The O'Reilly Factor
Encyclopedia
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American
talk show
on the Fox News Channel
hosted by commentator
Bill O'Reilly
, who often discusses current controversial political
issues with guests.
The program was the most watched cable news show in the United States
in 2007 and 2008. By September 2009, it had been the #1 U.S. cable news show for 106 consecutive months.
The O'Reilly Factor is usually prerecorded, though it is occasionally aired live if breaking news or special events are being covered. It is usually taped between 5:00 and 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
and airs weekdays at 8:00 PM, 11:00 PM, and 5:00 AM EST. Some guests are interviewed before the "live to tape" period and are slotted in the program as appropriate.
O'Reilly and his producers discuss potential topics twice a week. A producer will research the story and book guests for O'Reilly, and an information packet will be produced with possible angles for O'Reilly to explore. The producers will often "pre-interview" the guest so that they know what potential points he or she might make. For each show, O'Reilly, with the assistance of his staff, will produce a script with the words for the "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads and Patriots" segments, and points of discussion and questions for the guests that will appear on the program. On February 2, 2009 the show launched in high definition and moved to the previous studio used by the Fox Report
.
Radio talk show host Laura Ingraham
is the current regular guest host, though Mike Huckabee
, Juan Williams
, and Monica Crowley
have also filled in.
Occasionally, the following segments appear:
Barry McCaffrey
, then the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (or "Drug Czar"). Over the years, many other well-known political figures and celebrities have appeared regularly on the show.
to come on the show. On April 30, 2008, Clinton agreed to come on the show as part of a pre-taped interview that would be broadcast over two days.
O'Reilly also held an exclusive, four-part interview with then-presidential candidate Barack Obama
.
Both interviews drew significant media attention as they were front runners for the 2008 presidential election.
The 2008 Republican candidate for Vice President, Sarah Palin
, and then Democratic Vice President candidate Joe Biden
were also invited to the show, but chose not to make an appearance.
. The show, hosted by Stephen Colbert
, is a satirical spoof
of pundit shows like The O'Reilly Factor, spoofing its format and the mannerisms and ideology of O'Reilly, whom Colbert calls "Papa Bear." Colbert makes no secret of his spoofing O'Reilly: upon hearing the news that O'Reilly approved of The Colbert Report, he declared on-air that "I like you too. In fact, if it wasn't for you, this show wouldn't exist." On January 18, 2007, Colbert appeared on The O'Reilly Factor and O'Reilly appeared on The Colbert Report.
The O'Reilly Factor has also been spoofed on Saturday Night Live
, first by Jeff Richards
and later on by Darrell Hammond
. On MADtv
it was Michael McDonald
doing the honors. O'Reilly himself has appeared on MADtv. Richards also played O'Reilly in an episode of Mind of Mencia
where O'Reilly is a senator in the year 2016.
The show was also spoofed by the TV series The Boondocks
; first in the episode "The Trial of R. Kelly
" where O'Reilly is shown talking about R. Kelly's
latest legal trouble. Later in "Return of the King", O'Reilly is shown attacking Martin Luther King for saying that America should "love thy enemy" and "turn the other cheek", even in respects to the 9/11 attacks. O'Reilly accuses him of hating America and tells him to "Take another 40 year nap, Commie
bastard."
The Political Machine
features a skit called "The O'Malley Factor" ("A show you appear on while running for president").
In Arrested Development, the failed Bluth company frequently features on The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day segment.
CNNNN, an Australian comedy show which satirized cable news, featured a recurring segment entitled The Firth Factor. These segments typically showed Charles Firth, a member of the Chaser
comedy team, presenting his opinion on topical issues, often through use of over-the-top comparisons (such as dipping a paper heart in a can of black paint and claiming: "This is how black Saddam Hussein
's heart is") and outrageous statements in a parody of O'Reilly and Australian current affairs personalities. The Chaser's War on Everything also featured a segment in its second season where it poked fun at the O'Reilly factor.
In 2008 Talkshow with Spike Feresten
has begun parodying O'Reilly with a series of videos entitled "Lil Bill O'Reilly", using a child as O'Reilly. The original video has become widespread throughout the Internet.
In the 2010 film Iron Man 2
, O'Reilly is shown on The O'Reilly Factor criticizing Tony Stark's decision to promote Pepper Potts
to be the CEO of his company.
