Since announcing on Oct. 8 that he had gone almost completely deaf from an autoimmune disorder, Rush Limbaugh has received some brutal assessments. "Like a great pianist who develops carpal-tunnel syndrome or a leonine saxophonist whose embouchure is destroyed, Limbaugh now stands a former virtuoso no longer in control of his art," said Chicago Tribune arts critic Howard Reich, who feels that Limbaugh's voice has become too shrill. In an interview with the Associated Press (questions submitted by email, answers returned by phone), Limbaugh was having none of it. "In all candor, some of the funniest and best shows this summer have been since this happened," he said, comparing his problem to male midlife crisis. "I turned 50 in January. A guy who turns 50 goes out and buys a red Corvette and hunts chicks to prove he's still youthful. Mine is to still do this, basicallly deaf, and do it better than anybody else." Contracted with Premier Radio through 2009 for a reported $250 million, Limbaugh intends to keep fielding calls from listeners with the aid of a computer. "Nothing's stopped me from talking, and that's what I get paid to do. Nobody's paying me to listen." Nobody's paying him to be sympathetic either: "I do not intend to become a symbol. I will not be doing public service announcements for the deaf or disabled. I'm just going to continue to lead my life the best I can and let that be the example."