Andrea Mackris Sues for Dirty Talk

Although not a TV star per se, Andrea Mackris – a Fox News producer --  has been making some headlines recently with filing a sexual harassment suit against Bill O’Reilly, the rightwing star of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News. 

Mackris claimed that O’Reilly has tried to have sex with her on a number of occasions, made obnoxious comments about vibrators, phone sex, ménages a trois and tales of his own sexual exploits and continuously proposed her to have an affair in a hotel room.

O’Reilly, on the other hand, claims he is the target of a politically motivated, $60m (£33.2m) extortion attempt by his accuser, and her lawyer, a well-known Benedict Morelli.

O’Reilly said that his career as well as the reputation of the conservative Fox News was jeopardized  because of the accusations.   But the scandal has not affected the high ratings for the show, instead ratings for The O’Reilly Factor have gone sky high.  

O’Reilly, who is 55 and married, has not directly denied the accusations but has said that the lawsuit may ruin his career, his reputation and his marriage.  This whole mess is a huge embarrassment to Fox and to an anchor who appeals to a largely conservative audience.  Ironically, O’Reilly frequently lectures guests on morality, and recently wrote a book of advice for children.

According to the suit O’Reilly was repeatedly propositioning Mackris and she has actually recorded some of the conversations.  In one he allegedly suggests that she buy a vibrator, boasts knowing how to teach women how to masturbate, and discusses what kind of sex they should have and talks dirty. For much of the conversations, O’Reilly alternates between sexual fantasies and boasting about his sexual - and television - performance.

What experts say is potentially quite damaging to O’Reilly is not so much the fact that he propositioned Mackris, but the sexual details of the conversations.  O’Reillly’s Caribbean holiday shower and Scandinavian airline hostess fantasies are strange and then there’s his obsession with vibrators, one of which he allegedly uses on himself often.

As it is with any prominent and public figures comedians and talk-show hosts are having fun at O’Reilly’s expense.  It is also not surprising that people are really obsessed with the discomfort of a man who so enthusiastically promotes family values.