# An easy pit. O'Reilly. He has lost it, you better be scared **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 3, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976 "2006-03-03T23:45:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/21 "2006-03-04T04:52:35Z")
> [@George Kaplin](#): > > It seems perfectly reasonable to me. This caller, Mike, presumably said something obscene about O’Reilly and/or Olberman (which is blanked out on the clip, most likely by some sort of automatic delay mechanism used to screen calls) and O’Reilly took the opportunity to remind any other prospective cranks that such acts have consequences. > > \ > > What am I missing? Free speech. Unless the caller threatened O’Reilly (or Fox or someone somewhere) I cannot see how there is a damn thing anyone can do about it. I suppose O’Reilly could file a civil suit for slander in some cases but even that is a stretch not least due to if Fox bleeps the “offending” remark then I doubt you could claim slander. Sending the Fox cops after the guy? Truly laughable. A better threat would be sending the Fox attorneys…that might scare me. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/22 "2006-03-04T05:12:20Z")
From Haloscan at [http://www.haloscan.com/comments.php?user=crooks&comment=7384](http://www.haloscan.com/comments.php?user=crooks&comment=7384) > [@Haloscan](#): > > As I mentioned on an earlier post, unless we live in a totally fascist state, the FCC should enact disciplinary action against Fox “News” and Fox should, in turn, then discipline its out of control employee. To have O’Reilly threaten a caller with the law, as if O’Reilly has that power, is beyond the pale. Unless the FCC is simply a figurehead agency which is in bed with the Bush administration, it has to take action against Fox. > [@Haloscan](#): > > Fox security did call Mike Stark back, as well as at least one other of his falafal army, who emailed Stark with this: > > “I just got a phone call from the head of Fox Security, Anthony Burti, #212-XXX-XXXX. I got the call on the phone I used to call him from the head of Fox News security. He said that harassing phone calls were coming from my phone. I asked him how many? He did not know. I asked him what was said that was harassing? He said that he did not know but that it did not have to be what was said, but how many calls were being made. He tried to make like I made 20 phone calls instead of one, and that I cursed O’Reilly out. All I said was that I was grateful to O’Reilly for turning me on to Olberman. Then he hung up.” From Crooks and Liars at [http://www.crooksandliars.com/](http://www.crooksandliars.com/) > [@Crooks](#): > > Susan Filan, a former prosecuter says the one person that might have a legal problem is O’Reilly himself. I called the head of FOX security for comment, but he hasn’t returned my call as yet. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/23 "2006-03-04T08:04:25Z")
Is anyone (well, besides John) surprised at this? It’s entirely consistent with Bill’s track record as a bullying blowhard – all talk, no courage. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/24 "2006-03-04T15:03:13Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Is anyone (well, besides John) surprised at this? It’s entirely consistent with Bill’s track record as a bullying blowhard – all talk, no courage. No, I always thought O’Reilly was a scumbag anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/25 "2006-03-04T16:27:20Z")
I’d love to be a fly on the wall where O’Reilly is telling the head of Fox security that he needs them to send a team of Fox Ninjas to Assboink, Idaho and put a scare into Joe Shmoe for mentioned the **forbidden name**. Now there’s a reality show I’d watch. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/26 "2006-03-04T16:30:07Z")
No one has yet determined what the guy said, though. I agree that O’Reilly acted like a complete ass and a bully, but I’m still not buying that he cut the guy off just because he mentioned Olbermann’s name unless we have a transcript. Would it even have been O’Reilly who’s finger was on the switch? ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/27 "2006-03-04T16:40:11Z")
Hopefully the next prankster has enough wisdom to tape the conversation from their end as well. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/28 "2006-03-04T16:46:00Z")
I’m sorry, John, but you really need evidence if you’re pulling a supposed obscenity out of nowhere. O’Reilly is known for odd behavior, and for hanging up on people for little or no reason. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/29 "2006-03-04T17:04:04Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > No one has yet determined what the guy said, though. I agree that O’Reilly acted like a complete ass and a bully, but I’m still not buying that he cut the guy off just because he mentioned Olbermann’s name unless we have a transcript. You may be right, but O’Reilly trying to convince Fox security to send operatives to “pay a visit” to a caller for dropping the f-bomb is still quite an amusing picture. And if the caller actually threatened O’Reilly, shouldn’t he have contacted the police? When the average guy gets a threatening phone call, he calls the cops, he doesn’t put in a call to the guard covering the door at Smith’s Aquarium Gravel, even if that’s where he works. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/30 "2006-03-04T17:28:48Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > You may be right, but O’Reilly trying to convince Fox security to send operatives to “pay a visit” to a caller for dropping the f-bomb is still quite an amusing picture. > > And if the caller actually threatened O’Reilly, shouldn’t he have contacted the police? When the average guy gets a threatening phone call, he calls the cops, he doesn’t put in a call to the guard covering the door at Smith’s Aquarium Gravel, even if that’s where he works. I agree. In fact, if I were the caller and Fox security “paid me a visit”, I’d talk to my lawyer about filing harassment charges. **E-Sabbath** : I haven’t made any claims about what the caller said. I’m just saying that we don’t know what is in the deleted part of the phone call. Do we? I always thought it was incumbent on the poster who makes a specific claim to back that up with evidence. Until we have that evidence, I’m skeptical. You should be, too. