Shocking absolutely no one, conservative radio host/icon Rush Limbaugh married for the fourth time over the weekend. Actually, I was slightly surprised, only because I thought he was already on wife number five or six. Also shocking: Rush did not marry a bottle of Oxycontin. Low blow? Eh. Anyway, the real surprise was who performed at Rush’s wedding: Elton John! Are you kidding me, Elton? According to People Magazine and other sources, Sir Elton performed for Rush’s 400 guests after Rush paid him a cool million. But… but… Elton is gay! And married TO A DUDE.
Talk about an odd couple: conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh and outspoken gay-marriage advocate Elton John.
But, according to a News Corporation (which owns Fox News) wire report, the Rocket Man, 63, serenaded the 400 guests into the wee hours Saturday night to celebrate the marriage of Limbaugh, 59, to Kathryn Rogers, 33, in the Ponce de Leon ballroom of Florida’s fabled Breakers hotel in Palm Beach. Sir Elton’s fee: $1 million, the report notes.
Amid dozens of giant bouquets of white roses (and very tight security), reports the Palm Beach Post, guests at the wedding included former Bush adviser Karl Rove; actor-politician Fred Thompson; former Kansas City Royals slugger George Brett; Fox News commentator Sean Hannity; former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani; New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft; former Clinton adviser James Carville and his wife, GOP analyst Mary Matalin; and golfer Tom Watson. A wedding guest also tells PEOPLE that among the others was Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
The couple met six years ago, while she was running a charity golf tournament and Limbaugh was in the process of divorcing for the third time.
Sunday morning, a source tells PEOPLE, the newlyweds hopped Limbaugh’s private Gulfstream jet for a honeymoon in Mexico, Africa and a couple other spots.
Rogers is a direct descendant of President John Adams, and her father attended the U.S. Naval Academy with the future Arizona Senator (and 2008 Republican Presidential candidate) John McCain, reports NewsCore.
The wire service also quotes the new bride as saying of the couple’s 26-year age gap: “I’m sometimes not able to relate to the average person my age.”
[From People]
Of course there’s a lot to say and a lot of places to go with this, but I’m just going to focus on Elton John. I don’t understand…? I realize a paying gig is a paying gig, but is Elton not familiar with Rush Limbaugh’s politics, what Rush has said over the years about the GLBT community? And what of Rush? Rush is down with Elton? Maybe they’re friends. Maybe they’re butt buddies. Too much?
Ugh…I love Elton but his status just went down if he can be bought like that…shudder..
F__k you Rush!!!
My brain just deflated a little… I wish he didn’t perform for that ass, but money is money I guess.
I don’t know about them and their reasons for hiring/agreeing to perform, but I always find it funny when people who are SO opposed to same sex marriage because it devalues the institution of marriage, have been married and divorced multiple times themselves.
It is strange that EJ would risk “endorsing” Rush’s beliefs by performing for him but, if I were him, I’d take that $1 million and immediately donate it to GLBT charities in Rush’s name : )
so, where’s the bride? or is that her arabesquing at elton in the silver hot-pants?
It’s not like he *needs* the money, either.. The only way it would make sense to me is if EJ took the million dollars and donated it to a GLBT cause. Otherwise, that’s disappointing.
I can’t even look at Elton John at this point, I am so disgusted by this. I don’t care how much he was paid, the fact that he would even show up at Rush’s wedding given his (Rush) very public attitude on gay marriage and on gays in general just blows my mind.
I guess it’s true- “Money can’t buy you class,” or forgiveness! Elton, I’m done with you!
Gee, ya think you’re going overboard in stereotyping Rush Limbaugh? I listen to him sometimes and I’ve never heard him trash gays. Sometimes you have to step away from dogged political ideology and open your mind. Maybe Elton John does that, because I can’t imagine he’s hard up for cash.
I do not know who is the bigger hypocrite Elton or Rush, tough call.
