Time to start your Christmas list.
September 24, 2008, 4:19 pm
Posted by Grant Gallicho
I can’t find an image of the hilarious ad for Bill O’Reilly’s new book that appeared in today’s New York Times, so here’s an approximation:
“William, you are a bold, fresh piece of humanity.”–Sr. Mary Lurana, St. Brigid’s School, 1957
Some things never change.
He’s the host of the #1 cable news talk show, but how much do you really know about Bill O’Reilly?
What makes him tick?
What ticks him off?
The answers may surprise you, because
this time it’s personal.
Good stuff. Bonus points for guessing how Random House categorizes the book. Answer after the jump.
Political science. Really.
The good sister’s alleged comment makes one question the value of a parochial school education under nuns.
I was going to guess pulp fiction.
There was an excerpt in Parade Magazine on Sunday. I’ve never seen his show, but he sounded like an arrogant SOB, talking about how rich he was.
Pulp fiction? I’d say auto-hagiography.
Early in his career O’Reilly exhibited some real skills and talent. Since he went the Rush Limbaugh way he has made a lot more money, had much better ratings and became an awful dummie. This is talk radio and angry television at its worst. A lot of soundbites with little substance. A true travesty.
The story of a person with talent who ends up rich showing no talent.
Don’t knock Rush. He had a quote in a July NYT magazine profile that was worth the price:
Limbaugh told me he is no longer concerned about the opinions of his colleagues and rivals, and he makes no effort to disguise his contempt for most of them. Michael Savage, ranked No. 3 among talk-radio hosts by Talkers magazine? “He’s not even in my rearview mirror.” Garrison Keillor? “I don’t even know where to find NPR on the dial.”
At dinner the night before, Bill O’Reilly’s name came up, and Limbaugh expressed his opinion of the Fox cable king. He hadn’t been sure at the time that he wanted it on the record. But on second thought, “somebody’s got to say it,” he told me. “The man is Ted Baxter.”
It takes one to know one?
I think someone should track down Sr. Mary Lurana now–now that’d be a conversation on the Factor –or the Colbert Report (or maybe Colbert should interview “Papa Bear’s” teacher.)
I believe that it really says something when someone like O’Reilly is admired and people slam the most reasoned, fact filled newspaper in the country; The New York Times.
O’Reilly fits in with that other group we have come to admire. One guess.
As long as people only want to hear what supports their own ideology, O”reilly will be well listened to _-Rush also for that matter.
My book category: “Patzer of the Month.”
Jimmy,
Lest you lose faith in Catholic education, an Irish woman calling a boy a bold, fresh piece of humanity probably wasn’t a compliment. Generally a bold, fresh child is mouthy and smart-alecky, and sometimes disrespectful.