Froggate

Via Alex Pickett: Glenn Beck placed a frog in boiling water, in an attempt to prove Barack Obama has galvanize America against federal spending. Beck used the analogy that citizens will react to Obama, in the same manner frogs will jump out of boiling water. The problem with Beck's thesis died in the water.

GLENN BECK: Barack Obama has galvanized the country because of the shear size of the bills he's proposed and the number of the bills... The numbers of the bills. The urgency he's been placing on the bills. He's forced us to think and get involved. We have not like John McCain been boiled slowly. We have been tossed quickly into boiling water and don't forget what happens... when you throw them in. When you throw frogs into boiling water. (Throws frogs in boiling water.)

GLENN BECK: Okay. Forget the frog. I swear, I thought they jump right out.

Beck started his broadcasting career as a morning radio shock jock. Morning shock jocks lack common sense and will slaughter wildlife for ratings. Bubba the Love Sponge was charged for killing a hog on his radio show. He was aquitted by a jury. The hog was less fortunate.

Beck has the same mindset as Bubba. Their only focus is ratings. Tim Hattrick, Beck's former Morning Zoo co-host, described Beck's ratings obsession.

"It was impossible to talk to him about anything without reference to how to bring it into the show. I never once saw any evidence that he could turn it off. In that sense he was a one-dimensional person. But he was great at being a grandstanding, pompous idiot and shaking the brushes for attention."

Beck compared himself to Howard Beale of the film Network. The Beck/Beale comparison is apt. The Mad Phophet show featured spirital phonies and freaks worthy of reality television. Beale gave a pompous speeech and fainted on-air for dramatic effect. William Holden's character Max Schumacher believed Beale was too mentally unstable to be on television. The network fired Schumacher. Beale was taken from the news department and placed in the entertainment department. Journalism and Beale's well-being did not matter. Corporate profits were the bottom line. Beck is Beale without the self-awareness.

HOWARD BEALE: Television is not the truth. Television is a goddamned amusement park.

Update: I am not so sure Beck actually threw a frog in boiling water. Review the video and decide for yourself. The incident still strikes me as an attention grabbing stunt.