Glenn Beck

  • Glenn Beck arrived at Fox News alongside the rise of conservative anxiety and a sense of apocalyptic doom about the Obama Administration. Quite literally--his show started the same week as the President's Inauguration. Beck quickly began to post prime-time-like numbers at 5 p.m., becoming known for his sometimes-awkward tears, generous use of chalkboards and, above all, doomsaying. The man was not a success by accident: he knew how to make compelling TV. But Beck's rants caused issues for Fox as he increasingly became the face of the network. Advertising dollars can excuse a lot of controversy, but Beck also began to bleed ratings, which led to the announcement April 6 that he will end his show this year. The same attributes that make one a star can eventually become too much to handle. In this case, no conspiracy theory is necessary; Beck's departure, like his rise, was an inside job.