Judging Bill O'Reilly: Why His Comments About Lunch in Harlem Matter

The worst thing about trying to talk honestly and incisively about race in America is dealing with the demagogues.

And there are few folks in modern media -- besides, perhaps fellow red state pundit Rush Limbaugh -- who push buttons on race more effectively from the conservative side than Fox News' Bill O'Reilly.

I've written before about the ways in which O'Reilly couches racially insulting ideas -- treating gangsta rap culture like the primary voice of black America and then blaming a host of ills affecting black people on that cartoonish caricature.

Now, after an attempt at rapprochement with civil rights advocate Al Sharpton, O'Reilly has stepped in it again, this time by marveling at how he had dinner with Sharpton at a Harlem restaurant and people were civil to him; no cursing, crotch grabbing or ugly behavior in sight.

Here's the quote, fresh from the admittedly liberal media watch Web site, Media Matters: "(O'Reilly) reported that he "had a great time, and all the people up there are tremendously respectful," adding: "I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship." Later, during a discussion with National Public Radio senior correspondent and Fox News contributor Juan Williams about the effect of rap on culture, O'Reilly asserted: "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea.' You know, I mean, everybody was -- it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all."

For background, here's my first column, written in 2002, about how O'Reilly uses racially charged language about gangsta rappers to scare his presumably white viewership and press his points. Here's my second column about O'Reilly's racist rhetorical tricks, employed this time to criticize those stuck in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Here's his response to the Katrina column -- a typically personal attack in which he cites his radio comments, not the TV appearance I criticized.

I think these comments are typical of O'Reilly's technique. Too smart to personally use an epithet in the way Don Imus finally did, he instead turns rap culture into a straw man used to represent all or most of black America. Then, he's free to tee off on the stereotypical excesses of THAT culture, rather than talk about real, live black people with all their contradictions intact.

In O'Reilly's world, black people were either vocal protesters like Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, or straight-up thugs like N.W.A. After his trip to Sylvia's, O'Reilly seems amazed to meet black folks who don't fit his disconnected stereotype of what we are.

The most disappointing turn for me in this media meltdown was watching a discussion on the issue this morning on The Today Show. Anchor Matt Lauer, clearly unsympathetic to critics, kept pressing the point that O'Reilly was trying to be complimentary, if by using "ham-fisted" language.

But when it comes to dialogues on race, I judge people's intent and meaning by their history. And O'Reilly has never been one to seek understanding with an open mind. To this black American, his words felt like the most backhanded compliment I'd heard from a celebrity in many years -- a congratulation to black people for having, finally, the ability to act like we have some sense.

News flash, Bill: black people have been conducting themselves this way for many, many years. I'm just sorry that it took a lunch with Al Sharpton for you to finally realize it.

Follow Eric Deggans on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Deggans

Comments

[Leaftones]

I couldn't help but laigh at how stupid his comments were - what a bubble this guy lives in, eh. So silly really.

Listen those of us from old large urban north american cities grow up getting along and playing with everyone, but cloistered folks don't, so I don't know offensive, maybe not,, certainly eye-opening about how O'Reilly lives in another world seperate from urban folks like myself....

Says more about who get's on mediia than racism per se....it's just a symptom of the gated mentality imo

[jbone]

Your feelings are not shared by the country in general. Every looked at O'Reily's ratings? You fellow countrymen absorb every word he says. In fact, based upon his ratings, it seems that he is worshiped by Americans.

[mrcontinental]

Indeed. Billy boy is not the only one in this country who shares these views.

[mcdeeva1]

That's not worship, it's comic relief!

[wykkedwilly]

Actually jbone, O'Reilly's viewership is around 2.2 million people, less than 1% of the total American population of 300 million. There are 10 times as many left-handed people, 10 times as many gays and lesbians in the USA, 3times as many people who live in New York city than there are O'Reilly viewers. Heck, I think there are more Scientologists than O'Reilly viewers. So your assertion that he is worshipped by Americans is very erroneous.

