There were a few recent tributes and accolades bestowed on the late Rush Limbaugh.

These were interesting to absorb at one level and maybe even surprising at another.

Limbaugh, of course, was the well-known conservative radio shock jock who used “The Rush Limbaugh Show” to spread misinformation and nastiness.

Actually, the word nastiness is giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Limbaugh, an obvious misogynist, routinely attacked women, particularly those who opted to speak publicly. He called them “militant feminists.”

He also assailed climate change, telling his listeners falsehoods so absurd that one wonders how anyone could possibly believe any of it.

For instance, he claimed Styrofoam and plastic were biodegradable, but paper wasn’t. He attacked scientists and even made up his own statistics to use on his show.

But this is just for starters.

Limbaugh was notorious for racist remarks. During a phone-in radio show, he once told a black caller to take “that bone out of your nose and call me back.”

He once said black women in America were upset over Tiger Woods’ “choice in females.”

Limbaugh worked for a short time as an NFL commentator. There, too, he suggested that quarterback Donovan McNabb wasn’t really very good but was in that position because “the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.”

He routinely attacked young children of Democratic presidents, much to the delight of conservatives. He called Amy Carter “the most unattractive presidential daughter in the history of the country.” As for Chelsea Clinton, then 12 years old, Limbaugh called her “the White House dog.” ?

Yet, when the media more recently mentioned the name Barron Trump in a questionable manner, some conservatives and others quickly did an about-face and declared that young children of a president should be off limits.

But where was this same outrage when Limbaugh was spewing hateful comments directed at Chelsea Clinton and Amy Carter?

He even made fun of actor Michael J. Fox, who was suffering from tremors associated with Parkinson’s disease. Limbaugh mocked the tremors and suggested they were fake.

Perhaps Limbaugh’s lowest point - there were many - was during the AIDS crisis.

When gays were dying at alarming numbers, Limbaugh actually created a radio segment to celebrate their deaths.

He played music, blew whistles and rang bells to mock and deride gays as they passed away, with total disregard for grieving families. He made their pain a thing to be laughed at. He publicly humiliated them on national radio when they were hurting the most. After perpetrating untold harm on so many American families, Limbaugh eventually discontinued his “AIDS Update” segments.

He later admitted it was “very insensitive to people who were dying.” He called it one of the “most regretful things I’ve ever done.”

As a token of redemption, Limbaugh reportedly sent $10,000 to the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

It was a mere drop in the bucket for the wealthy hit man. Because, if this was the new face of conservatism, it was financially successful. Hate is profitable, and Limbaugh found himself with a full cash register.

In 2018, Forbes listed his earnings at $84.5 million. He proved that a man without scruples can become wealthy at the expense of others.

And for many of America’s far right, Limbaugh was a tantalizing provocateur, a man of venom but one to idolize.

He passed away Feb. 17 from lung cancer at age 70.

The idea that some conservatives now want to anoint him something just short of a saint is remarkable.

Conversely, it’s fair to say that many in the mainstream saw him in a different light.

After all, they say when someone shows you who he is, believe him.

“Rush Limbaugh deserves to be recognized for what he was: a liar and misogynistic right-wing hack,” says Bridget Todd, spokeswoman for UltraViolet, national women’s advocacy organization.

Rabbi David Wolpe warns not to find glee in death lest you sink to the same depths.

“Limbaugh’s signature monologues were fusillades of facts, confabulations, and insults in prose and song, in the service of a relentlessly partisan agenda. To celebrate his death is to emulate his methods.”

The Baltimore Sun put it this way: “So, we seek not to celebrate a man’s death but ask Americans, Democrats and Republicans, young and old and regardless of race or religion, to perhaps use this moment to mourn our loss of courtesy and respect and commit to do better. Surely, none of us is without sin in this regard. But all of us can try a little mutual respect. A pernicious and injurious fad has now officially ended. Or at least we can hope it has.”

Amen.

By Donald R. Serfass | dserfass@tnonline.com

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.