Fox News founder Roger Ailes officially died of complications from “a subdural hematoma” after falling and hitting his head in his home. But according to Bill O’Reilly that is incorrect. His former boss died because of “hatred.”
“We are living in a rough age, with technological advances changing behavior and perspective,” O’Reilly said in his obituary for Ailes in USA Today. “The downside of that is turning us into a nation where hatred is almost celebrated in some quarters. Roger Ailes experienced that hatred and it killed him. That is the truth.”
Many on the internet, also known as that evil brand of technology O’Reilly is referring to, aren’t buying his take on Ailes’s death. They argue that the Fox News executive deliberately built his network off hatred by targeting marginalized Americans. To say Ailes died because of hate is hypocritical; he made a living off of it.
https://twitter.com/youngsinick/status/865227765125185536
In Bill O’Reilly’s #RogerAiles obit, he bemoans the “hatred almost celebrated” in America. HE AND ROGER AILES LED THAT CHARGE pic.twitter.com/97splRJONE
— Jordan (@JordanChariton) May 19, 2017
If Roger #Ailes died of hatred then its seems a fitting end given the role he played in the destruction of civility in public discourse
— Wondercarrot (@Wondercarrott) May 19, 2017
“endured hatred”? ailes willfully created a media empire that thrives on stoking fear & hatred through confusion/misinformation for ratings.
— Bruce_Leeroy_ (@Bruce_Leeroy_) May 19, 2017
Others are stating that O’Reilly needs to be honest: Ailes died from an accident-related injury, possibly compromised by his poor health. Not hatred directed at him.
https://twitter.com/kmwallingford/status/865571243357065216
Pretty sure fried foods and a nonstop diet of seething hatred is what killed Ailes, but you do you. https://t.co/K1qgMLqFf9
— MZS (@mattzollerseitz) May 19, 2017
Most of all, Twitter users are criticizing O’Reilly’s favorable image of Ailes, pointing out how the executive had more than a half-dozen sexual assault allegations against him—a similar number to the claims O’Reilly has faced.
https://twitter.com/TheAngelofWrath/status/856389980406644736
So OReilly really wants us to canonize Roger Ailes,I don’t want to speak ill of the recently dead but his legacy is one of sexual harassment
— ASuperheroNamedTony (@TriniSocialHub) May 19, 2017
Roger Ailes dying at 77 just goes to show you that you can only get away with sexual harassment for 76 years.
— Jasmine Pierce (@jasminepierce) May 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/gilbertjasono/status/865191830874411008
Just last month, Bill O’Reilly was dropped from Fox News after a New York Times article revealed that O’Reilly was named in multiple sexual harassment settlements and allegations. Last year, Ailes was also sued for sexual harassment by ex-Fox News host Gretchen Carlson, among other women; 21st Century Fox has reportedly paid out $45 million in Ailes-related harassment settlements. He later resigned from the company, only to be sued again for sexual harassment this past April by Fox contributor Julie Roginsky.
