Rush Limbaugh lashes out at media for outrage over his tasteless Robin Williams comment

The radio host made odd comments about the death of Robin Williams, and drew strange connections to the left

Published August 14, 2014 4:57PM (EDT)

  (Chris Carlson/Associated Press)
(Chris Carlson/Associated Press)

On Tuesday, Rush Limbaugh rambled about the death of Robin Williams (the comments can be heard here). During his broadcast Rush discussed the politics of the media coverage of Williams' suicide. He also read from a local Fox News story, which speculated why Williams committed suicide.

After he finished reading the Fox News story, in which an anonymous source discussed financial difficulty and "survivors guilt," Rush made an odd connection between the story and the liberal worldview. “It fits a certain picture, or a certain image that the left has," Limbaugh stated. "Low expectations and general unhappiness and so forth.”

Rush is now clarifying, if you will, the convoluted statements from Tuesday. Stating that he was “misquoted, purposely taken out of context.” He stated that he does not know why William committed suicide, and didn't mean to suggest otherwise. (Yet he read from a supposed news source postulating why Williams committed suicide.)

Rush then pointed a finger at the media, saying he was worried the coverage would spur copycat suicides. “They are the ones trying to tell us why," Rush ranted. "They are the ones trying to explain it. They are the ones justifying it. They are the ones glorifying it.”

If this all sounds serpentine that is because it is. Listen for yourself:

And hear the original comments here.

h/t Mediaite


By Sarah Gray

Sarah Gray is an assistant editor at Salon, focusing on innovation. Follow @sarahhhgray or email sgray@salon.com.

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Media Politics Robin Williams Rush Limbaugh Video