As reported by NewsBusters, Bill O’Reilly and Stephen Colbert squared off Thursday evening in well-publicized meetings on each other’s popular programs. According to the Los Angeles Times, this was a ratings bonanza for both:
Colbert helped O'Reilly draw more than 2.9 million viewers, a boost of 46% over last quarter and a hike of 67% among 25- to 54-year-old viewers.
With O'Reilly on his show, Colbert garnered 1.64 million viewers, up 50% over last quarter, and his biggest audience ever.
Nice numbers. The article also addressed how cordial the meeting between the two stars was, and included an interesting video of the event created by the Associated Press:
The event — billed by Colbert as "the greatest TV crossover since the Flintstones met the Jetsons" — promised to be a promotional bonanza for both men.
ID or not, Colbert was ushered right in.
"Do we have a drum roll?" the Fox News host quipped as his imitator entered the studio.
The two men, both in dark pinstripe suits, shook hands firmly.
"You're going to be in character here; I'm not going to be able to get one straight answer outta ya, am I?" O'Reilly asked.
"Bill, I promise you, I'm going to mean everything I say," Colbert responded obsequiously.
O'Reilly chuckled. "I know what we're in for here."
"I wish I knew what we were in for," Colbert — out of character for a moment — responded with a laugh.
They commiserated about the challenges of putting together a daily show.
"It's tough being us," O'Reilly said.
The article also addressed O’Reilly’s reasons for doing this:
"There are a lot of people in the country who hate me and hate Fox News," he said matter-of-factly. "They don't watch us and they buy the propaganda. In the sense I could reach an audience that may have not seen us, that is certainly worth it."
Dave Tabacoff, executive producer of "The O'Reilly Factor," said the cable news host's willingness to take part in Colbert's parody helped humanize him.
"I just think it shows, for people not familiar with the show, that Bill has a sense of humor, that he can make fun of himself," Tabacoff said. "There was a perception of stridency of him that was refuted."
For his part, O'Reilly said he is indifferent to his public image: "People think I'm humorless, that's fine. I don't care."
Nevertheless, he got largely positive reviews from such unlikely sources as the Huffington Post for his good-natured handling of Colbert's quips, including the comedian's display of his book "Culture Warrior," plastered with a big sticker reading "30% off" that obscured most of O'Reilly's face.
"I'm a professional; I know what he does," said the Fox News host, who said he watches the Comedy Central show. "He and his writers try to get people on there and get them off their game, whatever that may be, and see how they react. They're essentially wiseguys. So when you know that, you go in and see what they're going to do, then you counterpunch. But if you think you're going to beat him and make him look foolish, that's impossible.
"He's a very talented guy," O'Reilly added. "As long as it's not mean-spirited, it's fine."
In the end, it's seems quite likely that these meetings will benefit both of these interesting and oftentimes controversial characters.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.















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meanwhile Olbermann plays with himself
January 20, 2007 - 14:50 ET by Jack Bauer... and meanwhile, locked in his basement for the weekend, a seething Keith Olbermann continues to stick knitting needles in his lifesized Bill O'Reilly voodoo doll*.
While muttering to himself and his 'guests' (an inflatable Pam Anderson plus all three original Charlies Angels anatomically correct plastic pleasure dolls) ...
"Die Bill, die..."
* copyright The Rosie O'Donnell Hate Toy Company, Inc.
Proud member of the all-powerful and vast militarist/industrialist/capitalist/zionist-bagelist complex
JB
January 20, 2007 - 15:02 ET by Noel SheppardJack,
Well, you humorously raise an interesting question: Does this meeting demonstrate how wrong folks like Olbermann are about O'Reilly? If BOR was the right-wing zealot depicted by KO and the Netroots, would he have ever agreed to this stunt?
I think the fact that BOR does these kinds of interviews, and continues to go on with Letterman despite the reception he knows he's going to get, demonstrates his level of integrity and character as compared to his detractors. We know how few liberals are willing to go on Fox News for fear of actually being asked questions they'd rather not answer. Yet, BOR will face his foes whenever and whereever.
