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Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Benjamin Grimm Apr 19 2017 07:28 PM

I don't really have any. Never saw his show, but have seen him as a guest with David Letterman and Bill Maher.

Edgy MD Apr 19 2017 07:33 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

A Levittown/Hicksville contemporary of Billy Joel.

Ceetar Apr 19 2017 07:34 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Jon Stewart made fun of his idiocy quite a bit.

Chad Ochoseis Apr 19 2017 07:41 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

The tour guide on the trip to Cuba I took a few weeks ago had Bill O'Reilly on one of his tours. Said he was a jerk, but a good tipper. I'm not surprised.

Benjamin Grimm Apr 19 2017 07:42 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

He probably thinks that being a good tipper entitles him to be a jerk.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 19 2017 07:48 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

He's a dick, but I thank him for giving me one of the funniest bases for a Internet "disco remix" ever. Language not suitable for adults: [youtube:6vcowtex]ppum72Zqxq8[/youtube:6vcowtex]

themetfairy Apr 19 2017 08:05 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Ceetar wrote: Jon Stewart made fun of his idiocy quite a bit. Despite that, Stewart and O'Reilly got along great during interviews. I remember Stewart mentioning going to the Dow Jones/Fox News offices on 6th Avenue, and O'Reilly jokingly call it the Temple of Doom. Since then, whenever D-Dad has to go into New York, that's how we refer to the building. O'Reilly and Colbert didn't get along as well - O'Reilly didn't appreciate the fact that Colbert (who called O'Reilly "Papa Bear" and largely modeled his Colbert Report persona on O'Reilly) stole a microwave from his green room. In recent years, though (after Colbert moved to CBS) the two seem to have reconciled. And I know that O'Reilly has been a generous supporter of his alma mater, Marist College. Fun fact - when we first toured the campus with my son in 2011 I posted on Facebook about the visit on our car trip home; Auto-correct, in all of its wisdom, changed Marist to Marxist. We thought that Papa Bear wouldn't have found that "correction" to be particularly amusing. I never did watch his show, and I largely disagree with his politics. And not unlike Bill Cosby, O'Reilly did this to himself. Nonetheless, it's sad to see anyone's demise, especially over such stupid and preventable behavior. Adios Papa Bear. You have nobody to blame but yourself.

Frayed Knot Apr 19 2017 08:06 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

These guys all think that high ratings makes them bulletproof. And it does ... right up until it doesn't. The corporate 'atmosphere' at FOX seems a lot like what existed at ESPN in their early days when it was essentially a bunch of 20-something 'sports bros' bringing their frat-house mentality to what they certainly saw as their dream job. But even ESPN eventually reformed themselves as they grew from a lonely output in a Connecticut pasture to a huge corporate campus, even to the point where some might say they swung too far to the PC side. FOX News is going to have to do the same in this age of cord-cutting, especially now that these stories are no longer under wraps, can't be dismissed as the result of just a few bad apples, and that the head honcho who tolerated the trash (and even participated) is no longer in charge.

Benjamin Grimm Apr 19 2017 08:18 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

I'm reminded of when WFAN fired Don Imus. Different circumstances, but Imus was probably every bit as important to WFAN as O'Reilly was to Fox News.

Frayed Knot Apr 19 2017 08:30 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Yeah, I thought of Imus as well. His was more one incident where O'Reilly's has been a string of tamped down and covered-up suits and accusations over time that were tolerated until the mass just became too much. But both were the star of the ship but one that is/was making tons of money around them as well so could stand to lose their star and still persevere. Years before each was canned their companies likely would have been more reluctant, more scared, to press forward without them but neither, particularly BO'R, seems to have realized that their station doesn't necessarily revolve around them the way it used to.

Edgy MD Apr 19 2017 08:45 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

I wish this could scar the reputation of the outfit that employed him. They enabled him and deserve it, but so much of what they stand for is the notion that the mainstream is telling lies and we truth tellers are the victims as much as anybody. MORESO!

