Letterman Tells O'Reilly: "I Think Of You As A Goon" (VIDEO)

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David Letterman, who infamously told Bill O'Reilly in 2006 that "about 60 percent of what you say is crap," had his old bête noire back on his show on Tuesday night.

At the start of the show, Letterman couldn't help lashing into the Fox News host, saying "I wish I was smart enough to make him look ridiculous... He's going to come out here all puffed up."

From practically the moment O'Reilly sat down, the sparks flew along with some surprising topics upon which they agreed.

"I think of you as a goon," Letterman point-blank told O'Reilly. Then, holding up the cover of O'Reilly's book, "A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity," which has a photo of O'Reilly as a boy, Letterman quipped, "I look at that and I see this sweet, adorable kid... I have a sweet adorable kid and I wonder, 'What if he too becomes a goon?'"

And Letterman launched into O'Reilly positions, such as his boycott of Sean Penn movies, giving him the ultimate back-handed compliment: "You're too smart to believe what you say."

When Letterman focused on Rush Limbaugh, implying that he's the face of the Republican party, O'Reilly alluded to the radio host's power, saying that "I don't think any Republicans or conservatives want to offend the man." And he strove to distinguish himself from Limbaugh and fellow Fox News personality Glenn Beck, claiming he's different from them because he's a journalist: "I got a degree, I paid a lot of money for... I went out, covered stories... those guys are basically entertainers... we give information"

O'Reilly also revealed that former Vice President Dick Cheney refused to come on his program, adding that he doesn't like Cheney: "We asked him a million times... he wouldn't come on."

And he laughed about the famous video of him cursing out his staff - "I have so much better stuff than that... Irish guys curse. That's in the DNA... We're loud and say bad words."

Comments

[greymom]

Oh Dave, why didn't you have the guts to ask him what brand of shower gel he likes to use with his loofahs these days?

[losangelian1]

Oh how I love Dave. I hope he never retires.

[icenzi13]

Bill o"Reilly stated on "The View" on Monday that his biggest enemy was liberal bloggers. If he hates liberals so much why does he go on liberal shows to plug his book? F..ing hypocrite.

[sammyscout]

Judging from the comments, the humor went over the reklowns heads.

[brandalucia]

If anyone has ever seen David Letterman hold up his end of a political discussion; I'd sure like to see it. He is a typical liberal who can make maybe one point and it usually does not make sense. O'Reilly could embarrass old Dave and run circles around his inane chatter but he is a guest. Too bad old Dave treats guests in such a hostile manner. He slobbers all over goofs like Sean Penn who couldn't argue out of a paper bag or George Clooney who is so comforted by the sound of his own voice.

[javster420]

LOL. . . The view from the right never ceases to amaze me. The only person O'Reilly embarrasses is himself. But, you'd have to reach at least a high school level to see that.

Pinhead. What kind of argument is that? I've heard better reasoning and debate from my six year old son.

Unfortunately Bill-O believes the words that come out of his mouth and doesn't realize that when people laugh, it's usually at him and not with him. At least the majority of individuals who are compassionate and can think rationally just point and laugh.

Oh Bill-O...

[dragonlady620]

It doesn't compare with the way O'Reilly treats most of HIS guests-and Letterman was the only one who had the guts to ask McCain about G. Gordon Liddy. That was one of many details that every commentator on FOX never mentioned during the campaign.

[greymom]

But it is really tough for Billo to win an argument when he can't shut off his guest's mike, isn't it. Bullying doesn't equate brilliant political discussion and that is all Billo does, bully his guests or kiss a ss with the ones who are on his political planet.

I was watchin him yesterday and it was so very hard for him to find anything negative to say about the adoring crowds and the respect shown to our President during his visit to Europe. He was reduced to saying something along the lines of Obama not making the soulful connections that Bush made like his connection to Tony Blair, which was, according to Billo, instant and deep.

Gimme a break. This man may have the ratings, but it must be because the batteries are dead in the clickers of his fans and they can't get off their butts to change the channel to something more intelligent.

[greg32]

Liberals just hate the fact that BillO beats the crap outta that i d i o t KO every single night in the ratings. I saw KO on Bill Maher's show a few weeks ago and when he didn't have all his notes lined up he could barely put sentences together. He was cool on ESPN though, i'll give him that.

[cuchulain]

Nawww. We couldn't care less about the ratings. It's the influence. It's bad for the country that O'Reilly, Beck, Hannity, Limbaugh and other right wing lunatics have so much influence. It's horrifically bad for this country that "conservatives" have run the show for the last 30 years or so, and that our Media plays lapdog to them.

O'Reilly is a serial liar. Which fits in with Fox perfectly. They never met a lie they couldn't embrace, and never met a fact they couldn't twist and distort.

That's what ticks us off. Not the ratings. Popularity proves nothing. Brittany Spears used to sell millions of records, remember?

[BrickSykes]

I agree with you to a point...Yes, the present Conservative (RNC) Monopoly of 'Talk Radio' is patently fraudulent. It dis-serves both the party it panders to, and also the party it ignores. The FCC has dis-served the American Public by 'selling' the public airways for the present use which is simply "Catapulting the Republican Propaganda!"

The pendulum has swung, however, and RightWing Talk Radio will soon become so UN-popular they won't be able to give the time away. The American People haven't been fully heard yet, and when they are it won't be pretty for the status quo, i.e., Clear Channel, Fox, CNBC, etc.