I know a lot of people didn't find these interviews funny. However, I came away Thursday evening with more respect for both of these personalities, for it took a lot of guts to do this. In my mind, they both have grown in stature by comparison to pretenders like Olbermann and Franken. ns
Hey Noel -- I'm sure you're
January 20, 2007 - 15:15 ET by Jack BauerHey Noel -- I'm sure you're the same as me and don't agree with BOR's opinion on all issues.
(For instance, I thought his lack of challenge to Johnny Sutton, the prosecutor of the two Border agents, was poor.)
But Bill has total class, and he has many guests on every each show who flat out hold contrary views to him. What's more, he gives them more than enough rope to get their views across.
From what I can gather Olbermann surrounds himself with sychophants and toadies who agree with HIM.
He's like one of these quasi-Marxist, pseudo-academians who were the firebrand revolutionary students of the 60s -- and now they are the faculty establishment.
Woe betide anyone who deosn't share their inane politics.
Proud member of the all-powerful and vast militarist/industrialist/capitalist/zionist-bagelist complex
JB
January 20, 2007 - 15:26 ET by Noel SheppardJack,
I've never met anybody that I agree with 100 percent of the time, and have no respect for folks who say they have. :-) Furthermore, as it pertains to BOR, I often disagree with his views.
However, unlike virtually anybody on television, BOR seems to go out of his way to have guests on his program with contrary views to his own. Frankly, I think that's what he enjoys most, and what largely separates him from the pretenders.
By contrast, KO almost exclusively has libs on. Why is that? Well, the simple answer is that KO clearly doesn't want to be challenged, for he'd be exposed as the charlatan he really is. ns
off limits
January 20, 2007 - 15:01 ET by john ryanBefore O'Reilly agreed to appear on Colbert's show Colbert had to agree not to bring up what O'Reilly had just said on his show about hte kidnapped boy enjoying his time abducted from his family. O'Reilly said he got to play video games all day and not have to go to school.
John
January 20, 2007 - 15:07 ET by Noel SheppardJohn,
This is nonsense and without merit. The meeting between O'Reilly and Colbert was announced on January 9: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=2781677. O'Reilly's statements about the kidnapped boy were made on January 15: http://mediamatters.org/items/200701170009.
Care to retract and/or amend your falsehood? ns
Besides, the thing that sto
January 20, 2007 - 15:26 ET by sarcasmoBesides, the thing that stood out for not-being mentioned was the vibrator-factor & sexual-harrassment-lawsuit stuff. (Colbert clearly wasn't in Bush-speech mode, I guess!)
JMR
True. You just know that some
January 20, 2007 - 18:21 ET by balboaTrue. You just know that someone wanted to put a loofah or falafel in the background somewhere.
jr,You really need to come up
January 20, 2007 - 15:09 ET by Dave Rjr,
You really need to come up with something new. This whole thing about what Bill did or didn't say about that unfortunate kid is getting really, really old.
BTW-I have heard other commentators and even some "reporters" say exactly the same thing. What is the big deal?
Dave R.
January 21, 2007 - 05:57 ET by SportPoliticsDave R., they play videogames all day and are really, really offended.
On lying
January 20, 2007 - 15:18 ET by UnsaneI have no problems with those who criticize populist Rightists like O'Reilly. He is not one of my favorite people either. But must you destroy your own credibility by lying about him?
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
From what I can gather, Bil
January 20, 2007 - 15:26 ET by Jack BauerFrom what I can gather, Bill O'Reilly's done more to highlight the plight of abused kids than all his competitors rolled into one neat fur ball. And to actually get off his backside to do something practical to help.
Sorry you don't see that. But you obviously get your talking points from the Joy of Sux and the rest of The Spew crew.
Proud member of the all-powerful and vast militarist/industrialist/capitalist/zionist-bagelist complex
"O'Reilly said he got
January 20, 2007 - 20:41 ET by ckc1227"O'Reilly said he got to play video games all day and not have to go to school."
Since the boy said the same thing to the Oprah, it seems O'reilly was right. And as for BOR daring to hypothesize that "maybe" the boy was happy where he was, I'm not sure what the big deal is. Kids run away from home everyday in this country, and many of those homes are actually stable, loving environments, so it's not like BOR was reaching.
