2009.04.08
Ebert eviscerates O'Reilly
Wow. Read this piece by The Chicago Sun-Times' Roger Ebert about Bill O'Reilly including his paper in O'Reilly's "Hall of Shame." (We earned a spot there, too - a development I'm fairly certain I can take credit for.)
A sample of Ebert's sizzling smackdown:
To be in an O'Reilly Hall of Fame would be a cruel blow to any newspaper. It would place us in the favor of a man who turns red and starts screaming when anyone disagrees with him. My grade-school teacher, wise Sister Nathan, would have called in your parents and recommended counseling with Father Hogben.
The last line of the piece is a classic, but one I won't repeat on our family-friendly blog.
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The corpulent Mr. Ebert would die to have a fraction of Bill's audience count.
Comment by Kevin — April 8, 2009 @ 2:42 pm
You guys are going to love Senator Al Franken. He makes O'Reilly look tame.
Comment by Henry — April 8, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
Namecalling, Kevin, really? Just because you used a thesaurus to find a synonym for "fat" doesn't make it any less juvenile.
Comment by Sean — April 8, 2009 @ 3:07 pm
OOh Bill, watch out, you have gained the ire of a movie reviewer in a newspaper.... *gasp*
Comment by Marked Man (Mark) — April 8, 2009 @ 3:12 pm
Calling out a bully and a blow hard! I love it. If only the rest of America would grow up and realize that there was a reason we all avoided the school bully and a reason that people paid to see a freak show. If these spokespersons are the best 'the right' has to offer, I will quote the inimitable James Brown "I feel good..."
Comment by Sandi Saunders — April 8, 2009 @ 3:26 pm
I've said it once and I'll say it again...
I wish I could buy Bill O for what he's worth and sell him for what he think's he's worth to the world.
He's never been more than a pandering ratings whore who by all accounts seems to even be getting under the skin of Mr. Murdoch from time to time. He is not a news person...he is a cable/radio talk show opinionizer much like Olbermann, Hannity, Matthews, Coulter and Limbaugh.
If you get your real news from any of those sources, you're probably missing out.
Comment by Will — April 8, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
Hey Will,
Good point but you left off several names. Allen Colmes, Bill Maher and Rachel Maddow. We are welcome to our opinion but in order to be effective, one must truly believe in what one says, not just say what one wants others to believe. That is what sets some of the people mentioned in this online rant apart. Some believe in what they are saying, others say it for the money or the PC'ness. If anyone is getting their news from the RT or any of the local sources, then they are not probably but surely missing out.
Comment by Michael — April 8, 2009 @ 5:41 pm
Democrats and liberals are so jealous of Bill O'Reilly - why not be men and women and admit it? He is getting the viewers and ratings - if he is so bad, then why is he so successful? It doesn't add up.
I don't agree with everything Bill says, but he does try to hold the rich and powerful to account in society. The mainstream media (including the RT) certainly won't do it, unless it is a Republican or conservative.
Comment by Roger — April 8, 2009 @ 10:08 pm
Michael, you are entitled to your opinion, but I heartily disagree. In fact I dare say that anyone who ONLY got their news here or in the Roanoke Times would still be a well informed individual capable of conversing on any current event and speaking up about what people in their community are thinking. Lord, knows I repeat some of the dillies, I see here.
Roger, you are not to good at reading Liberals or Democrats because of the many emotions and fiery feelings we have for O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, Beck, Nugent, Savage et al, jealousy is not to be found. Do you perhaps think that Conservatives are jealous of Obama, or any of the successful pundits on the Left, or the Hollywood elite? I don't think that is anywhere near the emotions on either side, but hey, I'm no clairvoyant either.
The bottom line is that the red faced, lunatic fringe on either side of the political spectrum is dangerous for the apparently many unhinged loose cannons looking for direction. Asking people to rise up and become armed and dangerous and other lunacy that I laugh off is not so funny to the fellow who thinks Obama is coming to get his guns. Telling the simple and weak minded people who might be listening that Obama is going to have some re-education camps or that FEMA is running them is dangerous and IF WE WERE DOING it to your dear leaders, you would be crying treason and YOU KNOW IT.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — April 8, 2009 @ 10:54 pm
" is dangerous for the apparently many unhinged loose cannons looking for direction. "
Maybe we should put those people in concentration camps.
Comment by Henry — April 9, 2009 @ 8:20 am
Good lord, Henry, I hope you're not serious.
Comment by skeeter — April 9, 2009 @ 10:40 am
I will say this once again. To be on this list is an embarrassment to our great City!
