In one corner: Rush Limbaugh and his radio rant against Sandra Fluke. In the other corner: Kirk Cameron and his CNN-aired assertion that homosexuality is "detrimental ... and destructive."
Each has experienced serious blowback, but whose mouth has gotten its owner in the more serious career-threatening mess?
The scorecard:
1. Apologized with apologies, plural: Limbaugh took to his website and his radio show to express regret for his "inappropriate" "personal attack" on the Georgetown University law student he called a "slut" and a "prostitute." Cameron's camp, meanwhile, told ABCNews.com that the former "Growing Pains" star has received "thousands" of supportive messages "from those who value the freedom to express one's belief." The Winner (or Is It Loser?): Limbaugh.
MORE: Cameron's TV Sister Speaks Out
2. Lost sponsors: Limbaugh's keep fleeing--at last count, 20 of his national radio advertisers have pulled out. Cameron, meanwhile, doesn't have any radio sponsors to answer to, just a new movie to promote. The "Winner": Limbaugh.
3. Lost radio stations: Limbaugh's down at least two. "The Winner": Limbaugh.
4. Lost his "Sledgehammer": No, Peter Gabriel was not pleased to learn his hit was used as the backdrop for Limbaugh's Fluke speech. "The Winner": Limbaugh.
5. Attacked by the Seavers on Twitter: True, Alan Thicke got in a Limbaugh jibe, but the "Growing Pains" dad's focus was his TV son. Tracey Gold, meanwhile, was all about positioning herself as the anti-Cameron. The "Winner": Cameron.
6. Last vestiges of teen fame gone: A vintage magazine pinup of Cameron was selling for $1.49 on eBay. The "Winner": Cameron.
7. Ill-timed upcoming birthday: Cameron is set to turn 42 on Oct. 12 -- the 14th anniversary of the death of gay hate-crime victim Matthew Shepard. "Winner": Cameron.
The bottom line: Sorry, dittoheads. Limbaugh's got a lot more to lose than Cameron, who as a long-established independent minister and filmmaker has little that can be taken away by the mainstream.
Still, maybe the biggest losers here are the TV viewers who were hoping last fall's morning-news "Growing Pains" reunion would lead to another TV-movie reunion. That now seems less likely than Fluke accepting Limbaugh's apology.
Heard enough? Take our poll. And tell us on Facebook who you think has a bigger problem, if any, to deal with.
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