Bill O'Reilly Calls Michelle Obama's Oscar Appearance 'Propaganda' (Video)
Harvey Weinstein would never have invited Laura Bush to present, the Fox News host told Jay Leno.
First lady Michelle Obama’s turn as best picture Oscar presenter has Bill O’Reilly crying foul.
“This was the most propagandistic thing I’ve ever seen,” the O’Reilly Factor host told Jay Leno on NBC’s The Tonight Show Friday.
He prefaced his criticism by saying he liked Obama. “She’s been very nice to my daughter and I see her at White House parties.”
But, O’Reilly said, this sort of thing would never have happened when Laura Bush was first lady.
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“You think Harvey Weinstein would have called up W.?” he said. “It was such propaganda. But you can’t blame Michelle Obama. You get the opportunity, you do it.”
O’Reilly is not the first politico to criticize the Oscars for Obama's appearance. Rush Limbaugh said Obama being projected onto a big screen reminded him of the famous 1984 Apple commercial, and other conservative radio hosts complained on their own shows.
The first lady, who surprised Oscar viewers Sunday by appearing via satellite to present the best picture Oscar to Argo, said earlier she wasn't surprised by criticism.
"That's just the nature of life," Obama said on NBC's Today show in an interview that aired Friday. "I mean, we live in a time when there are bloggers and tweeters and 24-hour news and everyone has a voice in this town square and it's a big one. And it's good -- overall, it's good -- but that means that at any point and given time, somebody's not gonna like what you do. That's just the nature of things."
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Weinstein set up Obama’s Oscar appearance, and the surprise was left off of the schedule so as to keep it secret. Later, Oscars producer Craig Zadan told The Hollywood Reporter the first lady instantly said yes when approached with the idea.
The Tonight Show airs at 11:35 p.m. on NBC. Watch the video below.
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