In 2011 he also makes a cameo appearance in the film Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
on the Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
hosted by commentator
Pundit (politics)
A pundit is someone who offers to mass media his or her opinion or commentary on a particular subject area on which they are knowledgeable. The term has been increasingly applied to popular media personalities...
Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
, who often discusses current controversial political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
issues with guests.
The program was the most watched cable news show in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 2007 and 2008. By September 2009, it had been the #1 U.S. cable news show for 106 consecutive months.
Format
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
and airs weekdays at 8:00 PM, 11:00 PM, and 5:00 AM EST. Some guests are interviewed before the "live to tape" period and are slotted in the program as appropriate.
O'Reilly and his producers discuss potential topics twice a week. A producer will research the story and book guests for O'Reilly, and an information packet will be produced with possible angles for O'Reilly to explore. The producers will often "pre-interview" the guest so that they know what potential points he or she might make. For each show, O'Reilly, with the assistance of his staff, will produce a script with the words for the "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads and Patriots" segments, and points of discussion and questions for the guests that will appear on the program. On February 2, 2009 the show launched in high definition and moved to the previous studio used by the Fox Report
Fox Report
The Fox Report is a fast-paced American nightly news program on Fox News Channel, hosted weekdays by Shepard Smith and weekends by Harris Faulkner.-About the program:...
.
Radio talk show host Laura Ingraham
Laura Ingraham
Laura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
is the current regular guest host, though Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
, Juan Williams
Juan Williams
Juan Williams is an American journalist and political analyst for Fox News Channel, he was born in Panama on April 10, 1954. He also writes for several newspapers including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal and has been published in magazines such as The Atlantic...
, and Monica Crowley
Monica Crowley
Monica Crowley is an American conservative radio and television commentator, and author based in New York City. She has her own radio show and is a regular commentator on The McLaughlin Group, a Fox News contributor, and Washington Times columnist.-Education:Crowley holds a B.A. in Political...
have also filled in.
Segments
The show is divided into titled segments, appearing in the following general order. Not all segments appear in all programs, and occasionally segments will repeat.- Talking Points Memo: O'Reilly's commentary on a current event or the state of the country.
- Top Story: O'Reilly covers one of the important news stories of the day, with interviews with newsmakers, noted analysts, or Fox News Channel reporters. If there is nothing breaking, the Top Story will often expand on the subject covered in the Talking Points Memo with a guest that either rebuts or concurs with the memo.
- Impact: O'Reilly focuses on issues of crime and the law in this segment. Updates on criminal investigations, trials, and lawsuits are highlighted. Other times, issues relating to government relations and agencies are featured, as are stories about the Iraq War.
- Unresolved Problem: O'Reilly focuses on an issue that he feels is not sufficiently covered by other media.
- Personal Story: O'Reilly invites an author of a best selling book, a newsmaker thrust into the spotlight, someone who has experienced an event currently in the news, or someone who has interviewed a newsmaker.
- Factor Follow-Up: O'Reilly revisits an issue discussed in a previous edition of the Factor.
- Back of the Book: Various topics will be placed in this segment, which is one of the last segments (hence the name). Two examples are "Reality Check" and the "Great American Culture Quiz", in which O'Reilly quizzes two Fox News colleagues (usually Steve DoocySteve DoocyStephen James "Steve" Doocy is an American network-television personality on the Fox News Channel, journalist, and a best selling author.-Early life:...
and Martha MacCallumMartha MacCallumMartha MacCallum is an American news anchor on the Fox News Channel. She joined the network in 2004, and is based in the New York City bureau. She previously hosted The Live Desk with Trace Gallagher at 1:00 p.m. ET. Currently, she co-hosts with Bill Hemmer America's Newsroom at 9:00 a.m...
) on pop culture. - Factor Mail: O'Reilly reads brief snippets of EmailEmailElectronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
sent to him. He frequently puts together letters that have opposite viewpoints on a particular segment. For instance, one letter will say O'Reilly was excessively lenient toward a guest while the next will say he was excessively hard on him. He will also frequently read out a short verse, usually a limerickLimerick (poetry)A limerick is a kind of a witty, humorous, or nonsense poem, especially one in five-line or meter with a strict rhyme scheme , which is sometimes obscene with humorous intent. The form can be found in England as of the early years of the 18th century...
