In their hot topics segment Tuesday, the ladies of “The View” slammed Fox News and former host Bill O’Reilly. In his web show, O’Reilly said he was “mad at God” for having to endure recent scrutiny, after a New York Times report was released this past weekend.
The report claimed O’Reilly paid Fox News legal analyst Lis Wiehl $32 million in a sexual harassment settlement a month before his contract was renewed.
“You know, am I mad at God? Yeah, I’m mad at him,” O’Reilly said. “I wish I had more protection. I wish this stuff didn’t happen. I can’t explain it to you. Yeah, I’m mad at him.”
After playing the clip, Whoopi Goldberg responded, “That’s what you're gonna say to God, Bill?” “Why did you work me over?”
"He says he's mad at God. Bill, God is mad at you," said comedian Joy Behar.
New co-host Meghan McCain noted the alleged settlement amount was close to what O.J. Simpson was ordered to pay the Goldmans in civil court for murder. "It has to be pretty bad, right?" McCain asked.
The women also questioned Fox News’ HR practices. “If you are aware as an employer that someone has settled five, six lawsuits against them for sexual harassment, is it your job as an employer to tell the female employees that they may be sitting next to a sexual predator?” said Sunny Hostin.
“We talk about H.R. all the time,” Goldberg said. “Where the hell was H.R.?!”
“The only thing bigger than these men,” said Sara Haines, “are the companies protecting them with these non disclosure acts.”
Goldberg wrapped up the hot topic by slamming both O’Reilly and Fox News, and asking O’Reilly to “look in the mirror.” "You can't walk out of this. You can blame it on as many people as you want but at its core, you participated in some way.”