REACH: 20 million per week via 590 radio stations and the Armed Forces Radio Network. He publishes the Limbaugh Letter with 500,000 monthly readers and has talk radio’s No. 1 Web site. He’s also the author of two best-selling books.

FAVORITE TOPIC: Himself (with laughs).

MOST CONTROVERSIAL MOMENT: After a medical procedure, Limbaugh got addicted to prescription painkillers. Though such cases are rarely prosecuted, the Democratic state attorney where Limbaugh lives in Palm Beach County, Fla., strung out the matter for two and a half years, finally settling with Limbaugh and agreeing to drop the charges in April of this year.

PET PHRASE(S):

WEB SITE: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/

Limbaugh is more than America’s most widely listened-to talk-radio host ("the most listened-to radio host on the planet," he likes to say). He is also the father of the current era of talk radio, and an influential player on America’s political scene. Before Limbaugh entered national syndication in August 1988, political talk radio was nearly dead and the AM dial was considered history. He revived and revitalized it with a fresh style of humor-laced commentary — or commentary-laced humor — now widely imitated by both conservative and liberal talk hosts.

Limbaugh’s political clout has no equal among radio rivals. The wave of newly elected Republicans, that in 1994 won control of the House of Representatives for the first time in four decades, called themselves the "Dittohead Caucus," using the nickname of Limbaugh fans, and declared Limbaugh to be "an honorary member of Congress." President George H.W. Bush invited Limbaugh to visit the White House and sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom, and the ceremony at Limbaugh’s third wedding was performed by none other than Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Limbaugh’s influence has also been felt through what might be called the Rush Limbaugh School of Broadcasting. Appearances as guest hosts on his show helped launch the national talk-radio career of Sean Hannity, as well as of Michael Medved and Tony Snow.