Apocalypse now: Forbes names American’s top ten most influential pundits
posted at 12:37 pm on September 25, 2007 by Allahpundit
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I’m not going to say a word. I’m just going to give you the list.
1. Roger Ebert
2. Bill Maher
3. Bill O’Reilly
4. Al Franken
5. Geraldo Rivera
6. Rosie O’Donnell
7. Leonard Maltin
8. Greta Van Susteren
9. Lou Dobbs
10. Bill Walton [Bill Walton? -- ed.]
Exit question: No one from conservative talk radio? And no Oprah?
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quite a commentary on the state of the nation.
lorien1973 on September 25, 2007 at 12:38 PM
Greta the Ghoul
Gerald-O
Bill Marr
Al Frankfurter………………….God help us!!!
omnipotent on September 25, 2007 at 12:39 PM
Pundit or Idjit ?
William Amos on September 25, 2007 at 12:39 PM
Movie critics and left wing freaks dominate the top 10. Wonderful. Not surprising our country is in the mess it’s in. Doesn’t say much for the mental abilities of quite a few people.
katieanne on September 25, 2007 at 12:43 PM
If I wanted to exert any amount of effort, I suppose I could discover the criteria for this list. I think, though, that once I did so, I’d still be nonplussed. What really concerns me is why I don’t have any visceral emotions about this list. Today I just feel very tired and sad for our culture.
MNDavenotPC on September 25, 2007 at 12:43 PM
I really, really, REALLY want to know the criteria for this thing. The fact that Rush wasn’t on there is proof that there is something really skewed going on. And other than Lou Dobbs, I’ve never seen a list better to put on a plane and airdrop into Iran.
MadisonConservative on September 25, 2007 at 12:44 PM
I don’t care what scientific method they used to generate this list, several of those listed would be lucky to make the average person’s list of the top 100 most influential pundits.
Tyrs Fury on September 25, 2007 at 12:45 PM
Oh come on!!! Where’s Rush? Where’s Sean Hannity? What was the idjit smoking when he compiled this list?
Ellen on September 25, 2007 at 12:45 PM
Larry the Cable Guy weighs in on Rosie.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=16501125
RightWinged on September 25, 2007 at 12:45 PM
This is sheer BS. IF this were an honest statement of powerful media pundits, Rush would be at the top of it.
tickleddragon on September 25, 2007 at 12:47 PM
Oh, please Forbes magazine cannot be serious. Influential pundits…on what planet?
Shelly on September 25, 2007 at 12:48 PM
Come ON, where’s The Red Eye cast? Who can make an informed decision about any political issue without those guys? Especially if it involves drinking and/or anger management.
This list is a total sham.
mjk on September 25, 2007 at 12:50 PM
Keep in mind that the list doesn’t cover just political pundits.
Still… Al Franken as number 4? Is he (or Air America) even on the air anymore?
And Rosie… isn’t on The Spew anymore. Are we to believe that her horrible blog and her “poetry” (best described as a horrific crime against the English language and humanity in general) is somehow influential?
Hollowpoint on September 25, 2007 at 12:50 PM
I thought Forbes was a conservative, right wing magazine…
ColtsFan on September 25, 2007 at 12:50 PM
Greta and Geraldo, but no Hannity? I’d think with his combined radio and television audiences he’s be more influential. And how can O’Reilly not be at the top with the sheer volume of his numbers?
I’d like to know how these 10 were picked.
BadgerHawk on September 25, 2007 at 12:51 PM
We, should give Forbes credit for naming American’s top ten most influential pundits, because they are being honest in not including Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Micheal Savage, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham in the list…………………..
simply, because they are not Pundits….they run America.
Mcguyver on September 25, 2007 at 12:51 PM
Holy Crap, that’s about funny. The only people who belong on there, much as I hate to admit it, are O’Reilly and maybe Lou Dobbs.
But Bill Maher and Al Franken? Two nitwits who mindlessly parrot liberal talking points are influential? That’s not even funny, that’s just silly.
The only good thing about that list? You know the lefty who wrote it choked on his own bile when he had to write, “Bill O’Reilly”.
I will add Brit Hume to the list of people who belong on there far more than the crew who are.
Veeshir on September 25, 2007 at 12:51 PM
And no Michelle either? No freaking way!
Bigfoot on September 25, 2007 at 12:52 PM
Who is Leonard Maltin?
Connie on September 25, 2007 at 12:52 PM
How is that possible…?
Rugged Individual on September 25, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Well, by Forbes’ definition of a “pundit”, it’s accurate. I think they put a lot of emphasis on the “critical statements” part….doesn’t seem to mean much more than that.
So basically, it’s the top ten Whiner’s List.
