George Clooney assails O'Reilly over relief fund remarks
By Andrew Grossman
NEW YORK (The Hollywood Reporter) --- George Clooney on Tuesday lit into Fox News Channel host Bill O'Reilly for his Oct. 31 attack on the celebrities -- and their press agents -- who took part in the Sept. 21 telethon that raised about $266 million for the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.
In a letter dripping with condescension and anger, Clooney blasted the host of "The O'Reilly Factor" for making "inflammatory statements" in accusing the September 11th Fund of mishandling and misusing the funds and suggested that O'Reilly used McCarthy-like tactics in his attacks.
O'Reilly raked over the celebrities because they declined comment on reports that much of the money raised has not yet reached the victims' families. He said the talent should be concerned about where the money ends up. Using his familiar incendiary language, O'Reilly said that "the majority of these people are phonies, much more interested in their own images than solving any social problems."
Clooney said O'Reilly never made a single call to check out the status of the relief efforts, adding that the United Way has already handed out about $36 million as it "sorts through the complicated process of who is in the most need."
Wrote Clooney: "If you were doing your job, you would have also known that the person put in place to run the September 11th Fund is a man named Frank Thomas. Now that's not the baseball player, Bill, but rather the man who headed the Ford Foundation for several years. ... Thomas is a man respected worldwide, and I would enjoy watching you question his character publicly."
Clooney said the report will make it more difficult to keep raising money for the victims and concluded by saying that if "journalists" had asked the celebrities about the funds, "we would have dropped everything and explained what we know. ... So, yes, we lied when we said we were too busy to do your 'entertainment show.' We were just trying to not hurt your feelings."
The problem for Clooney, however, is that O'Reilly has a talk show and the last word. Responding to the letter on his program Tuesday night, he said, "Many grieving families have heard nothing from the September 11th Fund ... and confusion is everywhere."
O'Reilly did find two celebrities who were willing to talk: Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn took the middle ground Tuesday night on the show, saying they agree with O'Reilly that the money should be accounted for and that the families deserve to be in the loop on its status. But they added that September 11th Fund should be given four to six months to sort through huge logistical issues in giving out the money.
"We're not stupid; we know it's going to take a lot of time," Hawn said. "No. 1, inform us. Inform the people what it is and what's going on. Let us know. That's my problem." |
