Common Nonsense: Glenn Beck and the Triumph of Ignorance
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| Author | Alexander Zaitchik |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | US politics |
| Publisher | Wiley |
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Publication date
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June 2010 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 288 |
| ISBN | |
Common Nonsense: Glenn Beck and the Triumph of Ignorance is a 2010 book by investigative reporter Alexander Zaitchik. Released in June 2010, the book attempts to critically explain the life story and phenomenon of conservative host Glenn Beck.
"The goal was to understand who he was. It was not to write a slash-and-burn Glenn Beck is a Big Fat Idiot book. I wanted something more substantial, something that looked at Beck as an aspect of Obama-era conservatism and how he reflected that and informed it, and how he is bigger than just a rodeo clown."
In researching the book, Zaitchik moved to Tampa, Florida, where Beck began his radio career at 970 WFLA from 1999-2002. While there, Zaitchik spent one year compiling and reading all of Beck's material that he could find, which also included listening to four hours a day of his radio program for eight months. Moreover, Zaitchik interviewed Beck's former friends, coworkers and colleagues in order to detail his transformation from "schlock jock" to "conservative media baron." By combining examination of Beck's public statements and a look at public records, Zaitchik compiles "a tough critique of the host's history, philosophies and methods, aimed at separating fact from hyperbole." In an interview about the book, Zaitchik remarked that:
"Zaitchik details Beck's crusade against obscure Washington, D.C. bureaucrats such as former green jobs czar Van Jones, the coke and alcohol-fueled early days in his radio career and Beck's dependence on the conspiracy theories of the John Birch Society and obscure Cold War era anti-Communist crackpots."
Throughout the book, Zaitchik documents how Beck progressed from being "a competitive radio DJ who belittled a rival's wife over the telephone about her miscarriage, to a nationally known TV pundit accusing the president of being a Communist and black nationalist." In the end, Zaitchik renders Beck as "part opportunist, part entertainer" who he accuses of "assembling a team of supporters to create the books, video segments, rallies and radio shows that fuel his growing legend." The book also documents Beck's "prodigious talent for rubbing people the wrong way." According to Zaitchik, "It’s just a fascinating American story, regardless of politics," noting that Beck went from a Top 40 DJ to a national political figure in the span of only a decade.
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