During June 2 Broadcast Host Bill O’Reilly Compares Gay People To al Qaeda
View the original Call to Action from June 4
Today GLAAD released a list of advertisers that supported the June 2 broadcast of Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor.” During that broadcast, host Bill O’Reilly likened gay people to the international terrorist organization, al Qaeda.
After playing a gay-friendly McDonald’s commercial from France, O’Reilly asked commentator Jane Skinner to weigh in on the content. Skinner pointed out that the ad campaign is “part of an overreaching campaign called ‘come as you are,’ which you saw at the end there. So they show people in different walks of life.” O’Reilly then asked, “Do they have an al Qaeda ad, you know, come as you are? You know?”
Following GLAAD’s June 3 Call to Action that urged Fox News and Bill O’Reilly to apologize for the defamatory remarks, nearly three thousand people sent letters to FOX News executives and producers of “The O’Reilly Factor” to voice their concerns.
Today we are contacting the 35 companies that advertised during the broadcast to ask how they justify supporting this type of defamation.
Please see a complete list of advertisers below. GLAAD will keep you updated on any responses we receive.
• Farmers Insurance Group
• Porsche
• Broadview Security
• Atlantis Resort
• EHarmony.com
• Infiniti (NISSAN),
• Amway Global
• Accu-Chek Aviva (ROCHE)
• NHTSA
• Activision
• AT&T
• Carbonite (CarboniteTV.com)
• Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Smart Balance Milk
• Starbucks
• Pulaski & Middleman LLC
• Foundation for a Better Life
• Merit Financial
• Kelloggs
• Lending Tree
• AARP
• Terminix
• Mayflower
• Holiday Inn
• Skip Gambert & Associates
• AmazonKindle
• Geico
• Lexus
• Peachtree Settlement
• Vonage
• Citracal
• T. Rowe Price
• Dr. Scholls
• Mercedes
• Jack Victor
CALL TO ACTION: Demand that Bill O’Reilly & FOX News Apologize for Comparing Gay People to al Qaeda
On the June 2 edition of Fox News Channel’s “The O’Reilly Factor,” host Bill O’Reilly made highly offensive comments while discussing a gay themed McDonald’s advertisement currently airing in France.
After playing the ad for his viewers O’Reilly asked Jane Skinner to weigh in on the content. Skinner pointed out that the ad campaign is “part of an overreaching campaign called ‘come as you are,’ which you saw at the end there. So they show people in different walks of life.” O’Reilly then asked, “Do they have an al Qaeda ad, you know, come as you are? You know?”
To view the video click here:
Instead of evaluating the commercial in a fair manner, O’Reilly used the occasion to defame the LGBT community, suggesting that McDonald’s might begin marketing to terrorists simply because the company produced a gay friendly television commercial. His lighthearted tone in the segment was equally disturbing.
Cable opinion programs like “The O’Reilly Factor” have a responsibility to cover issues with a level of respect and civility. Bill O’Reilly failed to live up to that standard in making these defamatory remarks. Fox News Channel is equally accountable for allowing O’Reilly a platform for this insulting and irresponsible commentary.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
Please contact Fox News Channel and voice your concerns about Bill O’Reilly's history of verbal attacks on LGBT people including this latest incident of comparing the gay community to al Qaeda. Urge O’Reilly and Fox News to apologize and tell the network to stop allowing its airwaves to be used for anti-gay defamation.
Send an email demanding apologies from Bill O'Reilly and FOX News executives:
http://www.glaad.org/calltoaction/oreilly/june10/takeaction
Contacts:
Amy Sohnen
Executive Producer, The O’Reilly Factor
Fox News Channel
(212) 301-3197
sohnen@foxnews.com
William Shine
Programming Executive Vice President
Fox News Channel
(212) 301-3289
bill.shine@foxnews.com
David Clark
Programming Senior Executive Producer
Fox News Channel
(212) 301-5352
david.clark@foxnews.com
Brian Lewis
Corporate Communications Executive Vice President
Fox News Channel
(212) 301-3331
lewis@foxnews.com
GLAAD Contacts:
Cindi Creager
Director of National News
(646) 871-8019
creager@glaad.org
Richard Ferraro
Director of Communications
(646) 871-8011
ferraro@glaad.org