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/31 "2006-03-04T17:41:33Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I agree. In fact, if I were the caller and Fox security “paid me a visit”, I’d talk to my lawyer about filing harassment charges. I’m sure even if he contacted Fox security about them paying somebody a “visit” somewhere, they’d laugh in his face. I imagine they’re set up to protect the lot, and wouldn’t even have personnel for goon squads to travel the country harrassing O’Reilly’s hate callers. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/32 "2006-03-04T17:52:18Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I’m sure even if he contacted Fox security about them paying somebody a “visit” somewhere, they’d laugh in his face. I imagine they’re set up to protect the lot, and wouldn’t even have personnel for goon squads to travel the country harrassing O’Reilly’s hate callers. I imagine that any member of Fox security that laughed in O’Reilly’s face would soon be looking for another job. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/33 "2006-03-04T18:00:09Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > I imagine that any member of Fox security that laughed in O’Reilly’s face would soon be looking for another job. Maybe they won’t laugh in front of him, but I bet they also won’t round up personnel for a mission to Assboink, Idaho to harrass the caller, either. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/34 "2006-03-04T19:25:50Z")
Absurd as this is, to be fair TFA doesn’t claim that he said the actual Fox security ninjas will visit the guy, but that Fox security will contact the caller’s local authorities: > [@](#): > > if you say anything untoward, obscene, or anything like that, Fox security then will contact your local authorities, and you will be held accountable. The implication is presumably that the **local authorities** would be the ones to “pay a visit”. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/35 "2006-03-04T20:10:17Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > No one has yet determined what the guy said, though. I agree that O’Reilly acted like a complete ass and a bully, but I’m still not buying that he cut the guy off just because he mentioned Olbermann’s name unless we have a transcript. Would it even have been O’Reilly who’s finger was on the switch? Over at Wingnutters, Daily Kos etc, the folks are trying to convince the O’Reilly callers to start recording the conversations. We’ll see if they do it or not, because it looks like they will continue to rattle Bill’s cage. It’s a no-go on a full transcript or recording on what’s already happened, only diaries. So, it’s he said vs he said. It depends on which group you believe, and / or who you want to root for. Still it’s fun to watch, even from this vantage point. I’d call Bill myself, but he isn’t worth the price of a phone call. That, and I remember in the past, Bill says something, gets called on it, and then pretends he never did it - meaning his personal word is worthless to me 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/36 "2006-03-05T00:46:01Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I haven’t made any claims about what the caller said. But you do seem to be assuming that the caller must have said an obscenity to have been hung up on. Given O’Reilly’s proven track record as a bully and a liar, why do you assume that? Why do you not assume that he simply hung up on someone who mentioned Olbermann? You’re the one making the claim here, **John**. With no evidence, you are claiming that O’Reilly must have had a good reason to hang up on the caller. The evidence is that he did not. The evidence is that he hung up, and threatened, a caller who did nothing more than say he watched Olbermann. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/37 "2006-03-05T01:02:14Z")
Fox security? When did Rupert Murdoch become a Bond villain? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/38 "2006-03-05T02:00:17Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I’d love to be a fly on the wall where O’Reilly is telling the head of Fox security that he needs them to send a team of Fox Ninjas to Assboink, Idaho and put a scare into Joe Shmoe for mentioned the **forbidden name**. Keith Olberman is **Voldemort**? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/39 "2006-03-05T02:15:13Z")
This is almost as funny as the recent Hugh Hewitt diatribe in which he accused pollster Zogby of not releasing the demographics of a recent survey. Zogby insisted that he had. Hewitt said he hadn’t, and after an already fairly nasty interview, Zogby hung up on Hewitt over it. Did Zogby release the demographics? Of course. Hewitt’s excuse: he released them in a format requiring the latest version of Adobe reader (which Hewitt’s staff didn’t have and had to, get this, DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL!!!). Apparently, in wingnuttia, that’s tantamount to “withholding” the demographics, as Hewitt still refuses to apologize for being wrong, giving this excuse as cover to simply pass over the admission that Zogby was right. Much fun was had at Hewitt’s expense. > **[The Men Who Knew Too Little](https://crookedtimber.org/2006/03/04/the-men-who-knew-too-little/)** > > Kevin Drum mocks Hugh Hewitt for his ‘it was in a PDF file that we were only able to read after downloading a new version of Adobe’ defense. But the proper pop cult reference is not Per… > [@](#): > > In the first episode, “Download PDF For Murder”, terrorists have encrypted their plans in an email attachment that can only be read using the latest version of Adobe Reader. Sweaty ‘which wire do I cut?’ tension as the heroes race against time to crack the main Adobe site. ‘This mouse has TWO buttons!’ ‘Just PICK one!’ [Adobe Acrobat Reader starts dowloading, to the “Hackers”-inspired strains of The Prodigy’s “Firestarter”.] But then it all goes crazy. In the end they confront a nail-biting moral dilemma. Should they torture the Adobe executive, kidnapped in a daring, extra-judicial raid. He’s screaming “Just DOUBLE-click!” The agents scream back: “You’re lying“ ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976/40 "2006-03-05T07:03:29Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > I imagine that any member of Fox security that laughed in O’Reilly’s face would soon be looking for another job. True. You’d think that after Bill made Fox legal look like total morons in the Franken case they’d ignore him, but ratings are a powerful influence on the weak of morals. I do hope every other caller says Olbermann. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-pit-oreilly-he-has-lost-it-you-better-be-scared/346976.md?page=3)