And when people like rosie o. and her fellow moonbat joy b. have to make up things in their criticisms of people like they did in this instance, that just tells me even more that Bill raised a legitimate point. But that's typical of many libs. They don't really "think" about issues, they just "feel" about them.
Bill was probably wrong about the kid, but he wasn't wrong to ask the question. What was wrong was taking the kid on the Oprah show 4 days after his rescue.
Liberalism is the philosophy of the stupid.
This has been brilliant for r
January 20, 2007 - 15:30 ET by bigtimerThis has been brilliant for ratings for both venues!
MSNBC ought to try and learn something from this instead of steady criticism about BOR, Fox, 24, American Idol...nonstop, they look foolish and very very little...oooops wait a minute, they are...little men/women with little minds....therefore little ratings....
"If we ever forget that we are a Nation Under God....then we will be a Nation Gone Under." Ronald Reagan
BT
January 20, 2007 - 15:37 ET by Noel SheppardBT,
Exactly. I mean, just imagine how embarrassing it's got to be for Dan Abrams and all the MSNBC top brass to see every one of their shows being beaten by "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report." If that's not enough evidence of incompetence to prove to these folks that they're worse than an also-ran, what is?
Yet, the MSM continue to praise Olbermann despite all the statistical evidence to the contrary. Of course, that shouldn't surprise us, as these same people think the economy is doing poorly, and view the junk science of global warmingism to be incontrovertible. :-) ns
Could not agree more Noel,I w
January 20, 2007 - 15:54 ET by bigtimerCould not agree more Noel,
I would call a halt to all of this..but then again I guess trying to improve your ratings, your money shares et al are something msnbc refuses to do...it is beyond believe to me Noel, anybody who has ever had to run a business, big or small, knows that everyone of the decisions this Co. has made are below poor, they are in the ground, the hole, Jerry Nackman was as close to maybe digging this network out of the hole with some common sense IMHO and he is gone...man you would think they would learn something...it is almost incomprehensible to me why every one hasn't been fired and some real people called grown-ups with some business brains come in and take over...you would think it is sink or swim time soon, someone somewhere has to be floating the money, it is beyond me....since it is obvious they do not care about ratings...
Oh well.
Guess the agenda works for them, they look pitiful though...all of them anymore.
"If we ever forget that we are a Nation Under God....then we will be a Nation Gone Under." Ronald Reagan
Colbert helped O'Reilly draw
January 20, 2007 - 15:33 ET by NewsbusterbrownColbert helped O'Reilly draw more than 2.9 million viewers, a boost of 46% over last quarter and a hike of 67% among 25- to 54-year-old viewers.
So does that mean that Colbert is Keithie-boy's next "Worst Person?"
Nbb...LOL!Not gonna happen th
January 20, 2007 - 15:56 ET by bigtimerNbb...
LOL!
Not gonna happen though!
Ubermann just hates FOX and anything related.
"If we ever forget that we are a Nation Under God....then we will be a Nation Gone Under." Ronald Reagan
LOL!Not gonna happen though!U
January 20, 2007 - 15:58 ET by NewsbusterbrownLOL!
Not gonna happen though!
Ubermann just hates FOX and anything related.
:-)
I'm with you, BT, bot KO must be secretly cursing Colbert.
Nbb...That's Colbair...he isn
January 20, 2007 - 16:33 ET by bigtimerNbb...That's Colbair...he isn't just plain Colbert...
I about died laughing at that exchange between BOR and him, no wonder the left won't attack anyone with a french sounding name, even if critters like Ubermann are seethin' inside, which I'm sure he is, green with envy....LOL!
"If we ever forget that we are a Nation Under God....then we will be a Nation Gone Under." Ronald Reagan
Didn't Krazy Keith do a segme
January 20, 2007 - 19:01 ET by nicksmith112Didn't Krazy Keith do a segment on the "lameness" of the BOR/ Colbert meeting?!?
Lameness right to a HUGE rating!!!!!!
What a load Olberloon is. King Bill continues to squash lardass Keith.