DALLAS – Radio talk show host Glenn Beck isn’t backing down from his public attack on American Airlines.

For a second straight day, Beck on Wednesday used his show to complain that a flight attendant treated him rudely. Beck claims it was punishment for his conservative views.

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Glenn Beck continues to complain that he was treated rudely by a flight attendant on American Airlines. The Associated Press

Judy Blume

Amanda Bynes

Beck said American should fire the flight attendant, and he vowed to never fly on American again.

“These big, stodgy airlines that think they can treat people like garbage — they can’t,” Beck said during a 14-minute segment on Wednesday’s show. He suggested that such poor service could explain why American had to seek bankruptcy protection, yet insisted that he wasn’t trying to hurt American and wasn’t urging fans to boycott the airline.

American said it regretted that Beck “had a disappointing experience” on his flight home Monday from Newark, N.J., to Dallas. The airline said that it was still looking into Beck’s complaint, a response that the commentator called “lumbering.”

Beck said a flight attendant fawned over other passengers but spoke only one word to him, and slammed a can of soda on his tray without opening it as he did for others.

As for evidence of political bias, Beck said the man loudly told other passengers “how he was so proud of the very liberal cities in America.”

Any tension between Beck and the flight attendant apparently went unnoticed by other passengers. Beck said that even his wife, seated directly across the aisle, didn’t notice anything unusual.

American spokesman Matt Miller said the airline was still trying to figure out what happened on the flight. He declined to say whether the flight attendant would be fired if Beck’s account is accurate.

“We take customer complaints seriously, but we owe it to all of our customers and people to follow our prescribed process to get the facts first and then take appropriate action,” Miller said.

Thousands of travelers lodge complaints about airlines with the federal government each year. In June, the latest results available, American ranked 10th out of 15 airlines in rate of complaints.

Beck’s radio show attracts more than 8 million listeners per week, according to Talkers, a magazine for the talk-show business.

“It comes down to an employee picking the wrong guy to be rude to,” said Michael Harrison, the magazine’s publisher.

Author reveals breast cancer battle

NEW YORK – Children’s author Judy Blume says she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June but is “feeling stronger every day” after surgery.

The 74-year-old Blume wrote on her blog Wednesday that she underwent a mastectomy and reconstruction in late July.

She writes that she now walks a couple of miles each morning and dines out at night. Blume hopes to begin writing again soon.

She noted that her cancer hadn’t been detected by a mammogram or regular physical exam because she has dense breast tissue. Her message for women in a similar situation: Get a sonogram.

Bynes faces charges of hit-and-run

LOS ANGELES – Prosecutors have charged Amanda Bynes with hit-and-run in connection with two traffic crashes in recent months.

Los Angeles City attorney’s spokesman Frank Mateljan says the actress was charged Tuesday and is due for arraignment on Sept. 27.

Mateljan says Bynes was charged for leaving the scene of two accidents, one on April 10 and another on Aug. 4, without providing proper information. The first incident occurred just days after Bynes was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after grazing a sheriff’s patrol car. She has pleaded not guilty in that case.

The 26-year-old is best known for her role in The WB’s “What I Like About You” and the film “Easy A.”

Her publicist Melissa Raubvogel did not immediately return an email message seeking comment.

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