LIMBAUGH'S BOOK SELLING HOT; SHOW DEBUTS ON MONDAY

Cape Girardeau native Rush Limbaugh, host of the most-listened to radio talk show in the nation, apparently is destined to also be a best-selling author.

His book, "The Way Things Ought To Be," is available at Waldenbooks and Metro News bookstore in Cape Girardeau, where it's selling quite well.

Michelle White, a clerk at Waldenbooks in the West Park Mall, said Limbaugh's book was released last week and is already on the top of the national book chain's non-fiction best seller list.

"The book is selling really, really well," she said.

White said the store started with 214 of the books, priced at $22, in stock and has ordered more.

"Every time a book is sold and goes through the register, we order another one," she said. "It's number one on the non-fiction list already.

"The area's really supporting him, and we haven't had any negative comments only positive."

H. "Whitey" Anderson, owner of Metro News at 415 Broadway, also said the book is doing well.

"It's been selling quite well," he said. "We still have some on back order, and we've got a couple more orders in.

"Everybody seems to know the man quite well around here, and I've gotten quite a few good comments about the book."

In "The Way Things Ought To Be, Limbaugh uses personal anecdotes to reveal the major influences on his life and views, and blasts off on all the leading issues of the day.

Some of the topics include: "Demonstrating absurdity by being absurd"; AIDS; "In defense of the 80s"; "the imperial Congress"; "animals have no rights, go ahead and lick that frog"; "the saga of Anita Hill"; "condoms: the new diploma"; "feminism and the culture war"; multiculturalism; "Gorbasms: always fake"; "religion and America: They do go together"; and many more.

In the book's introduction, Limbaugh tells readers he doesn't intend of offend anyone.

"I am just a harmless, lovable fuzzball," he wrote. "So take some advice. Lighten up. We should all laugh more at ourselves... And if you can't laugh at yourself, turn these pages and laugh at me laughing for you."

Limbaugh also is ready to embark on his own television show that will debut Monday night on KFVS, channel 12. His late-night, half-hour TV show, "Rush Limbaugh," will air Monday through Friday, starting at 10 minutes past midnight.