Rush Limbaugh was recently tasked with speaking at a Radio Hall of Fame awards ceremony for radio host Neal Boorts, at which he recounted his "farding" incident.  Ages ago - I can't find a specific date, but Rush says it was "before Bill Clinton" so we can assume it was during the Reagan administration - Rush talked about highway safety on the air.  He said that a lot of accidents are caused on the road by "women farding at the wheel."

The "joke" loses something in text, of course, because the spelling gives it away.  "Fard" is an archaic verb that means "to apply makeup."  So we have two parts to the joke: first, Rush is blaming women for causing traffic accidents by applying makeup while they drive (silly women drivers!) and second he's saying something that sounds like "fart."

Okay well first of all, the world was a very different place back in the Reagan era.  I guess that "fart" could be the cause of high drama back then.

Second of all, Rush clearly still gets a giggle from the story because he told it last week at a big important elite dinner.  It sounded like he said fart!  People thought he was blaming women for farting!  Ha ha!  Apparently Rush Limbaugh has embraced his inner eight year old.  Well, good for him.

But I wonder, has he ever really lost that childish glee at saying things just to get a rise out of his audience?  Clearly not, and I rather suspect that this is the sole impetus behind his support of Sarah Palin.  In fact, he is interviewing Palin today on his radio show, possibly the only fawning interview Palin has ever experienced in her career, past present or future.

Of course, it wouldn't be a joke if Rush weren't happy to blame women for causing car accidents by applying makeup.  The problem with blaming "women drivers" for traffic safety is that it simply isn't true.  Men cause more accidents, and more serious accidents, than women in every single metric.  

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) men lead in motor vehicle deaths, in passenger vehicle occupant deaths, in fatal crash involvement, and in alcohol involvement.  Men are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as driving while drunk, driving at high speeds, and not wearing their seatbelts.

But that's not funny, and it isn't going to get people talking about your show, so Rush isn't going to say it.  Besides, WOMEN DRIVERS LOL AMIRITE.

What I really have to wonder at is that Rush Limbaugh apparently has such a dearth of humor - in himself as well as his writers - that he has brought up the "farding" story three times.  The first time when it happened of course, then last year during his anniversary show, and now at this awards banquet.  Someone needs to get Limbaugh some new material!  And how can he really expect to be the anti-Jon Stewart without being funny?  (Or perhaps that makes him EVEN MORE the anti-Jon Stewart!)