Lefty Specialist Apr 19 2017 09:32 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Alec Baldwin is probably relieved he doesn't have to do that impression any more. Only saw Bill occasionally and couldn't stomach him for very long. I've always felt his was more of an act than anything else. I have absolutely nothing whatsoever to base this on, just a feeling. Wrote a series of hysterically inaccurate 'historical' books that pandered to the prejudices of his fan base, for which alone he should forever be banned from polite society. He's a rich man and never needs to work again, but I have the feeling he'll resurface somewhere. Maybe even Fox 'News' after an appropriately long banishment and a chemical castration.

cooby Apr 19 2017 10:37 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

I have a book he wrote about Myths about the Wild West. It's pretty good.

Frayed Knot Apr 20 2017 12:03 AM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Lefty Specialist wrote: Wrote a series of hysterically inaccurate 'historical' books that pandered to the prejudices of his fan base, for which alone he should forever be banned from polite society. His books may have been historically inaccurate but I don't know that they pandered to his fan base. I read his JFK one (it was the 50th anniversary of the assassination and I was reading all kinds of stuff) and it wasn't particularly political at all. Then George Will called him out for inaccuracies that he felt were unfair to Reagan in his Reagan book. I think mainly he just hit upon a formula and so started crankin' 'em out on any subject he could find; maybe 'Killing Aaron Hernandez' will be next, particularly since he'll now have some free time. Overall I just don't think they were deep enough to be particularly partisan.

Edgy MD Apr 20 2017 12:26 AM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Wait a minute. You guys think he actually wrote those?

cooby Apr 20 2017 12:40 AM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Accurate or not, how would I know? Despite what my granddaughter tells me, I am not so old that I remember the Wild West :D

Frayed Knot Apr 20 2017 12:57 AM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Edgy MD wrote: Wait a minute. You guys think he actually wrote those? Of course not, although at least he gets credit for listing his co-author on the series which is more than most celebrity and even political folks do.

41Forever Apr 20 2017 01:21 AM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

He'll resurface somewhere. They all resurface after a little bit of time laying low.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 20 2017 01:57 AM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

That's the thing, though. If he's not on-air at Fox, who would put him on? I'd imagine he goes all Beck, and becomes the fuming, closer-to-nova-than-you-think star around which a new internet-news venture revolves, circa 2018. God, what a self-important, bullying ninny.

Ashie62 Apr 20 2017 02:07 AM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

I don't follow TV or radio talking heads but generally speaking bad actors often get another chance somewhere at some point.

Lefty Specialist Apr 20 2017 03:01 AM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: That's the thing, though. If he's not on-air at Fox, who would put him on? I'd imagine he goes all Beck, and becomes the fuming, closer-to-nova-than-you-think star around which a new internet-news venture revolves, circa 2018. God, what a self-important, bullying ninny. My money's on the Newsmax network, which isn't in a lot of households and would be in the market for a 'star' in prime time. They think the charges are a liberal witch hunt anyway, so no problem.

MFS62 Apr 20 2017 12:28 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Maybe the Playboy channel? Later

Frayed Knot Apr 20 2017 01:39 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Lefty Specialist wrote: He's a rich man and never needs to work again, but I have the feeling he'll resurface somewhere. You'd think guys that age and that rich would simply hang it up or just continue with his book line, etc., but even Dan Freakin' Rather is still at it. I don't want to say he's old (85) but Dan was doing baseball play by play for Houston back before they were a major league city (Houston Buffalos - 1959). I have no specific idea where he can be found these days but I know he's on somewhere and will probably come to your house and read the news and his opinions to you if you strike the right deal.

Centerfield Apr 20 2017 01:53 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

I'm not sad at all to see him go. He's a dickhead and deserves every bit of the crap he's getting now. The only shame in this is that, like you guys have said, he will pop up somewhere and his fans will continue to fellate him and treat him like some sort of victim. And Fox News will get some new dickhead to take his place, and then we will have two dickheads that we will have to hate. I also wonder how much of his persona is an act. I feel like no sensible person can believe the things he does, but I guess you never know. Stewart, on the other hand, I feel like is exactly the way he is on TV, at whatever time/venue you might catch him. Love Dan Rather. My dad watched him religiously. Glad he's still fighting the good fight.

