Bill O'Reilly: Calling Al Franken a satirist is a farce

New York Daily News ^ | August 18, 2003 | Bill O'Reilly

[Sir Valentino]

Go, Fox, Go!

Franken is *NOT* a satirist and *NOT* a comedian. This is all about *LIBEL* and *CHARACTER ASSASSINATION*.

Let's stop Franken from spreading his *LIBELOUS LIES*.

[over3Owithabrain]

I think the suit against Franken is ill-advised, chiefly because it will only give his book more attention. Bot BOR makes a good point that Franken's aim is not satire, but political ideology.

[Roscoe]

Calling Al Franken a satirist is satire.

[RDangerfield]

On radio this weekend, a reporter related O'Reilly's most outrageous lie so far. He has been claiming for the past year or two that he has always been a registered independent. A reporter checked the voting rolls and discovered that he registered Republican six years ago. When confronted, Bill claimed it was a mistake at the voters office that he couldn't get cleared up. The reporter went back out again and discovered that Bill had never requested that the registration be changed and in fact had voted three times as a REpublican since then. If he's a Republican, he should be proud, and if he has a brain, he should know that he would be caught if he lied. After claiming a Peabody award several times, and then having to admit that it was a much lesser Polk award, Bill is soon going to have some 'splaining to do, Lucy. His nose is growing. EVen if Franken is a sack of crap, Bill's lies make Franken look correct in this case.
--Raoul

[PianoMan]

A surprisingly eloquent article, I thought, given the source.

[Bluntpoint]

Historically, political ideology has been behind much parody and satire.

O'Reilly is acting like a child here.

[tallhappy]

Franken is a drug addled brain melt.

[.cnI redruM]

Franken and O'Rielly are evil clones. They sue and harass one another to drive up their own ratings. It's not shame, it's publicity. Who would have baught that man's drivel without O'Rielly to flog it for him?

[George Smiley]

Al Franken is to comedy what Michael Moore is to documentary filmmaking.

[CMClay]

Bill O'Reilly:

[Lazamataz]

Let's stop Franken from spreading his *LIBELOUS LIES*.

Well, we cannot quite do that. The First Amendment allows freedom of speech, even if that speech lies (defamation being another matter entirely).

But what we CAN do, is point out his lies and rebut them.

[Scenic Sounds]

Do you really think that just anyone should be able to print the words "fair and balanced" without permission from the Fox network?

[Nonstatist]

the suit against Franken is ill-advised, chiefly because it will only give his book more attention

So what if it does? If he loses the suit, he still loses. And thats the whole idea.

[Bluntpoint]

Ann Coulter refered to that witch Katie Couric as "Eva Braun."

Katie is not Eva.

Should Ann be sued?

No!

O'Reilly is abusing the process to stroke his own fragile ego.

[luckydevi]

Fox is a conservative network, which I have no problem with. It is not conservative as many claim it is, but it does lean right.

I think the lawsuit is a joke. This is clearly fueled by O'Reilly

[Born Conservative]

Franken can't make money by himself; he needs to ride the coattails of others (Rush, BOR) to sell books. The fact that he has to resort to wisecracks whenever he debates shows that he is incapable of any intellectual thought.

[GSWarrior]

Franken is a dork....what difference does it make if he is referred to as a satirist or a comedian? If he were witty and charming with an incisive wit would that make him any more palatable?

[Bluntpoint]

"Fair use" allows such use in parody and satire.

Watch SNL or Mad TV. Do you think they need permission from the very people they are making fun of?

[jjbrouwer]

What's new?

It's funny that the Daily News is being used by O'Reilly to promote the Murdoch media. It's former owner - the old crook, Robert Maxwell - would turn in his grave - if he wasn't so fat.

[Lazamataz]

Do you really think that just anyone should be able to print the words "fair and balanced" without permission from the Fox network?

Depends. Does the party intend to use it as a tag phrase to sell something?

Do you think New Balance sneakers would go very far if they started advertising their product with the phrase "Just Do It."?