. - Pinheads and Patriots: A segment where O'Reilly praises someone he feels has done good things for the country or the culture, while chastising someone else he feels is committing specific harm or has simply made some sort of embarrassing blunder. In an experimental version of the segment, during early 2011, O'Reilly would roll a clip and the viewers would vote on whether the people in clip were "Patriotic" or "Pinheaded"; the new format was eventually scrapped and O'Reilly returned to declaring his "Pinheads" and "Patriots" unilaterally.
- Word of the Day: When providing the email address for viewers to write, O'Reilly will state that when writing, "don't be (a)" followed by a lesser-known word (thus challenging his viewers to discover the word's meaning).
Occasionally, the following segments appear:
- Barack and a Hard Place: A weekly segment where the best and worst things that U.S. President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
has done during the week are talked about with Alan ColmesAlan ColmesAlan Samuel Colmes is an American radio/television host, liberal political commentator for the Fox News Channel, and blogger. He is the host of The Alan Colmes Show, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show distributed by Fox News Radio that also airs throughout the United States on Fox News Talk...
and Monica CrowleyMonica CrowleyMonica Crowley is an American conservative radio and television commentator, and author based in New York City. She has her own radio show and is a regular commentator on The McLaughlin Group, a Fox News contributor, and Washington Times columnist.-Education:Crowley holds a B.A. in Political...
. - Children at Risk: O'Reilly covers issues relating to the health and well-being of children and adolescents.
- Charles in Charge: A regular segment where O'Reilly seeks commentary from Charles KrauthammerCharles KrauthammerCharles Krauthammer, MD is an American Pulitzer Prize–winning syndicated columnist, political commentator, and physician. His weekly column appears in The Washington Post and is syndicated to more than 275 newspapers and media outlets. He is a contributing editor to the Weekly Standard and The New...
about the week's political events. - Culture War: This segment which O'Reilly debates social issues that divide the country.
- Culture Warriors O'Reilly talks to Margaret HooverMargaret HooverMargaret Claire Hoover is an American political commentator, political strategist, and blogger. She is a great-granddaughter of former President Herbert Hoover...
and Gretchen CarlsonGretchen CarlsonGretchen Elizabeth Carlson is an American television personality who currently co-hosts the Fox News morning show Fox & Friends along with Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade...
about various subjects. - Did You See That?: Video clips are shown and discussed with Dagen McDowellDagen McDowellDagen McDowell is an anchor on the Fox Business Network and a business correspondent for the Fox News Channel. She is also a business contributor on the Imus In The Morning radio show.-Education and career:...
. - Dumbest Things of the Week: Friday segment where the dumbest things of the week are shown and discussed with Arthel NevilleArthel NevilleArthel Neville , is an American journalist and television personality.Arthel is the daughter of Art Neville, founder of the New Orleans music groups The Meters and The Neville Brothers.-Biography:...
and Greg GutfeldGreg GutfeldGreg Gutfeld is an American television personality, political satirist, humorist, magazine editor and blogger. Gutfeld is the host of Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld on the Fox News Channel. He is also one of five co-hosts/panelists on Fox News political talk-show The Five, which debuted on July 11, 2011....
. - Factor Investigation: O'Reilly invites guests who have investigated a person or organization that O'Reilly has criticized.
- Fridays with Geraldo: Geraldo RiveraGeraldo RiveraGeraldo Rivera is an American attorney, journalist, author, reporter, and former talk show host...
, of the Fox News-produced and syndicated Geraldo At LargeGeraldo at LargeGeraldo at Large is a United States television newsmagazine, hosted by Fox News correspondent-at-large and former talk show host Geraldo Rivera.-History:...
, discusses a topic of interest to O'Reilly. Sometimes its own segment; other times rolled into one of the above segments. - Kelly File: A segment where O'Reilly talks to Megyn KellyMegyn KellyMegyn Marie Kelly , formerly known as Megyn Kendall, is an American journalist and news anchor employed by the Fox News Channel. Kelly currently hosts America Live from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM EST live from the network’s New York City headquarters...