[LilyMaskew]

Bill O'Reilly sends out his little back-handed "compliments" and then opens his eyes wide when challenged aboaut it. Who does he think he is fooling?

[LightningJoe]

He's fooling some relatives of mine, who think along the exact same lines he does. Their racist assumptions are so ingrained and unconscious that they sincerely believe they are complementing blacks when they go out of their way to note that they "have great rhythm" and that pro sports would be boring without them.

Heck, most of these folks love watermelon themselves (talking about my white relatives, here), but tell racist jokes that pin that trait on blacks.

The unconscious mind and the conscious mind seldom go out to Sylvia's together, and the conscious mind (what we each think of as "me") can hold fantastically highbrow estimations of itself and its principles, and think that those qualities pervade its entire being and existence.

Our unconscious selves are more direct, and don't have to answer to logic. What's more, most of those attitudes were set in stone by age five or so, and are never challenged after that; unless we go through a concerted effort at some point to reprogram them. O'Rielly (and my aforementioned relatives) never reprogrammed themselves, because its not easy to do. It takes years of discomfort to confront and call BS on your own mind's deeply held preconceptions.

[SouthHouse]

Hi Folks--

Two brief but salient points in response to some of the earlier posted commenets.

First, hip hop may be produced by black rappers, but their record deals are set and managed by white executives. And it is those same white men who who make the deliberate decisions to bankroll only the performers who are too happy to record music that not only reeks of materialism, sexism, homophobia, and violence, but also when compared to the original rhyme masters of 30 years ago, sounds incredibly WACK.

Second, O' Reilly is simply playing for ratings. He certainly had plenty of opportunities to meet black professors and see how black folks typically behave while dining out when he and I were classmates as graduate students at Harvard. There is a good number of eateries like Sylvia's in Cambridge. Plenty of his classmates (including many who are white) would have been happy to take him to some of them had he been interested. Large groups of us, reflecting every color and continent, went out to them frequently.

[doodlefarbe]

SouthHouse writes, "hip hop may be produced by black rappers, but their record deals are set and managed by white executives­."

Really? Why do you think that? Although a limited sample, many news items I see discussing person A or person B involved in rap or hip-hop music make mention of, "he also owns the hip-hop label XYZ". Again, from this limited sample, it would appear that ownership of hip-hop and rap music labels is more African American than not.

Not that the media don't skew perceptions by their news representation, mind you.

By the way, since you yourself proclaim and attest their salience, I won't otherwise question your points.

;-)

[hawkeye58]

One would assume, from reading Bill O'Rielly's comments about the restaurant, that this one his first time in a black owned establishmnet of any kind.
That he would even have speculated, that in a black restaurant, someone might order ice tea beginning with M-Fer, provides a real insight into the O'Reilly intellect.
He has shown himself to be an ignorant man many times before, this is just another example.

[Independent voter]

I don't watch this guy; I don't like what I read about this guy - but it seems like people are reading a little too much between the lines.

Turn down the sensitivity knob a little.

[transendentilist]

No, let's not. O'Reilly is a biggot who is trying to appear Afro-Centric.
Reading his comments reminded me of the time when he said he had experienced combat, during some alleged firefight in central America that he was "reporting on," at the time.
Of course none of that was verifiable, it is similar to his comments on blacks and black ownership of restaraunts.
One meal doesn't qualify such comments, and one "firefight," does not make one a combat veteran. He acts like he was doing black people a favor. They don't need his favors.

[dactrsmom]

As a white female I found his comments condesending and just plain rude.

[PAFirefighter]

Yep, and he's an embarrassment to not only himself but to whites nationwide.

PA Firefighter
"Cogito, ergo Liberal!"

[mcdeeva1]

He's only an embarassment if you feel he represents you. If he doesn't represent you...no need to be embarassed! Problem solved!

