Bill O’Reilly’s former protégé (and chip off the old block) Jesse Watters joined O’Reilly’s “The Spin Stops Here” Show with Dennis Miller this year. But with O’Reilly forced out of Fox News over sexual harassment allegations and host Watters already under fire for his crude remark about Ivanka Trump, Fox News wants Watters off the tour.
For days on “No Spin News,” the podcast that has become his primary outlet since he was ousted at Fox News, O’Reilly told listeners that Watters will appear at upcoming shows, which include stops in Baltimore, Tampa and Las Vegas.
“We’re going to do the tour,” O’Reilly said last week. “The tour stays. Miller and Watters and me.”
But a source close to the situation said that Fox News is working out contractual issues to get Watters off the tour.
CNN noted that on Thursday, O’Reilly promoted his “No Spin Tour” shows by saying, “Miller and I will make it worth your while.”
It's hard to believe that Watters knew nothing about O'Reilly's abuse of women. In fact, Watters seemed happy to help with misogynistic messages. In 2014, Watters behaved so obnoxiously toward National Organization for Women conferees with questions such as “Have you ever burned your bra?” he was ejected by the police and given a criminal trespassing summons. That was for an O'Reilly Factor segment that the two had a good on-air chuckle about. In 2009, Watters stalked, ambushed and harassed then-blogger Amanda Terkel after she questioned the suitability of O'Reilly speaking at a fundraiser for an organization dedicated to supporting rape victims. That was also for an O'Reilly Factor segment. In 2012, Watters told The Factor viewers about his failed efforts to ambush Sandra Fluke, the contraception advocate whom O'Reilly had targeted for special, sexist attacks.
But unlike his mentor, Watters was rewarded for his years of misogynistic (and racist) service to the network with a promotion.
Watch the behavior that earned Watters a criminal citation below, from the June 30, 2014 The O'Reilly Factor.
The original Three Stooges Larry, Moe, and Curly Joe should file suit from their graves.