the guy or you don't. Don't feign love for the actor until he tells you, essentially, to p*** off, and THEN start off on a tirade of what an awful person the actor is because of the character he his famous for. But I shouldn't have been surprised, having read Zaitchik's in-depth examination of Beck. The man is a total contradiction, a buffoon, a bully, and a thug. With a criminal record no less, and a self-described (and lengthy) history of alcohol and drug abuse. And BOY do the Tea-baggers love him! One of the more stunning stories Zaitchik relates was when Beck called the wife of a radio competitor very shortly after she had suffered a miscarriage. LIVE on the air during his program, he rings the woman up and says "We hear you had a miscarriage!" When the woman acknowledges that she had, he then proceeds to joke that her husband (Beck's competitor), "couldn't do anything right." Needless to say, when I heard the Gandolfini story and how WOUNDED Beck was that Gandolfini had the audacity to say "What is Satan doing here" in front of Beck's 5-year-old, I couldn't help but recall the miscarriage story. And then today, another story broke. Again, no surprise here, but Beck has gone on the record to "apologize" for spending several minutes on his show making fun of Malia Obama, the 11-year-old daughter of the president. (Not only did he make use of a demeaning and racist "voice," but he also went on to imply how stupid Obama's daughters were.) Hey Glenn... I thought we're supposed to keep families --and especially the children, "out of it." I guess this shows the true character of the man. The book reveals much more... read it, and be surprised by nothing that gushes out of Beck's mouth. - Jonathan Sabin

There's no denying that political discourse in America today is more rancorous and uncivil than at any previous time in our history. There's no denying that misinformed talk-show demagogues and their fawning followers have hijacked key debates about national issues, and drown out the voices of thoughtful moderates with their strident, ignorant clamor. And there's no doubt that the broadcast media has played a major role in amping up the hype over controversial issues in their endless quest for ratings at the expense of truth, accuracy, balance and integrity. "Common Nonsense: Glenn Beck and the Triumph of Ignorance," paints an appalling portrait of one of the darlings of today's paranoid, fact-challenged, know-nothing, right-wing political fringe. In this review, I won't summarize Beck's rise to prominence--I find him too thoroughly detestable to be worth that unpleasant task. But I will say that this book chronicles that rise in clear, chilling, footnoted detail, using primary sources that leave no doubt that this is an accurate picture of the man. That his racist, bigoted, militaristic, hyper-religious, fact-free, self-serving bombast has any appeal at all for any Americans is a sad statement on the extent to which willful ignorance has today become a virtue. That Beck, and others of his ilk, continue to draw oblivious, adoring listeners into their hate-filled fantasy worlds testifies to the immense power of the modern media, a power that Nazi propaganda minister the late Dr. Josef Goebbels would envy. That they continue to do so also shows the distressing triumph of mindless entertainment over factual substance. "Common Nonsense" tells the story of how this condition came to be, in a highly readable, fast-paced, compelling, disturbing narrative that would be hard to believe in some places if it weren't true. Some books self-limit themselves to readers in certain demographic niches. If you hang on every hateful word of Beck, Hannity and Limbaugh, you need not waste your money or time on "Common Nonsense." Make no mistake about it--this is not a complimentary book. If, on the other hand, you take pride in being open-minded, want to know some of the story behind modern American demagoguery and seek to get a look at the thought processes that motivate the knee-jerk radical right, it is a must-read. I recommend it most highly to every intelligent, thoughtful American who cares about the nation's future. Dittoheads and extremist wackos need not apply...

"Common Nonsense" by Alexander Zaitchik is an astute and ultimating devastating deconstruction of the life and career of Glenn Beck. Mr. Zaitchik writes with the intelligence of a well-educated person who has gained a mature and nuanced perspective on culture, history and politics from his experiences living in both the U.S. and Europe. In the person of Beck, Mr. Zaitchik finds a peculiarly American charlatan whose frequently incoherent rants would be mildly amusing if they were not received as the gospel truth by legions of historically- and intellectually-challenged fans. From Beck's troubled childhood to his ignominous career as a radio deejay and up to his latest incarnation as a charlatan of the corporate media, Mr. Zaitchik documents the life of a decidely unlikeable man. We learn how decades of drug abuse and cruel behavior towards others left behind a string of broken interpersonal relationships and the prospect of a failed career. However, fate came smiling upon Beck in the form of the Florida presidential election debacle of 2000, where Beck benefited from being the sole talk radio host employed in Tampa, Florida. From that moment on, Mr. Zaichik shows how Beck rode the right-wing tide of perceived injustice to amass personal fortune and fame; even as Beck possessed barely a grade-school education but had continuously nurtured a lifelong desire to be at the center of attention. Importantly, Mr. Zaitchik explores the cultural roots of Beck and those who clamor for his peculiarly dangerous mix of political fantasy and cultural intolerance. The author picks apart Beck's contradictions at will, showing how Beck is frequently oblivious to American history even as he subscribes to crackpot conspiracy theories and champions causes that make little practical sense. Mr. Zaitchik attributes Beck's pathologies to a number of ugly cultural influences that are nonetheless politically useful to the Republican Party; inasmuch as bigotry and intolerance can succeed in channeling white working-class resentment away from corporate malfeasance at a time when, thankfully, the Reagan Revolution would otherwise appear to be unraveling. Sure to outrage Beck's most passionate fans but destined to enlighten the rest of us, I highly recommend this compelling book to everyone.