I don’t understand this at all. The irony is way, way too rich for me in this case. Rush Limbaugh, who does not support gay marriage, having a gay man who (I think ) is married to his partner perform at his FOURTH wedding… It all is just messed up. It just shows me that the almighty dollar will trump anything, including conviction for people’s individual civil rights and everyone has a price tag. In this case, a million bucks.
Elton John is the ultimate sellout in my eyes. This makes me think of the artist who performed in Sun City when South Africa was very pro-apartheid.
Hmmm, maybe Rush wanted to introduce his new beard to Elton. Elton: we know you have better taste than Rush, hope that money is donated to your AIDS research charity.
I always wondered what a soul cost!
A paycheck is a paycheck.
Who’s the HOTNESS dancing with Elton in the 2nd pic? Tasty!
There is evident lack of understanding by the liberals here. Newsflash: It is true that the evil conservatives can actually make good friends of those with different views that their own. It is the conservatives that have been branded inflexible and closed minded for so long, but I find the opposite to be quite true as presented by the comments in this post.
Isnt it nice when everyone can get along?
Rush isn’t just conservative, he’s a hateful, racist, negative piece of crap. Every time he speaks, he fouls the air around him with his rhetoric and vitriol. He’s worse than a coal plaant for poisonous emmisions.
She’s supposedly more liberal than he is, having raised money for the UN and traveled a lot. She probably requested Elton John and sweet talked Rush into bankrolling it. And how nice to see Elton crooning to the dude in hot pants at Rush’s wedding, where he couldn’t say boo about it. I think that’s pretty funny, actually.
@Sandy, wow–sounds like your the hateful and negative one! Yikes–try decaf!
#16. How true. The “tolerant” liberals posting here show who the real haters are.
Sir Elton really lost me here. I wonder if Rush did this to call him a Nazi too. Rush is full of rhetoic and never speaks of facts. He’s marrying a woman 30 years younger, maybe she is a beard. Lol
Just because someone is conservative does not mean they HATE gays.That is so asinine. Not to mention our own President Obama is AGAINST same sex marriage. Why can’t people who do not have the same political views get along like cililized human beings. I do not agree with all that Rush says,but I do have to say that unless you have listened to him constantly and not just a few times, you really don’t know his views. The same goes for conservatives who judge Maddow or Matthews without watching more than a couple of times. Congratulations to Rush and his new wife. BTW what the hell does his addiction have to to with anything? Sorry, but that was a low blow.
#16 & 21, I think you’re really generalizing (ironically) – no one is talking about ALL conservatives, this is Rush specific.
We’re not talking about your average every day citizen, conservative, liberal, or moderate – Rush has made a lot of very negative, very public comments about homosexuality over the years, and has been very outspoken against gay. He’s made it a point to express his opinions every day, on a national platform.
And soon a Limpbaugh gets back to his show he will be bashing gays and back to his usual schitck. They are both pigs. Elton is the worse one. Grovel at the feet of a hater for money. Wait until Rush comes back and makes fun of you.
I think the drug references recall the scandal when he first denied having any drug use issues but was found with a lot of illegally gained Rx. The sham of lying about it could be vaguely connected to a “sham” of a wedding. I’m not sure but that’s the idea I get from other comments. Elsewhere.
Bam Bam, I agree with you.
I don’t require my friends to agree with my conservative philosophy, which is actually more like a traditionally liberal view, and diametrically different from what current liberalism stands for.
But so many liberals seem incapable of disagreeing without rejecting anyone not in lockstep with their views. I’m shocked by how vehemently liberals seem to loathe anyone who dares to question their positions.
Liberals frequently don’t just disagree philosophically, they get personal, denigrating and maligning anyone with the temerity to disagree. If you don’t agree with a liberal, you must be racist or homophobic or just plain immoral.
It’s a crutch for avoiding issue oriented debate.
Congratulations to Rush.
It’s a little surprising that’s for sure but also surprising is James Carville being on the guest list and present!
