Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly is a commentator and host of the show The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which he calls the "No Spin Zone." O'Reilly calls himself a "traditionalist" and an "independent." O'Reilly is not strongly conservative, and he has ineptly tried to defend Obama against criticism for failing to provide his birth certificate. He is deeply disliked by many on the far left.
The average age of viewers of Bill O'Reilly's show is 71 years old, an audience perhaps older than anything broadcast on television.
O'Reilly's crankiness is sometimes confused with conservatism, which obviously has far more depth than his show offers. Often the show seems lost on social issues.
Career
O'Reilly's career was growing throughout the 1980s, but he received his "big break" when hired to anchor Inside Edition, a tabloid gossip and news program.[1]
His biggest success would come from hosting the The O'Reilly Factor. His show is the highest-rated hour on any cable news channel, with over 2.5 million people watching the show each night and millions more listening to his radio show.[2]
Politically, O'Reilly claimed to be an independent, but it was later revealed that he was actually a registered Republican in Nassau County from 1994 to 2000. O'Reilly re-registered as an independent soon after.[3]
Bill O'Reilly and homosexuality
Bill O'Reilly has been known to frequent Central Park, NY, dressed in a surprisingly realistic rabbit costume. As he merrily frolics with packs of furries, he has been known to whistle jolly tunes. When asked about this, O'Reilly was unable to provide a satisfying explanation, stating
"No, I did not frolic with the furries, and I certainly did not later cry myself to sleep wishing I wasn't such a disappointment to my turtle, Francis."
He then started to tear up, quietly whispering strange incantations, a wild look in his eyes.
Trivia
- O'Reilly and conservative-mocker Stephen Colbert have appeared on each others' shows.[4]