Stern, O'Reilly et al: from self-promotion to narcissism

Stern, O'Reilly and others are crossing the line from self-promotion to narcissism
Tue Mar 16, 2004 - (Variety)

The 'all about me' school of broadcasting

OCCASIONALLY I WRITE about myself in this space when knowing a little about my biases or background is helpful in understanding how I've reached a conclusion. But does anybody really want to hear all about how arduous the job is --- from a woman calling me a "prissy little queen" via email for daring to insult Clay Aiken, to network execs thinking I was overly harsh or unfair?

Didn't think so. Yet that's exactly what's happening in the media world, as talk personalities such as Howard Stern and Bill O'Reilly increasingly segue from host to vein-opener, making their particular platforms all about themselves.

Welcome to the IAM (as in "It's About Me") school of broadcasting, where self-promotion risks giving way to narcissism. What's more, lately even some esteemed columnists appear to have taken the introductory course.

Other graduates include Sean Hannity and John Stossel, the latter having joined the ranks of multimedia threat with the book "Give Me a Break," whose subtitle notes how the "20/20" co-anchor "Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media." Based on this foray into self-martyrdom and redemption, it could have as easily been labeled "The Passion of Stossel."

Stern, meanwhile, is using the bully pulpit of his radio show to pound away at the government's efforts to corral him --- an important topic, certainly, which nevertheless feels whiny. Last week, Stern allowed that he's "tired of talking about this crap," which is good news, since even some diehard fans are doubtless tired of hearing it --- or rather, how burdened their multimillionaire blue-collar hero suddenly is.

IN THAT RESPECT, O'Reilly has more in common with Stern than he might care to admit, having engaged in his own bleating about the "defamers" and "smear merchants" who criticize him, beginning with Al Franken. Back in January, the Fox News star put the question to his audience, asking on his Web site whether he should "respond to personal attacks." Such online polls are unscientific, but my guess is casual listeners would happily advise him to give it a rest.

Granted, it's hard to argue with success, and in each case the endless drum-beating for ancillary projects has paid off, yielding a series of bestsellers. Stern plugs his E! show, books and producing ventures via the radio, in the same way O'Reilly references his latest book roughly every seven seconds during his syndicated radio program.

Listeners don't seem to mind, but the breaking point must lie somewhere. For while tolerance of all the pitching and shilling is clearly high, how much personal griping and on-air therapy will those who tune in for lesbian dial-a-date, or to witness the pummeling of some hapless spokesperson, willingly endure?

Remember, too, that these are fabulously compensated guys playing the aggrieved party --- mostly, I'd say, because they truly believe it, though more cynical sorts might conclude that venting their woes serves a commercial purpose by intensifying their bond with loyal listeners.

This trend, by the way, isn't confined to those such as Stern, Hannity and O'Reilly who have hit the radio-TV-publishing trifecta. Even David Letterman, historically guarded about his private life, has explored how strange it's been for him to become a father at 56 --- a fertile source of humor that still betrays an unusual degree of introspection.

THEN THERE'S the New York Times' Frank Rich, who in his near-obsessive coverage of "The Passion of the Christ" has sounded almost giddy about director Mel Gibson (news)'s comment that he'd like the columnist's "intestines on a stick." Beyond proving that Gibson said something decidedly un-Christian, it's hard to grasp the point, unless Rich wants to remind everyone how much the star dislikes him to obscure how much his tirades did to promote the film thanks to the Times' agenda-setting power.

In Stern's defense, his life has always been a central element of the program, so lambasting the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites), Bush administration and Clear Channel isn't a huge stretch if that's what preoccupies him. Still, even for avid listeners the "All right already" threshold must be coming. Similarly, O'Reilly's inability to shrug off detractors exposes an unflattering glass jaw that belies how tough and talented he has been to prosper against significant odds.

The 1980s were christened the "Me decade," but if our pop culture is any indication, the talking-head '00s are providing a slightly warped rerun. Think of it as a party where the host takes your coat, extends a brief pleasantry, then says, "Thanks for coming. Now, can we get back to me?"
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