| Genre | Talk show |
|---|---|
| Running time | 3 hours |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | English |
| Home station | WTNT (AM) |
| Hosts | Laura Ingraham |
| Recording studio | Washington, D.C. |
| Air dates | since April 2001 |
| Website | www.lauraingraham.com |
The Laura Ingraham Show is a three-hour American radio show hosted by conservative commentator Laura Ingraham on Talk Radio Network. As of 2011[update], the show is broadcast live on Channel 2, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Eastern Time Zone (ET), adjusted seasonally for Daylight Saving Time, with delayed rebroadcast on various local terrestrial radio stations.
As of 2008[update] her show was one of the most popular radio shows.[1] Her Web site features online polls, "Read It or Weep" articles of note handpicked by Laura from various Web sites and blogs, and audio clips available via podcasting.
The show covers primarily politics, pop culture, and media bias; with topics of interest including race relations, trends in schools, the Middle East and the legacy of feminism. The show features several recurring segments, each with a distinct satirical theme.
In June 2008, Ingraham was off the air due to a contract dispute.[2] A number of hosts filled in for her, primarily Tammy Bruce and Monica Crowley. Ingraham returned to her show on June 30.
Contents |
The segment called "But ... Monkey" takes someone's sound bite and divides the words before "but" (usually something positive or complimentary) from the words that follow (usually something negative or critical) with a screeching monkey sound. Other variations of the monkey cited include the "Having Said That Monkey" and the "Double But ... Monkey." Other segments include "Lie of the Day," during which a sound clip is played of an alleged lie over the Anastacia song "Why'd You Lie to Me". Another satirical segment is the "Deep Thought of the Day", signaled by the sounds of piano, smooth flowing water, and chirping birds accompanied by someone making an adage-like statement. For example, one "Deep Thought" featured on the show was from Maya Angelou who said, "Don't let facts get in the way of the truth. You can tell so many facts you never get to the truth."
Other segments include the "Sound Bite of the Week", which allows callers to choose which of several noteworthy sound clips or "bites" (played before accepting calls) is the most outstanding, good or bad. At the end of the year, a "Sound Bite of the Year" is chosen. The segment "Looking for Leaders" profiles individuals who have made some outstanding contribution to America by example; one segment featured wrestling champion and author Kyle Maynard, born with a rare congenital disorder that left him with no elbows or knees. Other lesser-used segments include the "What's He Smokin' Moment of the Day", the "Awkward Pause Moment of the Day", and most recently, the "Black Helicopter".
The segment "Guess the Guest" — in which callers are encouraged to hypothesize as to the identity of a certain guest on selected episodes of Larry King's CNN show by listening to choice sound cuts from the interview — had been played often on Ingraham's radio show until 2005 when for no stated reason, she stopped using the segment. Later, in 2006, the segment was resumed.
The "Clash against Civilizations Update" spotlights a story in which Ingraham believes a person's or group of people's cultural beliefs are infringing upon other peoples' lives. The "Pornification Alert" spotlights a story about a cultural trend (usually involving sex or pornography) which Ingraham believes is pervading American culture in a negative way.
The Laura Ingraham Show discusses a wide variety of issues from a conservative perspective, summed up by Ingraham as "Politics, the culture, and media bias." Depending on current events, she sometimes discusses other issues in more depth.
Ingraham frequently advocates "securing the borders" by putting more resources into stopping illegal immigration. She has a segment called "The Illegal Immigration Sob Story" alert, in which she highlights media articles that she believes are gathering emotional sympathy for illegal immigrants who, she states, are simply breaking the law.
The show frequently raises the topic of radical Islam viewed from the perspective of U.S. conservatives, with Ingraham discussing current events and media reports about the so-called war against terror and what she believes is a growing faction of Islam — jihads.
Ingraham is opposed to abortion on demand, and often talks about human cloning, embryonic stem-cell research and abortion, taking a pro-life stance against all three. She was an outspoken advocate against Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 (2006), a ballot measure that she felt was deceptive and that legalized human cloning. Every January 22, Ingraham promotes and lauds the marchers participating in the March for Life, which calls for outlawing abortion, and takes place on the same day as the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe vs. Wade decision, which legalized abortion in the United States.
Ingraham frequently highlights sex and pornography on her show. She has criticized people such as Howard Stern, Hugh Hefner, and others who she claims have pervaded the culture with what she describes as "filth" at the expense of "traditional American values."
During the George W. Bush administration, Laura had been requested along with other prominent conservative talk show hosts to the White House for an unannounced meeting hosted by the President, where he tried to explain and convince them to support his policies such as the war in Iraq, and comprehensive immigration reform proposals.[3]
The show staff consists of producers Tom Elliot, Brad Feldman and Bryan Preston, as well as several other support staff members occasionally referenced by Ingraham. Former staff members include longtime producer Matt Fox and co-producer A.J. Rice. Its co-creator and Executive Producer was Lee Habeeb.
Ingraham often calls the show "Reality Radio", and this is evidenced by her and her producers constant jokes, bloopers and Ingraham's occasional lateness on the show. Coming back from Israel, the show opened with Ingraham's producer introducing her on the phone, as she rushed to get into the building, urging her taxi driver to go faster.
Ingraham often talks about her personal life in between commentary on current events. Frequent topics include tales of her yellow Labrador Retriever, Lucy, and her travel adventures with her producers and interns on the show. She also speaks of her conversion to Catholicism.
Music is an important part of the show. Ingraham usually plays favorite songs going into and coming out of break (her favorite artists include Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley). Some commonly played songs are:
Each day's playlist is also posted on Laura's homepage, along with recommended albums and songs.
Lauraingraham.com is the official site of the Laura Ingraham Show. It features the Laura365 subscription service, which offers complete shows available for download to one's iPod or other MP3 player.