# Bill O'Reilly--fuckwit, just doing his job **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 3, 2014, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388 "2014-02-03T01:19:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/1 "2014-02-03T01:19:58Z")
Interviews Obama before the superbowl. Tradition. His questions–Benghazi. IRS scandal. Health Care Law debacle. Give me a break. I guess I would have been amazed and disappointed if he hadn’t. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/2 "2014-02-03T01:52:51Z")
We turned him off. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/3 "2014-02-03T02:10:45Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > We turned him off. I don’t have a TV, but I always turn off Bill O’Reilly. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/4 "2014-02-03T02:21:43Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > I don’t have a TV, but I always turn off Bill O’Reilly. You certainly wouldn’t want to turn him **on!** [rimshot] ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/5 "2014-02-03T03:14:33Z")
I’ve never turned him on. Life’s too short. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/6 "2014-02-03T03:29:39Z")
I haven’t listened to O’Reilly all that much but he is a very intelligent person by all accounts and also quite personable when off the air. Those topics sound like legitimate things to bring up to me at least. The Obama camp probably thought so too otherwise they wouldn’t have agreed to go on the air with him. It isn’t a secret what O’Reilly’s general tactics or strategy are. He is a lot easier to take once you realize he is just a really good actor playing a particular persona rather than someone that really holds those core positions. He does to a degree but it really is his job to play it up and be an interviewer representing the ultra-conservative side. ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/7 "2014-02-03T03:34:25Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I haven’t listened to O’Reilly all that much but he is a very intelligent person by all accounts and also quite personable when off the air. Those topics sound like legitimate things to bring up to me at least. The Obama camp probably thought so too otherwise they wouldn’t have agreed to go on the air with him. It isn’t a secret what O’Reilly’s general tactics or strategy are. > > He is a lot easier to take once you realize he is just a really good actor playing a particular persona rather than someone that really holds those core positions. He does to a degree but it really is his job to play it up and be an interviewer representing the ultra-conservative side. No, not really. He’s a fuckwit who gets paid a lot to be a fuckwit. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/8 "2014-02-03T03:35:44Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’ve never turned him on. Life’s too short. And brain too precious. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/9 "2014-02-03T03:43:07Z")
Cerebrum pretiosus, vita brevis. ---
**Author:** ![Mikahw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/10 "2014-02-03T03:47:38Z")
I noticed he threw a lot of weasel words in there, such as ‘your detractors believe’ and ‘what some people are saying’. It’s possible to put absolutely anything in that framework. Hey, don’t blame me. _I_ didn’t say those things. Just some nebulous people somewhere who you are unable to cross examine. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/11 "2014-02-03T03:49:19Z")
> [@sinjin](#): > > He’s a fuckwit who gets paid a lot to be a fuckwit. Hey, I’d take the cash to play a fake fuckwit, but can you blame them from figuring they might as well have at least a partial one for their money(\*)? (\*He’s not an absolute TOTAL fuckwit, just plays to that “strength”…) ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/12 "2014-02-03T03:55:02Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Hey, I’d take the cash to play a fake fuckwit, but can you blame them from figuring they might as well have at least a partial one for their money(\*)? > (\*He’s not an absolute TOTAL fuckwit, just plays to that “strength”…) Pretending to be a fuckwit for money is not a compliment. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/13 "2014-02-03T04:11:22Z")
> [@sinjin](#): > > Pretending to be a fuckwit for money is not a compliment. But it **is** a moneymaker. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/14 "2014-02-03T04:20:28Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’ve never turned him on. Have you ever _really_ tried, though? ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/15 "2014-02-03T04:32:43Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > But it **is** a moneymaker. And being a prostitute is a moneymaker too. Your point is? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/16 "2014-02-03T04:40:37Z")
> [@sinjin](#): > > And being a prostitute is a moneymaker too. Your point is? You just made it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/17 "2014-02-03T04:42:53Z")
But, really, it’s not fair to compare O’Reilly to a prostitute. A prostitute gives people pleasure. O’Reilly only gives people anxiety. But some people appear to be hooked on anxiety. Drug dealer would be a better comparison. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/18 "2014-02-03T05:01:15Z")
I remember a time not too long ago when liberals wanted the media to challenge a President. Look, if these were BS issues to bring up then I’m sure it was the easiest interview the President ever had. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/19 "2014-02-03T05:21:10Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I remember a time not too long ago when liberals wanted the media to challenge a President. That was **not** “a time not too long ago,” it is now. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388/20 "2014-02-03T05:29:09Z")
Then the O’Reilly interview was a good thing. It was actually a lot less inquisitorial than an average Helen Thomas question. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-fuckwit-just-doing-his-job/680388.md?page=2)