I don’t agree with Limbaugh’s views or the distasteful way he broadcasts them but I think that about bully-boy Bill O’Reilly yet find him amusing on other people’s shows like The View or Jon Stewart… maybe Elton finds Rush amusing enough to take his money. He sang at the man’s wedding, it doesn’t mean he cuddled up, though like most of these fervent anti-gay guys, it makes me wonder if Rush wouldn’t secretly like that.
They both make me sick.
RL just makes me sicker, a vile presence with no purpose. Here is the common factor [$$$$$$$$$$$$]. It doesnt matter is John uses the money for good, it still counts as ‘blood money’.
How sick. Rush is a hateful, racist homophobe and I am sad that Elton would sell out to sing for his wedding.
I have never heard Rush Limbaugh using racist or glbt hate speech. Never. If I am wrong, I would love a soundbite posted of anything racist or against the glbt community. That way, I could hear it for myself. And I’m not talking about him saying “I don’t believe gay people should be married.” That would just be a belief. Not being hateful, just stating a belief. A lot of people believe that way, a lot of people don’t. We don’t have to agree, we just need to be respectful of eachother and our opinion.s Go Elton. If I had a million dollars, I would want him to sing at my vow renewal!! Just because he’s AWESOME!!!
rush only had to listen to him perform music, not perform sex. elton only wanted his money and so does his new wife.
Gotta love the Rush fans painting all liberals with the same brush because some dare criticize their leader.
Rush is our century’s Tom Watson (of The Jeffersonian & Leo Frank trial infamy- not the golfer).
????
Rush isn’t anyone’s “leader.” Why would you say that? He’s a political and social commentator that many millions of people do like and agree with, that’s all. What’s wrong with that?
Oh-you disagree with his point of view, so he must be eeeeeeevil, right? I get it. Freedom of thought is great as long as everyone things the way you do? Nice.
Anyway, best wishes for the bride and groom. I hope they have many happy years together.
It’s been said before but Elton rocks the piano, but he sucks on the organ!
I hate Rush because he thinks differently than I do? Way to construct a straw man there Sammy, I don’t believe I said any such thing.
And since you take issue with my use of ‘leader’ (a person who has commanding authority or influence- Merriam Webster)… ever heard the term ‘ditto head’? Ever hear Rush listeners proudly identify themselves as such- because I sure have.
For the record, I dislike Limbaugh because he whips up the gullible, advocates violence by implication if not directly, and then when people take him seriously, disclaims all responsibility- he’s just practicing freedom of speech and isn’t responsible for the fallout occasioned by his incendiary comments. Seems to be a popular dance with certain pundits lately; I’ll say no more.
My GOD Rush Limbaugh is a disgusting human being. And anyone who listens to this man or contributes to his ratings at all is just as disgusting a person.
Oh Elton, I really thought better of you!
I guess more money is required for tiara’s than expected…
Love and kisses to all the conservatives who’ve criticized the liberals for being too critical, bahaha!
I believe, as has been stated above a few times, that it is not “the conservative” in general that the “libs” on this board have a problem with.
it is Limbaugh SPECIFICALLY that people don’t like. there are plenty of conservative people in this country who can express their views in an unoffensive, civil way. he is NOT one of them. he’s an extremist, and an entertainer, so he can get away with a lot more offensive speech than your average politician can.
and yes, he IS a racist. Telling a caller to “take the bone out of your nose and call me back” and pontificating how “all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson” sound kind of racist to me.
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2549
http://newsone.com/obama/casey-gane-mccalla/top-10-racist-limbaugh-quotes/
granted, there is (according to snopes.com) some question as to the veracity of some of these quotes. (some are not documented, but it doesn’t meant he didn’t say it.) but not all of them are questionable in origin. and him playing “Barack the Magic Negro” is well documented. no, he didn’t write it, but he played it on his show, and he celebrated it.
and yes, his addiction, and admission thereof, should be a part of his character assessment. he went on and on during his show about how not just dealers but ADDICTS should be thrown in jail and not be given any mercy, all the while he was shopping prescriptions from doctors to feed his habit. he’s a hypocrite to a very high degree, and that should be part of how people see him.
