O'Reilly's next "Killing" book on WWII
Fox News' Bill O'Reilly appeared on 60 Minutes this week to discuss his latest book, "Killing Jesus" with correspondent Norah O'Donnell, and he announced that he's already at work on his next book.
"Killing Jesus" is the third book in O'Reilly's blockbuster series of nonfiction history books, which also includes "Killing Lincoln" and "Killing Kennedy."
In his 60 Minutes interview, O'Reilly announced that he is currently at work on the fourth book in the series, to be released next September, and the topic will be World War II.
"It's a big World War II book with brand-new information about some very, very fascinating things, and we're writing it now," said O'Reilly. When asked whether the title of his newest book would start with the word "killing," O'Reilly said, "I'm not tellin'."
On assignment for 60 Minutes, correspondent Norah O'Donnell spent considerable time with O'Reilly for the story, even tagging along one morning for his hour-long commute from Long Island to the Fox News offices in Manhattan. She listened in during the drive as O'Reilly made his daily phone call to producers to dictate the script for that night's show.
"It's actually a really smart way to do something because it's in his voice," O'Donnell said. "He's thinking about it, rehearsing it in advance. It's incredibly efficient."
For 13 straight years, Bill O'Reilly's show "The O'Reilly Factor" has taken the title of most watched program on cable news. "He really has a clear sense of what resonates with his audience, what stories," O'Donnell said. "He seems to know immediately."
As for his famously combative conversational style, O'Donnell said he's a bit "mellower" and more cerebral behind-the-scenes, but when the 60 Minutes cameras rolled, viewers were treated to moments like this (Watch this clip in the above video player):
BILL O'REILLY: You're spending a tremendous amount of time, Norah O'Donnell is, everybody should know this, interviewing me. And you do it because you like me. You want to be here.
NORAH O'DONNELL: Well, I'm doing it because I'm interested. You know? I mean, there's clearly something behind why millions of people are watching your show, and why millions of people have bought your books.
BILL O'REILLY: You know what I think it is? I think you're doing it because you can't believe it's happening. That you are here because you can't believe a thug like me is this successful.
It's not the first time O'Reilly has made an appearance on the 60 Minutes broadcast. He was interviewed by Mike Wallace in 2004, and it proved to be a lively match. At one point, Wallace stopped the interview and called O'Reilly on his aggressive finger-pointing habit.
MIKE WALLACE: Let me interrupt. Your wife has told you, "Don't point at Mike."
BILL O'REILLY: Right.
MIKE WALLACE: But you keep pointing.
BILL O'REILLY: I know. I can't-- I can't --can't stop.
Perhaps that broke O'Reilly's habit. After her interview with him this week, O'Donnell told 60 Minutes Overtime that she didn't notice any finger-pointing this time around.