Soundbite: The Highest Praise Bill O’Reilly Can Bestow Goes To…

by Steve Krakauer | 10:34 pm, December 6th, 2009

» 5 comments

“…a Southern guy who doesn’t take himself all that seriously. There’s a twinkle in his eye. He gets upset sometimes when he sees injustice. I like that. I think that’s needed…Basically, he is very accessible to the folks. The folks believe he’s one of them, not some anchorman from Mount Olympus.”

– Bill O’Reilly, Fox News host, describing his colleague, Shepard Smith.

This quote is part of a lengthy profile of Smith in the American Journalism Review, which describes Smith as “The Anti-Anchor.” Another media member quoted in the piece describes what viewers get when they turn on Smith’s 3pmET Studio B: “flashier, thematic and jazzier.” (Also: car chases.) And a penchant for being candid – both on-air and off it.

fnc, fox news, shepard smith, Soundbite

rmbltmbl

I continue to be amazed by your idolization of Shep Smith on this website. I won’t even try to contemplate why.. because I know it all starts with what’s wrong with Fox News.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Chuck-Varrick/1170421091 Chuck Varrick

I like him because he’s no nonsense and someone whom I think is quite passionate about what’s he does and says on TV. It’s not rocket science but some anchors try and puff themselves up like they’re rocket scientists. See Katie Couric, Brian Williams(I never met a camera I didn’t like) and the aw shucks guy, Charlie Gibson, who is a real dofus when it comes time to reading the evening news off the teleprompter. Shep makes it more entertaining and less about “himself.” Perhaps that’s why Couric has lost so many viewers over the past few years.
adammathewjones

Lots of people on the right and left agree about the problems with the bailouts and the White House has no answers for them. How do you think that will play at the polls?
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blueblogger

I stopped watching Fox some years ago. If I were going to watch anyone on there it would be Shep. I guess that says something about me. Hmmmmm
libra blue

I don’t usually agree with BOR, but in this case he is right! There is something very appealing and accessible about Shep. Even when he is being snarky he doesn’t come off as being full of himself like some others I won’t mention.

I enjoyed reading this article on Shep.