Rush Limbaugh, as an individual, is an angry, hateful, bigoted man. He happens to use politics and political media campaigns as a forum to promote his agenda of condescension and discrimination.
I’m certainly not saying that’s true of all conservatives in general (I happen to know many conservatives who have a profound dislike for Limbaugh and his ilk), I’m just saying it’s true of him. To try to defend his character on the grounds of anyone else’s political preferences is a false argument and makes the defenders look foolish.
I hope Elton put every penny of that check in the AIDS Foundation under Rush’s name. That ought to stick in his craw.
Statler, I think you misunderstand the term “dittohead.” Callers would say ditto to Rush’s commentary because he voiced opinions they held but never heard reflected in the mainstream media.
So rather than the term meaning a mindless follower it means that Rush was voicing the caller’s own opinion. The caller had an opinion that Rush echoed rather than the other way around. It may be hard for you to believe, but his listeners are not mindless, gullible rubes just waiting for their leader’s latest pronouncement.
As for inciting violence…that’s simply untrue.
I have to wonder how many ultra-conservative politicos who were present were mesmerized/spellbound (if not aroused) by the (seemingly) gender-bending performance of Elton’s dancers. Just a thought.
And I do think that it’s an anathema for Elton John to perform at a wedding for Rush Limbaugh. Being against gay marriage isn’t the same as having opposing views on war strategy or education reform.
It’s similar to someone believing that you, simply because of who you are (and who you love) don’t have the same rights/protections of certain laws and customs that I do. It’s like someone openly saying ‘I don’t have any respect and don’t value your love for your spouse or your union or your rights, but I’ll pay you to perform for me.’
But, I guess Elton John is more thick-skinned than I am.
His new wife is 33! It’s really hard for me to imagine a woman 2 years younger than me marrying that vile, bigoted tub of elderly goo. Imagine listening to that loudmouth across the dinner table for even one day, let alone several years. I congratulate her, and pray for her!
@Tess- Untrue you say?
‘”Riots in Denver, the Democrat Convention would see to it that we don’t elect Democrats,” Limbaugh said during Wednesday’s radio broadcast. He then went on to say that’s the best thing that could happen to the country.’
http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2008/04/station-claims-rush-limbaugh-inciting.html
Even more to the point:
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/media/88893-right-wing-death-threats-rise-republicans-should-condemn-rush-limbaugh
Moderation again? Wtf?
Okay, enough fun for me, I’ve got to get some work done anyhow. Carry on, St. Angie, MissyA, JustBe, etc, I’m sure you’ll do just as well or better.
@Statler,
I, too, must get back to work, tho this is certainly more fun.
However, I would say that the sources you cite are are opionion pieces based on debatable interpretations of Rush’s remarks.
Let me ask you, are Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann also dangerous inciters?
I’m with you MaiGirl. Now there’s your “blood money” and “sell out”. His bride, who is in the physical prime of her life! It’s all about the money. How else could you look at him, listen to him, let alone f*ck him. It’s prostitution, pure and simple.
Wow- so what is Limbaugh giving as his excuse for wanting Elton John at his wedding? How is he answering the questions I assume the insipid, misogynistic homophobic home schooled portion of his audience must have. (I assume a lot in thinking they are able to form rational questions, don’t I?)
As I see it Elton HAD to take the gig, either to (a) preach tolerance in the land of the monstrous, or (b) flaunt his fabulocity all over the right-winged place.. and better the money go to Elton than some fascist charity!
Who knows why Elton took the gig, but he’d have to kill someone before I could even consider scratching him off my list. And even then, I’d need therapy to come to terms with the loss.
**Retreats back to the corner clutching my copies of “Madman Across the Water” and “Tumbleweed Connection”**
@ Schnauzers!!:
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/homophobia-rush-limbaughs-top-anti-gay-quotes/discrimination/2009/03/05/517
This hypocritical dbag kills me. Youtube what he has to say about drug addicts and then understand this guy was getting illegal OXYs the whole time he was going off on “it’s not a disease” and how weak addicts are meanwhile he was out scoring a shitload of these things for his own use. As well he just flat out LIES about a myriad of other topics. Nope sorry, I wouldn’t piss on this piece of shit if he were on fire!
