The Remote Island

We’re going to ignore that she is also obsessed with ass, because (a) who isn’t? And (b) watching the divine Ms. Goldberg repeatedly use the phrase “up your butt” while Bill O’Reilly tries to nod sagely is highly amusing.

Whoopi appeared on FOX’s The O’Reilly Factor over the last two nights, and is perhaps the only person we’ve seen you actually made Bill listen when she said: “Do me a favor here: Don’t. Bullshit. Me.” She then smoothly pointed out his sexist treatment of veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas, while knowing when to smile, nod, and let Bill choke on his own bloated ego...Oh, did we mention that Bill is, apparently, the only person in America who truly "understand[s] the Barack Obama phenomenon"?

Two nights ago she told Bill not to bullshit her (minute 3:10), and got him to say, “I stand corrected” when he implied The View is liberal and hated on John McCain when he was a guest, but bowed down to Michelle Obama. Whoopi pointed out that Michelle – and Cindy McCain – appeared as guest co-hosts, and of course The View crew treats co-hosts differently than an interview guest.

Bill then tried to compare the media’s treatment of Obama to the treatment of Sarah Palin. Whoopi stopped him and said, let’s take a look at the media’s treatment of the female candidates. O’Reilly insisted that the media treated all the women the same, and when Whoopi hinted that he had not done so, he sputtered indignantly – which led to our favorite line of both nights, as Whoopi said:
“What, suddenly you don’t speak English? You know who I’m talking about...You were very respectful towards [Hillary] Clinton the whole time?”

Bill replied, “Hillary Clinton? Yes I was. And she had an interview with me, that I think everybody says was the best interview she ever had.”

And then we puked in our mouths, just a little bit.

Last night’s second half of the interview is getting a ton of press today, because Whoopi called Bill out (technically, he invites her to call him out; smart talking head!) on his sexist mocking of veteran White House journalist Helen Thomas (he called her the “Wicked Witch of the East” and pretended to cackle in imitation). Whoopi lets Bill get away with some scandalous statements, but turns out she’s just biding her time to make her point. She then uses great psychology, telling him that his comments were mean, but in such a way that he couldn’t rebuke her:  “I thought you were a little out-of-character mean.”

We also learn that Bill is confused about journalism (“I think the media is corrupt, and it’s a threat to all of us.” -- as if he’s not part of the system). And more than a little confused about, well, his place in culture, history…and the universe?
He says, “I understand the Barack Obama phenomenon almost better than anyone else in this country, because I look at it from outside…” And then tells Whoopi they both “came from the bottom rung.” He also dismisses anyone’s excitement over Barack being president as simply “emotional.”

Whoopi comes off as level-headed, intelligent, and able to beat him at his own game in these two clips. In other words, we could watch them and not want to rip our hair out.
Watching O’Reilly’s original comments, however, were insulting to all humanity, but probably great for his ratings. Good for you, and your soul, Bill. When he mocks 88-year-old Helen Thomas, who’s “covered every presidential administration since JFK’s,” he reminded us of former GOP Rep. Dick Army, who appeared on MSNBC’s Hardball on January 28, with Salon’s Joan Walsh. When Dick couldn’t keep up with Joan’s arguments, he kept throwing up his hands and saying, “Give it a rest!”

Joan countered with, “Please stop saying ‘give it a rest.’ Do you have anything else to say?”

His retort? “I am so damn glad that you could never be my wife, because I surely wouldn’t have to listen to that prattle from you.”

Joan was classier than we could have been, in the situation. She paused momentarily, then said: “Boy, that makes two of us, sir. That was really an outstanding comment.” We couldn’t agree more. Read Joan’s thoughts, here.

Whoopi's Interview, Part 1:

Whoopi's Interview, Part 2:

O'Reilly's Original Comments on Helen Thomas:

Helen Thomas' Question for Barack Obama:

Joan Walsh and Dick Army on Hardball: