I was not a big fan of O’Reilly. If I said I watched him for a few minutes once every month or so I would be exaggerating. Whenever I did it seemed he would have Bernie Goldberg echoing whatever he said; then he had a comedian Dennis Miller who like Bernie would agree with Bill. Other than those two all I recall about the show is attractive women were the main people with whom he engaged in discussions.
I figured out the people were going to be on his show they had to agree with him. If they were women in addition they had to be good-looking. Most seemed to be blondes although not like the ones who were sitting on Dorchester Heights and wondering about distances while looking at the moon.
I looked upon O’Reilly as one of those old guys who enjoys having young attractive women around him. It makes them feel like a lady’s man. I assumed the women knew they were in that position because of their looks. It helped that most seemed to have some smarts but that wasn’t required; rather, it might have been a detriment to some because Bill did not like to be contradicted.
I had forgotten Miller’s name. I remembered that he and the comedian would tour together. I Googled Bill O’Reilly’s Tour and that is how I found it. I wondered if the tour will continue after the fall but saw that they are selling tickets for June, September and December events. If you want to catch up with them in Westbury, NY, on Saturday, June 17 at 3:00 pm you can buy a ticket for $603 all the way down to $160 unless as his site reports that is all sold out. At other venues later in the year the expensive VIP seats are sold out.
As to what happens at the show, here’s a report of one that took place at Devos (why is that name familiar) Hall in Grand Rapids, Michigan. O’Reilly and Miller talk politics by slamming liberals and telling semi-off color stories and jokes demeaning foreigners. People are apparently willing to pay big money to have their prejudices reinforced.
O’Reilly who was in Rome shaking hands with the Pope put on his site a statement regarding his departure. He wrote: “It is tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims. But that is the unfortunate reality many of us in the public eye must live with today.”
I suppose it must come as a shock that the guy spent an awful lot of money (millions) in settling claims yet wants to pretend he paid the money for other than to hide the allegations made by the women against him. I understand he wants to save face but I thought he ran a program called “the no spin zone.” Sort of funny that O’Reilly who was the first one to point out where there is smoke there must be fire but in his case he wants to suggest the smoke is connected with mirrors.
His “unfortunate reality” statement rings hollow. His assertion that claims against those in the public eye are faced by many is false. Very few men on televisions have faced them.
O’Reilly got himself in a real jam with Andrea Mackris (shown above). Her interaction with O’Reilly is set out in an article that started, “O’Reilly has been quick to attack those over the years he believed were morally wrong. Whether it was Bill Clinton, Janet Jackson, R. Kelly, Beyoncé and others, there was O’Reilly standing up for morality, religion and all else that is good. On that one can say to some degree that Bill O’Reilly is a hypocrite if you believe what was alleged by a female Fox employee.”
When Mackris first spoke out O’Reilly denied the charges calling them unfounded. Two weeks later the case was settled for 9 million dollars because Mackris had recorded her conversations with him. Other cases have been settled and other women have come forward with other complaints against him.
Financially O’Reilly’s done well. His kiss on leaving Fox will be in the millions. His books will be swapped at Christmas. He will never lack for money. The irony of his toppling is that it came at the peak of his power having just put his friend into the Oval Office.
The question that comes now is what next? His ego is not such that he can walk away from the limelight. In that case we can be sure Bill will try to go on and on. These tours or his books will not satisfy him. Will he want to get back on TV. Will he join the ancient Larry King on RT? Surely the president can line that job up for him.
I think he’ll find that having damaged his reputation, fairly or unfairly, he will be like the band in movie Spinal Tap or like McCarthy’s old soldier. The numbers of his followers will diminish; he’ll just realize what it is like to be treated like yesterday’s newspaper. If he asked me I’d tell him he had his one run and now he’s done so he should just sit in ease and watch the sun set. He’ll never get back what he lost.
Fred Weichel is free on bail!
Jim:
That was to be expected.
I didn’t realize Putin could control the movements of the sun. All the more reason for vigilant liberals and other patriotic Americans to keep close watch on the bribe-bearing Russian bear.
If you are a paranoid liberal all money is washed through Russia. The sun can’t come up without Russia’s approval. Congress takes no action sans Putin’s o.k.
This comment is off your topic. It looks like the investigation of former General Mike Flynn is now giving to the public specific information about what he did not do. What are your thoughts about the progression of the investigation and where it might lead?
Norwood
Been thinking of writing about Flynn I heard the Turkey money was really
LLY Russian money washed thru Turkey.