JetBoy on September 25, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Rush should be there definitely, even if he is juvenile in his approach. Hannity on the other hand, is a hack.
ernesto on September 25, 2007 at 12:56 PM
Weeeellll Michelle perhaps…Hannity, no.
MadisonConservative on September 25, 2007 at 12:56 PM
I can see O’Reilly and Dobbs maybe, but the rest of them?
Please.
JammieWearingFool on September 25, 2007 at 12:57 PM
No Oprah? She surely falls under the definition they gave. Surprising.
terryannonline on September 25, 2007 at 12:57 PM
Leonard Maltin? Roger Ebert?
In Hollywood, maybe…
see-dubya on September 25, 2007 at 12:58 PM
Bill Mahar and Al Franken have NO audience! Rosie? She’s not even on the View anymore. How can these people be influential?!?!
And both Greta and Geraldo are hangers-on…
urbancenturion on September 25, 2007 at 1:01 PM
Bill O’Reilly does have a radio show. And you gotta admit, it’s pretty funny that they put him ahead of Al Franken…
Damian P. on September 25, 2007 at 1:01 PM
The list is only useful as a glimpse into the minds/biases of the people who made the list. I’m sure they only put O’Reilly on the list because they needed a token “conservative”, and the hard-left blogs they read are obsessed with him, their favorite TV show features a satirical pundit based on him, and they have, generally, convinced themselves that O’Reilly is a “conservative”.
It’s pretty safe to say that the person(s) who made the list is/are netroot types.
DaveS on September 25, 2007 at 1:01 PM
America’s 10 most influential TV pundits.
.
That’s so 20th century.
Bad Penny on September 25, 2007 at 1:02 PM
Even though I don’t really like Oprah, I surprised she’s not on the list. And I agree with other posters - it’d be nice to see their criteria for choosing this list.
Al Franken??? Good. G*d.
pullingmyhairout on September 25, 2007 at 1:03 PM
Hasn’t Roger Ebert been off the air for the last year or so? and who the heck is Bill Walton?
KelliD on September 25, 2007 at 1:03 PM
Al Franken? AL FRANKEN??? The guy had an audience of 15 listeners.
Forbes = Zero credibility now.
darwin on September 25, 2007 at 1:04 PM
hahaha, that’s ridiculous. wholly ridiculous.
it gets a Wow, just Wow.
and survey says . . . wrong!
ThackerAgency on September 25, 2007 at 1:05 PM
Thanks for exposing yourself as the dope who calls the Hate Hannity hotline.
Mcguyver on September 25, 2007 at 1:05 PM
They got together with the Wall Street Journal and brainstormed this list, but it was more like a gray, wet fog.
silverfox on September 25, 2007 at 1:05 PM
No kidding!
Mcguyver on September 25, 2007 at 1:06 PM
i’m just happy Olbermann got left out of even this bizzaro-world list!
but where’s Emily Litella?
AdrianG on September 25, 2007 at 1:08 PM
From further on in the article there is this bit.
Haven’t they heard that Kos is the face of the Democrat party now?
LakeRuins on September 25, 2007 at 1:09 PM
I never thought Forbes would stoop to trolling for links.
Dusty on September 25, 2007 at 1:09 PM
How did they come up with this list, pick names out of a hat ?
Maxx on September 25, 2007 at 1:10 PM
The horror…the horror.
Nosferightu on September 25, 2007 at 1:10 PM
If it wasn’t for the fact it’s pure bullsh*t.
It’s more a commentary on the intelligence of Tom Van Riper and the moronic editors who didn’t ask him, “Is this the best you can do?”
Christoph on September 25, 2007 at 1:10 PM
Al Frankin…but no Ann Coulter? She needs to (not) call someone the “f” word again.
jjjen on September 25, 2007 at 1:11 PM
Where is Ann? How could you ignore Ann Coulter? I think if you had a best selling book in the last year you were excluded from the list, so I don’t know how O’Reilly got on it.
LakeRuins on September 25, 2007 at 1:11 PM
Ebert has been off the air for over a year dealing while dealing with an illness.
Mig on September 25, 2007 at 1:11 PM
Hannity isn’t the sharpest tool in the drawer.
Christoph on September 25, 2007 at 1:12 PM
From the article:
So…… Essentially you get to the “influential” list by being liked and known by a certain demographic. No accounting for quality of content or comparing apples to apples. Of course Ebert is well-liked: He’s a *&((^& movie critic! That doesn’t mean he is an influential pundit when it comes to political issues.
highhopes on September 25, 2007 at 1:13 PM
Oh, no, Keith Olberdouche didn’t make the list! LOL
kiakjones on September 25, 2007 at 1:13 PM
Two thoughts:
- it takes one to know one.
- are you jealous of his success?
Mcguyver on September 25, 2007 at 1:13 PM
Top 10 influential pundits in the U.S? Ann Coulter?
