Bill O’Reilly recently went on a vacation trip to Italy and the Vatican. The vacation came on the heels of a NY Times report that alleges O’Reilly was involved in sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior, which have cost him and Fox some coin:
On April 1, The New York Times published an article on an in-depth investigation, writing that it “found a total of five women who have received payouts from either Mr. O’Reilly or the company in exchange for agreeing to not pursue litigation” after making accusations against him of “sexual harassment or other inappropriate behavior.”
“The agreements,” the Times reported, “totaled about $13 million.”
Fox has dumped O’Reilly. There is some irony in the papal visit. O’Reilly did seem to believe that he was the Pope of Fox News.
Since the harassment revelations, dozens of advertisers have dropped the show and new accusers are coming out of the woodwork, although some assertions do seem pretty thin. Predictably, the networks are dancing on his grave. The issue was front and center this morning on ABC, NBC and CBS with the hosts barely able to contain their glee. On one of those channels- ABC, I believe- Dan Abrams said something which I think makes sense. He said that O’Reilly wasn’t dumped over the past. It was the new and continuing revelations that did him in.
I still don’t know if they’re true or not and O’Reilly has denied wrongdoing, but his history becomes so littered with the accusations it becomes very difficult to dismiss them. A best friend of mine called me last night upset about the left getting a scalp. One of my staff asked me about O’Reilly today. More than anything, she was disappointed- disappointed that he let her down.
I bet an awful lot of people are going to feel that way.
O’Reilly did much good work but seems to have succumbed to hubris. I rarely watched him over the last several years because his style became more and more obnoxious. He was almost always condescending and frequently interrupted and talked over guests. Room for differences in opinions from his became scarce. It was easy to know whether he had any respect for his guests. If he did, you were addressed by your first name. If not, you were known only by your last name. I found it rude. But then, I don’t believe he’s ever used an intern as an ashtray for his cigar.
There is no question that the Soros funded Media Matters organized the lynching of O’Reilly, but it was O’Reilly who furnished the rope. Do not believe for one second that this is over. It’s not just O’Reilly, or Hannity, or any one single person at Fox News. The goal here is to legitimize Fox News. Fox really had no alternative but to let him go and expect to hear the drum beat from the left for some time.
Having said all that, if you wanted O’Reilly taken down but were willing to vote for a woman who enabled sexual harassment for decades you can go to hell.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.