Orrin Onken loves him some conservative talk radio, which might seem a bit odd given that Onken is a self-described “Prius-driving, gay-marriage-supporting Oregon liberal.”

But in a recent blog post at Salon.com, Onken does an enlightening job of exploring the appeal of political talk that offends his politics.

Onken, a big NPR fan, muses on several possible reasons that he listens to conserva-talk. He enjoys the call-in format. Maybe he feels like he’s spying on the other team. He sort of enjoys arguing with the hosts in his mind. Right-wing talk gives him a glimpse of humanity’s “parade of folly.”

Finally, he stumbles on the truth: All radio is about entertainment.

“I have noticed one thing about conservative talkers. Glenn Beck and our local man, Lars Larson, have been in the radio business since they were young men. Neither is educated in anything other than broadcasting. Their lack of formal education often shows, but their entertainment skills and their ability to respond spontaneously to almost any situation make up for it. Like Oprah, the successful right-wing talkers seem to have been born for entertainment. I don't listen to radio in my car to educate myself; I listen to ease the drudgery of driving. Perhaps I don't care what's being said as long as it's on a subject I know something about, and presented in an interesting manner. I wonder if Air America didn't fail because it depended too much on policy wonks and true believers.

“If I'm right about this, my addiction doesn't really have all that much to do with politics. I like politics, of course, but mostly I like hearing people talk. If I can't have the humorous humanity of Click and Clack, or the calm insight of Neal Conan, I go for people who are indignant, outraged, xenophobic and controlled by invisible forces. There is a never-ending supply of these folks on conservative talk radio.”

Other interesting nuggets from this one-person focus group:

• He misses the debate that used to be part of talk radio.

“I don't for a moment think call-in radio improves my mind by presenting spirited political debate; today's conservative talkers have fewer actual callers and less dissent than those of years past. I do not see anything admirable in the question-and-answer tactic that the hosts use to beat down dissenting views.”

• He listens to radio only in the car. He has a 30-minute commute.

• Commercials and pledge drives make him tune away from a station. He has too many options to have to sit through an advertisement.