Fuck you Rush!
rush is a hate-filled man, spewing venom everywhere. he is racist, sexist, anti-semitic and homophobic. honestly, anyone who doesn’t see that is either brain-dead or deluded. even if i agreed with his politics i could never agree with his vile tactics – telling a gay caller he hopes he has AIDS, telling a black caller to “take the bone out of his nose” and let’s not forget rush calling the then 12 year old chelsea clinton the “white house dog.” then again, making fun of little girls is par for the course for guys like rush and glenn beck. ok, conservatives, how is any of that acceptable to you?
What the???
Rush is the loyal USA patriot bomb and he has never hated on homosexuals..
I never realized Elton’s squash looking head before… weird.
oh yeah…. F**K RUSH! psycho-tard of the universe!
Obviously you don’t listen to Rush Limbaugh. Rush is no friend of the gay rights movement and its strategies but is not prejudiced or hateful towards homosexuals themselves and if you listened to him, as I have for 20+ years, you would realize this, instead of letting liberal news arms do your thinking for you. Maybe Elton John can see this as well. His status just went up several points in my book.
No side has any monopoly on tolerance or bigotry. No side. The smug tone of the Conservatives posting here creates want to remind them that some people of their political persuasion have had many intolerant actions behind them such as opposing the Civil Rights Act (William F Buckley- who recantedlater in his life) or conducting the Red Scare against fellow Americans with no decent regard for evidence (Joseph McCarthy).
No one is a above anyone, and no side has the political answers to everything.
Criticizing or questioning how Elton John could perform at Rush Limbaugh’s wedding is not hateful or intolerant- it’s a question worth asking, especially since the issue of who in this country is guaranteed rights for an act sanctioned by the government (in this case, marriage.) It’s like asking why a person of color why he or she would want to perform in a country that practices apartheid.
Just heard Rush say the other day that he is for civil unions for gay people, not marriage. So what? That is the same stance that Obama takes. So if Rush is homophobic, so is Obama. I think if you are constantly monitoring other people’s behavior for racism and homophobia, then you probably are a racist and homophobe yourself. Not everyone is obsessed with these issues…because they see people as people and not just as a member of whatever ‘group’ they are in.
I don’t know which is worse: Elton knowing who Rush is and taking the money or not knowing who Rush is and did the performance just to make a buck.
Am I the only one who thinks EJ’s forehead is growing larger?
http://glaadblog.org/?s=rush+limbaugh&submit.x=0&submit.y=0
just saying… the GLAAD knows.
I would love to know how much of Rush’s programming all you uber-intellectual libs have actually listened to, because you sound pitifully ignorant of his ACTUAL thoughts and viewpoints. Do yourself a favor and get a bit of your worldview from something other than Jon Stewart and Keith Olberman.
marjalane – i have listened to rush limbaugh and i found him to be a hate-filled gasbag throwing out ridiculous comments like “there are more trees in america now than when columbus landed ” and telling people not to worry about the oil spill in the gulf because “the water will absorb it.” but please, tell me what rush’s “actual” thoughts and viewpoints are.
Poor wife. Here’s Rush on feminism:
“Feminism was established to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream.”
Sorry Tess, et al. I actually heard him say this with my own ears.
And what kind of man goes to one of the poorest countries on earth with a suitcase full of Viagra prescriptions under another person’s name? Would you marry that? Yuck.
limpballs is a lying, drug-addled, can’t-buy-a-whore-in-the-caribbean pig. and his big fat bankroll is almost as big as his ass.
what some women won’t do for $$$$$$$$$$$.
…
Elton John can do what he wants. I think it must have been fabulous, knowing that Rush was paying him $1 million dollars (that he couldn’t write off) to sing his gay, gay, gay love songs all night long.
