The Only Person More Popular Than Glenn Beck Is Oprah

poll

by Glynnis MacNicol | 11:08 am, January 25th, 2010

» 31 comments

Hang on to your chalkboards folks. According to the latest Harris poll, Glenn Beck is the second most popular television personality in America….second only to Oprah Winfrey. This marks Beck’s debut on the list, a list on which Bill O’Reilly has never reached higher than third spot. This year Beck beat out Jay Leno (the poll was conducted pre the Team Coco wars), Ellen DeGeneres, Hugh Laurie, Jon Stewart, Charlie Sheen, Mark Harmon, David Letterman, and Bill O’Reilly. In that order.

There are a couple of things worth noting here I think. Number one, this is an enormously mainstream list, meaning Beck has managed to launch himself out of the political fringe and into the mainstream consciousness. I speculated back in November that between his focus on books, and his 9/12 movement, and his re-founding Beck was positioning himself as the next Oprah, and it looks like the country may agree! Further proof: according to the breakdown “Glenn Beck is the favorite for both Republicans and for Conservatives, but, interestingly, also for Independents. Oprah Winfrey is number one for Democrats and Moderates, while Jon Stewart is the favorite for Liberals.”

Also for Independents. That’s the kicker. I’m not sure whether this is a measure of how politicized the country has become over the past year, or merely of Beck’s appeal…I would imagine a combination of the two. It should also be noted that, unlike past polls Beck has ‘ranked’ well on despite receiving a small number of votes, this poll does give percentage breakdowns. Meaning that we don’t know whether 98% of the population likes Oprah and the remaining two percent is split on the other nine. Regardless, Beck is still beating out everyone else making one thing very certain: he is a side show no more, by any stretch.

Bill O'Reilly, Charlie Sheen, Glenn Beck, Harris Poll, Jon Stewart, Mediaite's Crystal Ball, Oprah Winfrey, Polls

ellenjcon

2,276 people were polled and we are supposed to believe this? The power of polls to influence
thought and behavior is frightening. Too many people quote “statistics” and polls without using
any critical thinking.
Moderate

If you have no idea who Hugh Laurie is, you must be addicted to cable news.
Cecelia

Well, this certainly makes me less surprised about ABC’s This Week inviting Roger Ailes on their panel this coming weekend.

What’s next? David Shuster embedding with Tea Party Protesters?
Moderate

Ellen, all the critical thinking in the world would not explain how a Republican won Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat.
The Real Royal King

The good news for Glen(n) is that Oprah! will be retiring soon. The bad news is that Glen(n) will likely have his long anticipated breakdown/meltdown before Oprah! retires and Nancy Grace will be the most popular television “personality” in America, as well as the third most irritating, behind Geraldo Rivera and Keith Olbermann. Lou Dobbs will be exploring “opportunities”.
Moderate

“most irritating, behind Geraldo Rivera and Keith Olbermann.”

That was classic.
rmbltmbl

I agree, Glynnis, politics has become a huge issue in the life of everyday Americans with PBO, Pelosi, and Reid trying to run the show. Beck simply brings things up others are not willing question, and he doesn’t appear fake as his agenda is made clear. Cannot envision his fame lessening any time soon.
m

The Conservative Carrot Top surprises me yet again.
writer

Next thing you know, they’ll be doing a photo spread where Glenn’s head is transplanted onto Ann Margaret’s body.
Facebook User

Back is mostly popular because he is an oddball and America loves oddballs. He isn’t talking about anything no one else isn’t. He just does it in a highly dramatic and sometimes misleading manner.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Adam-J-Bezark/724743584 Adam J. Bezark

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.
The end is truly nigh.

One point: Beck leads with Independents because they aren’t really Independents. “Independent” is what conservatives call themselves these days. It’s an extension of the Fox News “Fair and Balanced” strategy. By calling themselves Independent, they a) sound more rational than they really are, and b) get to distance themselves from the failures of the previous Republican administration.

