Posted on 01/05/2006 6:17:53 AM PST by .cnI redruM
David Letterman has ruled late night television in nearly every dorm hall in America. He has his shtick down cold and does what he does exceedingly well. Beneath the goofy exterior lies a mind like a steel trap. Thus, it was far from accidental that Mr. Letterman chose Bill O’ Reilly to ambush over The War in Iraq.
Letterman made no pretense in understanding all the complex issues. He decided he was against continuing the fight and decided further that he would use his show as a bully pulpit to further the cause. In undertaking this task, he showed great skill in selecting an adversary.
Letterman knew that there was far from unanimous agreement that The War in Iraq was a mistake. He also knew that comedy wouldn’t work if half the audience was booing and calling him Benedict Letterman. Dave had to get us all on his side, and that’s where Bill O’ Reilly provided him the perfect straight man.
Bill O’ Reilly has the unique ability to royally infuriate me, even when I agree with him. He has the sensitivity of a pit bull in a vat of raw meat and the manners of a sex-starved cobra. He routinely bullies and harasses his guests. He cuts them off, if they try and get too many words in edgewise.
In brief, Letterman needed to gin up sympathy for himself, even if he was representing a cause that wasn’t universally accepted. Bill O’ Reilly gave David Letterman the perfect anthropomorphic symbol of bellicosity to play Joan Baez against. After five minutes of Bill O’Reilly, America really would want to give peace a chance. That or perhaps blessed silence.
Letterman treated O’Reilly the way O’Reilly treats guests on The O’Reilly Factor. If you ignored the fact that Letterman was telling us to sell out the efforts of our soldiers, it was kind of fun to munch a Dorito or two and watch Big-Headed Bill get roasted via his own medium of bellicosity. Who wouldn’t laugh at Bill O’Reilly drinking coffee from a cup Charming Little Dave stirred with his pencil.
The whole thing was a laugh riot; except for the fact that it wasn’t funny at all. Like Baghdad Bob, we could watch David Letterman’s performance and chuckle at how bad it really was. However, the similarities to Baghdad Bob and the laughter stop right there.
Baghdad Bob was an incompetent buffoon sent on a fool’s errand. He had no clue how to work the media and his comedic timing was an accident of his sheer awfulness at it.
David Letterman never misses a beat. He knew exactly what he was doing and behind the laughs and goofiness laid a very serious hard edge. He selected Bill O’Reilly in hopes of transferring our emotional distaste for O’Reilly onto the position O’Reilly was to serve as a straw man to defend.
David Letterman attempted to use the medium of his comedy show to play a very nasty joke on our soldiers in the field. Because he thinks that’s comedy, he’s permanently off my Top 10 List of Stand-Up Guys.
The only problem is that the audience applauded almost all of what O'Reilly said.
We see this in the Clintons and we see it in Letterman.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1552061/posts
Letterman and O'Reilly (In case you haven't seen it
www.billoreilly.com
Posted on 01/04/2006 7:49:23 PM CST by xmission
O'Reilly was on Letterman last night. Letterman was not too nice. See it for yourself (about 10 minutes worth) at O'Reillys Site Here
I'm glad to hear Dave wasn't getting many chuckles on that one.
As I did not see David Letterman roasting Bill O'Reilly, and our troops, with deceptive Giggles, your remarks seem right on the money in regards to both how O'Reilly and Letterman would react.
Glad I did not see the spectacle.
Letterman ruled when I was in college. But that was 20 years ago. He doesn't rule in college anymore...that distinction belongs to Jon Stewart.
Letterman ruled when I was in college. But that was 20 years ago. He doesn't rule in college anymore...that distinction belongs to Jon Stewart.
Good post
Letterman has jumped the shark
His fake attempts to gain popularity and ratings by bring US military visiting NYC on his show is now exposed
If he tries it again look for some or several to give the "Hillary" hand signals on live TV as one trooper did in Iraq
I'm going after Letterman's sponsors
It was a typical CBS scumbag trick
:-)
Letterman hasn't been good (funny) in 15 years. He is regularly trounced by Leno. Leno's audience are real people, ie, Republicans. Letterman's base are Democrats. He was trying to rally the base. Do you think Letterman would have treated Al Franken that way?
Watch his ratings tumble....*snicker*
One can only hope. He deserves it after that stunt.
All after that was worthless.
Ok..i'm outa the loop. What's the "Hillary" hand signal? I know what hand signal I'd like to give Hillary...
Look for old Dave's rating to drop following this display of Liberal stupidity. Conservative viewers unaware of Dave's political position beforehand will be turned off and tuned out.
10) Get my teeth fixed.
9) Hire some funny writers.
8) Ask Regis Philbin if wants to moonlight as my 2nd banana.
7) Ask my agent if the Tonight Show is available.
6) Fire my publicist for suggesting I go on The Factor.
5) Fire my agent for booking me on The Factor.
4) Find out why they can only find 2 shows to put on my 'Best of Devid Letterman' DVD.
3) Hire an agent who can get some more circus acts.
2) Get Cindy Sheehan on the show.
1) Tell the USO I can't do the Iraq tour because I'm getting my teeth fixed.
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