. - Great American News Quiz: Trivia questions are answered by Steve DoocySteve DoocyStephen James "Steve" Doocy is an American network-television personality on the Fox News Channel, journalist, and a best selling author.-Early life:...
and Martha MacCallumMartha MacCallumMartha MacCallum is an American news anchor on the Fox News Channel. She joined the network in 2004, and is based in the New York City bureau. She previously hosted The Live Desk with Trace Gallagher at 1:00 p.m. ET. Currently, she co-hosts with Bill Hemmer America's Newsroom at 9:00 a.m...
. - The Ingraham Angle: A segment where O'Reilly talks to Laura IngrahamLaura IngrahamLaura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
. - Is It Legal: Lis WiehlLis WiehlLis Wiehl is an American author and legal analyst for Fox News.She is an adjunct professor of law at New York Law School, and formerly was an associate professor at University of Washington Law School. She formerly offered legal commentary for National Public Radio program and on Bill O'Reilly's...
and Kimberly GuilfoyleKimberly GuilfoyleKimberly Guilfoyle is an American cable news personality and is currently one of the rotating co-hosts on The Five on Fox News Channel at 5 pm EST , as well as the host of an Internet-only crime-related program for Fox News...
talk about legal matters. - Miller Time: A Wednesday segment where O'Reilly talks to Dennis MillerDennis MillerDennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
. - Policing the ...: A segment where O'Reilly reviews several sources for normally outlandish content. The "the" in the name is usually followed up by "net" (Internet), or Media.
- The Most R!d!culous Item of the Day: Replaced by "Pinheads & Patriots," it was a brief segment highlighting an offbeat news item.
- Factor Flashback: Normally aired during episodes in which someone fills in for O'Reilly; a replay of a previously aired segment.
- Weekdays with Bernie: A segment where Bernard GoldbergBernard GoldbergBernard Richard Goldberg , also known as Bernie Goldberg, is an eleven-time Emmy Award-winning American writer, journalist, and political commentator...
discusses topics with O'Reilly (generally this segment will appear on Mondays). - Lou's the Boss: Business and economic issues are discussed with Lou DobbsLou DobbsLouis Carl "Lou" Dobbs is an American journalist, radio host, television host on the Fox Business Network, and author. He anchored CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight until November 2009 when he announced on the air that he would leave the 24-hour cable news television network.He was born in Texas and lived...
- Watters' World: A segment that airs every two weeks on Monday, in which Factor producer Jesse Watters talks to the younger generation about a broad range of issues.
Audience
Early in 2009, the show's ratings increased. In July 2009, Hal Boedeker blogged that The O'Reilly Factor peaked at 3.1 million viewers which was an increase of 37% from the previous year. In September 2009, The O'Reilly Factor was the #1 cable news show for 106 consecutive weeks.Guests
O'Reilly's first guest was GeneralGeneral (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Barry McCaffrey
Barry McCaffrey
Barry Richard McCaffrey is a retired United States Army general, former U.S. Drug Czar, news commentator, and business consultant....
, then the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (or "Drug Czar"). Over the years, many other well-known political figures and celebrities have appeared regularly on the show.
Regular guests
- Tanya Acker, Democratic strategist
- Glenn BeckGlenn BeckGlenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
, host of the Glenn BeckGlenn Beck (TV program)Glenn Beck is a United States cable news show hosted by Glenn Beck that aired weekdays on Fox News Channel. The program, originally on CNN Headline News , premiered on FNC on January 19, 2009 and aired weekdays at 5:00 PM EST...
TV show, author, radio host; appears on Fridays - Lou DobbsLou DobbsLouis Carl "Lou" Dobbs is an American journalist, radio host, television host on the Fox Business Network, and author. He anchored CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight until November 2009 when he announced on the air that he would leave the 24-hour cable news television network.He was born in Texas and lived...
, former CNN anchor/commentator; periodically appears at least once a month - Medea BenjaminMedea BenjaminMedea Benjamin is an American political activist, best known for co-founding Code Pink and, along with her husband, activist and author Kevin Danaher, fair trade advocacy group Global Exchange...
, Code PinkCode PinkCode Pink: Women for Peace is an anti-war group that is mainly composed of women. It has regional offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, D.C., and many more chapters in the U.S. as well as several in other countries...
co-founder - Tammy BruceTammy BruceTammy Bruce is an American radio host, author, and political commentator. Her nationally-syndicated talk show, The Tammy Bruce Show, airs live weekdays from 11am-1pm Pacific time online via ....
