Screw Your Fair and Balanced

Bill O'Reilly says "Calling Al Franken a satirist is a farce "

I say calling Bill O'Reilly a newsman is a farce.

"The accusation that Fox is a conservative network is pure propaganda. Poll after poll has demonstrated that Fox's audience is across the board, ideologically and demographically. The latest survey taken by Mediamark Research finds that more ultraconservative viewers watch CNN than Fox."

I can only really speak for myself, but just because I will watch Fox News, or CNN, or listen to G.G. Liddy or Jello Biafra, doesn't mean that I agree with them. I listen to them and read them because I like to have as many sides and points of views as I can. If I were to only listen to one group of people I would then be a stupid, uninformed person (but probably quite happy). I also think that people like to listen to things that make them mad and let them have something to bitch about.

"It is simply a sorry joke to see a political activist like Al Franken labeled a satirist by The New York Times. Attempting to smear and destroy the reputations of those with whom you politically disagree is not satire. If that were the case, Richard Nixon's Watergate plumbers would all be writing for "Saturday Night Live."

So a political activist can't be a satirist? What about Voltaire? Satire is the oldest form of political activisim. What do you think all those Greek comedies were about (not just sex). It is only natural that the person being made fun of will cry the loudest and say that it isn't satire.

Does this mean that Michael Moore isn't a satirist? Or that the daily show isn't satire? I think the real problem is that Bill O'Reilly knows that he isn't and can't be funny. Satire is hard work, it requires brains and humor. Al isn't really trying to smear you Bill, that's what you do to people.

If Nixons Watergate burglars could write comedy then I wouldn't have any problem with them writing SNL (It's not like they could do worse than most of the people who do write it). Also, since he brings up Watergate, Isn't GG Liddy a friend and admirer of Bill O'Reilly and a successfull radio host?

"It makes me sick to see intellectually dishonest individuals hide behind the First Amendment to spread propaganda, libel and slander. But this is a growing trend in America, where the exchange of ideas often degenerates into verbal mud wrestling with intent to injure. The poo-bahs at The Times know what a smear campaign is, but apparently, if it's directed at an enterprise the paper disapproves of, it's okay. I wonder how The Times' editorialists would react if their faces graced a book cover accompanied by the word "liar." Oh, right, they'd consider it satire."

I think this gets to the heart of the matter, Bill has really had his feelings hurt. I don't agree with Al on the Liar bit. I don't think Bill is lying, he's so far convinced and entrenched in his BS (Belief System) that, much like Michael Jackson and Prince, everything that he does is perfectly normal and rational to him.

I also find it ironic that someone whose show is based on getting people on for interviews and then either yelling at them or talking over them would argue that someone else would decry verbal mud-wrestling with the intent to injure. But then, Bill doesn't actually let anyone he disagrees with get to the point where there's an actual discussion (even Mud Wrestlers have some back and forth) he just shouts over them and tells them they are lying (but that's ok, because it's his show and obviously he knows best, he's a journalist, he hosted Inside Edition for God's sake, the television equivalent of the Enquirer)

I've spent way too much time talking about Bill O'Reilly, but if I don't some of you reading might actaully start thinking he makes alot of sense.