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

[shamcork]

i thought they sparred fairly evenly but i'd have to give a slight edge to Oreilly here. Letterman looked especially weak with his "whatever" rejoiner, Oreilly really froze him there.

Letterman's sarcastic quip about O'reilly destorying Penn's career with his boycott was probably his best moment. But overall, Oreilly came across as more reasonable and intelligent then Letterman in this particular interview.

[Bluejay00234]

No suprise...

[Max01]

Oh my God, another stink-a rooney on Aisle 666 by Terry Sham-a-lam-lam. You're better off going back to faux news website where you can discuss how great the repug budget is.

[bellemeade]

Absolutely. Letterman came off like a stuttering buffoon.

[BruceHNV]

What? Nothing happened here at all. The each puffed up their feathers and walked in circles bobbing their heads at each other. Nobody showed particular intelligence, nobody was "better" than anyone else. Just a couple of strutting peacocks. End of story.

[timetosecede]

"Bill O'Reilly a lack of bias."

hahahahahahahahaha

[AnnHiro]

That is a very rude statment to make to a guest on your show. Mr Letterman should be ashamed.

[Phxflyer]

Actually, it's more of an observation based on facts.

[helgathewitch]

are you serious? Have you never listened to Oreilly's comments to people?

[alkamm]

Are you kidding? O'Reilly specializes in rude. He told a 911 victim's son to shut up. He likes rude.

[lmvd3]

OH, YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING.

[BetterDays]

Hilarious considering what O'Reilly does and says to people on his show!

[mrpuddles]

The only thing Letterman didn't do was stick a fork in him to see if he was done. It was brilliant.

[hughbetcha]

Puh-lease. Letterman got owned by O'Reilly. It was embarrassing because it showed that Letterman actually knows nothing when pressed for specifics. All he has is his idiotic audience that bails him out with their inane applause which they give up for the lamest of reasons.

[bellemeade]

Totally agree.

[SwingingFromCenter]

You must have watched a different clip.

[sicova]

He is the escape for those who want to get the escape goat and to be mad a something else than their own inaptitude to manage their own failures. That is why their formula is anger. It works on the body like a drug.

[Longbaugh]

There is not one prominent Republican (with a constituency to answer to) who will say anything negative about Limbaugh.

As long as that's the case, then Rush runs the GOP. Hell, his own website says, "Rush Runs America." Well, for the last eight years, that might have been true.

[steele967]

O'Reilly made a good point about this on Letterman's show...Why would a prominent Republican say something bad about Rush Limbaugh? He is not a politician chosen to represent the Republican Party, so it's not really their public concern about what Rush does. He is a radio personality and not a political leader.

[kd1313]

I'm surprised these two didn't throw http://hateonme.comnme.com

[Gumby123]

So now we see an old, unfunny, cranky old man, who attacks Limbaugh, etc., for stating their political opinions and for being "too smart to believe the crap they say," even as he turns his non-comedy show into a nightly hour-long advertisement for the Obama Administration.

[Phxflyer]

Letterman rules.

[erinker]

So you are attacking Letterman for stating his political views, while defending Limbaugh for stating his political views?? Hmmmm...

[lynettema]

jay44 wrote:
"thats what you get with Bill. a lack of bias. and when i say he does not have an agenda, i meant political agenda, he is just trying to do whats "right".

"he is just trying to do (what's) 'right'" WING!

[lvtunes]

Billo the narcissist keep reminding everyone that he is #1. I learned
years ago to never trust a narcissist. This trait requires constant
lies to keep the illusion alive. He is #1 with the countless Right Wing
crackpots in this country.

[erinker]

Ya know, this is something that bothers me too, even with Olbermann (who I like, generally). The constant p i$$ing contest about who gets more viewers is nauseating. Just get the ruler out and have done with it!

[H I McDonough]

Best line of the night, as Dave asked Billo the Clown (with a straight face); "You don't like Dick?"

Cheney, that is.

Dick Cheney is the best example of the meaningful first name since Les Nessman.

[educatedbylife]

When O'irrelevant' said his show was the top news show for 100 mos. I believe that is wrong. Maybe in the last eight years, but I believe Meet The Press holds a longer time than that, during its tenure on the air, as #1. Mr. hatemonger has only been on TV since the '90's, where as MTP has been on for some 40 or 50 years.
I also believe Dave got the better of "The Mouth of Faux News". I mean come on, does O'irrelevant really believe his show is NEWS? PLEASE!!!

[bobbyvand]

#1 in cable news= FACT. Loved the quip-"weren't you a weatherman Dave?" he walked right into that on his attempted dig at Limbaugh. On a side note, MTP is on its way out as #1 on network if Gregory doesn't step up his game to a Russertonian level. Tim was a Democrat , but hit both sides equally hard.

[erinker]

The difference is that Dave doesn't claim to "run the country" as Limbaugh does DAILY!

[Yaaawn]

Slam dunk Bill.

[somsoc]

Who cares?

[Yaaawn]

you

[mongoose63124]

ironic that all the liberal leaders (colbert/stewart/letterman/olbermann) use humor, i guess when you have nothing credible to say, just make fun of others? we'll handle the real business no worries...

[TexasDem0]

Humor requires intelligence.

[jpperry]

No, these people understand the power of humor and satire.

[H I McDonough]

That's it. Just go ahead and boycott Spain.

[Hemkit]

Bang up job so far. Thanks for all you do.

[Jo]

"Liberal leaders"?!? I'm not so sure about Letterman (he seems rather apolitical) but I suppose the other three you've named might consider themselves liberals. But leaders?!? No! Colbert and Stewart are comedians and nothing more. Granted, they have an openly political bent to their work -- pointing out the ineffectual, the absurd, the laughable, the asinine, and the ludicrous in politics, and doing so regardless of party affiliation. Olbermann is a news commentator and nothing more. Granted, he, too, has a wicked sense of humor that he uses with great delight and great agility to skewer "the other side" -- "the other side" being those whose ideologies, policies, and demagoguery have done great harm to this country and will continue to harm this country. But none -- not Colbert, not Stewart, not Olbermann, and not Letterman -- is a "liberal leader." We liberals know comedy and commentary when we hear it; we know comedians and commentators when we see them. And we know leaders when we hear and see them, too. We liberals know enough, are savvy enough not to confuse one with the other. If only that could be said of conservatives and regressives. If only they could distinguish between leaders and demagogues. If only! I suspect the country would be in much better shape right now.