Well, I have tried to just not comment any further on the Casey Anthony trial. The verdict came in, largely as I'd predicted, not because I'm clairvoyant, but because the jury concluded as I did - the State over-charged its case and then did not prove it's charge. However, thanks to Bill O'Reilly and Nancy Grace, we are not able to move on and are likely to be stuck in emotional hell all summer.
O'Reilly and Grace -- makes a great team title, no? -- are appearing tonight on Bill's show The Factor, and I will not be watching. I've watched Bill's show faithfully (and with 3 runs per night, how can one avoid it?) for years, mostly because I like his regular guests and skits (Greg Gutfeld, Tanya Reiman, Dennis Miller, Bernie Goldberg, Culture Quiz, Culture Warriors, and the grandaddy of them all, original guest commentator Kinky Friedman). I would excuse his constant interruptions and leprechaun-ish anger-fits as so much entertainment, because it would only show itself occasionally.
But as I have seen it increase, I have been tiring for months now of Bill's Irish-Catholic kneejerk evangelical bully-pulpit tirades, and the latest series of them over the Anthony verdict is the last straw for me. I emailed his producers that Bill was turning into a female Nancy Grace, and apparently they like that idea and perhaps thought it was a compliment, which it was not. (I also wrote that imo Bill slandered Juror #3). Tonight's desperate attempt to mirror-justify themselves sickens me, and I have to wonder if Melinda Duckett is turning over in her suicidal grave.
Back in 2006, Nancy similarly went off the reservation and her tirading resulted in Grace paying Duckett's family off after taking her own life because of being in Nancy's crosshairs. It was called Grace's "Jenny Jones moment", and I submit that Grace is once again Jonesing and O'Reilly is along for the ride.
This is outrageous behavior, and both show hosts need to stop right now. "Justice for Caylee" is not achieved by increasing ratings at her expense, and when you think about it in the light of day, that is all that is getting accomplished by Bill and Nancy's behaviors. How are they any different than Casey Anthony would be if she were taking book deals and paid interviews...seriously?
Send both of them a message -- quit watching their shows. You are not missing a thing because they are both so predictable. You probably already know what they are gonna be saying. How is that compelling or otherwise worth it? Besides, if as I fear, either of them have fanned the flames of a vigilante "justice for caylee" fan taking it upon themselves to kill Casey after she is released, then by not watching, you are washing your hands of any indirect involvement in something that sordid and ugly. And please do not laugh at my fears -- the Druckett family would like to tell you a few things, I'm sure.
O'Reilly and Grace are nothing more than matching bookend BULLIES. Don't be a party to feeding their ilk. They eat their young...and may perhaps end up eating each other, if we are lucky.
It is far better to reward responsible commentators like Greta Van Sustern, Piers Morgan, Geraldo Rivera and Dr. Drew Pinsky with your viewership (even Sean Hannity was even-minded enough to present both sides and not slander the jury for their decision, and I give him kudos for not falling for the kneejerk law & order mindset on this one).
The Anthony jury foreman will be on Greta tonight, and this is probably because he knows Greta to be fair. I am interested in learning how they arrived at their decision, and Greta is a champion deposer. She will ask the questions that get the illuminating answers without bullying, disparaging or disrespecting her guest.
Wouldn't it be nice if O'Reilly could learn to do the same, and wouldn't it be even nicer if attorney Grace could once again show some respect for our legal system? Until they do (or it snows in Hell), I will not condone them, remember them, or egg them on by watching them. I invite you to do the same.
