Karen Finney, on her super renegade MSNBC show “Disrupt” on Saturday (you know it’s super renegade because it has such a super renegade name), took some time off from her usual ratings-busting fare to punch down at little-watched Fox News show “The O’Reilly Factor”.
Oh the weather outside is frightful. And the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go. YOU HATE ALL POOR PEOPLE AND CHILDREN AND BABY JESUS IN A MANGER.
That may not have been a direct quote. Finney is amused by silly Bill O’Reilly (you can tell she is amused because she calls him Billy instead of Bill. Amused I say!) and his annual series of stories and segments titled, and dealing with, “The War On Christmas.”
Finny begins by saying that Bill, (oh sorry, BILLY [amusing!]), has got his 17th century knickers in a twist because people are saying Happy Holidays to one another wantonly and with aforethought. This is entirely false. In fact, O’Reilly has repeatedly stated that he doesn’t care if anyone says Happy Holidays, but only whether people are prevented from saying Merry Christmas. Notice she doesn’t show any clip at this point, she just makes an assertion. In keeping with that fine tradition …
There is a substantive difference between being offended by the phrase “Happy Holidays”, and wishing to be allowed to say “Merry Christmas” instead. An obvious point that one would not think it necessary to make. But one probably isn’t watching MSNBC so one wouldn’t know just how many obvious things MSNBC hosts need one to explain. To one. Or two. I’ve lost count.
The highly amused and amusing Kareny goes on, and here is where she gets really clever, to say that she, spit take, agrees with O’Reilly. She also thinks there is a war on Christmas. Because people are talking about greetings instead of starving children!!! BOOM goes the turnaround. Oh Kareny, you tricksy little minx. I should have known that cleverly affixed rictus was a sly smile.
It should also not escape your notice that she began this segment by mentioning Nelson Mandela. Because you see, while President Obama is talking about income inequality like a BOSS, and the world is mourning Nelson Mandela as a LOSS, petty little Bill is whining about Christmas like a FOX … news host.
So to summarize, Obama cares about the little guy, Fox News hates Nelson Mandela, and Bill O’Reilly doesn’t care about children, and that, dear MSNBC viewer, is why you tune in to this network. Sharp, witty analysis. Well, sharp anyway. … not “analysis” per se. Dull, witty pontificating. … well not witty so much. Dull, predictable pontificating. That is why you tune in.
But if you’re ever looking for a self-satisfied imitation of an opinion delivered by a snotty, preening liberal sticking assiduously to formulaic MSNBC blather-babble, Kareny Finney-y is the vacuous dorm-room-rant disruptor you’ve been missing. Tune in!!