How wonderful it must have been, watching Rush get all uncomfortable while Elton serenaded him right in front of his fourth wife.
Since when has Rush bashed the gay community? He doesn’t do that on his show.
This folks, is the beauty of capitalism. Quit your whining, a man paid for a service that one agreed to provide. Get over it…
1. Ug, I cannot even believe that any woman, let alone a 33 year old woman in the prime of her life, would subject herself to being….intimate with that….thing. What does SHE look like? If she’s seriously hard on the eyes, like the kind of person who actually makes you wince, maybe I’ll understand it. Still. Even then.
2. The first time I ever heard Rush Limbaugh say anything was in the late 1990s. He had his horrible short-lived TV show (his fans were really scary-looking, so it went off the air) and he was talking about Carol Moseley Braun being the first black woman ever elected to the Senate. He then started to sing the theme song to The Jeffersons–“well hey we movin’ on uuuup, to the East siiiide, to a deeeeluxe apartment in the skyyyyy, mo-hoovin’ ON up…”
I had no idea who this guy was, but I found that so disgusting, I turned it and never listened to him another moment in my life. What a vile excuse for a human being.
Hey DCG, this is the beauty of freedom of speech. Get over it.
Civil Unions are to marriage the same as colored bathrooms are to “whites only”. Similar facilities, but definitely not seen as equal.
Marriage is an act sanctioned by the government and should be available to all its citizens. Your church doesn’t have to recognize it, but if you are a tax-paying legal citizen of this country, your government should extend the same rights to you to protect your family financially, medically, legally in the SAME NAME.
Marriage for all, or civil unions for all. No second categories.
annaloo, too bad Obama doesn’t seem to agree with you.
I don’t get why everyone is so mad at Elton John for this. Good for him! I think this is hysterical. At the end of the day, he has $1,000,000 of Rush’s money. Rush looks like a hypocrite for hiring someone who represents everything he purports to hate, and I think Elton John looks like a professional who is just doing his job. One that just walked away with $1,000,000 of Rush’s money. Hee hee hee.
I’m not a liberal by any stretch of the imagination. I’m a very conservative libertarian.
I used to find Rush Limbaugh amusing in a “this guy is too ‘huge’ to be real” kind of way. I thought he was just sarcastic and provocative to get a rise out of people and get ratings and make fun of people who possess no sense of humor. In the last 10 years, however, he has devolved into something I don’t like. His show is mean-spirited and he has become so arrogant that I can’t listen to him anymore. It’s neither funny nor informative.
He’s marrying for – what? – like the fourth time? To a woman younger than me and I’m young enough to be Rush’s child? Typical. Fat, rich, old man thinks he’s too good for a woman his own age, so he buys a pretty young thing who won’t challenge him with life experience or educated opinions and offend his sensibilities with crow’s feet or gray hairs.
I don’t “hate” Rush. I find him personally disgusting, and I find his moral hypocrisy an affront to my own value system. The whole package is revolting.
I don’t think this makes either Elton or Rush look bad. They both got what they wanted out of the situation. They are apparently fine with each other and with their business arrangement, and see each other as human beings. It is everyone else who seems to have the problem–saying what their behavior should be based on the ‘category’ they belong to. By the way, in addition to hiring a gay man to sing at his wedding, Rush also WORKS with a black man on a daily basis–GASP!! His right hand man/producer on the show (Snerdly) is black.
Trillion, I get the beauty of both. I applaud Rush/John for their right to capitalism and this blog for us both to say out peace. What two people want to practice in the free market is their business. Why the big fuss?
More important things to worry about like the fact this president is bankrupting this country and our debt will exceept GDP in 2012. That’s my free speech moment for today…
I was going to say Elton is a sellout but he has always been a sellout. I love his music, but he’s never stood for anything. He makes his music & spends lavish amounts of money on clothes & homes & crap. No wonder he played for some homophobe. He’s all about making the money. They both can suck it!
I guess liberals are not as tolerant as they want everyone else to be. Kudos to Rush and Elton!