Late-Night Hosts Put Hypocrisy On Display in Treatment of Harvey Weinstein

Film producer and film studio executive Harvey Weinstein has been fired from the film company he co-founded after a series of sexual harassment allegations against him emerged last week. While the allegations are reminiscent of former show host Bill O’Reilly’s scandal, which resulted in his firing from Fox News, the treatment from late night show hosts has been strikingly different. O’Reilly provided perfect fodder for late-night skits and monologues, while only John Oliver fully addressed the Weinstein scandal.

Saturday Night Live

Bill O’Reilly: After Bill O’Reilly left Fox News, SNL dedicated a skit mimicking the “O’Reilly Factor” and mocking his sexual advances toward women.

Weinstein: SNL had written Weinstein-related jokes for their performance, but didn’t end up doing them, the New York Times reported. A person familiar with SNL’s decision to scratch their Weinstein segment told the Times that Lorne Michaels was afraid it was a NYC media story, and would not be as familiar to a national audience.

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon:

O’Reilly: “Today Fox News announced that Bill O’Reilly has been fired after his sexual harassment scandal. Experts say that it’s not likely that any self-respecting network will hire him. Then CNN said, ‘Welcome aboard.’ Get this, I saw that earlier today O’Reilly actually met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. When he saw O’Reilly go into confession, the next guy in line said, ‘You know what, I”ll come back tomorrow.'”

Weinstein: *Crickets*

Jimmy Kimmel Live:

O’Reilly: Jimmy Kimmel’s show also led his show with the news of O’Reilly being fired. “What did Bill O’Reilly do today while this was all going on? He met the Pope. For real, he went to the Vatican and waiting in the VIP long to meet the Pope… Anyways, Fox News decided to extend Bill’s vacation to forever. I tell you, of all the jobs President Trump promised to create, you wouldn’t think Bill O’Reilly’s would be one, but it is.” He then revealed his own replacement show, “The Guillerm O’factor.”

Weinstein: Crickets on air. Kimmel tweeted in response to a question from Donald Trump, Jr. asking for comment on the Weinstein story: “You mean that big story from the failing, liberal, one-sided @nytimes? I think it is disgusting.”

Late Night with Seth Meyers:

O’Reilly: Following the news of Bill O’Reilly’s millions of dollars of settlements, Seth Meyers used his show to criticize Bill O’Reilly and Fox News’ relationship with President Trump. “If it seemed outrageous to you at the time that O’Reilly would dismiss Trump’s apparent sexual assault confession as crude guy talk, it might make more sense now after the news that broke over the weekend.”

Weinstein: *Crickets*

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