February 2001

Mr. Factor, Author
Book Review: The O'Reilly Factor

For over a year, I have been asking my readers to watch Bill O'Reilly's (I like to call him Bill, or Mr. Factor) TV Show on the Fox 'News' Network, the O'Reilly Factor. Mr. Factor is a tenacious interviewer and a stickler for the truth. He has very little patience for spin from his guests and for mischief by those who spend our tax dollars. I love Mr. Factor.

While I never intended to kiss up to any one person in my column, I will do so now to Mr. Bill O'Reilly...kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss.....Bill, I hope you feel as good as you made me feel.

Now, my gentle readers, you might want to know why I adore Mr. Factor so much. Well, I just finished reading his book, The O'Reilly Factor. The book is a Christmas present from my sister-in-law.

I intended to finish the book for the first 2001 edition of Evil Robots, but the Boondocks and Zippy collections, along with my new subscription to The Nation, stole valuable reading time from Bill's book. Reading can be hard when there is too much good stuff to choose from.

Anyway, the book is terrific. He covers many of the same topics covered every day on his show, but in greater detail. He talks about his upbringing and his rise to power. While fans may look at the book as a compendium to the show, I think he means the book to be for all people - something to read when the show is off the air.

In every chapter, he tells the reader about surviving life with dignity, and having a lot of fun on your way. He advises the young on dating, the parents on parenting, and the ambitious on fame. Mr. Factor is more than a celebrity, he is a teacher.

He describes his dating life in the 1970's. I was pleased by his candor. No, he was not graphic, but he told you about his experiences and what he learned from them. Why should we trust his opinions if they have no basis in fact or experience? He admits about his lack of knowledge in many things, but they are few and far between. He does not paint himself as a retired playboy, just another man who dated many women.

But unlike many people on TV these days, Mr. Factor is not hypocrite. Mr. Factor treats every subject equally, and his opinions do not contradict each other. He is thorough, and he is fair. No matter your opinion of Bill, you never find fault in his integrity.

Did I you tell that I love Bill?

Maybe the single greatest aspect of Mr. Factor is that one cannot pigeonhole him politically. His opinions are both right and left of center. He is not a fence sitter. In fact, he would make a great leader for this nation not for what he would do, but for his fierce beliefs. (He is opposed to abortion, but he is also against the death penalty (or, true Pro-Life.) They would have to create a whole new party for him to run for anything.)

Actually, that brings up a great point in the book. In a later chapter he expresses his dislike of the spin terms 'pro-life' and 'pro-choice.' The labels, in his opinion, distract people from the central subject in the debate, abortion. He believes the central subject is brutality, or the brutality of abortion. Both sides of the argument are avoiding the subject be digger their heels in over their self-inflicted monikers. (In the last year, I stopped using those terms as well for the same reason. I am happy to hear that he and I agree on something.)

I recommend this book to everyone I meet. Mr. Factor is a star on TV and a terrific writer. Sure, this will not enter the pantheon of great western lit, it is not ivory tower material. But since this is not an ivory tower web site, Bill O'Reilly sits firmly in our pantheon - whatever that means.

If my opinion means nothing to you, please note that Bill's two favorite bands are the Doors and Earth Wind and Fire. For that alone you should give him a shot. He has good taste.