, Fox News contributor, author, talk radio host - Amanda CarpenterAmanda CarpenterAmanda B. Carpenter is an American author, political advisor, and speechwriter. She previously worked as a columnist for The Washington Times, and is the author of The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy's Dossier on Hillary Rodham Clinton.-Life and career:...
, national political reporter for Townhall.comTownhall.comTownhall.com is a web-based publication primarily dedicated to conservative United States politics. It was previously operated by the Heritage Foundation, but is now owned and operated by Salem Communications...
; appears on Wednesdays - Neil CavutoNeil CavutoNeil Patrick Cavuto is an American television anchor and commentator on the Fox Business Network and host of three television programs, Your World with Neil Cavuto and Cavuto on Business, both on the Fox News Channel and Cavuto on sister channel Fox Business Network.Cavuto also tapes a nightly...
, Your World with Neil CavutoYour World with Neil CavutoYour World with Neil Cavuto , which debuted as the Cavuto Business Report on the network's launch in 1996, is an American business television program appearing on Fox News Channel.-About the program:...
host, Fox Business NetworkFox Business NetworkFox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
anchor, and frequent business advisory guest - Alan ColmesAlan ColmesAlan Samuel Colmes is an American radio/television host, liberal political commentator for the Fox News Channel, and blogger. He is the host of The Alan Colmes Show, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show distributed by Fox News Radio that also airs throughout the United States on Fox News Talk...
, liberal commentator, syndicated radio talk show host and Fox News Channel political contributor; appears on Wednesdays - Ann CoulterAnn CoulterAnn Hart Coulter is an American lawyer, conservative social and political commentator, author, and syndicated columnist. She frequently appears on television, radio, and as a speaker at public events and private events...
, conservative commentator and syndicated columnist - Monica CrowleyMonica CrowleyMonica Crowley is an American conservative radio and television commentator, and author based in New York City. She has her own radio show and is a regular commentator on The McLaughlin Group, a Fox News contributor, and Washington Times columnist.-Education:Crowley holds a B.A. in Political...
, radio and television political commentator; appears on Wednesdays with Colmes - Jill DobsonJill DobsonJill Susan Dobson is an American journalist and former television entertainment correspondent for the Fox News Channel.Dobson has a bachelor's and a master's degrees in Journalism. She received her summa cum laude bachelor's from Troy University in 1998 and her master's from Michigan State...
, news & style editor for Star Magazine - Steve DoocySteve DoocyStephen James "Steve" Doocy is an American network-television personality on the Fox News Channel, journalist, and a best selling author.-Early life:...
, co-anchor of Fox and Friends; appears Tuesdays on "The Great American News Quiz" - Jane Fleming, executive director of the Young Democrats of AmericaYoung Democrats of AmericaThe Young Democrats of America , founded in 1932, is the official youth arm of the Democratic Party of the United States, although it severed official ties with the Democratic National Committee following passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 and became an independent 527 group...
- Kinky FriedmanKinky FriedmanRichard S. "Kinky" Friedman is an American Texas Country singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist for Texas Monthly who styles himself in the mold of popular American satirists Will Rogers and Mark Twain. He was one of two independent candidates in the 2006 election...
, singer/songwriter, former candidate for governor of Texas - Newt GingrichNewt GingrichNewton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
, former Speaker of the HouseSpeaker of the United States House of RepresentativesThe Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives... - Bernard GoldbergBernard GoldbergBernard Richard Goldberg , also known as Bernie Goldberg, is an eleven-time Emmy Award-winning American writer, journalist, and political commentator...
, former CBS correspondent and media analyst, often appears on Mondays - Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
, liberal commentator, actress and a host of The View - Greg GutfeldGreg GutfeldGreg Gutfeld is an American television personality, political satirist, humorist, magazine editor and blogger. Gutfeld is the host of Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld on the Fox News Channel. He is also one of five co-hosts/panelists on Fox News political talk-show The Five, which debuted on July 11, 2011....
, host of Red Eye w/ Greg GutfeldRed Eye w/ Greg GutfeldRed Eye w/Greg Gutfeld is a late-night/early-morning satirical talk show on the Fox News Channel, airing at 3:00 am ET Tuesday through Saturday. The show features panelists and guests discussing the latest news in politics, pop culture, entertainment, business, sports, and religion... - Jane HallJane Hall (journalist)Jane Hall was one of four regular pundits on the Fox News Channel program Fox News Watch and frequently appeared on The O'Reilly Factor, usually having clashes with the host. She was a Fox News Channel contributor...
