Bill O'Reilly, Matt Lauer Spar Over Whitney Houston's Death, Media Coverage (VIDEO)

Matt Lauer and Bill O'Reilly sparred about media coverage of Whitney Houston and her death on Thursday's "Today."

O'Reilly attracted controversy when he declared on his show
that "Whitney Houston wanted to kill herself ... the hard truth is that some people will always want to destroy themselves, and there's nothing society can do about it."

Lauer asked him to explain what he meant. O'Reilly said that he thought addiction was a terrible disease, but that people have the free will to overcome it. He also said that "the media looked the other way" as Houston descended further and further into addiction.

Lauer took issue with this. "Bill, I have seen dozens of stories over the years detailing the addiction," he said.

"They were sensationalized to exploit the woman's condition, not try to help her," O'Reilly shot back. "...You know what we in the media do, Lauer? We wink-wink it. We Snoop Dogg it. We Willie Nelson it. 'Hey, oh yeah, they're stoned, that's fine.'"

"I think it's apples and oranges that you're comparing," Lauer said. "I think on the one hand, the media did detail her troubles--"

"They exploited it!" O'Reilly interrupted.

"--But at the same time I would agree that they celebrated her talent or her stardom," Lauer continued. He wondered if journalists are "supposed to be in the position of conducting interventions."

"They're supposed to be in the business of telling the truth," O'Reilly said. "...You think she was cast in a positive light?" Lauer asked.

Eventually, the two moved on. "You and i could argue for hours," Lauer said. "Of course, and I'd always be right!" O'Reilly said. "And I know you'd always think you were right," Lauer replied.

Also on HuffPost:

Some of Bill O'Reilly's feuds.

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Jessica Alba

• Bill O Reilly vs. Kanye West

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Al Sharpton

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Letterman

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Jon Stewart

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Michael Moore

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Jeremy Glick

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Jennifer Aniston

• Bill O'Reilly vs. "The View"

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Rachel Maddow

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Sean Penn

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Rosie O'Donnell

• Bill O'Reilly vs. Geraldo Rivera

• Bill O'Reilly vs. 50 Cent

• Bill O'Reilly vs. George Clooney

Comments

[LPGat]

03:38 PM on 02/19/2012

O'Reilly is just your common garden variety narcissistic. FOX only hires people with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), people who can only find perfection in themselves by attempting to belittle or berate everyone and anyone who is actually successful because of their talents. The O'Reilly's of the world are just maggots who feed off decay. Matt Lauer should not have even talked with or given O'Reilly air time period. Never cast your pearls at the feet of swine Matt. Hope your learned your lesson.

[anitaroosevelt]

07:17 PM on 02/18/2012

There is an article that says just about a month before she died, Whitney failed medical tests for a facelift.

She failed heart , liver and kidney. She was already sick. You can see how bloated and puffy her face is toward the last.

It's too bad she didn't get help for that.

[Curlee]

09:57 AM on 02/18/2012

I am not a fan of neither of these guys. But I think Bill-O made more logical sense here. The Today Show, especially Matt, always avoid hard hitting stories, and if they ever do touch them, then only lightly and briefly in a pop, sensational sense. The Today show has never been a serious source for real and important news.. . . But then again, neither has Fox. But at least Fox, well at least Bill-O, is not afraid to question status quo. The Today Show is all about pleasing the status quo, hence their huge advertising dollars and Matt's huge paycheck for speaking only 10 minutes during a 2 hour show.

[SpookyTwo]

09:35 AM on 02/18/2012

The MSM is trying to portray Whitney Houston as a bigger star than she actually was.  That said, Bill O'Reilly is a bigger _blowhard than you will ever see.

[chris hatala]

05:44 AM on 02/18/2012

Typical bagger response ignoring the disease model of addiction. What about Boener, he clearly is an alcoholic and can't seem to pull himself up by the bootstraps.

[Carlynn Lawrence]

01:32 AM on 02/18/2012

Adam Levine said it best at the Grammy's, she Whitney freakin Housiton. She didnt owe us her soul she didnt owe us every part of her being. Do you give that to where you work? Just because someone is in the Public and i capitalize tha because of the sensation behind her death. For God sake critics she was human first. Give her this especially in her death. She gave us so much of her, way more then 99% of us humans do for the world. But her job her music she went above and beyond and gave the world a life long relationship with her. Isnt that enough? Nope! You want more! You want perfection when in any human... impossible. So if no one else will I do. Whitney thank you. I will cherish the what you left me, music that is unforgettable and sometimes when no one but you can cure what ails me I say thank you again. Rest in peace girl, I hope so much you find the comfort you so badly needed.