If the GOP surges back to strength in the mid-term elections, look for more “Independents” to go back to being plain ol’ Republicans again.
http://lnsmitheeblog.blogspot.com LNSmithee

The Real Royal King wrote:

The bad news is that Glen(n) will likely have his long anticipated breakdown/meltdown before Oprah! retires

That’s it, RRK. Wishing will make it so.
Lurker

Hahahahaha Independents aren’t really Independents?

Keep telling yourself that and wait to see the November Massacre…
http://lnsmitheeblog.blogspot.com LNSmithee

Oh, and Glynnis: I notice that you pick and choose when you want to rake Glenn Beck over the coals with your quasi-rapier wit. When he says something as strange as “Is Obama making sweet love to my wife?” that’s a thread. But when he has a MLK Day show named “Time To Be Heard” with a studio audience full of accomplished, articulate, and fearless black conservatives (light- and black-skinned), you have nothing to say.

Similarly, when Beck showed his heavily-anticipated (and eye-opening) documentary The Revolutionary Holocaust: Live Free or Die last Friday, what did you write about it? Not a word. I wonder if it’s because you have friends who buy into Communist Chic, with the Che/Mao/USSR casual wear. Maybe, Glynnis, your pocketbook and cell phone are in a bag that has a red star on it, like the one formerly owned by the sensitive, progressive, and clueless Cameron Diaz.

By the way — did anybody else who watched on Friday recognize roxsteady’s eliminationist fantasies in the filmed monologue of George Bernard Shaw? Scary schtuff.
ImNotBlue

Adam J. Bezark says:
January 25, 2010 at 12:29 pm

So… they’re not Independents because they’re currently siding with Republicans… is the theme of your “point,” right? What does an “Independent” support? And which party?

Furthermore, if all the “Independents” are really Republicans, doesn’t that mean the right is growing, while the left is shrinking? Is that really what you believe?
The Real Royal King

“Eye-opening ‘documentary’.” Thanks for the chuckle.
homie

ignorance is a virus
http://lnsmitheeblog.blogspot.com LNSmithee

The Real Royal King wrote:

“Eye-opening ‘documentary’.” Thanks for the chuckle.

Oh, so you watched it too, RRK? Cool. Tell us all what you thought of it.
http://lnsmitheeblog.blogspot.com LNSmithee

homie wrote:

ignorance is a virus

Thaaaaat’s right, homie. And after one year and two months, we’re starting to get healthy again.
timzank

e Real Royal King says:
January 25, 2010 at 1:16 pm
“Eye-opening ‘documentary’.” Thanks for the chuckle.
He didn’t watch it. He read what media matters said about it.
http://lnsmitheeblog.blogspot.com LNSmithee

Darn. I meant to write “light- and dark-skinned,” not “black-skinned.” Although there were a few that came close to that description.
Ted

I believe the GB’s appropriately named “special” is based on Goldberg’s book, Liberal Fascism. Is that right?
rmbltmbl

wow, can’t say I’m too surprised roxsteady said all that! imbecile!
The Real Royal King

LNSmithee says:
January 25, 2010 at 2:01 pm

Darn. I meant to write “light- and dark-skinned,” not “black-skinned.” Although there were a few that came close to that description.

—

Thanks for the correction, Smithee. It wasn’t really necessary. Both are equally inane.
Liberal Media Is Totally Corrupt

No surprise here!
Nachi

Lotsa good blood has been wasted/flushed to place Beck where he is. Stand poud, BushDrunks!!!
http://lnsmitheeblog.blogspot.com LNSmithee

Nachi wrote:

Stand poud, BushDrunks!!!

“Stand poud”?

Are you drunk NOW, Nachi?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ag-Hammacher/100000610307007 We the people

Way too many “progressives” here to respond too, but I will attempt one:

“He just does it in a highly dramatic and sometimes misleading manner.”

Do you mean by the usage of their words against them, as “misleading manner”?
blueblogger

Check this out!!! Where does this stuff come from?

http://www.inebriateddiscourse.com/2010/01/glennbeck2.html
Ted

Actually makes more sense than…well, Glenn Beck.
Facebook User

GB is often exposing political connections and back-room deals. That’s the kind of interesting and enlightening stuff people really want to know about.

Funny, though, how almost none of the comments mention Oprah…