LIMBAUGH SECRETLY DID SHOW FROM CAPE

Radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh secretly broadcast many of his shows from the studios of radio station KZIM in Cape Girardeau during the month before the death of his mother, Mildred "Millie" Limbaugh.

On Tuesday's show, Limbaugh praised the Zimmer family, KZIM and its staff for making it possible for him to spend as much time as possible with his mother, who died Thursday, March 2, 2000, at her home. She was 74.

He also spoke movingly of his mother, a woman who lived and died an eternal optimist.

"In terms of the quality of life and happiness she had, there is no way even she would say she was cheated," Limbaugh told his radio audience. "She spent the last month reminiscing about how wonderful her life had been."

Limbaugh had been returning to Cape Girardeau most weekends for the past nine months, since his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. "I have actually become a surrogate resident again of Cape Girardeau, Mo.," he said on the show.

He began broadcasting some of his programs at KZIM in mid-February. He entered and exited the building through a rear door, and staffers at 324 Broadway promised to keep Limbaugh's presence a secret to prevent the national media from learning of his whereabouts.

"Everybody had been briefed about how to address the situation if anybody did find out," station manager Terry Hester said.

He is proud that nobody found out from his staff.

Limbaugh broadcast from an obscure studio that is not part of the main complex. The only windows faced into the newsroom.

"The only clue was when you walked into the building you would smell the odor of one of Rush's cigars," said Dave Obergoenner, director of engineering for Zimmer Broadcasting.

"It was pretty much business as usual," Obergoenner said. "We would check on him from time to time."

Limbaugh would notify the station over the weekend about when he was coming in the following week.

"We were pleased to help him out," Obergoenner said. "He's such a nice guy and misunderstood by much of the media."

None of Limbaugh's New York staff came here. Sometimes his brother David, a Cape Girardeau lawyer and syndicated columnist, sat in on the show and acted as a kind of producer.

The station installed some new lines and switches to make the remote possible. A high-speed digital connection was established that enabled engineers in New York to forward calls to Limbaugh's headphones with little delay. Commercials were handled in New York.

Limbaugh's routine was to come in at 8 a.m. to prepare for his 11 a.m. broadcast, Hester said. Faxed newspaper clippings would be awaiting him from New York. He would review his e-mail, which number thousands per day. He also had the capability to print information at KZIM from his mother's house.

Limbaugh sent the station an e-mail saying the remote broadcasts from Cape Girardeau were better than remotes he has done in much bigger cities.

"He was flabbergasted," Hester said. "He said he had never been in a facility that was so easy to walk into and do a broadcast. He was overjoyed."

Station officials said the staff's primary concern was to take Limbaugh's worries off the broadcasts. "Of course it was a hard time," Hester said. "He was very kind to the staff. As a lot of other talk-show hosts have said, 'He is the godfather.'"

A week ago today was the last of Limbaugh's broadcasts from KZIM.

Limbaugh said his mother welcomed all the listeners who dropped by to meet her while in Cape Girardeau and enjoyed traveling to make appearances.

"My mother never dreamed she would live the life she had," Limbaugh told his listeners.

His mother always went out of her way to make him feel special, he said.

"It is I and my brother who owe her, not the other way around."