Posted on 12/30/2011 8:16:39 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Fox News’s Greg Gutfeld tackled the often vexing world of prime time on Tuesday when he tried to fill some big shoes hosting Fox News’s top-ranked show The O’Reilly Factor. It was an equal-parts bold and odd choice, putting the network’s oft-times unpredictable, distinctly snarky and libertarian-minded funnyman as replacement host of the Fox News flagship program. But would Gutfeld measure as O’Reilly’s FNC tent-pole?
Gutfeld handled the reins of hosting The Factor with aplomb, putting his quick-hit comedic commentary aside just enough to fit in on O’Reilly’s self-described “traditionalist” program. At several points during last night’s show, the Red Eye host channeled O’Reilly’s trademark stone-faced gravitas, for example a point made about youth violence. “I think most of this violence happens because it can. And we have become more permissive and I think, parents and people are scared to confront kids because they fear they are going to get hurt or sued,” Gutfeld said in reference to the fights that broke out at the Mall of America. “You know, if you are on a subway, something is happening, you stay away from it because you don’t want to be bothered. One of these days you are going to have to step in.”
In that moment, Gutfeld quite nearly perfectly captured the O’Reilly ethos of personal responsibility, and communicated it very succinctly. But all the while, he was still very much doing his own thing.
Gutfeld’s turn at anchoring a prime time show was remarkable in that he is so often cast as the face of the network’s “continued shift on cable to talk about the news and away from actual news reports” — as the New York Times‘s Brian Stelter had described The Five.
In his turn as prime-time anchor, Gutfeld showed he was quite competent and prepared to take the driver seat in the high-stakes O’Reilly slot and performed well in a hard news capacity. With a sharp performance Tuesday, Fox News higher-ups undoubtedly took notice.
Watch several clips from Gutfeld’s command performance as Bill O’Reilly’s fill-in below via Fox News:
(VIDEO AT LINK)
I think he did a better job then O’Reilly. But then again, I can’t stand O’Reilly. So, take my opinion for what it is worth.
I saw him take it to Alan Colmes ...O’Reilly would not have do so.
Gut Check.
Missed it.
And for a good reason - I no longer watch the Unfair and Unbalanced Network. Way, way too pro-Romney and the 24/7 anti-Newt rants were just the final straw for me.
Gut Check is good.
How about: Blood and Guts(feld)
Okay. Just a personal salute to Patton, which we need in the media as well as in the White House.
“Guts and Balls” would also be nice but not for the PC brass.
“Telling it like it is”
O’Reilly is an overbearing ass, in my opinion. And that is me being nice.
I like Gutfeld. He is a good on air talent and he is good off air as well. I think the man works 24/7. He’s smart and witty, informed and personable. The opposite of o’really.
Hell, anybody can beat Colmes, I have seen him get his butt kicked by Laura Ingrahm, Ann Coulter and other lightweights.
We got Dish Network in order to watch O’Reilly. A couple of years later we got the Dish Network disconnected because it became apparent O’Reilly would let nothing get in his way if only he could get another Obama interview. The way he treated Michelle Malkin sealed the deal to rid him (and his buddies Geraldo, Colmes and Marc Lamont Hill) from our TV screen.
Don’t get your hopes up. O’Reilly ain’t going nowhere. Plus, FNC would never put Gutfeld in the 8 pm slot. He’s way too edgy for that.
And while I don’t have a name for any Gutfeld show, I do think O’Reilly should title his next autobiographical book, A Great Big Bucket Of Stupidity.
If I’m not mistaken, treating Michele Malkin badly is also what got that amped up radio show guy in Austin banned from FR?
I mean, in addition to blaming GWB for 9-11.
Nice.
I missed it too for the same reason. I no longer watch FOX. I started watching them in early 1998 when their biggest sponsor was the Onion Blossom. Can’t stand them now.
He was good. Not as good as Laura Ingram however.
Much better than BOR however.
I happened to see some of the show, and it looks like he's lost some weight. Seems the kid has ambition.
Red Eye at 3AM beats the prime time CNN and MSNBC line up.
Im not kidding.
I’ve seen those numbers. It must drive those other networks up the wall. And you know they probably pay Greg, Andy and Bill combined less than Ed Schultz or Larry O’Donnell.
He’s doing two or three shows a day. That’ll take the weight off you.
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