Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

A little belated but the APF team wishes you a happy Christmas and a festive holiday season for your family and friends. In keeping with the holiday theme here is a classic pundit video from Christmas seasons' past.

VIDEO: Bill O'Reilly - Christmas Under Siege (2006)

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Intro - Bill O'Reilly - Christmas Under Siege
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Intro - Bill O'Reilly - Christmas Under Siege
JON STEWART: You know it seems like the 'War on Christmas' comes earlier every year now. Can't retailers wait till Thanksgiving to spit in the face of Jesus. Oh I know they wanna get as much mileage as they can from their pagan signage...

Laura Ingraham chides Bill O'Reilly, asking if "he ate an ACORN cookie?" O'Reilly calls Ingraham a "Kool-Aid drinker"

Laura Ingraham appeared on 'The O'Reilly Factor' to talk about the Healthcare bill. Before the discussion, Laura lightheartedly chided Bill for his "gushing" over the Obama family the night previous when he spoke of attending the White House Media Christmas Party. Bill takes offense at Ingraham's dig and in typical fashion overheats, angrily making note of Ingraham's stubbornness as an ideologue.

This isn't the first time Ingraham has been unimpressed by O'Reilly's cynical positioning in order to be seen as a moderate opinionmaker

VIDEO: Ingraham Calls O'Reilly Out for Kissing Up to the Obamas - 

Did You Eat an ACORN Cookie Last Night?

The O'Reilly Factor December 17, 2009
LAURA INGRAHAM: ... Its like you and Michelle Obama, we're like this
BILL O'REILLY: (facetiously) Hey me and Michelle Obama are very, very close
INGRAHAM: I'm gushing over your gushing last night over the Christmas Party
O'REILLY: I' gonna call you out on this. I thought she was very nice at the party... she was nice. I reported what happened and you have a beef with it
INGRAHAM: I have one question for you Bill - Did you eat an ACORN cookie last night? Yes or no?
O'REILLY: Oh bull! You are a blind ideologue, and even if somebody is nice to you. You won't admit it. Talk about a kool-aid drinker I mean c'mon...

Read a comprehensive transcript from Conservative blog, Newsbuster.org - O'Reilly Calls Ingraham 'A Blind Ideologue' 'Kool-Aid Drinker', She Asks If He Ate 'ACORN Cookie' At White House Christmas Party

The Stephen Colbert and Richard Branson feud

Asked which historical figure he would most like to fist fight "rebel bilionaire" Richard Branson reponded with a dig at Colbert. Watch the unfolding feud between Colbert and Branson.

May 6, 2009: Colbert-Branson Duel
RICHARD BRANSON: Yeah maybe Stephen Colbert. He's getting far to big for his boots
STEPHEN COLBERT: Branson! You wanna fight? You come over here and fight me... and since you - a knight of the realm have challenged me to a duel... in which case I say we duel with naked models clinging to our backs. A feud with the dudes with the nudes - a no-holds-barred chicken fight between you and me and a couple of hairless shoulder monkeys

Colbert-Branson Duel

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Colbert-Branson Duel
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Economy

Jon Stewart mocks Laura Ingraham's Tea Party Speech, paraphrasing holocaust poem

Jon Stewart channeling Keith Olbermann at his snarkiest cut a promo on Conservative Radio Talker Laura Ingraham. It was part of a segment highlighting some of the humorous aspects of the Tea Party protest against the administration's Healthcare proposals which was well attended by demonstrators and politicians. Stewart took exception to Ingraham's cynical appropriation of the renowned 'Holocaust poem - 'First they came'

December 16, 2009: Highway to Health - Last Tea Party Protest of the Year
JON STEWART: Look! I get it, you're a little frustrated by policy choices that may or may not come to pass. But you do realise that the phrase "came for" in the poem is a euphemism for round up and kill. So let me today make this pledge to you, if the government begins to round up and kill the rich, the land-owning and those who choose to bear arms - I'll speak up

VIDEO: Highway to Health - Last Tea Party Protest of the Year

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Highway to Health - Last Tea Party Protest of the Year
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

I fully expect Ingraham to return fire as soon as she returns to the radio on Monday

Keith Olbermann challenges Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck over Dick Wolf's Law and Order

Keith Olbermann went on his patented 10 minute promo, challenging Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly over their objection that Dick wolf's Law and Order defamed the conservative pundits by misrepresenting their stances on illegal immigration.

VIDEO: Keith Olbermann Goes Off On O’Reilly And Beck
for their take on Dick Wolf’s 'Law And Order'

KEITH OLBERMANN: NBC's Law and Order and executive producer Dick Wolf make a passing reference to the hot and cold incitement to hate and violence that Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly constitute and Beck and Bill-o act as if they have been violated

'LAW AND ORDER' SNIPPET PLAYED
Person 1: I don't get why you're defending this wacko?
Person 2: I think its the symptom not the disease...
Person 1: That symptom killed 3 people
Person 2: Garrison, Limbaugh, Beck, O'Reilly. All of em, they are like a cancer spreading ignorance and hate. I mean they've convinced folks that immigrants are the problem not corporations that fail to pay a living wage or a broken health care system...