, Fox News contributor; appears on Thursdays - Mary Katharine HamMary Katharine HamMary Katharine Ham is a host of The Morning Majority on 630 WMAL in Washington D.C.. She currently writes for The Daily Caller and The Weekly Standard...
, Internet expert & blogger - Marc Lamont HillMarc Lamont HillMarc Lamont Hill is an American academic, commentator, author, activist, and television personality. He currently serves as an Associate Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. Hill is also an affiliated faculty member in African American Studies at the Institute for Research in...
, assistant professor of Urban Education at Temple UniversityTemple UniversityTemple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional... - Margaret HooverMargaret HooverMargaret Claire Hoover is an American political commentator, political strategist, and blogger. She is a great-granddaughter of former President Herbert Hoover...
, Republican consultant (often paired with Powers); appears on Mondays; related to former President Herbert HooverHerbert HooverHerbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business... - Sonny Hostin, legal expert
- Juliet Huddy, Fox News fill-in anchor
- Colonel David Hunt, military adviser
- Laura IngrahamLaura IngrahamLaura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
, talk radio pundit and frequent special guest host; appears on Fridays - John KasichJohn KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
, special guest host, former Congressman, and former host of the former FNC Saturday program Heartland - Megyn KellyMegyn KellyMegyn Marie Kelly , formerly known as Megyn Kendall, is an American journalist and news anchor employed by the Fox News Channel. Kelly currently hosts America Live from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM EST live from the network’s New York City headquarters...
, host of America Live with Megyn KellyAmerica Live with Megyn KellyAmerica Live with Megyn Kelly is a news program currently airing on the Fox News Channel from 1-3 pm Eastern Standard Time. The show began airing on February 1, 2010 and is hosted by Megyn Kelly, former co-host of America's Newsroom.-About the show:...
; appears Tuesdays - Martha MacCallumMartha MacCallumMartha MacCallum is an American news anchor on the Fox News Channel. She joined the network in 2004, and is based in the New York City bureau. She previously hosted The Live Desk with Trace Gallagher at 1:00 p.m. ET. Currently, she co-hosts with Bill Hemmer America's Newsroom at 9:00 a.m...
, co-host of America's NewsroomAmerica's NewsroomAmerica's Newsroom, written on-air as "America's Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Martha MacCallum" is an American news/talk program on Fox News Channel, first airing on February 12, 2007.-Synopsis:...
; appears Tuesdays on "The Great American News Quiz" - Rachel MarsdenRachel MarsdenRachel Marsden is a Canadian conservative political columnist, geopolitical strategist, author and television commentator based in Paris. She writes an internationally syndicated weekly column for Tribune Media Services. She also teaches at Sciences Po University in Paris...
, Canadian contributor - Michelle MalkinMichelle MalkinMichelle Malkin is an American conservative blogger, political commentator, and author. Her weekly syndicated column appears in a number of newspapers and websites. She is a Fox News Channel contributor and has been a guest on MSNBC, C-SPAN, and national radio programs...
, conservative commentator, Fox News contributor and frequent special guest host (is currently boycotting the show due to controversy involving remarks made against her by Geraldo Rivera over her position on illegal immigrationIllegal immigrationIllegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
). - Angela McGlowanAngela McGlowanAngela McGlowan is a political commentator and CEO of Political Strategies & Insights , a government affairs, political strategy, public relations, and advocacy consulting firm based in Oxford, Mississippi, with an office in Washington, D.C...
, Fox News contributor - Dennis MillerDennis MillerDennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
, comedian; appears on Wednesdays - Dick MorrisDick MorrisDick Morris is an American political author and commentator who previously worked as a pollster, political campaign consultant, and general political consultant....
, Fox News political analyst, former advisor to Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation... - Wendy Murphy, child advocate
- Andrew NapolitanoAndrew NapolitanoAndrew Paolo Napolitano is a former New Jersey Superior Court Judge and now a political and legal analyst for Fox News Channel. Napolitano started on the channel in 1998, and currently serves as the network's senior judicial analyst, commenting on legal news and trials...
