The "O'Rudeness" Factor?

To watch "the memo" click here.

Hi, I'm Bill O'Reilly.  Thank you for watching us tonight.

We have a very busy and controversial program for you, and we'll kick it off with the Talking Points Memo.

"The O'Rudeness Factor: Study Ranks Cable Blowhards."  That was the headline in The Atlanta Journal Constitution a couple of days ago.  Study was done for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS by Andrew Tyndall.

He looked at Fox, CNN, and MSNBC in prime time.  The most opinionated, interrupting guy was not me, if you can believe it, was CNN's Tucker Carlson.  The least interrupting guy was Larry King, who also rarely gave an opinion, as did Brit Hume and Aaron Brown.

Now, the print press, including Broadcasting and Cable magazine, is spinning the story as a study in rudeness and lack of objectivity, some writers apparently believing that good news analysis and reporting is based upon being deferential to the guests and being non opinionated.

This is rich, I love this.  There's no question that spinning has been elevated to a high art by politicians and other powerful people who target softball interview programs to get their propaganda out.  Now, this should offend every American, including the print press, but it doesn't.  Rudeness offends them.

Well, I was offended, and I thought it was rude that Jim Lehrer allowed the presidential debates to turn into spin sessions.  Mr. Lehrer generally asked softball questions, didn't follow up if the candidates dodged.  He allowed the candidates to say whatever they wanted without comment.

That was offensive to me, because I learned little about the men running.  It was a rude awakening and a waste of my time.

Talking Points knows there is jealousy and selling out on the part of some famous TV types in America.  The rules have changed now, and some of those people can't handle it.  Americans are barraged with conflicting claims, corrupt ideologies, and political correctness, and many so-called journalists do not challenge the madness, they simply don't have the guts.

Of course I interrupt on this program.  I have a limited amount of time to get answers to important questions.  If a guest dodges, lies, wanders, or spins the facts, that guest is called on it.  That is what made us successful.  It is also what has made us a huge threat to the establishment press, which often cozies up to the powerful hoping to get big names to talk with them.

Information is power, for everyone.  False information, spin, erodes your power.  It hurts your life.  Charlatans are everywhere.  The Factor fights spin and exposes the deceivers.  We try not to be rude, respect 90 percent of our guests, and check our facts every possible way.

The O'Rudeness Factor?  As Martha Stewart might say, It's a good thing.

And that's the memo.

The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

Time now for "Most Ridiculous Item of the Day." 

I didn't watch it and I'm proud I didn't.  But they tell me that Tonya Harding defeated Paula Jones in the televised boxing match on Fox last night.  Said Tonya, "She did well."  Said Paula, "I gave it my best shot."  Said O'Reilly, "This is so ridiculous, it's off the charts."

— You can watch Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 & 11p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com