Bill O’Reilly’s book has landed on The New York Times bestseller list, despite the paper’s reporting on the controversy surrounding the Fox News star.
“Old School: Life in the Sane Lane” debuted in the top slot on The New York Times’ iconic list despite its reporting that Mr. O’Reilly paid $13 million to five women who accused him of sexual harassment. The news on “Old School” was tweeted late Wednesday by the newspaper’s Midwest correspondent, Julie Bosman.
“You have probably heard the term Old School, but what you might not know is that there is a concentrated effort to tear that school down,” the book’s promotional material for online retailer Amazon reads. “It’s a values thing. The anti-Old School forces believe the traditional way of looking at life is oppressive. Not inclusive. The Old School way may harbor microaggressions. Therefore, Old School philosophy must be diminished.
“Those crusading against Old School now have a name: Snowflakes. You may have seen them on cable TV whining about social injustice and income inequality. You may have heard them cheering Bernie Sanders as he suggested the government pay for almost everything. The Snowflake movement is proud and loud, and they don’t like Old School grads.”
Mr. O’Reilly has faced a barrage of criticism since the harassment settlements were reported last week. President Trump weighed in to defend him as “a good person,” while companies like BMW, Allstate Corp. and T. Rowe Price have stopped running ads during “The O’Reilly Factor” time slot.
“Just like other prominent and controversial people, I’m vulnerable to lawsuits from individuals who want me to pay them to avoid negative publicity,” Mr. O’Reilly said in a statement released April 1. “In my more than 20 years at Fox News Channel, no one has ever filed a complaint about me with the Human Resources Department, even on the anonymous hotline. But most importantly, I’m a father who cares deeply for my children and who would do anything to avoid hurting them in any way. And so I have put to rest any controversies to spare my children.”
“Old School: Life in the Sane Lane,” is published by Henry Hold and Company. The book is co-authored by Mr. O’Reilly and Bruce Feirstein.
Bill O’Reilly’s new book, “Old School,” an examination of American values, just debuted at #1 on the NYT bestseller list. pic.twitter.com/pCAyRoiKPg
— Julie Bosman (@juliebosman) April 5, 2017
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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