Nope. But not Greta Van Susteren either. I think they were struggling to get two women on the list.
After it it was published one of his co-workers probably said to him, “What about Oprah?”
And he said, “Doh! Oprah!”
Christoph on September 25, 2007 at 1:14 PM
The article is full of irony.
Are we sure this isn’t satire and Forbes is just pulling our leg?
LakeRuins on September 25, 2007 at 1:15 PM
Are you gay?
Second, no, success has little to do with intelligence except peripherally.
I’m not taking away from his accomplishments. And he’s not very bright.
Christoph on September 25, 2007 at 1:17 PM
They are probably trolling for bloggers comments to see if we are watching and to see how much influence we the new media - talk radio, bloggers - have.
Mcguyver on September 25, 2007 at 1:19 PM
Would that be the Leonard Maltin, of Laserblast fame?
Nosferightu on September 25, 2007 at 1:19 PM
IF this is accurate then we are doomed. Doomed! Buy canned food and shotgun shells. Game over, man. Game over.
Thomas the Wraith on September 25, 2007 at 1:19 PM
Oh good! If Rush etc. aren’t very influential, then they must not really be leading the country astray. So the MSM can stop screeching about Fairness Doctrines and so on. I’m sure they’ll do that, now they know.
kate q on September 25, 2007 at 1:20 PM
ROFL. Probably the most ridiculous list of anything that I have ever seen.
zerodamage on September 25, 2007 at 1:21 PM
Oh…
My…
GAWD…….
Always Right on September 25, 2007 at 1:22 PM
For the record, NO!
Mcguyver on September 25, 2007 at 1:22 PM
The next thought that occurs to me… I mean the one after barfing at the idiocy of the left wing names on the list…
but the next thought is:
Keith Olbermann must be tearing his hair and mustache off right about now. “Greta van Sustern makes the list and not me???? IT MUST BE A KARL ROVE PLOT !!!”
Always Right on September 25, 2007 at 1:25 PM
What a useless list. Name recognition and likability? Come on.
PaisleyCow on September 25, 2007 at 1:25 PM
Those numbers to the left of the names? The “pundits” are ranked by I.Q?
safarial on September 25, 2007 at 1:27 PM
Well, Rosie is one or two things with the letters “u,” “t,” and “n,” but I’m not sure “pundit” is one of them.
Jim Treacher on September 25, 2007 at 1:28 PM
We have a winner.
Nosferightu on September 25, 2007 at 1:28 PM
Adrian G beat me to it…. How could a list so skewed not have The Olberpuke on it?
paragon27x on September 25, 2007 at 1:29 PM
If I hound you, it’s because you, nor anybody else, is getting away with making ludicrous, ignorant statements.
For there to be real debate, all sides have to be given the chance to give their input.
You could’ve pointed out where you don’t agree with Sean Hannity.
But since you began your
debatecrapper comment with a slam, and he is not here to defend himself, you’ve made yourself completely exposed to any slam I might want to send your way.So you can just say “uncle” now, or risk the worst possible scenario in debate threads.
Mcguyver on September 25, 2007 at 1:31 PM
So what?
There can only be one sharpest tool in the drawer. Yet most people I know still need a whole drawer full of tools.
To quote Willy Wonka, probably quoting someone else:
Where is fancy bread, in the heart or in the head?
So what if Hannity isn’t Einstein? He’s got heart, just like Reagan had heart, and wise people need both.
silverfox on September 25, 2007 at 1:31 PM
Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin and Sean Hannity add up to have more pundit influence than ALL 10 of the Forbes list names PUT TOGETHER.
All 10. Put. Together.
Go ahead someone and prove me wrong.
Always Right on September 25, 2007 at 1:31 PM
Today I just feel very tired and sad for our culture.
MNDavenotPC on September 25, 2007 at 12:43 PM
Says it all, I think.
paragon27x on September 25, 2007 at 1:33 PM
It didn’t even make sense after I read the criteria. Al Franken more influential for 25-54 colleged demo advertisers than Rush? Al Franken likable?
These folks must have put at the top of their filters: “Of those I watch or listen to…”
eeyore on September 25, 2007 at 1:33 PM
And that is putting it mildly.
Mcguyver on September 25, 2007 at 1:38 PM
My first thought was that KO will name Forbes his “Worst Person in the World!!” on his next show… whenever that is… never seen it.
I first read this as Leonard Nimoy. Must need some afternoon caffeine.
lan astaslem on September 25, 2007 at 1:45 PM
From the Forbes article :
The capitalization of emotion. Appears to work for the advertisers. Now let’s watch McGuyver and Christoph go at it.
captivated_dem on September 25, 2007 at 1:48 PM
I call BS.
