SpinnerVille
Mike Stark is the proprietor of an amazing site aptly named 'Calling All Wingnuts' .
Essentially, he and a growing band of Spinners that we like to call 'Merry Pranksters' call up The Screamers of far right radio talkshows down south and do their best to give 'em enough rope to hoist themselves on their own petards.
And yesterday Mr. Stark handed the hemp to Mr. Bill O'Reilly.
In case you haven't been following it Bill O'Reilly is having a little spat with a contender for the ratings crown named Keith Olbermann. Olbermann is actually not bad as far as these guys go - example: he actually repeatedly said somebody should have a look at what happened in Ohio during the last US federal election.
Anyway, Mr. Stark managed to get on with Mr. O'Reilly yesterday and even got as far as almost saying Olbermann's name when he was immediately cut-off and then threatened with a little visit from Fox Security and/or local authorities:
O'REILLY: Orlando, Florida, Mike, go.
CALLER: Hey Bill, I appreciate you taking my call.
O'REILLY: Sure.
CALLER: I like to listen to you during the day, I think Keith Olbermann's show --
O'REILLY: There ya go, Mike is -- he's a gone guy. You know, we have his -- we have your phone numbers, by the way. So, if you're listening, Mike, we have your phone number, and we're going to turn it over to Fox security, and you'll be getting a little visit.
HILL: Maybe Mike is from the mothership.
O'REILLY: No, Maybe Mike is going to get into big trouble, because we're not going to play around. When you call us, ladies and gentleman, just so you know, we do have your phone number, and if you say anything untoward, obscene, or anything like that, Fox security then will contact your local authorities, and you will be held accountable. Fair?
HILL: That's fair.
O'REILLY: So, just -- all you guys who do this kind of a thing, you know, I know some shock jocks. Whatever. You will be held accountable. Believe it.
We'll be right back.
If you want to hear the entire exchange, you can listen directly at Stark's place here.
All of which is hilarious, of course.
But also sinister, especially when the Spinners started receiving calls from a very fine fellow who said he was the head of said gaulieter security services.
Luckily for the U.S. Constitution's first amendment, people like the good folks from Media Matters (linked to above) and then heavyweight lefty bloggers like Atrios and Jane Hamsher grabbed the rod and started reeling Mr. O'Reilly in (or should that be 'up'?). As a result, the entire thing was screened on Olbermann's MSNBC show this evening. The latter was both hilarious and serious as Mr. Olbermann had a former state prosecutor on who's opinion it was that the only person who has crossed the line here is O'Reilly by uttering threats. Crooks and Liars has the video.
What I really like about Mr. Stark's approach is that it is all DIY and so simple, direct and powerful.
Imagine, if you will, one guy, with no money and little more than his wits, guile and guts taking down the entire Ailean propaganda machine all on his own.
It's incredible.
Which, of course, is why it scares The Screamers and their string pullers so very, very much.
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