Forbes.com Rush Did His Thing; Disney Did Its Thing Dan Ackman, 10.02.03, 9:25 AM ET
NEW YORK - Rush Limbaugh made $32 million last year and was one of America's top celebrities, but when ABC hired him, they called him the "voice of the fan." Now he has resigned under pressure over his racially charged remarks about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. The move might not help ESPN, but it's likely to burnish Limbaugh's credentials as a little guy, martyr and voice in the wilderness. "What we have here is a little social concern in the NFL," Limbaugh said. "The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback can do well--black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve." The remarks were not off the cuff, but as part of a prepared statement. They drew criticism from Gen. Wesley K. Clark, a Democratic presidential contender, and from Rep. Harold Ford Jr., Democrat of Tennessee, and other members of Congress, as well as from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The odd thing isn't that Limbaugh was insensitive to race, as remarks attacking "the media" are a large part of his repertoire. The odd thing is he was insensitive to the market, which he normally champions, in two ways. On the radio, Limbaugh, who is ranked 36th on the Forbes Celebrity 100, runs his own show, syndicating it to over 600 stations. His popularity is based on his being edgy and different. Comments like his one about McNabb would be red meat for Limbaugh's usual audience. But it's his audience. On ESPN, a unit of The Walt Disney Co. (nyse: DIS - news - people ), he was a hired hand and part of the mainstream. It has its audience with or without Limbaugh. Being different was a liability, as it took just four weeks for Limbaugh to find out. (ESPN issued a statement accepting Limbaugh's resignation; The Walt Disney Co. did not comment on it.) Calling McNabb overrated also showed contempt for the market in NFL players. Even if the media wanted McNabb to succeed, would his bosses be fooled into making him the highest-paid player in the NFL? Just last year the Eagles signed him to a 12-year $115 million contract. This contract came after consecutive Pro Bowl appearances and a year in which he was runner-up in MVP voting. The Eagles are owned by Jeffrey Lurie, a Hollywood movie producer, who bought the team in 1994 for $185 million and has seen its value rise to $617 million since then. The NFL, which also relies on mass appeal, was quick to side with McNabb over Limbaugh, even attacking ESPN. "ESPN knew what they were getting when they hired Rush Limbaugh," said Joe Browne, a spokesman for the NFL. "Donovan's status as a top quarterback reflects his performance on the field, not the desire of the media." Limbaugh's comments perhaps reflected his desire for, in the words of the title of his autobiography, "the way things ought to be." While black quarterbacks were a novelty in the NFL two decades ago, they haven't been for several years. Seven black quarterbacks started games last weekend. Two others would have started but for injuries. Most fans know this. Somehow, the voice of the fan did not. That voice has hardly been silenced, though, and as he returns to the radio, he appears more the besieged underdog than ever.
