Glenn Beck

Rick Santorum, the Republican asterisk candidate of 2011, gave Mitt Romney a serious run for his abundant money in 2012. When he suspended his campaign on Tuesday, a few political pundits opined that Santorum never had a serious chance at winning the nomination anyway because he was too right wing -- which only shows how obtuse some pundits can be. Santorum is not too extreme for today's Republicans. In a party that is at least 50% composed of Glenn Beck fans, gay-bashers, paranoid conspiracy theorists, Obama birth certificate fantasizers, antiabortion zealots, take-back-America culture warriors and get-religion-into-government theocrats, he is mainstream.

Glenn Beck, art critic, is back. The conservative commentator posted an online video Tuesday in which he addressed at length the subject of "obscene" art and the 1st Amendment. In an homage to Andres Serrano's "Piss Christ," Beck concluded by dunking a likeness of President Obama in a mason jar filled with a clear yellow liquid.  Beck offered to sell the work, titled "Obama in Pee Pee," for $25,000. "It's all protected by this document," he said, pointing to a copy of the Constitution.  "So whether you're offended by this one or by this one," Beck said, pointing to various examples of controversial art, "it sucks to be you, doesn't it?"

The Overton Window A Thriller Glenn Beck Threshold/Simon & Schuster: 336 pp., $26

Re “ Reality crashes this party ,” column, Nov. 10 Sandy Banks' analysis of what went wrong on the Republican side with the election was as logical, concise and right-on as any I have seen or heard from the professional pundits. America is changing - as is the world - and people share the same basic DNA, whatever their skin color or country of origin. If the Republicans continue to deny the unalterable changing demographics of our crowded planet, their political future is very much in doubt.

Mike Huckabee is siding with Michelle Obama over Glenn Beck after the conservative talk show host jabbed him for his "bigger government tendencies. " On his HuckPAC web site Thursday , the former Arkansas governor defends his support for the first lady's "Let's Move!" anti-obesity initiative, which he says is about personal responsibility and "not the government literally taking candy from a baby's mouth. " "I'm no fan of her husband's policies for sure, but I have appreciated her efforts that Beck misrepresented -- either out of ignorance or out of a deliberate attempt to distort them to create yet another 'boogey man' hiding in the closet that he and only he can see," Huckabee writes.

Glenn Beck's TV presence may have dimmed since his transition from Fox News to his own Internet station, but his power on the radio is still strong. Monday he announced a renewal with Premiere Networks to syndicate his radio show for five more years. The deal would mean a reported $100 million for Beck's multimedia company, Mercury Radio Arts. Beck's show, "The Glenn Beck Program," is the third-highest rated radio show in the country behind fellow conservative pundits Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

Barely a year after leaving Fox News, Glenn Back is back on the airwaves. On Wednesday, satellite broadcaster Dish Network announced that The Blaze, Beck's 24-hour online news and opinion network, would be available to its subscribers starting at 5 p.m. EDT. Beck departed Fox News in June 2011 amid declining ratings for his eponymous program and allegations that he was becoming increasingly extreme in his viewpoint. A year ago exactly, he launched GBTV, an online video channel which has attracted some 300,000 paid subscribers.

Last week, Christian publisher Thomas Nelson pulled the book "The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You've Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson" by David Barton after it was shown to have included several inaccuracies. In recalling the book, which was published in April, Thomas Nelson noted that it had received complaints and concluded that "some historical details included in the book that were not adequately supported.” In July, the History News Network voted the book the " least credible history book in print . " Now conservative commentator Glenn Beck plans to put out a new edition of "The Jefferson Lies" on his publishing imprint, Mercury Ink. Beck wrote the introduction to the original edition of the book.

Terry Richardson shot Oprah Winfrey for the November edition of Harper's Bazaar. In the issue, she says that what was initially missing from her OWN network was "me. It required my full-on energy. " She also talks about being a bath fanatic, among other things. [Harper's Bazaar] Conservative commentator Glenn Beck has launched his own line of made-in-America jeans, 1791 Denim from 1791 Supply & Co. (1791 is the year the Bill of Rights was ratified.) [Glennbeck.com] Rachel Zoe, of Bravo's  "The Rachel Zoe Project," and her husband Rodger Berman have sold a scripted comedy show based on Zoe's life to NBC. And Tyra Banks of "America's Next Top Model " is working on a scripted show based on herself for ABC. [Deadline]

Predictably, conservative commentator Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally Saturday on the National Mall has evoked a lot of consternation. For instance, Greg Sargent of the Washington Post argues that because the rally explicitly avoided trumpeting a political agenda, it was all the more insidiously political. "Beck repeatedly claimed that his rally wasn't meant to be 'political,' " writes Sargent. "As high-minded as that may sound, the real point of stressing the rally's apolitical goals was political.