Olbermann's rant involves a pre-emptive defense of fellow liberal talker Janeane Garofalo and a taunting roll call of every prominent Conservative talker and writer in the media from Matt Drudge to Mark Levin and the "Coultergeist". Olbermann credits Bartcop's original post on "The Myth of the liberal media" in his tirade.

WWE 2009 Slammy Awards hosted by Conservative Talker Dennis Miller

VIDEO: WWE Slammy Awards 2009 Hosted By Dennis Miller

The newest APF member, conservative talker Dennis Miller will finally be making his appearance as the guest General Manager for WWE's Raw program.

WWE 2009 Slammy Awards hosted by Dennis Miller
It will be a slamming award-winning time tonight on Raw when several honors will be up for grabs at the 2009 Slammy Awards. Hosted by renowned comedian and radio talk show personality Dennis Miller, this prestigious event will be a guaranteed can't-miss hit.

John Ziegler debates with Cenk Uygur of 'The Young Turks'

VIDEO: Sarah Palin Defender John Ziegler In-Studio w/ Cenk!

The Young Turksiew with John Ziegler (Dec 10, 2009)
JOHN ZIEGLER: I think that its interesting that you presume that because she doesn't answer a question that it must be "Ah she's an idiot or she's stupid". To me that is a circular argument - you presume she's stupid and everything that might indicate that she might theoretically be stupid you automatically say that is the explanation

CENK UYGUR: Even if I think you're right, which I don't even for a second. Even if I thought "hey, she's just trying to dodge the question". There is a million better ways to dodge the question.

At least leave the audience with a sense that you at least understand who Hamas is, that you understand what the Gaza Strip is. That you understand what the problem is. If you frame it that way you have to understand that people are going to think you didn't know what the hell you were talking about and hence you're underqualified, you're stupid etc...

In a previous posts describing the various interview formats used by pundits I've drawn comparisons to analogous styles of wrestling matches. The squash match, the handicap match, shoot fights and the Iron Man Match.

Today's example is the "Iron Man match". Its a long format debate known for its civility and technical execution, it is rare to find these type of match in the media landscape as HotAir laments

Video: Ziegler, Uyger debate about Sarah Palin
It’s a 26-minute debate that John Ziegler describes to me as “an educated and civil discussion” with Young Turks host Cenk Uyger, and he’s right. Cenk lets John talk and addresses his points openly, and avoids the kind of shout-downs that usually happens at MS-NBC...

I've discussed why its become harder to find these types of debates on Mainstream TV in detail previously

Technical Wrestlers: Hugh Hewitt and Thom Hartmann
Its increasingly hard to find pundits who engage in fruitful debate because of the popular 'Crash TV' formats of most TV and Radio. The small amount of time alloted and the diametrically opposite viewpoints held naturally degenerates into shouting matches.

Jon Stewart calls out Glenn Beck for his opportunistic shilling for Gold

VIDEO: Beck - Not So Mellow Gold

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Beck - Not So Mellow Gold
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Jon Stewart continues his skewering of Glenn Beck, this time examining Beck's motives for his constant promotion of Gold as an attractive investment option.

December 10, 2009: Beck - Not So Mellow Gold
JON STEWART: This is kind of a nice feedback loop, Glenn Beck is paid by Goldline to drum up business for Gold which increases value in times of fear. A notion reinforced nightly on Fox by Glenn Beck. Alright I'm almost sold.

Fox is vouching for Beck. Beck is vouching for Gold. Close the deal.

Its worth noting that the wrestling world also has its own character that is theatrical, God fearing, who some have described as "bizarre" and is also obsessed with Gold.

VIDEO: WWE - Goldust Make His Return At The 2002 Royal Rumble

John Gibson appears on 'The O'Reilly Factor', calls out Jon Stewart

VIDEO: Bill O'Reilly And John Gibson: Conservatives Upset About Obama's Nobel Peace Prize

A new look John Gibson was a guest on the O'Reilly factor to talk about President Obama and his new book 'How the Left Swiftboated America: The Liberal Media Conspiracy to Make You Think George Bush Was the Worst President in History'.

The O'Reilly Factor (12/09/09)
BILL O'REILLY: Who is the biggest villain in your opinion in the media today?
JOHN GIBSON: One of the most influential is Jon Stewart
O'REILLY: Yeah - Jon Stewart. The Daily Show?
GIBSON: He influenced a huge number of young men, who probably wouldn't have gone out and voted the way they did...
O'REILLY: That's interesting
GIBSON: ... cuz they thought he was a real newsperson
...
O'REILLY: How about the dopey guy Colbert?
GIBSON: I don't bother with him...

Expect a follow up in the coming days from either Stewart or Colbert as this is perfect fodder for a continuing feud. A likely calculation on Gibson's part to generate attention for his new book.