|
|
| All content taken from The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel. Each weeknight by 6 PM EST a preview of that evening's show will be posted and then updated with additional information the following weekday by noon EST.
|
|
|
Guests: Fox News legal analyst Lis Wiehl & investigative journalist Pat LaLama
The Factor began Tuesday's program with the news that Larry Birkhead has been determined to be the biological father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter. FNC's Lis Wiehl explained that Birkhead now stands to control some of the millions that may come from the estate of Smith's late husband J. Howard Marshall. "The baby is the only legitimate heir to Anna Nicole Smith. And if Birkhead is the executor, he can say he wants 3 to 5 percent of that a year." Investigative journalist Pat LaLama added that Howard K. Stern is still in the picture. "I really doubt that Stern is ready to let go of the purse strings. There's a lot of monetary interest on his part, and just because Birkhead is the father doesn't mean there won't be a custody fight." |
|
|
| "Some viewers are wondering what the fuss is all about regarding Don Imus and Rosie O'Donnell. The reason Imus is in so much trouble is that he called some black college girls prostitutes and mocked their appearance. The difficulty comes when evaluating what to do about media people who make these kinds of mistakes. General Electric, the parent company of NBC, and CBS-Viacom both employ Imus and have suspended him for two weeks. GE in particular has some thinking to do. Imus is seen on MSNBC, and the hate rhetoric from that outlet has increased dramatically over the years. Across midtown Manhattan, Disney/ABC also has problems in the speech area. Rosie O'Donnell returned to 'The View' Tuesday and did not directly address her comments about 9/11 being an inside job, or the USA and Britain orchestrating the Iran hostage situation in order to start another war. Broadcasters and the companies that hire them have a responsibility not to spout crackpot theories and not to injure college girls. In the end, the marketplace will sort out Imus, Rosie and NBC News. But on the way to resolution, the damage has been done." |
|
|
Guests: Fox News analysts Jane Hall & Bernard Goldberg
The Factor welcomed FNC media analysts Jane Hall and Bernard Goldberg, who weighed in on the Imus controversy. "Let's stipulate," Goldberg began, "that Don Imus said something stupid, which he did. I've met Don Imus and, in my opinion, he's a mean-spirited guy. Having said that, the idea that the moral crusade to get him fired is being led by Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, two world class race hustlers, is beyond preposterous. All they know how to do is go after a guy for making a stupid comment, it makes them feel as if they are still relevant." Hall shifted the discussion back to Imus and his injurious words. "The point is that this is a pattern. Don Imus and his executive producer have said many racist, sexist, and homophobic things. The allegedly liberal mainstream media and politicians have gone on that show because it reaches a wide audience. People in the media have not disassociated themselves until he got caught."
Hall and Goldberg returned for a second segment, during which they focused on Rosie O'Donnell. Returning to "The View" after a week off, O'Donnell tried to spin her own controversy into an issue of sexism, saying this: "It's disturbing to some men ... it's a scary thing, women having a platform like this show." Hall suggested that O'Donnell's effort to win female solidarity was a response to The Factor's scrutiny. "That was definitely a sly attempt to make you into Donald Trump. She was saying 'I'm with you women, these guys over there don't think we're serious.'" Goldberg, meanwhile, minced no words when asked about "The View." "I would rather do hard time in a Saudi prison than ever watch that show again. Please don't make me do it, I'm begging you." The Factor wrapped up the discussion by making a serious point. "You've got Disney, General Electric, Viacom, huge conglomerates allowing people to run wild." |
|
|
Guests: Radio talk show host Tony Macrini
As reported previously on The Factor, an illegal alien drunk driver killed two teenage girls in Virginia Beach, a "sanctuary city" where illegals are not reported to the feds. Radio talk show host Tony Macrini reported that his viewers are fed up with the city's policies. "They're very worked up about this and they want something done quickly. The governor has legislation on his desk that would make it easier for law enforcement agencies to work with the federal government. It's horrible that something like this had to happen to get it done." The Factor denounced local officials for a failure of leadership. "The big villain here is Colon Whitehurst, the judge. The illegal immigrant had four convictions, and he let him out on a $250 fine. The judge could have put him in jail, and the mayor is clueless." |
|
|
Guest: Body language expert Tonya Reiman
Tonya Reiman joined The Factor with her take on some of the past week's most impassioned moments. She began by watching tape of Thursday's verbal shootout between Bill and Geraldo Rivera. "You were so angry," Reiman contended. "that you were moving into his space. The thought crossed my mind that you might leap over the table. You lean forward constantly, he doesn't. I saw real anger in your mouth, your eyebrows, and your face. You were squeezing that pen as if you wanted to really do some damage." The Factor rationalized why the two men had different levels of anger. "What Geraldo was arguing was a theoretical thing. He was arguing for a general principal, I was arguing for two dead girls." Reiman also scrutinized Don Imus' apology for his now-infamous racial slur. "When he says he's embarrassed," Reiman pointed out, "he tilts his head and exposes his neck. Whey you do that, you're saying I was completely wrong, I'm giving in, I'm showing you my vulnerable side." |
|
|
Guest: Author Donna Hogan
Finally, Anna Nicole Smith's half-sister Donna Hogan, who has written a book about her family, entered the No Spin Zone and said she was not surprised by Anna Nicole's death. "Everybody thought she was getting pretty bad, and I don't think it shocked anybody. There was depression, constant fighting over the money. Anna Nicole claimed she was physically abused by her mother, but I never saw that." The Factor reiterated that Anna Nicole Smith bears ultimate responsibility for her fate. "When you marry an old man for his money, when you have doctors prescribing you methadone, that's a pretty steep hole to dig for yourself. This is a warning to people that you have to get a handle on things." |
|
|
Many of you wrote about Don Imus and his two-week suspension. Some excerpts:
Linda Tortora, Carmel, IN: "I don't understand why Imus was suspended but Rosie O'Donnell's anti-American remarks are allowed to offend us daily."
Jon Edwards, Tahlequah, OK: "Imus gets suspended but Ludicras gets a Grammy for using the same language."
John Stein, MO: "I have read the comments made by Imus and do not see how they are racist."
Kristy Mitchell, Milltown, WI: "Bill, you've banked your career on the fact that 'hate sells.' So give me a break, Mr. non-fair and balanced." **
** The Factor reported that Ms. Mitchell has been invited to defend her letter and her opinion on Wednesday night's program, and she has accepted. |
|
|