Terry Richardson shot Oprah Winfrey for the November edition of Harper's Bazaar. In the issue, she says that what was initially missing from her OWN network was "me. It required my full-on energy. " She also talks about being a bath fanatic, among other things. [Harper's Bazaar] Conservative commentator Glenn Beck has launched his own line of made-in-America jeans, 1791 Denim from 1791 Supply & Co. (1791 is the year the Bill of Rights was ratified.) [Glennbeck.com] Rachel Zoe, of Bravo's  "The Rachel Zoe Project," and her husband Rodger Berman have sold a scripted comedy show based on Zoe's life to NBC. And Tyra Banks of "America's Next Top Model " is working on a scripted show based on herself for ABC. [Deadline]

Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly are taking their status as BFFs - best frenemies forever - to the next level early next month when they square off in a 90-minute, pay per-view event in the nation's capital. Dubbed "The Rumble in the Air-Conditioned Auditorium," the face-to-face meeting Oct. 6 will be moderated by CNN anchor E.D. Hill and will be modeled after a mock presidential debate: 60 minutes of conversation between the host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" and Fox's top-rated "The O'Reilly Factor," then 30 minutes of audience questions.

Barely a year after leaving Fox News, Glenn Back is back on the airwaves. On Wednesday, satellite broadcaster Dish Network announced that The Blaze, Beck's 24-hour online news and opinion network, would be available to its subscribers starting at 5 p.m. EDT. Beck departed Fox News in June 2011 amid declining ratings for his eponymous program and allegations that he was becoming increasingly extreme in his viewpoint. A year ago exactly, he launched GBTV, an online video channel which has attracted some 300,000 paid subscribers.

After the coffee. Before my 'X Factor' viewing party. The Skinny: If this feels rushed it's because I had to do it twice. Hit the wrong key and lost the first draft. At least I didn't put my fist through the computer screen. Wednesday's headlines include PETA's concerns about animals in entertainment, Jennifer Lopez  joins Nuvo network and Glenn Beck comes back to cable TV. Daily Dose: Google Fiber has added some key networks to its new high-speed broadband pay-TV service it is launching in Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kansas.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Even with the threat of a hurricane, this host city had many familiar signs of a political convention. Political star-sightings were prevalent at the Tampa airport, including a Republican senator (Thad Cochran of Mississippi) and a freshman congressman (Steve Womack of Arkansas). Greeters welcomed convention-goers making their way to baggage claim and car rentals. Billboards along the freeway shouted political leanings: "Hope didn't work," said one for conservative author Glenn Beck, in a presumed jab at President Obama's 2008 campaign theme.

Last week, Christian publisher Thomas Nelson pulled the book "The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You've Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson" by David Barton after it was shown to have included several inaccuracies. In recalling the book, which was published in April, Thomas Nelson noted that it had received complaints and concluded that "some historical details included in the book that were not adequately supported.” In July, the History News Network voted the book the " least credible history book in print . " Now conservative commentator Glenn Beck plans to put out a new edition of "The Jefferson Lies" on his publishing imprint, Mercury Ink. Beck wrote the introduction to the original edition of the book.

At least Glenn Beck isn't among the nearly one in five Americans who believe President Obama is a Muslim. Nor, as far as he's yet admitted, is he among the majority of Republicans who actually told Newsweek's pollsters that they believe the president hopes to impose Sharia, or Islamic law, on America. No, Beck — who appears to be campaigning for prelate of an amorphous new civil religion — believes that Obama schemes to impose collectivism because he is an adherent of liberation theology.

Glenn Beck's TV presence may have dimmed since his transition from Fox News to his own Internet station, but his power on the radio is still strong. Monday he announced a renewal with Premiere Networks to syndicate his radio show for five more years. The deal would mean a reported $100 million for Beck's multimedia company, Mercury Radio Arts. Beck's show, "The Glenn Beck Program," is the third-highest rated radio show in the country behind fellow conservative pundits Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

Rick Santorum, the Republican asterisk candidate of 2011, gave Mitt Romney a serious run for his abundant money in 2012. When he suspended his campaign on Tuesday, a few political pundits opined that Santorum never had a serious chance at winning the nomination anyway because he was too right wing -- which only shows how obtuse some pundits can be. Santorum is not too extreme for today's Republicans. In a party that is at least 50% composed of Glenn Beck fans, gay-bashers, paranoid conspiracy theorists, Obama birth certificate fantasizers, antiabortion zealots, take-back-America culture warriors and get-religion-into-government theocrats, he is mainstream.