Chait draws a connection:
This seems to be another case of life-imitates-The-Simpsons — specifically, the episode where incarcerated attempted murderer Sideshow Bob calls into (the obvious parody of) Limbaugh's program and casts himself as a conservative unfairly railroaded by the liberal justice system. Limbaugh turns him into a martyr. See this video, starting at approximately 4:40 and continuing for about two minutes
The Dish 