, Fox News senior judicial analyst - Sarah PalinSarah PalinSarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, vice presidential candidate in 2008, former Governor of Alaska, author, and Fox News contributor - Kirsten PowersKirsten PowersKirsten A. Powers is an American columnist, blogger, pundit, and political commentator. Powers is a Democratic political analyst on Fox News who appears regularly on shows such as The O'Reilly Factor, Fox News Sunday, Special Report with Bret Baier and Freedom Watch...
, Democratic strategist, Fox News contributor; often paired with Hoover in segments; appears on Mondays - Robert ReichRobert ReichRobert Bernard Reich is an American political economist, professor, author, and political commentator. He served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter and was Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997....
, fill-in host, former Secretary of Labor in President Clinton's administration - Tonya ReimanTonya ReimanTonya Reiman is an American political commentator, author, hypnotist and motivational speaker. She is a regular contributor on The O'Reilly Factor, on the Fox News Channel. Reiman has also appeared on CN8, Access Hollywood, EXTRA, and Fast Money...
, certified hypnotist; appears Mondays as a body language expert - Karl RoveKarl RoveKarl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
, former Deputy White House Chief of StaffDeputy White House Chief of StaffThe White House Deputy Chief of Staff is officially the top aide to the White House Chief of Staff, who is the senior aide to the President of the United States. The Deputy Chief of Staff usually has an office in the West Wing and is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the White House...
under George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000.... - Geraldo RiveraGeraldo RiveraGeraldo Rivera is an American attorney, journalist, author, reporter, and former talk show host...
, Fox News reporter-at-large, host of Geraldo at LargeGeraldo at LargeGeraldo at Large is a United States television newsmagazine, hosted by Fox News correspondent-at-large and former talk show host Geraldo Rivera.-History:...
on weekends; appears on Fridays - Laura SchwartzLaura SchwartzLaura Schwartz, the White House Director of Events for the Clinton Administration, is a professional speaker, Author of and well known international television commentator...
, Democratic strategist - Al SharptonAl SharptonAlfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...
, civil rights activist - Trent Stamp, president of Charity NavigatorCharity NavigatorCharity Navigator is an independent, non-profit organization that evaluates American charities. Its stated goal is "to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities."-About:...
- John StosselJohn StosselJohn F. Stossel is an American consumer reporter, investigative journalist, author and libertarian columnist. In October 2009 Stossel left his long time home on ABC News to join the Fox Business Channel and Fox News Channel, both owned and operated by News Corp...
, Fox Business NetworkFox Business NetworkFox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
anchor, former co-anchor of ABC's 20/20 - Greta Van SusterenGreta Van SusterenGreta Van Susteren is an American commentator and television personality on the Fox News Channel, where she hosts On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren...
, host of On the Record - Jesse Watters, Factor field producer
- Lis WiehlLis WiehlLis Wiehl is an American author and legal analyst for Fox News.She is an adjunct professor of law at New York Law School, and formerly was an associate professor at University of Washington Law School. She formerly offered legal commentary for National Public Radio program and on Bill O'Reilly's...
, former federal prosecutor and current Fox News legal analyst; appears Tuesdays (also had co-hosted Wednesdays and Thursdays on O'Reilly's radio programThe Radio FactorThe Radio Factor was a nationally syndicated talk radio program, which aired from 2002–2009 and was hosted mainly by Bill O'Reilly. The program, which featured host commentary with a mix of listener call-in and guest segments was broadcast live every weekday from the Fox News Channel studios in...
) - Juan WilliamsJuan WilliamsJuan Williams is an American journalist and political analyst for Fox News Channel, he was born in Panama on April 10, 1954. He also writes for several newspapers including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal and has been published in magazines such as The Atlantic...
, political contributor; appears Mondays (has also served several times as guest host)
2008 presidential contenders
Bill O'Reilly had tried for years to get Hillary ClintonHillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
to come on the show. On April 30, 2008, Clinton agreed to come on the show as part of a pre-taped interview that would be broadcast over two days.
O'Reilly also held an exclusive, four-part interview with then-presidential candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
Both interviews drew significant media attention as they were front runners for the 2008 presidential election.
The 2008 Republican candidate for Vice President, Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, and then Democratic Vice President candidate Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
were also invited to the show, but chose not to make an appearance.