I was not aware of what you heard. I read the amount of money he got from Turkey was over 500,000. I look forward to your thoughts in print pertaining to former General Flynn.
Never cared for O’Reilly. A matter of style. Thought of him as a Mike Wallace variant. Sort of a one man 60 Minutes – NYC pushiness palmed off as substance. Fox wants to tack left so it is throwing O’Reilly to the wolves. Whatever the consequence it will die with the rest of the Old Media news model.
When super popular Lawrence Welk got dumped by a network he came back bigger than ever with syndication – a new media format at the time. If O’Reilly proves nimble this could prove a blessing.
The ability to adapt is crucial to being a top dog. Trump has it in spades. He understands celebrity. He has succeeded in many high wire businesses and failed in a few. He has been in real estate, gambling, resorts, pageants, publishing, reality tv, twitter and now politics. In every one of those businesses successful one trick ponies mocked him.
What does he have that they don’t? So many high profile successes depend on booze and drugs to keep from going mad at the top in their single signature niche.
Trump uses neither drugs or alcohol. Maybe that is his formula – sobriety. Maybe blondes, one at a time, do it for him.
Not sure O’Reilly has the stability to move forward. There will be plenty of money in milking the legacy residuals though. But that won’t feed the ego. If he can see opportunity and grab it the way Trump always has, he’ll do very well. If not, he’ll just make lots of money.
O’Reilly thinks of himself as a cool breeze. He’s not going anywhere.
I wonder if he will sign on with a major network. Which one is suffering the most that will offer him the generational money? Its going to happen. The offer, that is. Will he take it is my question. He wants his face on the tube. Like Imus after his supposed downfall, Bill will let the dust settle and worm his way back into view.
Hi Matt, I loved the line about Dorchester Heights and the moon, which reminded me of my own boyhood in Dorchester. Looks like O’Reilly has added another glorious chapter to the off-camera trainwreck that is Fox News. I can’t imagine him making a comeback unless the Trump Channel makes an appearance as a rival to Fox. I think Bill is first and foremost a TV personality. Must be a real nighmare for conservatives to see their hero brought down by the failing New York Times. Can’t all be fake news. Otherwise, Rupert & Sons would not have canned him.
Matt:
Liberals, leftists and the lukewarm avoided O’Reilly. Conservatives and Moderates made him #1.
Bill O’Reilly was accused of VERBALLY harassing several co-workers. Bill Clinton was accused of rape (Broderick), molestation (Wiley), indecent exposure (Paula Jones to whom Clinton reportedly paid @ $800,000 in settlement); Clinton also infamously publicly lied about having sex with a 20-year-old Intern and then perjured himself about it. O’Reilly lost his job. Clinton lost his law license, but kept his job.
O’Reilly’s show was great. The guests were top notch. Liberals hated his show. Conservatives and Moderates appreciated finally hearing something other than the constant liberal drivel from PBS, CNN, MSNBC, CBS etc.
In a country with more conservatives than liberals, finally a news channel, Fox, began to reflect conservative views.
Of course, many liberals couldn’t bear to hear opposing views.
2. You are wrong that O’Reilly did not have guests who disagreed with him. Among his regular guests were Juan Williams, Charles Krauthammer, Geraldo Rivera, etc, who frequently disagreed with him. He regularly presented both sides of an issue.
The reason his was the top show for decades was because he presented a reasoned alternative to leftist propaganda.
As I said, the liberals hated him. Some liberals, like the Academics at Berkeley, cannot abide opposing views.
Bill:
1. I read somewhere “two wrongs don’t make a right.” Why not compare O’Reilly with Dan Ra
There.
2. The people you mentioned hardly disagreed with him.
O’Reilly was right about half the time which is significantly higher than anyone at CNN,PBS, ABC, CBS or NBC. He accurately portrayed the bankruptcy of the Democrat party. The latest poll says two thirds of the country say the Democrats are out of touch and Trump would beat Hillary by three points. The Trump’s support is always understated so he is probably seven to ten points ahead of Hillary in reality. 2. Fox may regret losing O’Reilly. While Tucker Carlson puts on a good show the rest of the lineup is weak. If he re emerges on another network he may outdraw Fox. 2. Is the blondes on Dorchester Heights a reference to the Revolutionary War?
1. I’ll write about the out of touch poll.
2. Someone told me that the blonds on Dorchester Heights were the girlfriends of Tucker and Spring.