Mercedes Benz just came out and said, no, we cannot advertise anymore on Bill O’Reilly’s show.
Now, ain’t that a kick in the head?!?! A product that speaks only to the rich, is the first high profile product to pull out of Bill-O’s show. Life continues to surprise me.
If you didn’t see LO’s take on this tonight on MSBNC, check it out.
Got me to thinking. If we can “flush Rush”---and we have come a long ways in doing so--- we can “Kill Bill” (which of course I totally mean metaphorically, and only in terms of his ability to hold down a mulit-million dollar job as he continues to be an avid sexual harasser.)
It has long mystified me that BIll-O could get away with what he has for so long, even surpassing Roger Ailes in his ability to get by with unadulterated misogyny, AND SO MUCH MORE. It’s one thing to devalue and dismiss women. It’s another to use one’s power to coerce them to do your sexual bidding. This is where it becomes more than just misogyny and becomes AGAINST THE LAW.
I believe that Bill-O’s latest devil may care comment, (and I do mean devil) regarding Maxine Waters, was like Trump’s tweet about Obama wire tapping him, just one step over the line, Sweet Mary. A cumulative bet on one’s luck, based on one’s ability to get away with it. So far.
And let’s face it. O’Reilly has gotten away with no end of shit. Thirteen million dollars worth of shit in pay offs to those he sexually harassed, according to the latest NTY report.
Bill Cosby got away with it forever too. For decades. But then, FINALLY, Karma or whatever you want to call it, stepped in and proved that just when you think you are special enough to have NO boundaries, NO tether to our laws or what’s just and decent, and can get away with it all because you’re you, there WILL be something come along tappin’ on your shoulder. HARD.
I think that many assume that because Bill O’Reilly is a FOX hero, that he is untouchable, that his people believe in him, like Trump, no matter what. That he makes too much money for Fox for us to take him on. They said like things about Rush once too.
But, it’s important to remember that those who choose to advertise on Bill-O’s show answer to ALL OF US, as sure as shootin’ they’re advertising to us too, on another channel, another show. This is what the Flush Rush movement figured out long ago.
Why Mercedes Benz made this move right now, I’m not sure I understand as I’m not aware of any “kill Bill” movement among the rich that might have turned their head. I would like to believe they are just decent, but forgive my cynicism on this, and just going to go with, I don’t get it.
BUT, it woke me up to the fact that we CAN put the same pedal to the metal with Bill-O as we did with Rush. We CAN write every advertiser who supports his show and express our disgust and dismay with any support of a serial sexual harasser, and a dyed in the wool mysogynist...and although the latter is harder to prove, we don’t have to prove it. We can let his words stand for him, and our words stand for us.
The important thing here, IMO, is THE ASSUMPTION that some things are not partisan, some things are just about decency.
We CAN say to advertisers, just as we did with Rush, “WE SEE YOU,” we see who you give money and shelter to, even if we’re not watching that particular show or network. And we do not approve. When there are enough of us doing that, yep, it makes a difference.
AND, I want to BE VERY CLEAR HERE. I DO NOT believe in boycotting or speaking up to advertisers about anyone, willy nilly, who doesn’t agree with me politically. This sort of thing dilutes the fair and just cases for asking advertisers to act.
What I think IS EFFECTIVE, is not so much a threat, but simply a letter/e-mail to a company stating your heart felt feelings about what you consider should be non-partisan---such as we should all agree that sexual harassment is WRONG. Such as, we have a hard time seeing you sponsor people who have long and troublesome histories in this respect.
Trust me on this. Advertisers/companies, are not like your political reps, in this way---they are WAY more afraid of you in large numbers, in the sense that they understand that they have to look out for more than just their “district” or state.
So use your power to put Bill O’Reilly under with advertisers. Be respectful. Be civil. Just let them know you are VERY concerned and troubled by Bill O’Reilly’s behavior. BELIEVE ME, you have more power with less words than you know in this respect.
USE IT.