Rush Hudson Limbaugh III (1951-2021) was an influential American conservative radio host, political commentator, author, and media personality who revolutionized and built the modern talk radio format. Born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to a prominent local family—his father was a lawyer and WWII pilot, grandfather a U.S. ambassador and Missouri judge—he began his radio career at age 16 as a DJ under the name Jeff Christie. After dropping out of Southeast Missouri State University without a degree, he worked at various stations before launching The Rush Limbaugh Show in 1988, which became nationally syndicated and grew to an audience of over 15 million weekly listeners at its peak, making it the most-listened-to radio show in the U.S. He popularized right-wing commentary in the 1990s, authoring bestsellers like 'The Way Things Ought to Be' (1992), and receiving the Marconi Radio Award multiple times. His show became a cornerstone of right-wing media, significantly shaping GOP messaging and rhetoric on issues like welfare reform and Clinton scandals, while endorsing candidates. Limbaugh faced significant controversies, including a 2003-2006 prescription drug addiction scandal involving OxyContin, leading to a 2006 arrest for doctor shopping; charges were dropped in 2009 after he granted immunity for testimony. He was criticized for inflammatory rhetoric, such as calling Sandra Fluke a 'slut' in 2012 over contraceptive coverage, prompting advertiser boycotts, and for comments on race, feminism, and climate change denial. Diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in 2020, he continued broadcasting until days before his death. Married four times—most notably to Kathryn Rogers (2010-2021)—he had no children. His estate was estimated over $600 million, largely from radio contracts like a $285 million eight-year deal in 2001.