RUSH: This is my last live program for the year. I don’t know when I’ll be back. They’ve got two weeks slated because that’s just the way it is. Now, normally, you know, most other hosts have taken this week off. But I wanted to be here. I always want to be here during this week. So next week is off, and the next week after that is scheduled to be. But who knows? It’s open and flexible. I could come back at any time. We’ll just have to see how things play out.
In the meantime, I think I want to take another brief minute. We just started our 30th year here, and I’ll be honest: When I began this, yeah, I imagined going as long as I wanted. My objective, my goal was to be the most listened to show, biggest show in the country. Legitimately. Not because of PR buzz, but legitimately — provable by any number of measure you wanted to make — and you all have made it possible. It’s the most amazing thing. Thirty years ago, I was 36 years old. Now I’m 66.
Many of you are the same number of years older, and many of you are still here. This audience is larger than it’s ever been, by any measure. So not only have people from 30 years ago stayed here, but others have joined during the 30 years, and they have stayed. And it’s amazing. It’s an amazing thing to be the beneficiary of. It’s a deeply, profoundly affecting thing for which I’m more grateful than I can ever find a way to convey.
But the things that your being here each and every day have enabled me to experience and accomplish are beyond my wildest dreams. Even though I wanted to be number one, I didn’t know what it really meant. But you all have helped me experience it, and I will be grateful for as long as I live and especially as long as I continue to do this. You have no idea how much you mean to me, my family, the overrated staff and everybody associated with us. I hope you have the greatest rest of the year and next year and that it is everything — and more — that you want it to be.
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RUSH: Once again, Merry Christmas everybody, and thank you all from the bottom of my sizable and beating heart. Ba-boom! Ba-boom! Ba-boom! Have a wonderful Christmas. See you next year.