by Jake Pierson
How does one become the first Fairfield professor to appear on the number one cable news show, the “O’Reilly Factor”? By sending a flippant e-mail regarding a topic of their interest to the show.
At least that’s what Dr. Lisa H. Newton did.
“I received an e-mail that asked for our thoughts on the morality of reality television. I sent a flip comment and promptly forgot about it,” said Newton, director of the program in Applied Ethics.
Evidently, the O’Reilly Factor was very interested. Newton was contacted and within a few hours, she was booked for the next day’s show on Jan. 30.
“Usually these things don’t pan out,” said Newton. “They get passed onto the faculty by Nancy Habetz, director of Media Relations, who does a good job of knowing our interests. But as I said, usually they just don’t happen.”
The O’Reilly Factor airs on Fox News at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. nightly. The show features the opinionated anchorman Bill O’Reilly.
He has made a name for himself by belittling and attacking his guests’ views. But Newton, a graduate of Swarthmore College and Colombia University, found him to be a very pleasant man.
“Mr. O’Reilly is very personable and chatty when off-camera,” said Newton. “However, he is tough while on camera. His anger is staged to thrust the controversy into the face of his viewer. But he is a very nice man in person.”
Due to heavy traffic, Newton showed up to the studio only minutes before her scheduled segment.
“I’m glad we got there right before my segment,” said Newton. “I had little time to prepare, which prevented me from being nervous and allowed me to say what I thought without second guessing myself.”
O’Reilly began the segment by giving an opening monologue and then began to question his guests.
Weinstein claimed that people make a choice to be on the reality television shows and that it isn’t immoral to watch them.
When questioned by O’Reilly on the subject of reality television, Newton said that human dignity should not be for sale. Newton said that we all have a protected dignity and for the executives to seek out people who will make fools of themselves on air is deplorable. O’Reilly sided with Newton on this point.
“I am uneasy with the fact that these shows exist and that we watch them,” said O’Reilly.
She appeared opposite Dr. Bruce Weinstein, author of What Should I Do: 4 Simple Steps to Making Better Decisions in Everyday Life.
Weinstein thinks people make an informed decision to go on reality television.
Newton said she would do the show again because she believes that it’s important for Fairfield faculty to be involved in public opinions.
“I would love to do it again as they treated me wonderfully,” said Newton.
“I think it’s important for Fairfield faculty to be involved on television shows because it gives those shows an educated voice, as well as give publicity to Fairfield as an academic institution.”
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