Bill O’Reilly insults Maxine Waters, calls her hair a ‘James Brown wig’
Fox host Bill O'Reilly says he can't listen to Maxine Waters, not because of her views, but because of her hair.
Fox host Bill O’Reilly says he can’t listen to Rep. Maxine Waters, not because of her views, but because of her hair.
During a segment on Fox and Friends covering Waters’ speech to Congress in speaking out against President Donald Trump, O’Reilly said, “I didn’t hear a word she said. I was looking at the James Brown wig. If we have a picture of James, it’s the same wig.”
African-American woman in Congress speaks up against the president, Bill O’Reilly says he won’t listen because of her hair. pic.twitter.com/GVOkZNBNX9
— Media Matters (@mmfa) March 28, 2017
Fellow host Ainsley Earhardt tried to come to Waters’ defense, saying, “No. OK, I’ve got to defend her on that. I have to defend her on that. She a — you can’t go after a woman’s looks. I think she’s very attractive.”
But O’Reilly held firm, saying, “I love James Brown, but it’s the same hair, James Brown — alright, the godfather of soul — had.”
He then added, “Whatever it is, I just couldn’t get by it.”
Update:
Bill O’Reilly has released the following statement in response to his comments:
“As I have said many times, I respect Congresswoman Maxine Waters for being sincere in her beliefs. I said that again today on Fox & Friends calling her ‘old school.’ Unfortunately, I also made a jest about her hair which was dumb. I apologize.”
