How many times does the exact same story about fallen Fox News host Bill O’Reilly need to be written?
I’ve lost count.
The usual suspects have been busy reporting basically the same stuff – CNN, MSNBC, Vanity Fair, New York Times, Fox news – even the late to the party Kansas City Star.
Here’s another take:
I hung out with O’Reilly in the early days of his success at Fox News, when he was still something of a right wing cult hero…relatively speaking.
A group of Kansas City business dudes flew him in for a talk at the Folly Theatre and success did not appear to have completely gone to his head.
Yet.
What had gone to O’Reilly’s head was a really bad cold – he was miserable – but not about to forgo his at that point microscopically small speaking fee as well as a bit of ink from the local daily.
The left leaning loons in the FYI section of the Star had already written off Big Bill. And since I didn’t crucify him, they figured I must have been some sort of right wing Rush Limbaugh disciple as well.
Little did they know I’d yanked the lever for Ross Perot, Ralph Nader, and later not once but twice for Obama. Let alone that I gave money last year – again, not once but twice – the leftist loon of all, Bernie Sanders.
That said, would you believe I voted for Trump?
My take on O’Reilly is pretty simple.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The O’Reilly I met was in no danger of being described as humble, but nor did he appear to be the egomaniac he later grew into.
Secondly, O’Reilly’s journalistic credentials were forged in two of the least credible forms of journalism; local television news and tabloid TV.
Kind of a variation on Rush Limbaugh who honed his chops as a Top 40 deejay on KUDL AM under the name Jeff Christie.
Put plainly, Limbaugh and O’Reilly got their bonafides as political pundits simply by running their mouths.
Given the level of fame and fortune both attained, is it really much of a surprise they spun out of control into becoming arrogant, chauvinistic oafs?
That said, while I didn’t listen to O’Reilly much, he occasionally scored on topics that were merit worthy. Such as his original War on Christmas campaign in which politically correct corporations banned the utterance of “Merry Christmas” by employees.
Unfortunately for the “regular folks,” O’Reilly likes to call the fans of his show, it’s too bad he remains in such deep denial about his actions regarding women.
Because the first step in overcoming a problem is admitting that you have one.
Yeah, I think O’Reilly went off the rails with his ego. And there’s way, way too much evidence that he’s an abusive bully and sexist p!g. The Inside Edition video, the self incriminating loofah sexual harassment audio, and even his own wife and daughter’s accusations!
O’Reilly certainly had/has talent for reading a teleprompter but other than that I don’t see any appeal at all. Actually I’ll put it another way: O’Reilly and Roger Ailes were the Tom Brady and Bill Belechick of television political talk. One cannot exist without each other.
While everyone is busy regurgitating the same old crap, including you, your words not mine, don’t forget Wilsun called this one on the 6th while everyone was saying Big Bill’s ratings were up even higher during the scandal and FOX wasn’t going to touch him. Too big to fail.
“If your well-coiffed scribe were to opine, Rupert Murdoch’s sons, James and Lachlan, are in charge of things now. They come from a different generation, they understand the severity of the sexual harassment allegations.
I expect we’ll see a change, sooner than later. And if we do, it couldn’t happen to a better guy who deserves it more.”
So don’t beat your self up too bad, you had one guy nail it dead on while the rest of you are doing boring azz Folly head cold stories and retelling whats been retold. Keep it rollin, Bill O’ could be the new Royals/Chiefs Win it All, Royals/Chiefs SUCK repetitive story.
“Put plainly, Limbaugh and O’Reilly got their bonafides as political pundits simply by running their mouths.”
As opposed to whom?
The living Democrat Deity, Barry Obama worked his way up as a laborer and a bricklayer and was named “Superintendent of Sewers”. Then running for local office, his verve and elan in front of the microphone were noticed and he was set on his famous path.
Oh…, no…, shit, that was Tip O’Neill.
Obama does rank up there with the great orators of the 20th century.
The man can give a speech.
Like, William Jennings Bryan and “The Cross Of Gold”. Winston Churchill and “We will fight on the beaches…” Adolf Hitler, Mao, Stalin whose obvious accomplishments rarely go unnoticed, Kennedy, “Ask not…”. Ted Kennedy’s 1980 speech at the Dem Convention. “Morning in America…”. Reagan’s “Morning in America.”
Lemme stop there, I JUST NOW REMEMBERED THAT WELL DESERVED PULITZER PRIZE delivered unto the our Lord and Savior for his accomplishments so early in his administration.
Don’t feel bad Hearne, I voted for Obama the first time, thinking that Race Relations were one of the most important issues facing the country in 2008 and a Black President, who could, as Joe Biden mentioned, articulate and speechify.
“”I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” Biden said. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”
What wasn’t storybook, was the exacerbation of the racial divide that sent this country back to the animus of the 60’s between the races.
Obama is a guy who can run his trap with the very best.
O’Reilly couldn’t touch him for delivery or results.
That, Martha Stewart, turned out to be a “Bad Thing”.
limbaugh and o’reilly got their ‘bonafides’ by being political pundits and running their mouths… and developing a massive following and influence in the process. when your opinion means more to your followers than their own, that’s power, so eff journalistic standards… and the facts. kingmakers doth not a king make.