The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ridiculous in American Life [Hardcover]

Bill O'Reilly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 12, 2000

A hard-hitting and no-holds-barred broadside from the anchorman of the Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor--what's good about America (plenty), what's bad(plenty still), and what's completely ridiculous (most everything else).

Every night on the Fox News Channel, Bill O'Reilly tells it like it is. The O'Reilly Factor is the fastest-growing cable news program--and that's because O'Reilly leaves no stone unturned in his quest to reveal the truth about the state of America. It doesn't matter if you're a Hollywood movie star, or a Washington insider, or Joe Blow from Massapequa--when you come up against O'Reilly, you better get your story straight.

Here, for the first time on paper, is O'Reilly's take on our country, our politicians, our celebrities, our class system, our love lives, our money. In fact, O'Reilly's got an opinion on just about everything, and he's holding nothing back:

O'Reilly on class: "A mind is a terrible thing to waste if you're held back by race, or gender. It is just as great a waste when you're held back by class. Right, Reverend Jackson?"

O'Reilly on Martha Stewart: "While she masquerades as a paragon of good taste, she has turned herself into a snooty, condescending mogul
. . . She's a first-rate con artist."

O'Reilly on money: "The true heroes of America are not the new Internet billionaires or the overpaid sports stars. The true heroes are the men, women, and teenagers who go to work for a modest wage, fulfill their responsibilities, and are kind and generous to others."

O'Reilly on Al Sharpton and David Duke: "These two are the most ridiculous racial demagogues in the entire U.S.A. If God has a sense of humor, they will be sharing a sauna in the netherworld. With one thermostat."

O'Reilly on sex: "It's time that we all lighten up about sex and keep our sexual activities where they belong: in the privacy of the bedroom or the hot tub, or in the case of Pamela Anderson, on the Internet."

Mixing fascinating stories from his life both on- and off-screen with his explosive views on what's up with America, and how we can fix it, The O'Reilly Factor will ruffle your feathers, make you laugh, and make you think.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The O'Reilly Factor isn't just the name of Bill O'Reilly's popular talk show on the Fox News Channel anymore--it's also the title of his book, which, appropriately enough, actually reads like a TV show. The narrative rarely proceeds for more than a few paragraphs before a bold-faced "This Just In" or "Bulletin" pops up on the page and breaks the stream of thought--sort of like a commercial interruption. This provides an ideal forum for O'Reilly to sound off on any number of topics with lots of verve but not too much depth. There are breezy chapters here on money, media, religion, race, and sex, among others. O'Reilly dislikes many things, and he isn't shy about sharing his opinions: "SUVs should be immediately outlawed," he rants. Here's O'Reilly on President Clinton: "What a ridiculous waste!" Attorney General Janet Reno is a "ridiculous, incompetent woman" and President Clinton's "primary 'enabler.'"

This is not a subtle book, and its bombastic approach would be even more grating if it weren't for several flashes of self-deprecation, such as when the author shares a negative piece of viewer mail, or when he writes, "In case you haven't noticed, I'm a cocky bastard." Sometimes O'Reilly's put-downs are creative and funny: "If God has a sense of humor, as I believe he does, [Al Sharpton and David Duke] will be sharing a sauna in the netherworld. With one thermostat." And he's good at illustrating his points with outrageous details. In criticizing the bloated federal budget, for instance, he points to these shockers: $230,000 for a study of housefly sex habits, $27,000 for an analysis of why prisoners want to escape, and $100,000 to find out why Americans don't like beets. (To which he replies: "Houseflies mate when no one is looking. Prisoners don't like prison. Beets don't taste good.") O'Reilly is often considered something of a conservative, but he can also play the blue-collar populist: "The rich want us to believe that anyone can make the quantum leap from bowling league to country club by just working a little harder. That's supposed to keep us motivated and quiet." Fans of his TV show will probably appreciate this cantankerous book. --John J. Miller