Vic Sage Apr 20 2017 02:11 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Centerfield wrote: I'm not sad at all to see him go. He's a dickhead and deserves every bit of the crap he's getting now. The only shame in this is that, like you guys have said, he will pop up somewhere and his fans will continue to fellate him and treat him like some sort of victim. And Fox News will get some new dickhead to take his place, and then we will have two dickheads that we will have to hate. I also wonder how much of his persona is an act. I feel like no sensible person can believe the things he does, but I guess you never know. Stewart, on the other hand, I feel like is exactly the way he is on TV, at whatever time/venue you might catch him. Love Dan Rather. My dad watched him religiously. Glad he's still fighting the good fight. Fox is a Hydra... Ailes, O'Reilly... it doesn't matter. Cut off one head and 2 grow back. And does it matter whether O'Reilly's persona was an act or not? Vonnegut explored this issue in MOTHER NIGHT; ultimately, we're responsible for our own actions, whatever our intent, and if you spew poison in the air, saying it was just a joke or an act doesn't remove the toxins we now have to breathe because of dickheads like him. Frankly, i'd have more respect for him if he was sincere in his views and wasn't just pumping out sludge for cash.

Frayed Knot Apr 20 2017 03:13 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

I'm not sure if Rather is still 'fighting the good fight' or just screaming into the wind at this point. Ol' Dan seemed to get a bit more weird and paranoid in his later years. As far as O'Reilly's act being an act, well sure it was but no different than most others with opinion shows on TV or radio. His schtick was basically: 'I'm a no-nonsense guy who'll hold his guests' feet to the fire and not let them "spin" their way out of answering the question'. Some call that 'hard-hitting', others will label it obnoxious. But he didn't get fired for being a dick on the air, he got canned for being a dick off of it. As far as believing what he says, I have no reason to suspect he didn't. I mean, he's certainly a conservative so you're going to take or leave that based on how you feel but he was hardly the most right-wing out there. Compared to say Beck, or Hannity, or Coulter, he was positively mainstream.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 20 2017 06:36 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Frayed Knot wrote: I'm not sure if Rather is still 'fighting the good fight' or just screaming into the wind at this point. Ol' Dan seemed to get a bit more weird and paranoid in his later years. Your FB friends aren't big on reposting politicalstuff? Rather's found something of a vigorous new-media afterlife there, posting elegant screeds almost daily about President TheDonald.

Edgy MD Apr 20 2017 06:54 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Centerfield wrote: I also wonder how much of his persona is an act. I feel like no sensible person can believe the things he does, but I guess you never know. Stewart, on the other hand, I feel like is exactly the way he is on TV, at whatever time/venue you might catch him. When Stewart gets cornered on a distortion or misrepresentation or deception or the like, though, he's more than willing to play the I'm-just-an-entertainer card, too—which is, you know, some weak stuff that puts him in the company of folks his fans despise.

Frayed Knot Apr 20 2017 08:05 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Your FB friends aren't big on reposting politicalstuff? I avoid FB friends sending me politicalstuff by avoiding FB. I expect said action to add years to my life. And, yeah, I don't get the Jon Stewart comparisons. Like him or otherwise, his 'Daily Show' stuff was by definition an act.

41Forever Apr 20 2017 09:18 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Rather's issues and O'Rilley's are very different. It's one thing to come back from reprehensible personal behavior. It's another when your news organization has to apologize, fire (or accept the resignations of) a bunch of people and create a review panel to investigate what happened and make sure it never happens again. I don't know if that scandal destroyed a fine journalistic career, or exposed that the career wasn't the fine journalism that we all thought it was. I don't know where he'll resurface. (And I'm not defending his personal behavior in any way.) But he was a ratings leader so I'm sure someone will take a chance on him if they think there is money to be made.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 20 2017 11:16 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

41Forever wrote: Rather's issues and O'Rilley's are very different. It's one thing to come back from reprehensible personal behavior. It's another when your news organization has to apologize, fire (or accept the resignations of) a bunch of people and create a review panel to investigate what happened and make sure it never happens again. I don't know if that scandal destroyed a fine journalistic career, or exposed that the career wasn't the fine journalism that we all thought it was. I was with you right until the elliptical cliff you drove off at the end, there. His public defense of the Killian stuff was based on what his producers asserted, taken on misplaced faith. It doesn't retroactively unravel the decades-long tapestry of work, really, unless you're the sort who thinks newsmen who have a personal liberal bent can't do good journalistic work to begin with, and you're looking for a rationalization for rhetorically rending that tapestry.

41Forever Apr 21 2017 01:59 AM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: 41Forever wrote: Rather's issues and O'Rilley's are very different. It's one thing to come back from reprehensible personal behavior. It's another when your news organization has to apologize, fire (or accept the resignations of) a bunch of people and create a review panel to investigate what happened and make sure it never happens again. I don't know if that scandal destroyed a fine journalistic career, or exposed that the career wasn't the fine journalism that we all thought it was. I was with you right until the elliptical cliff you drove off at the end, there. His public defense of the Killian stuff was based on what his producers asserted, taken on misplaced faith. It doesn't retroactively unravel the decades-long tapestry of work, really, unless you're the sort who thinks newsmen who have a personal liberal bent can't do good journalistic work to begin with, and you're looking for a rationalization for rhetorically rending that tapestry. The bigger point is that anything Rather would try to do later -- and even prior -- would be seen through that prism. The accusations against him and his producers were about the central part of their jobs, and it casts a long shadow. O'Reilly's accusations are creepy - really creepy -- but are a reflection of his off-camera actions, not the central point of his job. Could he lay low, settle the cases, do the talk show mea culpa circuit and eventually come back? It's possible. But that couldn't be an option for Rather. Then again, today we have people going back and forth between political jobs and media jobs -- even moderating debates. So I guess anything is possible as the walls all come crashing down.

d'Kong76 Apr 21 2017 02:13 AM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Saw today he got a $25 mil-golden parachute, hope he lands in big old pricker bush.

Edgy MD Apr 21 2017 12:17 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

He got the Kim Davis treatment the other day, meeting a pope who had no idea he was appearing a photo op aimed at the redemption of an American pariah.

Ceetar Apr 21 2017 01:23 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Frayed Knot wrote: And, yeah, I don't get the Jon Stewart comparisons. Like him or otherwise, his 'Daily Show' stuff was by definition an act. Because he was honest about it being an act. there were times he dropped it and just spoke. It made him come across as more real. Also his act wasn't one of ignorance and hate, so that helps.

Edgy MD Apr 21 2017 08:37 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Edgy MD wrote: He got the Kim Davis treatment the other day, meeting a pope who had no idea he was appearing a photo op aimed at the redemption of an American pariah. Actually, this puts a notion into my head — a horrible notion, but just the sort of idea that seems to be coming to fruition these days. The office of United States ambassador to the Holy See is currently vacant, and, well ... .

Edgy MD Apr 22 2017 01:41 PM Re: Memories of Bill O'Reilly

Ceetar wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: And, yeah, I don't get the Jon Stewart comparisons. Like him or otherwise, his 'Daily Show' stuff was by definition an act. Because he was honest about it being an act. there were times he dropped it and just spoke. It made him come across as more real. Also his act wasn't one of ignorance and hate, so that helps. Perhaps you've never been on the wrong side of a Daily Show diatribe. It's not pleasant. His over-reliance on caricatures and his promotion of cynicism is the problem, and now that those same tools have been turned around by a terrible candidate who has elevated himself to become a terrible president, sooner or later, a greater portion of the left is going to have to take up the first lady's rallying cry and go high. These sneering comic hit pieces he and his descendants are specializing in — they're not working. Or rather, they're working against their own espoused interests, and certainly their alleged values, providing the fodder for what Chris Buckley calls moral jiu-jitsu, presenting the left, from their opponents' point of view, as part of the intellectual elite that hold vast swaths of the country and their families in sniveling contempt. Go high.