Loading...The O'Reilly Factor : The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ridiculous in American Life
# Hardcover: 224 pages
# Publisher: Broadway; 1st edition (September 12, 2000)
The host of the famed show on fox that bears the same name as the title of his book offers his unabashed views in his book, the O’Reilly factor. The book can best be described as part political and social commentary, part biography and part self-help.
Bill refuses to label himself a liberal or conservative. (He does lean a little to the right though.) He believes that all people in America are born into a class system that most of them stay in all their lives. This class system, he claims has nothing to do with race or gender. It has more to do with mindset.
Born in a working class, low-income family, Bill gathered two Masters degrees, one from Boston University and one from Harvard. His advice on leading a good life is almost parental. He talks about the necessity on conservative spending and how kids must be groomed at an early age to resist the temptation of commercials on TV and Madison Avenue. College education he believes is a must for all youngsters. He also talks about the dangers of promiscuity and casual sex.
He talks of the dangers of drugs and alcohol and proposes a ‘forced ‘rehabilitation for anyone with a drug problem. This theory is mostly based on the success of a similar scheme employed at a prison in Alabama. The politicians and business people are too far away to know first hand how large an epidemic drugs are, in low-income areas.
He offers parenting advice too. If your children do not fear you, he claims, you are not being an effective parent. However spanking must only be used as a last option.
His advice at times becomes even evangelical. He quotes the Bible in saying that it is not worth winning the world but loosing his soul. There was a point when I felt like yelling out, “Give it a rest, Bill!”
Some of his theories on work were interesting. He says that the rich want us to believe that one could get rich by just working harder. According to O’Reilly, this is a ploy meant to keep us quiet.
O’Reilly talks about his college days and his growing years when he noticed signs of racism neighborhood and his family. He speaks candidly against racism and what he considers reverse racism where sometimes favoritism is given to Blacks.
The part I enjoyed reading was when he lists his opinions on what he dislikes and likes about USA. I found myself arguing with him as I read this part.
Top among his pet peeves, Bill Clinton. O’Reilly claims that Clinton will go down in history as one of the most corrupt Presidents ever. The only worthwhile thing he did was to pass the family leave act. Actually, Mr. Reilly, there are those like me who look at the Clintonian years as the good old days. Clinton, he claims has paved the way for Hollywood celebrities, actors, profession al wrestlers and others to hold the most powerful job in the world.
A close second is Janet Reno, former Attorney General, for suppressing an investigation on campaign funds and for making a mess of Waco. At least, the man did not take a cheap shot at her.
Also among the bad is Michael Jackson. Was this a case of premonition of things to come? Not if you consider that he listed Janet Jackson among the best things in America. You did not see the Superbowl ‘Boobgate’ coming, did you? What say you, Bill?
He also has a problem with weather reports that last more than three minutes. Does the man really live in New England? Personally, I need weather reports all the time.
Among his other peeves are Chinese food, Sushi, Warren Beatty and Howard Stern. He cannot tolerate ‘racists’ like David Duke and Al Sharpton either. I thought Bulworth was great. Ebert liked it too.
We did agree on a few things. He listed Clint Eastwood and Mike Myers among the best. My overall opinion of the book: Authoritarian, even condescending to begin with and enjoyable at the end, bold but sincere throughout. Go ahead and read it. You may learn something.
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