Then last night I learned from the Women's Media Center that Bill O'Reilly relentlessly mocked Thomas on his show, making fun of her age and gender. WMC President Carol Jenkins issued a call to action that no woman can afford to ignore:
We urge you to join The Women’s Media Center in sending an official complaint to Fox News about Bill O’Reilly. His sexist and ageist comments about legendary reporter Helen Thomas require an apology.Read Carol Jenkin's entire statement and view the Bill O'Reilly clip here. Then contact Fox News using this simple form here.On last night’s show (February 9th, 2009) O’Reilly compared Ms. Thomas to “the Wicked Witch of the East” along with disparaging remarks about her appearance and age. You can view an excerpt here. Guest Bernard Goldberg added his own insult, and even Alan Colmes, while attempting to defend her, seemed to be having too much fun. This kind of verbal degradation in the guise of humor is unacceptable, and as Media Matters has documented, it’s part of an on-going pattern where he’s targeted Thomas.
It was an attack no woman deserves—including this accomplished, award winning journalist working in the White House press corps, where women are underrepresented. The Women’s Media Center demonstrated in its Sexism Sells But We’re Not Buying It viral campaign that sexist remarks went unchecked by networks during the primary season. Now, as then, the WMC demands accountability.
An immediate public apology is required.
Related article: Veteran White House Reporter Helen Thomas Makes Obama Gush
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but riddle me this… when someone like Larry King or Mike Wallace is lambasted for their age, appearance and in King’s case, propensity for younger women – all open season among for comics and the like – is that not just as equalling dealing with stereotypes… At some point if you want to play in the arena, you got to just take it.
I did not hear the comment about Thomas. I do not care about this has-been. The woman MIGHT have been viable and might not have been senile 20 years ago but it is certainly not the case now. She sits in her prime position seat and when she rises, she acts like the world should stop. Then she croaks out an unintelligible question that sounds like a rhino mumbling through an underarm. But, look at the words of the blogger. She considers JFK to be “an iconic president”. Madam, JFK was a failure. I don’t care how wt you get between the thighs when you think of him. Had he not been shot, he’d have been on the scrap heap of presidents with Harding and Van Buren.
Boo friggin’ hoo. Helen Thomas gets a pass from everyone calling her “legendary” as she violates every premise of journalistic integrity. She’s a joke. She gets a pass cause she’s an old woman? Screw that, she never gives a pass to anyone she disagrees with and calls it reporting. Oooo the “Women’s Media Center” is offended, what a tragedy.
Where were all you activists when Tina Fey was constantly making fun of Sarah Palin? Nice try.
The fake moral outrage from the left should stop, especially when these reporters don’t even bother to check the source. Hearsay doesn’t count. How about actually watching the show or ordering the transcripts?
I saw the show. O’Reilly didn’t mock Helen Thomas’s age or gender. He mocked her use of the term “so called terrorists”, and then mocked her voice as she said it.
Helen Thomas – “so-called journalist”!
Margret and Lily, you’re both wrong on two counts.
Margret, I personally spoke out against the sexism Sarah Palin experienced in a number of articles and blog posts on this site, and here’s where you can find them:
Three blog posts: http://womensissues.about.com/od/sexismandpalinscampaign/Sarah_Palins_Campaign_Sexism_and_Gender_Discrimination.htm
Articles on Palin and Media Sexism:
Appearance on Saturday Night Live
Restricted Access to Palin Feeds Gender Bias in Media
Also, keep in mind that Bill O’Reilly appears on FOX NEWS – he regards himself as a broadcast journalist. Saturday Night Live is a comedy sketch show that lambasted liberals (Hillary Clinton for one) just as much as conservatives. Last time I looked, they weren’t applying for press credentials as broadcast journalists.
Lily, I watched the Bill O’Reilly show and he made fun of her – he imitated her voice, compared her to the Wicked Witch of the East, said Obama should throw water on her and watch her melt, and said if Helen Thomas could ask Obama questions, why couldn’t his mother? That implied she was incompetent because of her age, and that his mother had the same level of journalistic credentials as this 50-year veteran.
LNR and mfh have issues with Thomas’ age and politics, and that’s their opinion. Go after her for her politics – there’s nothing wrong with that and I applaud it. But for someone of O’Reilly’s stature and ‘intelligence’ to take cheap gender shots and resort to schoolyard-type name calling and bullying, that’s beneath us all. That doesn’t represent his views or the conservative movement very effectively. Ask yourself – would William F. Buckley have done this?
This isn’t about whether Helen Thomas is a good journalist or not. Everyone is entitled to their opinions on that. This is about whether it’s OK for men to continue to refer to women in the media in such sexist terms. Wicked Witch of the East? Throw water on her so she will dissolve? Mock her wrinkles and her clothes? Helen is a strong one — I’m sure she can take valid criticism of her work. But by allowing O’Reilly and his cronies to continually mock women they don’t like in cliched stereotypes, we are all diminished.
Would it be OK for someone to do that to one of our daughters? Didn’t think so.
http://punditmom1.blogspot.com/2009/02/bill-oreilly-vs-helen-thomas.html
She is old (compared to my 42 years) and Obama was being nice by calling upon someone who has covered many years of politics. Her question was stupid and I thought she sounded like the wicked witch of the east too. I couldn’t care less about O’Reilly’s comment. There have been far worse attacks on women than she sounds like the wicked witch. Spare me. What a waste of time.
O’reilly made two points – Helen Thomas shouldn’t be at these important press conferences – and he showed how bad she was – point O’Reilly, and the fact that the supposed “feminists” didn’t support Palin. Point O’Reilly again.
O’Reilly made his points expertly and won the debate.
??? what , where were u while they mocked and insulted sarah palin??? u guys are kidding, and he wasnt mocking that lady , she said the taliban were “alleged” terrorists, after they beheaded a polish guy. she should apoligize for being an american.
Ghandi and Schopenhauer both said versions of this take on what O’Reilly’s technique of diminishing women in order to retain his own power as king of his hill: First they laugh at you, then they try to destroy you, and then after else fails you are accepted as normal.
That is why, Linda, your post defending Thomas and taking Bill to task is so important. I thank you for speaking up, because I know how intimidating the Bill O’Reillys of the world can be. But like the schoolyard bully, if enough of us stand him down, even he will have to start to accept women in powerful positions–including progressive women and not just women who are pawns for the patriarchy–as normal.
Keep up the great work.
Or you can just ignore O’Reilly and most of FOX for the clowns they are… He is there for ratings an income… not the first and not the last… a time-honored tradition of the stuffed-shirt blowhard… full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
A question was ask to the quest from the women center in the case if the reporter in question was a aging MALE reporter would they nave been a similar protest from the group she tried to avoid this but is was clear to me this event was to serve and perpetuate feminist myth where women are the victims. I do not agree on the words that were chosen but to refer to someone as a witch I am sure
M Thomas would not take this seriously
The feminists are running short of serious causes to justify their existence
Cowards pick on old women. They think we can’t fight back. And fools talk to Faux News, which is the media face of the vast right wing conspiracy, still practicing journalistic terrorism through bullying and hatemongering. I think you can still watch (on YouTube) the Colbert Report where Alan Colmes announced he’s leaving that show. Hall & Oates have something to say about it. lol
“…making fun of her age and gender…”??!!
You are a liar. I saw it and no such thing happened. The interesting thing is that no amount of pointing out the truth will change your trap-door mind on the issue.