
10. Bill O’Reilly
2014 Power List
Blowhard. Patriot. Pinhead. Hypocrite. Hero. Regardless of how you view Bill O’Reilly, his place in broadcasting history is firmly etched in stone. Who else gets an exclusive interview with the president of the United States before the Super Bowl? O’Reilly took Barack Obama right into his No Spin Zone and grilled him on the issues near and dear to the O’Reilly Factor faithful. He’s probably the only person Fox News boss Roger Ailes can’t push around. Sometimes, just when his critics think he’s spun himself into the stereotype of stereotypes, O’Reilly manages to surprise people with his broader views, like paying MSNBC’s lefty Rachel Maddow a compliment or criticizing Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson’s intolerant attitude toward African Americans and the LGBT community. And how about his growing book list: Killing Patton, Killing Jesus, Killing Kennedy, and Killing Lincoln to name a few of his bestsellers. The guy is literally killing it! And for children, he’s penned The Last Days of Jesus, Kennedy’s Last Days, and Lincoln’s Last Days. We hope our last days are far ahead of us so we can keep up with O’Reilly’s literary output. Our favorite title so far has to be his memoir, A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity, chronicling his journey “from being a working-class kid to an immensely influential television personality.” And to think he started it all on Long Island.