Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh has once again stolen an idea from The Right Perspective, adding to a long list of talk radio hosts who have used the intellectual property from the once-a-week, shortwave-and-Internet talk radio show without giving payment or even proper credit.
Last week, Producer Extraordinaire NewsGuy made an intro for The Right Perspective‘s April 30, 2010 show that covered the debate about Arizona’s new immigration laws. The song he used was a long-forgotten tune from 1970, “Arizona” by Mark Lindsay.
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Paul Shanklin
The idea to use the Lindsay tune was proposed by TRP contributor Felix from NJ.
On the following Wednesday, May 5, 2010, talk radio host Rush Limbaugh played a song parody from his comedic contributor, Paul Shanklin.
The Song?
Arizona by Mark Lindsay!!!!!!!
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The conservative talk icon, who is paid hundreds of millions of dollars a year and has a several-person staff working on his show, has borrowed liberally from The Right Perspective before.
A recent example of this occurred on April 30, 2010 when Limbaugh claimed he was the first to call the Obama Administration a “regime”:
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In fact, The Right Perspective‘s John of Staten Island began calling the Obama Administration a “regime” on Feb. 6, 2009, three weeks after the new president took office:
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John repeated the term every week, such as this instance on Feb. 27, 2009:
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Another instance of Limbaugh co-opting The Right Perspective’s ideas also came on April 30, 2010, when the talker called Barack Obama a “foreign occupier,” attributing the phrase to writer Robert Weissberg:
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The Right Perspective‘s Frank from Queens was the real originator of calling Barack Obama a “foreign occupier.” Frank began using this phrase on the very first show aired after the president was elected into office.
In this clip from November 7, 2008, Frank not only calls Obama a “foreign occupier” for the first time, but also opens the show with one of his catchphrases, “I Want My Country Back!” which later became a mantra used in the Tea Party Movement in 2009 :
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Class Act: Roger Hedgecock
Limbaugh joins fellow right-wing blabber Michael Savage, who constantly steals phrases and ideas from The Right Perspective host Frank from Queens, most notably the phrase “Liberalism is a Mental Disorder,” which Frank used many times in his calls to talk radio over the years.
A rare exception to this rule has been Roger Hedgecock, who gave TRP credit where it is due when he used an article from the show’s website for show prep.
Give credit where it’s due, Rush!
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Ah c’mon guys.
Then Reagan’s family should sue Obama for having used “ya ain’t seen nothing yet”? Just take it like a man and be proud of the fact that these schmucks have to come to your show every week to get inspiration AND the real news :-))
I agree with above. It obviously shows that he can’t come up with anything himself. That is why he needs to be a 1st grade wanker and steal your work.
So your idea was to use the original song by the original singer, and Rush had the words changed in order to mock Obama and used Paul Shanklin to imitate his voice, and this somehow constitutes stealing your material? Seriously?
I grant that HIS idea to change the words and HIS idea to use an Obama personater to sing the CHANGED words possibly came as a result of hearing what you did first, but Rush took it to a whole new HUMOROUS level.
At MOST, Rush should credit you, but ONLY IF your idea was the impetus, and that is by no means a certainty. However, your suggestion that you somehow deserve payment is beyond the pale. And you KNOW it, or you would already have filed suit.
Please! Get over yourself!
This doesn’t sound like the Rush Limbaugh I know.
Is it more likely that Paul Shanklin ripped you off? Or that a producer fed the material from you to Mr. Shanklin?
Radio show producers are the howling garbage bags of the world, my friends. They are worse than cockroaches on crystal meth.
Please – is this the biggest problem you have??? Rush is a delight and I’m sure you have used his work in the past. Let’s cooperate as we move through the current nightmare of an administration.
The Right Perspective is truely on the cutting edge! We have been ripped of repeatedly by those who are always touting their own horns. Yes, smaller is better, we don’t have to tow any political line, or have to be afraid of sponsors or corporate boards. WE are the most original show in radio on the planet! Suck on this Rush!
frank, your jealousy has made you crazy.
Thanks for clearing up the confusion. I had thought that you’re reason for running this website and the podcast etc. was to help fight the socialist takeover of America, to help propagate truth and common sense, to help in exposing the lies and treachery of the leftists. If all that was true, then you should be pleased to hear your words and ideas making a difference.
So, by whining about the use of your intellectual property by someone that makes more money, you’re telling me that your real incentives are fame and fortune?
@ Bubba:
Let’s have someone take your ideas and not even give you credit for them and see if you still feel that way.
I’m sorry, but this is a stretch. If I was writing a song parody about the Arizona immigration law, the song “Arizona” would be one of the first to come to mind. For any oldies listener it’s certainly not “long forgotten,” and in fact I can’t even think of another song with the name “Arizona” in it. You guys are good, but in this instance please save your fire for something more substantial.
i heard some show play "take it easy" by the eagles because it mentioned arizona. and i agree with "michigander." frank is wrong to think that the tune "arizona" is "long forgotten."
Whichever way you look at this, many well known commercial hosts have ripped off TRP. On more than one occasion.
So, in my opinion, it doesn't really matter if RL got the idea from TRP this time around.
It doesn't take that much effort to give credit where it is due.
I feel for ya.. I have a big radio talk show host that copies what I say—word for word, MANY times.
Worse than Limbaugh is Mike Savage. We have tapes of my calls where the phrase, "Liberalism is a mental disorder" is originated by me. The proof is there and cannot be disputed. This is one among many that this charlatan has used and claimed as his own. Long time Frank Fanatics know this for a fact! Savage is a Bizzaro Frank. He is constantly imitating me and long time TRP listeners know this as my phrasology is unique, and he continually copies it. He is running a poor second to me!
He played a song by Paul Shanklin. Rush did not write the new lyrics nor sing the song, you might want to look at Shanklin instead of Rush. Shanklin is independent from Rush, he is not on his staff. You guys should just take this article down, as it is beneath you guys. C’mon fellas. Running a poor second? Lets compare your bank account to Mike’s.
Stop with this already. You guys are great and so is Rush and Savage.
To THE GREAT FRANK and GREAT jOHN,
I listen to you every friday night and l agree with you in most everything
you speak about. You truly do believe in our beautiful country's motto "FREEDOM OF SPEECH" "LONG LIVE A FREE USA!. But there a sickness breeding in our country called
the" RACE-CARD",every where we turn if things are not going their way they bring up racism.
It’s funny when the Extremist of this country argue among themselves about the extremism of other extremists! LOL! If Liberalism is a mental disorder…. then Conservatism must be a venereal disease. I listen to liberals cry over what how government owes the people… then I listen to the nonsesnse from conservatives about how socialism is taking over the country… Ugh!! When neither can be farther from the truth, and both sides are just as idotic as the Jews and Muslims fighting over land in the Middle East. Funny how we are all led to argue over what is right and wrong in this country, when those who are in the media circuits, puppeteering our beliefs and opinions, are ALL in cahoots with one another. While Amerians stand divided and easy to control. Wake up people… you are puppets of Mr Limbaugh, just like the Liberals are puppets to their Libral pied pipers. Think for yourselves… for ONCE already.