Silke Jasso
Update: Bill O’Reilly has since apologized for his comments.
Videos by Rare
“As I have said many times, I respect Congresswoman Maxine Waters for being sincere in her beliefs. I said that again today on Fox & Friends calling her ‘old school,’ O’Reilly said in a statement from Fox News.
“Unfortunately, I also made a jest about her hair which was dumb. I apologize.”
On Tuesday’s edition of “Fox & Friends,” Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly joined the program and the topic soon got to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA). O’Reilly and Waters have had a longtime war of words and have often belittled one another in the press.
After watching a clip of Waters, O’Reilly commented that he couldn’t hear anything she was saying, but he was staring at what he believed was a man’s wig on her head.
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“I didn’t hear a word [Rep. Waters] said. I was looking at the James Brown wig. If we have a picture of James, it’s the same wig,” O’Reilly said. Male co-host Brian Kilmeade had a laugh at Waters’ expense, while Ainsley Earhardt came to Waters’ defense.
“I’ve got to defend her on that. I have to defend her on that,” she told O’Reilly. “You can’t go after a woman’s looks. I think she’s very attractive.”
“Her hair is pretty,” said Earhardt.
“I love James Brown, but it’s the same hair, James Brown, alright, the ‘Godfather of Soul’, had,” O’Reilly said, after stating that he never said Waters was unattractive.
The internet was not fond of that.
The definition of sexism: when bill oreilly says Maxine Waters is not worth of listening to, simply because of how she looks.
— Darrien (@Naahchill) March 28, 2017
“The definition of sexism: when bill oreilly says Maxine Waters is not worth of listening to, simply because of how she looks,” one Twitter user wrote.
“Bill OReilly disrespects Maxine Waters? Where’s @KevinHart4real Its time!”
Bill OReilly disrespects Maxine Waters? Where's @KevinHart4real Its time!
— Tonya (@TonyaTGilbert) March 28, 2017
A Fox News spokesperson told Rare that Bill O’Reilly will address the incident on his Tuesday night program.