CP on September 25, 2007 at 1:50 PM
I think Forbes need to turn off the TV and actually get out in the world
William Amos on September 25, 2007 at 1:52 PM
And no one from HA?
Not to worry. Pundit is supposed to mean
1. a learned person, expert, or authority.
2. a person who makes comments or judgments, esp. in an authoritative manner; critic or commentator.
None of the qualify.
Entelechy on September 25, 2007 at 1:55 PM
Yeah, where is Rush. He certainly deserves to be there.
As for Coulter and Hannity, it’s for influence, not inflammatory.
SouthernDem on September 25, 2007 at 2:09 PM
What? Paris Hilton isn’t on this list? I’m outraged.
What do you want to bet that most of the respondents to this idiotic survey are in the habit of referring to “pundits” as “pundints” - if that.
Buy Danish on September 25, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Well, we had the “C” list and the “D” list, and now thanks to Forbes we have the ………
“F” list. *
* Meaning subject to readers interpretation.
fogw on September 25, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Apparently, Tom Van Riper, the author of the article, has a problem with comprehension and understanding the dictionary.
Kini on September 25, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Wow, you learn something new every day. Thanks to Entelechy’s link I now know these extensions of the word “pundit”:
—Related forms
pun·dit·ic, adjective
pun·dit·i·cal·ly, adverb
Buy Danish on September 25, 2007 at 2:14 PM
Hi, Connie:
Who is Leonard Maltin?
Maltin is a movie critic who shared the spotlight with Roger Ebert for a short while after Gene Siskel’s death.
Maltin now has a half-hour weekly show on the Reelz Channel called “Secret’s Out” that hypes films coming to Show Time and small gems that have slipped through the cracks.
His show did steer me towards actor Joseph Gordon-Leavitt and his films “Brick” and “The Look Out”, but I would not, by any stretch of the imagination, call him a “Pundit” or “Influential”
Jack.
Jack Deth on September 25, 2007 at 2:18 PM
No kidding. She and Rush may be the only people in the country with a daily broadcast who can say “I like this book” and it goes on the best-seller lists within days.
The Monster on September 25, 2007 at 2:19 PM
“It takes two to tango” ;)
Mcguyver on September 25, 2007 at 2:21 PM
This is such a bogus list. It’s laughable.
Bill Maher and Al Frankin are at the top and there is no Rush at all?
Gerrrrrrraldo???? Yeah, right.
Hening on September 25, 2007 at 2:23 PM
All these superlatives and no empirical evidence; sounds like a bunch of whining Democrats.
The Race Card on September 25, 2007 at 2:24 PM
WOW…that rosie lady looks heavy…not very attractive…what happened to her anyway…who are those guys…billy and alboy…who do they influence…???
areseaoh on September 25, 2007 at 2:29 PM
catfight
The Race Card on September 25, 2007 at 2:31 PM
I love this definition of a pundit from the article:
“a person who makes comments or judgments, especially in an authoritative manner; critic or commentator.”
Does the fact that Rosie screams her opinions make her an authority or authoritarian?
thomashton on September 25, 2007 at 2:35 PM
Pure propaganda. Nothing less, nothing more.
Griz on September 25, 2007 at 2:44 PM
RightWinged, thanks for the funny.
PattyAnn on September 25, 2007 at 2:50 PM
I can’t help but wonder if these are proper uses of the adverb, punditically and the adjective punditic:
“Bush is a terrorist!”, shrieked Rosie punditically.
Geraldo’s punditic observations cause me to change the channel and even tempt me to check out CNN.
I am quite sure that this is correct:
Tom Van Riper is a pathetic failure as a pundit on punditry.
Buy Danish on September 25, 2007 at 2:54 PM
Gosh…I guess I better start paying attention to Rosie based upon this! What the hell are these people smoking? I guess there are rubes out there that will buy this but is this there target audience? Morons!
sabbott on September 25, 2007 at 2:55 PM
That’s the stupidest list of anything I’ve seen in some time. Patently absurd.
Jaibones on September 25, 2007 at 2:56 PM
I take it from the article the only influence being considered is influencing people to view the show to be exposed to the advertising. It has nothing to do with influencing the viewers in any way in regards to the subject being addressed by the pundit or the validity of the commentary/opinions expressed.
News2Use on September 25, 2007 at 2:57 PM
You said a word, Allah! You said “Bill Walton?”
Having noted that, come on, dude. We need a top ten pundits contest that we can tell the butt-boys at Forbes to stuff up their pumpkin. Did I say need? No. We demand.
Jaibones on September 25, 2007 at 2:58 PM
That was naughty.
Jaibones on September 25, 2007 at 3:00 PM
It’s obvious that whoever created this list cares about movies much more than they do world affairs!
Ann on September 25, 2007 at 3:01 PM
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