# John Mclaughlin is the single most annoying presence on TV today. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 21, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743 "2001-10-21T21:25:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/1 "2001-10-21T21:25:47Z")
I can’t stand this guy. He attempts to be a “cut to the chase” kinda guy but spends more time interrupting people who are actually answering his question. His style is more suited to question dodgers, not people who are ready to answer the question without holding back. And does he have to speak so fricking loud? ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/2 "2001-10-21T21:29:08Z")
Why, the b@stard is even more pompous than me. The nerve! ---
**Author:** ![DPWhite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DPWhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPWhite)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/3 "2001-10-21T21:49:11Z")
Not nearly as annoying as Bill O’Reilly who has never been known to let someone he disagrees with finish speaking a thought. But until O’Reilly came along, I certainly would have given JM the title as most annoying and uninformative political talk show host. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/4 "2001-10-21T23:02:45Z")
I find O’Reilly more sleazy than just annoying. When the lady on “Weakest Link” came on the air, I thought she was an English cousin of McLaughlin. ---
**Author:** ![Daytona\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@Daytona\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daytona_Dave)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/5 "2001-10-22T00:19:44Z")
Does anyone recall Dana Carvey’s dead-on impression of JMcL on Saturday Night Live a few years ago? I thought it was one of the most accurate impressions ever to appear on that show. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/6 "2001-10-22T00:35:40Z")
…and the “Sinatra Group” with Phil Hartman leading his panel of pundits. Bill O’Reilly wins this contest. Even when he takes positions that I _agree_ with I still think he’s obnoxious. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/7 "2001-10-22T00:58:37Z")
Obnoxious, but apparently effective. I slowly evolved into someone who now likes the show, although it reminds me of a dysfunctional family at the dinner table. ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/8 "2001-10-22T01:17:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KidCharlemagne \* > \*\*And does he have to speak so fricking loud? \*\* You should watch MSNBC’s **Hardball with Chris Matthews.** That guy’s a mental patient. ---
**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/9 "2001-10-22T02:06:03Z")
\*\*WRONG!! John McLaughlin is a visionary pundit, and virile too. O’Reiley’s a hack! Pure and simple! BUUHH-BYE!!\*\* I think it’s a tie between O’Reilly and McLaughlin. I think there’s some type of special pundit school you can go to to learn to be that grating. It can’t occur natually. ---
**Author:** ![upperdeckfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/65b543/32.png) [@upperdeckfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/upperdeckfan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/10 "2001-10-22T02:16:07Z")
My witty retort ala John McLaughlin (ahem): “I can’t stand this guy. He attempts to be a “cut to the chase” kinda guy but spends more time interrupting people who are actually answering his…” JM: “WRONG!..” “I agree! Why, the b@stard is even more pompous than…” JM: “WRONG!..” “Not nearly as annoying as Bill O’Reilly who has never been known to let someone he disagrees with finish…” JM: “WRONG!..” “I find O’Reilly more sleazy than just…” JM:“WRONG!..” “Does anyone recall Dana Carvey’s dead-on impression of JMcL on Saturday Night Live a few…” JM: “WRONG!..” “Bill O’Reilly wins this contest. Even when he takes positions that …” JM: “WRONG!..” “Obnoxious, but apparently effective. I slowly evolved into someone who now likes the show, although it reminds me of a dysfunctional family at the dinner table.” JM: “RIGHT!!!..” ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/11 "2001-10-22T06:38:11Z")
Question #2: The bald chick! What’s with her head? ---
**Author:** ![goonhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ebca7d/32.png) [@goonhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goonhead)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/12 "2001-10-22T06:48:02Z")
It’s interesting to note that John McLaughlin himself, a former jesuit priest, actually ran for major office once. He won the republican nomination to run against Senator John Pastore (D-R.I.) in 1970, and ended up losing by about a 2-1 margin. Partisan politics aside, McLaughlin can be annoying but at least tends to interrupt left and right leaning panelists fairly equally. I do enjoy his show, though I don’t take it that seriously (as one NPR critic put it, these panelists couldn’t possibly be knowledgable about everything they’re being asked, so it’s mostly a chat show where people are free to spout opinions.) ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/13 "2001-10-23T14:56:55Z")
Not a big watcher of these shows. Who is Bill O’Reilly? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mclaughlin-is-the-single-most-annoying-presence-on-tv-today/88743/14 "2001-10-26T07:33:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KidCharlemagne \* > \*\*Not a big watcher of these shows. Who is Bill O’Reilly? \*\* He has his own show (segment?) on the Fox News channel, called “The O’Reilly Factor”. Muckraking and exposes. He recently condemned the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald for (allegedly) not compensating CF’s late employees’ grieving families. As seen [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=91255). Do a Google search for “O’Reilly Factor” if that thread doesn’t have a link.