A high profile is more important than the high road

In this odd “look at me” world we live in, a facetious question emerges — What do Al Franken, Rush Limbaugh and the UFO-appearing balloon in Colorado have in common?
   The answer, of course, is that all three are bags of hot air attracting attention for all the wrong reasons.
   We’ll give the balloon a pass, of course, because it really had no choice. It was a central character and, at the same time, an unwitting participant in what appears to be a made-for-TV drama. Seems authorities were alerted to the possibility that a 6-year-old boy was aboard the balloon as it glided and careened in the sky for a couple of hours Thursday afternoon.
   A good deal of effort was exhausted to track and “rescue” the boy who, as it turned out, wasn’t even in the balloon. He was “hiding” back at his parents’ house where the runaway balloon had been tethered.
   There are plenty of reasons to suspect the whole event was staged, so as to draw attention to a family that is somewhat bizarre in it behavior.
   Now on to the other two, who know exactly what they’re doing. Franken and Limbaugh are at opposite ends of the ideological spectrum, but they both know how to make money by spouting outrageous statements and inciting their followers.
   Franken somehow parlayed his gig into a seat in the U.S. Senate. But as surprising as that might seem, consider that he’s representing the same state, Minnesota, that once chose a one-time pro wrestler, Jesse Ventura, to be its governor. Besides, there’s been a tradition of preposterous characters in the Senate.
   As for Limbaugh, being booted from a group seeking to buy the St. Louis Rams pro football team is a great way to appear as a victim. And don’t you know Rush will have plenty to say about this travesty.
   But, really, is it surprising that such a magnet for controversy (you have to keep the bile flowing to remain viable as a liberal-bashing, conservative champion of the airwaves) would draw fire in such a situation?
   First of all, the NFL already has too many owners who have egos larger than the combined members of their teams and coaching staffs.
   Secondly, the Rams are bad enough without having an owner who would talk until he said something to get himself in trouble with the general public. You can preach to the choir on a program that is more entertainment than facts, but the message isn’t as welcome in mixed circles.
   And Rush really should understand the free market message of this exclusion. NFL owners are nothing but capitalists and they tend to unload “loose cannons” who might hurt the bottom line. Terrell Owens comes immediately to mind. So why would they welcome an owner who fits the above description?
   But weep not for Franken, Limbaugh or the balloon (and the family that owns it). Getting attention is what counts in our exhibitionist society. And if turns you a few bucks along the way, all the better.