On Tuesday, CNN announced that syndicated conservative radio personality Glenn Beck would be joining the network to host an hour-long show on Headline News.
Like poking a stick into a beehive, the announcement predictably stirred bloggers into a heightened state of agitation.
“How could CNN hire a man like this to represent them?” wrote Come Armageddon. “Beck, drunk with the belief that he is an agent of the LORD and that he is acting on the ‘right’ side, will invariably let his ‘true’ side shine through. He is too distorted with his self-declared holiness not to. He may not show his true colors right of the bat, but I assure you that Beck will eventually let his ego and his christo-fascist beliefs get in the way of sensibility and he spew some hate filled statement that SHOULD get him booted off the air.”
“Looking to siphon viewers from Bill O’Reilly, Joe Scarborough and other conservative hosts, CNN has hired former top 40 deejay and nationally syndicated radio host, the ultra-conservative Glenn Beck,” wrote Interested-Participant. “Since CNN is a bastion of liberalism, I expect this move will produce considerable grumbling and maybe even fireworks.”
“So, CNN wants to get on Hugh Hewitt’s good side,” suggested Zigzagger. “Maybe that’s why they’ve hired former Republican Congressman J.C. Watts and conservative radio blowhard Glenn Beck in the past week. … Sigh.”
“CNN hires Glenn Beck, would-be remote assassin, to host a one-hour show. I hope employees have all had their shots,” wrote Mad as Hell. “A sample of Glenn’s work: ‘Every night I get down on my knees and pray that Dennis Kucinich will burst into flames.'”
Elsewhere, those who had previously spent their nights getting down on their knees and hoping that CNN would burst into flames found solace in the announcement.
“It would take a lot more hiring before they would even approach being ‘balanced’, let alone ever get the title ‘Conservative News Network,'” wrote Conservative Musings. “But at least one liberal blogger is a little scared over this string of hirings. Hint: capitalism requires making money, and to make money you need products people will buy (or in this case, watch). CNN may just be finally moving [in] this direction.”
“Awwww Yeah!” wrote Conservative Revolution. “It looks like Glenn Beck has signed a deal with CNN Headline News to have his own television show on the network starting in April. This is great news. I have been a huge fan of Glenn Beck since he first came on the radio here in Cleveland and I am looking forward to his television show. However, I am hoping that Headline News has some type of special camera to make Glenn’s head look smaller, because whenever I have seen him on television his head always looks enormous.”
A television host with a big head? That will never fly, no matter what your political leanings.
Felix Gillette writes about the media for The New York Observer.