[MissTake1989]

11:28 PM on 02/17/2012

Isn't this the guy who stuck things..inside...down there while on the phone with the girl who had big ones?

Same guy, right?

[PerryWhite]

11:03 AM on 02/18/2012

Matt Lauer? I never heard that. I heard it about Bill Clinton though.

[MissTake1989]

11:23 AM on 02/18/2012

No, you are confused.

Clinton used "things" "down there" on a woman.

Billo used them on himself.

Small, but HUGE difference.

[duh]

09:44 PM on 02/17/2012

Even acid probably wouldn't have helped O'Reilly be a better person.

[Stephen Thorpe]

09:40 PM on 02/17/2012

O'Reilly's just fanning his own flame.

[KathyC]

11:29 PM on 02/17/2012

O'Reilly is criticizing the media for their coverage over the years of Whitney Houston's drug addiction. He says the media exploited her and did not try to help her. What did Bill O'Reilly do to help her. It is not the media's job to help celebrities with problems. I wish the media would not exploit so much these troubled people as Lindsey Lohan, Charlie Sheen etc. But it is what the Media does....it sells books and magazines. But since Bill O'Rielly never before defended Whitney or did anything to try to help her I can only assume he is using her death and causing controversy to exploit her and use this for ratings. I think it is the job of the families to try to help these celebrities. Britney Spears Mom and Dad stepped in and went to court and got control of her. She just may be alive today because of them. Sometimes though no matter what you do nothing works. I prefer to remember Whitney Houston for the wonderful singer and performer she was.

[chris hatala]

05:46 AM on 02/18/2012

Fox news complaining of other news outlets, priceless.

[awa611]

09:34 PM on 02/17/2012

O'Reilly sure knows a thing or two about sensationalism. The media ridiculed Houston for years about her drug problems but this guy is notorious for ignoring the facts. For him to even bring marijuana into the argument is the biggest point that shows he's clueless. C'mon Bill, where's the list of people that have OD'd on marijuana?

[HURRICANEPAUL]

08:29 PM on 02/17/2012

Where was the demand by the HOLLYWOOD ELITE or ANYONE demanding to fly the US flag at half mast when EACH American was killed in action in Afghanistan & Iraq?

Que the crickets.

Who deserves the HONORS more, Whitney or EVERY AMERICAN who was killed in action?

[WiltonDiary]

02:17 AM on 02/18/2012

Did you just wake up? This is not about flying the US flag at "half mast."

And, by the way: What have you ever done for the USA?

[HURRICANEPAUL]

03:39 AM on 02/18/2012

Pfffftttttt....

How can anyone be fooled by Obama's lies to vote for him again?

"Oh, yeah....darn it...about those 'shovel ready jobs' I promised you all...well....darn it all

[LPGat]

03:18 PM on 02/19/2012

If you believe that is a problem, perhaps you should address it to the people responsible for creating it - namely George Bush and Dick Cheney. They are the ones who prohibited news coverage of our fallen soldiers and their funerals. They shut the public out remember, of course you don't remember your a republican.

[Shirley Gallagher]

07:30 PM on 02/17/2012

Bill O'rielly there are million's of people that have a problem with Drugs and who are you to judge.
O'rielly some people are addicted to Drugs and some to Sex.

[WiltonDiary]

02:18 AM on 02/18/2012

O Reilly to the latter.

[anitaroosevelt]

07:12 PM on 02/18/2012

First of all. Everyone is different and their brain chemistry differs in its response to drugs.

Why do some people get hooked on speed while others go for downers ?

Some people can drink all they want and stop when they want while others become alcoholics. Look at nicotine addiction.

You can't just lump everybody in one big pile of "free will" . That's simplistic and misleading.

Was O'Really using free will with his peccadilloes?

[Patsy Nomore]

07:28 PM on 02/17/2012

The right wing loons are livid they didn`t have center stage on the Sunday A.M. shows. They focused on the Houston death, aka something important ,instead of the usual T-Party clown act.

[Fez]

06:52 PM on 02/17/2012

Don't bring Willie Nelson into this story. Willie smokes weed. Period. In his band "if you're wired, you're fired." Willie Nelson's long, productive career proves that it is possible to toke up and succeed. Whitney Houston abused alcohol, prescription drugs, and crack and the first two substances are legal.

[Spagirl65]

06:25 PM on 02/17/2012

"And I know you'd always think you were right," Lauer replied.

Great comeback!