Call a Jackass a Jackass
Reading this, I was struck by the fact that the only people credited with really putting Bill O’Reilly in his place are Phil Donahue and David Letterman–not experts in any particular issue up for debate, but experts in being on TV. And the reason they both successfully threw him off balance is that they abandoned the debate at hand and went straight for the core truth–you’re so full of shit your eyes are brown, O’Reilly, and you know it. We all know it. Give it up, buddy.
I wonder what would happen if every liberal who agreed to go on his show took a lesson from that. Everyone knows, on one level, that an interview with O’Reilly is not an intellectual debate; it’s a game of chicken. But still, people go on his show and act as if they’ve entered a legitimate forum for discussing ideas, when what they’ve entered is a fucking talk show. It’s no wonder Letterman and Donahue scared the sissy pants off O’Reilly, because they’re superstars at the game he’s actually playing–to wit, Who Can Command an Audience? I would so love it if every liberal who goes head to head with O’Reilly in the future would take a leaf from their book and his, and just sit there the whole time saying, “Horseshit. You’ve got nothing.” No defensiveness, no flustered, stammering attempts to reason with someone who has never made any pretension to sincerely engaging with the reality-based community. Just sit up straight, look him in the eye, and call it like you see it. (Also, bonus points for calling him “Billy” when you do–god, I love Donahue.) How awesome would that be? And how long could his show last?
i find it odd that anyone watches o reilly anymore. i mean, do they? the schtick is ancient at this point. i had an appetite for it about 5 years ago when fox was first getting big because it was nice to finally hear a viewpoint other than the same ol same ol offered by the big networks. but now oreilly and (fox in general) has become a complete farce. he’s a total rabble rouser. i’m guessing a contingent of the audience watches out of train wreck interest. like howard stern — people think he’s “terrible” but they still tune in to watch to see just how terrible terrible can get.
To be honest, I’ve never actually watched his show. I certainly hope he’s not relevant anymore, if he ever was. But he’s still there. Sigh.