Parodies
In 2005, The Colbert Report premiered on Comedy CentralComedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
. The show, hosted by Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
, is a satirical spoof
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of pundit shows like The O'Reilly Factor, spoofing its format and the mannerisms and ideology of O'Reilly, whom Colbert calls "Papa Bear." Colbert makes no secret of his spoofing O'Reilly: upon hearing the news that O'Reilly approved of The Colbert Report, he declared on-air that "I like you too. In fact, if it wasn't for you, this show wouldn't exist." On January 18, 2007, Colbert appeared on The O'Reilly Factor and O'Reilly appeared on The Colbert Report.
The O'Reilly Factor has also been spoofed on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, first by Jeff Richards
Jeff Richards (comedian)
Jeffrey Hanson "Jeff" Richards is an American actor, stand-up comedian and impressionist. Richards was the first actor to have been a cast member on both Saturday Night Live and MADtv...
and later on by Darrell Hammond
Darrell Hammond
Darrell Hammond is an American actor, stand-up comedian and impressionist. He was a regular on Saturday Night Live from 1995 until 2009, the longest tenure of any cast member. Upon his departure, Hammond, at age 53, was the oldest cast member in the show's history...
. On MADtv
MADtv
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
it was Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald (actor)
Michael James McDonald is an American actor, writer, comedian, and director, best known for starring in the sketch comedy show MADtv. McDonald joined the show during the fourth season and remained in the cast until the end of the thirteenth and penultimate season, having become the...
doing the honors. O'Reilly himself has appeared on MADtv. Richards also played O'Reilly in an episode of Mind of Mencia
Mind of Mencia
Mind of Mencia is an American television comedy series on the cable channel Comedy Central. Hosted by Carlos Mencia, it aired from 2005 to 2008.- History :...
where O'Reilly is a senator in the year 2016.
The show was also spoofed by the TV series The Boondocks
The Boondocks (TV series)
The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name...
; first in the episode "The Trial of R. Kelly
The Trial of R. Kelly
"The Trial of R. Kelly" is the second episode of the Adult Swim animated television series The Boondocks. It originally aired on November 13, 2005.-Plot:...
" where O'Reilly is shown talking about R. Kelly's
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
latest legal trouble. Later in "Return of the King", O'Reilly is shown attacking Martin Luther King for saying that America should "love thy enemy" and "turn the other cheek", even in respects to the 9/11 attacks. O'Reilly accuses him of hating America and tells him to "Take another 40 year nap, Commie
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
bastard."
The Political Machine
The Political Machine
The Political Machine is a government simulation game from Stardock, in which the player leads a campaign to elect the President of the United States...
features a skit called "The O'Malley Factor" ("A show you appear on while running for president").
In Arrested Development, the failed Bluth company frequently features on The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day segment.
CNNNN, an Australian comedy show which satirized cable news, featured a recurring segment entitled The Firth Factor. These segments typically showed Charles Firth, a member of the Chaser
The Chaser
The Chaser are an Australian satirical comedian group, known for their television programmes on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation channel. The group take their name from their production of satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste...
comedy team, presenting his opinion on topical issues, often through use of over-the-top comparisons (such as dipping a paper heart in a can of black paint and claiming: "This is how black Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's heart is") and outrageous statements in a parody of O'Reilly and Australian current affairs personalities. The Chaser's War on Everything also featured a segment in its second season where it poked fun at the O'Reilly factor.
In 2008 Talkshow with Spike Feresten
Talkshow with Spike Feresten
Talkshow with Spike Feresten is an American late-night talk show television program on Fox starring Spike Feresten that aired from September 16, 2006 to May 16, 2009. It was the longest-running late night talk show in Fox's history, with three seasons...
has begun parodying O'Reilly with a series of videos entitled "Lil Bill O'Reilly", using a child as O'Reilly. The original video has become widespread throughout the Internet.
In the 2010 film Iron Man 2
Iron Man 2
Iron Man 2 is a 2010 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is the sequel to 2008's Iron Man, the second film in a planned trilogy and is a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed by Jon...
, O'Reilly is shown on The O'Reilly Factor criticizing Tony Stark's decision to promote Pepper Potts
Pepper Potts
Virginia "Pepper" Potts is a fictional character, a supporting character and a love interest of Iron Man in the Marvel Comics Universe...
to be the CEO of his company.
In 2011 he also makes a cameo appearance in the film Transformers: Dark of the Moon.