Stephen Colbert Takes Bill OReilly to Task Over His $32 Million Sexual-Harassment Settlement

[babylonsister]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/stephen-colbert-takes-bill-oreilly-to-task-over-his-dollar32-million-sexual-harassment-settlement

Stephen Colbert Takes Bill O’Reilly to Task Over His $32 Million Sexual-Harassment Settlement
The ‘Late Show’ host joked that paying out a $32 million settlement is ‘exactly the sort of thing you do when you’re innocent.’
Matt Wilstein
10.24.17 12:45 AM ET


Bill O’Reilly is back in the news and Stephen Colbert is back in his element.

The Late Show host returned from a one-week break on Monday to new developments in the saga of his former “Papa Bear” and ex-Fox News host, who we found out this weekend paid a $32 million settlement for sexual harassment before the network renewed his contract.

“We’re in, sadly, the midst of a flurry of sexual harassments and assault allegations against some pretty big names in showbiz,” Colbert said. “Producers like Harvey Weinstein, directors like James Toback, even former reality-show hosts,” he added, as President Donald Trump’s face appeared on the screen. “And of course, former Fox News pundit and scrotum who wished to be a real boy, Bill O'Reilly.”

Colbert joked that paying out a $32 million settlement is “exactly the sort of thing you do when you’re innocent.” Among the inappropriate actions former Fox News legal analyst Lis Wiehl accused O’Reilly of doing was sending her gay porn, prompting Colbert to say, “Wow. So, I guess both her-assing and his-assing.” O’Reilly claimed he was forwarding her harassing messages others sent to him.

“So, let me get this straight,” he added. “People sent Bill gay pornography when they wrote in to criticize him? It makes perfect sense. ‘Dear Mr. O’Reilly, I could not disagree more on your take about the Republicans’ new tax proposal. And to drive home my point, here are two young men driving home the point.’”

After the settlement, Fox rewarded O’Reilly with a $25 million per year contract. “What did Bill O’Reilly do to Bill O’Reilly?” Colbert asked. “It’s shocking that Fox News knew about all these sexual-harassment settlements and kept him employed for so long. But maybe they were just trying to protect their female employees. Because if Bill’s on camera, that’s one hour a day they knew he’s not groping somebody.”

Summing up Fox’s apparent policy toward O’Reilly over the years, Colbert said, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, some more shame. Fool me three times, you really gotta do a better job of fooling me. Four times, we're extending your contract. Five times, we wish the best of luck to Bill in all his future endeavors—now, enjoy the Tucker Carlson show!”