From Publishers Weekly

A 20-year veteran of the television news industry, two-time Emmy winner Bill O'Reilly is at the peak of his popularity. Named after his nightly television show on Fox News, O'Reilly's new bookDand his narrationDcarry the same flavor as the cable show. His highly opinionated, blunt and unapologetic style has earned him many fans who delight in his no-holds-barred treatment of timely issues. O'Reilly pulls no punches when describing what he thinks is wrong, and even occasionally right, with the U.S., Americans and the rest of the world. He is very entertaining and can charmDwith his wit and self-deprecating anecdotesDeven those who do not share his outspoken opinions. Coming from the horse's mouth, the reading is superb, energetic and engaging. O'Reilly's book is likely to be the only audio listeners will hear that asks for their feedback and thanks them for their time. Simultaneous release with the Broadway hardcover. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; 1 edition (September 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767905288
• ISBN-13: 978-0767905282
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 0.8 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (388 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #550,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For more than 13 years Bill O'Reilly has presided over The O'Reilly Factor on the FOX News Channel, the highest rated cable news program frequently topping news shows offered by broadcast networks. Often referred to as the most talked about, most controversial TV journalist today, he is a three-time Emmy Award winner as well as the recipient of a Governor's Award from the Boston/New England chapter of the prestigious National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Before becoming executive producer and anchor of The Factor, as his fans sometimes call it, he served as national correspondent for ABC News and as anchor of the nationally syndicated news magazine program Inside Edition. He is the author of numerous mega-bestsellers, the most recent of which was Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity, a deeply personal and revealing memoir that has sold more than 1 million copies and comfortably rested high up on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 52 weeks, as well as four previous non-fiction works, all of which went to #1 on that same list. In addition, The O'Reilly Factor for Kids outsold all other children's non-fiction titles in 2005. All in all, more than 5 million copies of Bill's books are in circulation. He holds master's degrees from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and Boston University. Asked about his proudest professional achievement Bill has said, "The millions of dollars we are able to give to charity."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great entertainment as well as advice for life, November 14, 2000

By 

Emily (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ridiculous in American Life (Hardcover)

This book is quite insightful. O'Reilly offers a lot of his own advice for living a good, honest life. This book has a lot to offer people of differing political bases.

If you have ever watched The O'Reilly Factor you probably know how Bill O'Reilly thinks, and you will read a lot of those same opinions in this book. However, I think the highlights of this book are all of O'Reilly's short anecdotes, stories, and life experiences scattered throughout the entire book. They are about growing up, politics, the media, and tons of the silly and stupid things people have done. These stories and personal experiences are entertaining by themselves, and they are the main reasons why I recommend this book.

124 of 150 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A common sense guide to life in America, September 12, 2000

By 

Travis Swicegood "A Practicing Quasi-Intellec... (Travis Swicegood) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ridiculous in American Life (Hardcover)

After spending the weekend in the recliner with this book, all I can say is wow. Bill O'Reilly, in his usual take no prisioners style, lays out his guide to taking on America... and winning. He leaves 'no stone unturned.' From topics of taboo such as class, sex, and politics, through jobs, celebrities, and success, he covers all the bases. In his final chapter, Bill O'Reilly shows, as his loyal viewers already know, that he truly is a class act.

This book should be required reading for every high school senior in America.

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some just don't get it, October 9, 2000

By 

Brian M. Ayres (Valrico, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ridiculous in American Life (Hardcover)

Bill O'Reilly should not be compared to beat journalists in your daily newspaper or news readers on your local TV news. It perplexes me that some have ripped him for not being "objective" in his well-written and thoughtful book. He is a news analyst, and only a journalist in as much as he gathers the pertinent facts before hand. His show is based on a philosophy of vetting out the so-called objective journalism based mainly on talking points. Bill goes out of his way to explain the premise of his show regularly.

For someone who graduated from one of the best public school journalism programs in the country, I believe O'Reilly meets the objectivity quotient by not taking sides and being tough on everyone. As he states in the book, he is a watchdog, not a lapdog.

This book is not Journalism 101, anyway. It's Life 101, a text many Amercians should read.