Jamie Foxx doesn’t think Fox News star Bill O’Reilly star is a bad guy.
The two got to know each other recently at a charity event, and Foxx explored both his impression of the pundit and Fox News’ editorial process earlier this week with The Daily Beast.
In doing so, Foxx insinuated the conservative channel’s coverage reflects an animosity toward people of color.
When it comes to Bill O’Reilly or Fox News, what people aren’t factoring in is that they have a huge audience and that’s how they make their money. It’s hard to do, but you sort of have to look beyond their job. I’ve seen Bill O’Reilly around and he isn’t a bad dude. It’s not like I’d want to hang out with him or whatever, but he’s playing a character. So I look at it like, “OK, man. You’re fooling your people and getting your check,” because these guys get a lot of money. If he doesn’t do that he doesn’t make news, and the only way they make news is by saying the most outlandish stuff that they can about minorities….
We live in a world that has two sides. And it’s unfortunate because Bill O’Reilly is a smart person and if Bill O’Reilly wanted to, he could do so much for bringing the gap closer. We live in a world where people are looking for role models on both sides–a role model who can see the other side of someone’s experience. And the more you drive the stake in where it appears you don’t like minorities or you don’t like women, eventually that’s going to get old and played-out.
Foxx stars in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” out today.