Broadcasting Hate - s/o of "autism is a fraud"

I will admit it upfront. I don’t get it. I don’t get the mass appeal of someone like Michael Savage (formerly known as Michael Weiner until taking on the self-descriptive name “savage”).

I’ve read a bit about Weiner since yesterday and sources agree that Weiner is someone who has spent the most part of his life trying to get noticed and be famous and has transformed his persona and reincarnated himself to make the most of any and every opportunity.

He has gone from his strict Jewish upbringing, to being a herbalist and nutritionist, married in a rainforest to his second wife, giving his son the middle name “Goldencloud,” traveling through the Fiji Islands, to living in Northern California, to transforming into the mouthpiece for his Savage Nation.

For years, he made a name cranking out a pile of books on alternative medicine, recommending bizarre remedies such as using vitamin C to stop AIDS and kicking cocaine with coffee enemas.

After many job losses and denials, the loss of friends from his bizarre and aggressive behavior, and the denial of a publishing company to publish yet another book, he still sought fame. He dreamed about being a stand-up comic but when that didn’t materialize either, he took his aggressive nature to radio.

He joked about Jewish celebrities. He spewed hate for just about anyone, except for conservative white males. His outrageousness knew no limits and he is, for whatever reason, an outraged white male.

He has joked about Ted Kennedy’s brain cancer, on the day that Kennedy’s diagnosis was made public. He has told a caller to “get AIDs and die.” He has ventured into about every area of hot button issues with hate, arrogance, insensitivity, and misinformation. He is like a child having a rant, instead of an adult having an intelligent conversation. And still people listen.

An old friend, Robert Cathcart, thinks Weiner intentionally exaggerates his politics and personality to get a rise out of his audience. “It’s showmanship,” he says. “He makes enemies of everybody. He doesn’t believe half the stuff he says.”

Former “Savage Nation” producer James Hilliard concurs. “I think Michael does have an excellent sense of putting on a show,” he says. “I think he learned or was told at an early point that this is an entertainment medium, and he thought of himself as an entertainer.”

The following quote may explain a lot. In one of his many, many books, Michael Savage wrote, “I was raised on neglect, anger, and hate. But growing up with little parental approval or praise was a good thing, he says. “Frankly, that’s why I’m driven the way I am.” (The Savage Nation)

I suppose anyone raised on neglect, anger and hate, will give back to the world neglect, anger and hate.

That may help to explain Michael Savage. But, how do we explain his listeners and the people who actually believe and support his peddling of hate? How does it explain the Vice President of the United States Dick Cheney appearing on Savage’s show and giving credence to the guy?

Are people just listening to see when he crosses the line for good? Are they not taking him seriously and just want to be entertained? Or, do they actually support what he says?

Try as I might, I don’t see the appeal of shock jocks and hate mongers. Can anyone explain it?