Marc Lamont Hill To Bill O’Reilly: You Get Good Ratings “Because You’re So Dastardly Good-Looking”

Since you must be scratching your heads right now, let’s put that headline in context.

Earlier this week, Columbia professor (and former Fox News commentator) Marc Lamont Hill made a bold statement: that New Jersey governor Chris Christie is “too fat to be [elected] president.” Last night, Bill O’Reilly had Hill on his show so that the two of them could debate the merits of Hill’s contentious statement.

Hill’s point wasn’t that he thought an overweight person might be unsuited to be president. Instead, he argued that the American people are too shallow to elect someone they perceive as unattractive. “We wouldn’t elect someone in a wheelchair now either,” he told O’Reilly before noting that empirical studies have shown that taller, more attractive candidates tend to be ushered into office.

O’Reilly countered by saying, “By those measures, I would be President of the United States. I’m 6’4″, and look at me.” Rather than laugh at the host’s (ironic?) hubris, Hill agreed with his basic premise: “You think you could have a top-rated cable news show if you weren’t so dastardly good looking?” he asked. O’Reilly, in turn, called Hill a “midget,” which the diminutive professor took in stride.

Their exchange was lively, entertaining, and surprisingly respectful. It also raises an interesting question: are Americans really as image-conscious as Hill says we are, or is O’Reilly right to profess that we care more about policies than appearance?

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