[jimmiefree]

O'Reilly was amazed that black people weren't acting like savages and that is supposed to be a compliment? That is like saying he was very impressed with the obedient way that they called him 'Massa' or that they really could give a great shoeshine and sing a great negro spiritual. What a pompous ass. The funny thing is that he is such an egomaniac that he doesn't even realize he was being condescending. I am surprised that he didn't lean over to Al during lunch and say that he was relieved that everyone there wasn't acting black.

[jrw960]

I think he knew very well what he was saying.

[Dalicious]

He knew what he was saying, and he did it for fun. You forget that he gets a kick out of saying something outrageous just to watch you get outraged. Hammer hits knee --> Knee jerks. Your outrage fuels his humor.

[standforpeace]

So to paraphrase Bill's own words -- he knows absolutely nothing about Black folks. Why then has he felt free through the years to speak so authoritatively on Black people? In fact in the very interview in which he expressed his amazement that Black people eat pretty much the same way as everyone else, he also made some assertions about how Blacks were moving away from seeing the world through their experiences with racism. Seems to me like this guy is a racist know-nothing that other racist idiots turn to help them oversimplify a complicated world.

[TWOSHORT]

Fear!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!

[hootie1fan]

Bill O'Reilly knew exact what he was saying.

[maxcat06]

O'Reilly's radio remarks were just so typical for him, and I'm certain he knew just what words to use, and how far to push his theme...
he wanted to stress his "surprise" at the ordinariness of the scene at Sylvia's, thereby at the same time stressing the fact that it was less than what he finds ordinary in the African American community.
Then, however, by the "civility" of his words, he could then feign outrage when anyone dared to call him out on them.
"Bigot? Not me! Some of my best friends are..."
You know the rest.

[mcdeeva1]

Often times people try to pull out "the black friend" card...We don't see any coming to his aid.

[zuzuzpetals]

Just wanted to share a, um, similar experience--I went to a Southern restaurant once and wow, everyone was not wearing a George Bush t-shirt or toting a gun. No one tried to get me to talk in tongues or even tried to get me to handle snakes. And what was super amazing is that they didn't serve squirrel stew but the same food I could get anywhere, the waitress wasn't cross-eyed and the white bubbas all had their teeth. And I didn't hear a lot of gee-whiz's, but you know, just regular speech patterns and behavior. Not did I see any interbreeding behavior at the table. Why--I didn't even have to swear on the bible that I was not gay. What a pleasant surprise I had!

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

O'Lieley also couldn't get over the fact that the menu wasn't limited to BBQ ribs, fried chicken, chittlins, grits, greens, fatback, okra and watermelon. God Almighty, I am so ashamed of the ignorant and hate-filled examples of my fellow pigmentally challenged Americans, they make all of us 'white' people look bad.

[realpolitic]

Rev. Sharpton should have the courage to hold O'Reilly publicly accountable, as he held Don Imus accountable for his remarks. Don't give O'Reilly a free pass to make such remarks as a conservative commentator. No get-out-of­-jail-free card for O'Reilly!

O'Reilly's remarks reveal a deeper pathology than Imus. Imus was making his off-hand remarks in passing and trying to somehow be humorous. Of course, his remarks were ugly and uncalled for. O'Reilly was trying to have a serious discussion on race and these remarks truly reflect his perceptions of black America.

[doodlefarbe]

Dear Mr. Deggans,

Although I agree that Mr. O'Reilly appears at best woefully ignorant of how his poor attempts to "compliment" are essentially backhanded slaps, you might want to take care in relying on the written "transcripts" from the Media Matters folks, or if you have a moment or two go back to their website and listen to the audio clip provided, even though it's a little chopped up.

Why would they (the MMFA folks) feel the need to change what was actually said? Just to add more emphasis to BO's already inelegant commentary?

I don't disagree with your main comments and your overall premise written this morning. I'm just not sure why the MMFA folks feel the need to exaggerate in order to do a hit job on BO, when, frankly, he's enough of an idiot without any assistance from MMFA.

Thanks.