Brick

[madcat007]

Well said and scarily true.

[Sportsbabe]

Excellent summation cuchulain. It's the continuation of the "dumbing down" of viewers who already don't research and think for themselves. It's not about winning. News used to be about informing the people of what's going on in the world. Not hate, bias, and falsehoods.

[bennofs]

Hoping to not give anyone any ideas but - if there were a 24 hr, 7 day a week channel or network that televised continual car crashes and vehicle accidents from around the country and the world; complete with pictures of the injured, dying and maimed; I'm sure Mr. reilly's numbers as well as the rest of the networks number would be in the crapper. Until that time - Fox will be the biggest car crash on TV.

[texasnative3]

I'm a diehard Democrat, but I thought the interview was good, and Bill O'Reilly gave as good as he got.

[dragonlady620]

They didn't discuss anything of substance.

[cantbe]

thats why this website is so laughable. you take one line and make it the headline. if you reported football scores your headlines would read " Bears score on long touchdown pass in the first quarter" when the final score of the game was Green Bay 31 and Bears 7.

[alwqb]

Why can't you just admit O'Reilly is a goon! if you don't think so then go back to FoxNation where you belong. You know the place where they censor you if disagree with their lies.

[livefromthewafflehouse]

BillO's reruns viewership beats KO live. WOW. Something to be proud of, huh.

[fedupinfla]

I don't believe all that viewership crap. Unless they have a secret microchip in EVERY TV in America that records your viewing habits and reports it in, how the he!! do they know who's watching what? I mean, I know they have a certain # of people that they ask for viewing choices and the whole Neilson box thingy. But are there REALLY 2 million people out there doing TV viewing surveys?!?

The reason I pose this question is that I once saw a crime show that talked about this radio magazine called "Matchbox" that made up "listener requests" for different songs. The scam was that the manager or promoter of the singer/band would make a deal with the radio station to say that people were calling in to hear a song. So basically, a song was popular not because people really wanted to hear it, but because someone paid someone else to SAY it was popular.

GASP!! Could it be possible that Beck, Hannity, & BillO the clown aren't REALLY as popular as FOX/fix news says?!?

[cantbe]

dear fedupinfla
keep drinking the kool aid. you are clearly in denial. FOX is kicking your guys a**. the only clowns here are you and your pal KO.

[ipv4]

I could tell you one reason why this is true that being that Verizon fios has about 2millions subscribers ,but for some reason they are unable to carry msnbc which has been killing me.

[Joseph Upton]

I prefer Glenn Beck and Limbaugh. But O'reilly is closer to the truth than Letterman.

[ipv4]

And you actually admit this. Thats like saying, hey people look at me I have an IQ of 26.

[CZ111]

ipv4, that was too funny!!

[Raco]

Nobody was schooled. Good, entertaining segments. I think they like hooking-up.

[winstonian22]

This interview was funny and Bill owned him.

[truthynesslover]

LOL!!who owns you?LOL!

[katocat]

What color is the sky in your world?

LOL

[DaveVDave]

Haha!

http://www.TheCommentDepot.com

[daedelus]

What are your thoughts on NASCAR?

[AbbieHoffman2]

not even

[cynthia3217]

Nobody owns Dave. Pinhead!!

[Fergie1]

Can any Republican or conservative tell me why Bill O'Reilly would say about Limbaugh "I don't think any Republicans or conservatives want to offend the man."
Is O'Reilly saying that Republicans and conservatives have no moral compass? David Letterman should have followed through with "now, you see there's one of those comments that you're too smart to believe Bill!"

What's Limbaugh going to do, become a Democrat?

[verve25]

Rush is not the leader of the Republican party, but he is a powerful voice. Bill explained that Rush is on the radio 5 hours a day talking to the conservative base. Why would a Republican leader want to offend him, when he can retaliate 5 hours a day. It just wasn't a smart thing to do.

Would it be smart for Obama to attack Chris Mathews or Olberman? No, it wouldn't.

[Fergie1]

Excuse me, there is something called Free Speech and Inalienable Rights. Are you saying that to disassociating yourself from vitriolic statements because you have a conscience is attacking a person? Wow, that's a pretty narrow view.
Limbaugh was a keynote speaker at the CPAC. What's that?

[texasnative3]

O'Reilly was clear why he said that no Republican or conservative talking head wants to offend Limbaugh - Limbaugh has 15 hours of radio time each week. The unstated follow-up is the Limbaugh has more than enough time to bash or mock anyone who tries to embarrass him.

[G-guy]

When O'Reilly, the "king of bully BS on Faux, makes the rounds to push this
"100 months on top of nothing" self-glorification, he's asking for it.

Letterman gave it to him, in a light-hearted way. He got off easy.
Today, he will appear on Rachael Ray, daytimes new walking sales pitch.

That will go smooth. Rachael will kiss up big time.

[ramal]

Letterman will truly refer to himself as what he is, not a journalist, not even a viable commentator, but an entertainer. Limbaugh and O"Reilly are just entertainers but are also selling a particularly vile form of snakeoil.

[sugarfree]

Bill Orielly is more than that he is also a lair and so is Lambaugh.

[gas123]

Don't forget Olberman and Matthews.