This is not the national exposure or image we want for Roanoke. It's embarrassing! Our paper (some editorialist) is acting like a bunch of juveniles trying to coax Bill O'Reilly to comment again. You're making us (Roanoke) look like a joke! A JOKE! If he does comment it's going to be negative. Not negative towards the paper. Negative towards the CITY! Thanks!
Knock it off and quick acting like a bunch of kids! I'm sorry, but this is like being on the playground. Petty. Petty. Petty. You are grown men! Start acting like it. The Times is an image to our great City.
All the politic BS aside!
Start representing it.
Comment by Shocked! — April 9, 2009 @ 11:27 am
I think being on any hit list of Bill O'Reilly makes us a beacon for the masses and represents EXACTLY what the Star City represents. If you would roll out the red carpet for a hate monger and cringe if he criticized you for being a concerned citizen who questions his authoritarian stance, I do not think you are the right example for Roanoke.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — April 9, 2009 @ 11:40 am
A beacon for the masses and represents EXACTLY what the Star City represents? That is absolutely preposterous.
I understand by your all posts that you're a homer for all things Ronaoke Times (and I respect that) but this is an embarrassment for Roanoke and The Times. Are you seriously proud of this? This is not an accomplishment.
With all the initiatives in place to try to push Roanoke towards a "progressive" future, this type of exposure completely goes against it. Then to respond the way Mr. Casey and the editorial board did is juvenile! Let it go! Who cares.
Listen I am not a Bill O'Reilly fan (at all), however he has a massive following. Let me say that again. A massive following. And one of the top shows on the number one cable television news channels. And the same way people drone to Obama. They drone to O'Reilly.
Once again, this is not the exposure needed for Roanoke, nor is the response appropriate. It's juvenile. This is an embarrassment for Roanoke on the national scene. Again. Right up there with the Carilion reporting scandal.
Come on.
Comment by Shocked! — April 9, 2009 @ 1:35 pm
"Good lord, Henry, I hope you're not serious."
Why not? Sandi said they were armed and dangerous. Put them away before they hurt someone.
Comment by Henry — April 9, 2009 @ 1:46 pm
Shocked!, if you are not an O'Reilly fan, why on earth would you want to have his drones, like or worse, come to Roanoke? Methinks your Carilion comment says much. That was a story that needed coverage and if anything the Roanoke Times was too soft on the issue (See Herb they are afraid of you and your group). They need to rub Billo raw so he will never consider coming here or recommending here to his minions. O'Reilly and that bunch of lunatics are dangerous bullies that need someone to stand up to them. Did you hear how Rush treated a veteran who dared to dissent? This needs to stop alright, but it is not the Roanoke Times that needs to back off.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — April 9, 2009 @ 2:02 pm
Henry, if you are going to quote me, please do so accurately. That is NOT what I said.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — April 9, 2009 @ 2:03 pm
Because they (the drones on both sides) are human beings number one and I don't discriminate based on race, relgion and beliefs, and number two you are generalizing and making assumptions on those that watch Bill O'Reilly. Not fair.
You can try to pit me in a category but I don't fall to the right. Open and honestly. I also don't fall to petty playground name calling when I am offended. Actions speak louder than words. Bill O'Reilly isn't bullying the Roanoke Times. He is simply making a statement, which is his right. If the RT had dignity they could just say don't watch O'Reilly and be done with it much like (gulp) Bill O'Reilly. But no, they get all twitterpatted and start shooting off at the mouth like immature school children.
I didn't realize there is an agenda to segregate and discrimate against those moving to Roanoke based on beliefs, religion, race, etc. That is new to me. Your comment says Roanoke should discriminate against those moving here. And the Carilion comment number one shows a bias and unprofessionalism and number two says much about the paper and the City on a National scene, that is what I'm referring to. Too soft? How about corrupt. That is an embarrassment.
I'm not trying to change your mind (we all know The ROanoke Times is the greatest paper in the land), but at least look at it from an outsiders perspective or from the perspective of Roanoke or even the region in which the paper serves as a whole.
This verbose response and attack is an embarrassment on the citizens that live in this area. Period.
Comment by Shocked! — April 9, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
I listen to O'Reilly probably as much or more than anyone here. I have heard him say as many good things about Obama as I have heard him say about Bush I or II or Clinton. Sure he rips into a lot of interviewees that he doesnt agree with (his show, your choice to watch), but in all honesty, he praises the things that (he feels) Obama and others do correctly and equally lashes out at the things that Bush and others did incorrectly.
I dont see how being on the squatlist of a part-time movie reviewer really is news to anyone or how anyone would care.
Putting him in the same realm as Hannity, Coulter, or others is a stretch. I couldnt see any of them praising anything good Obama does.
Comment by Marked Man (Mark) — April 9, 2009 @ 2:35 pm