Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations

Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations (ISBN 0-385-31474-4) is a 1996 American book by Al Franken. It is satirically critical of 1990s right-wing political figures such as Pat Buchanan, Bob Dole, Phil Gramm, Newt Gingrich, and particularly radio host Rush Limbaugh. Franken often makes his points through humor, including the use of graphs with his handwriting superimposed over them.

Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations

First edition
Author	Al Franken
Language	English
Subject	American politics
Genre	American liberalism
Publisher	Delacorte Press
Publication date	1996
Publication place	United States
Pages	271
ISBN	0-385-31474-4
OCLC	33359983
Dewey Decimal	973.929/0207 20
LC Class	E885 .F73 1996
Followed by	Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right

The book ranked #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list, February 25, 1996.^[1] and sold nearly 1 million copies.^[2]

Franken has said that he chose to make the book's title an ad hominem attack as "an ironic comment on the fact that Rush makes ad hominem attacks all the time".^[3] Franken cited, for example, Limbaugh's attack on Chelsea Clinton, whom Limbaugh had described as "the White House dog".^[3] Franken said his motivation for writing the book was the rise of Newt Gingrich, who used Limbaugh as "his mouthpiece".^[4]

The audiobook version won the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Comedy Album.

References

1. The New York Times Best Seller List for February 25, 1996 (PDF), retrieved 2010-01-14
2. "Al Franken Does Skip Barber Driving School at Lime Rock". skipbarber.com. July 25, 1999. Archived from the original on March 3, 2001. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
3. Al Franken, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, p.85.
4. "Comedian and Political Commentator Al Franken". National Public Radio. September 3, 2003. Retrieved 2005-10-05.