by Ray Langley

Created on: August 28, 2010

Biography: Glenn Beck

Glenn Lee Beck (b. February 10, 1964) the controversial political commentator, author and media host has drawn national attention for his “on-air” tactics and antics.  Expressing views and opinions that are to the extreme right of the political spectrum, Glenn Beck has made a living out of political satire presented as fact. This form of political entertainment has led Glenn Beck to the top of the New York Times best sellers list multiple times, as Beck puts his spin on everything from Christmas (the Christmas Sweater), to relations with Chinese socialism in an audio adaptation of his radio show, and everything political in between.

Glenn Beck is the son of William and Mary Beck, born in the Industrial port city of Everett, Washington, although the family lived in several communities throughout Washington State. The troubled state of Glenn Beck’s family led to its ultimate dissolution, leaving Mary Beck with custody of Glenn and his sister. Glenn lost his mother in 1979 to drowning, which he claims was suicide. The Tacoma police in Washington have stated the circumstances were consistent with an accidental drowning. Tragedy would strike again at the home of Glenn’s father with the suicide of his stepbrother, which Glenn attributes to him turning to alcohol to cope.

Glenn Beck has made no secret of his struggles with addiction, often trumpeting these facts as a defensive, pre-emptive strike against any who would be critics of his animated and satirical opinion of politics. He taunts the politically educated with the fact that he did not graduate from college, and expresses his views with exaggerated facial effigies. This has made him popular in the political entertainment media, and translated into a type of A-typical cult like following, that gobble up his products, likened to the model used by the Rush Limbaugh show. Love or hate, agree or disagree Glenn Beck successfully gets the attention of America.

Right or wrong, it is Glenn Beck’s opinions, comments and purported beliefs that get the attention, and his unapologetic delivery that draws criticisms from other media commentators. When asked about a Jon Stewart’s skit on the Daily Show (Comedy Central) which parodied one of Beck’s presentations, he responded,  “…even Jon Stewart can’t make fun of me as well as I can make fun of me.” - http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-national/glenn-beck-re sponds-to-jon-stewart-s-daily-show-impersonation

Glenn Beck has succeeded in the often too serious world of political commentary, by being the funny, self-deprecating voice that allows him to take things to the extreme, because after all it is only entertainment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Beck

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/19 8/42279

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