Amid Fox News harassment scandals, Obama speechwriter warns Chris Wallace, Shep Smith 'you're part of something evil'


Former President Barack Obama's speechwriters Jon Favreau and Jon Lovett appealed to Fox News hosts on their podcast "Pod Save America" on Monday, following new reports about sexual harassment cases that were covered up by the cable news giant. The topic arose as the hosts recapped reports that Fox News and Bill O'Reilly paid around $13 million to settle sexual harassment and verbal abuse accusations made by five women since 2002.
"I am just so sick of, in the conversation about media organizations ... it's like, 'And then there's organizations on the right like Fox News that just have a conservative viewpoint and organizations on the left like The Huffington Post.' No. Fox is nothing like that. Fox is a garbage organization that protects sexual harassers," Favreau said.
He added: "There are some legitimate reporters in there. A few left. A few."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Lovett jumped in, addressing Chris Wallace and Shep Smith directly. "You guys gotta look in the mirror," he said, "because you're a part of something f---ing evil. And you can't pretend it's not. It is evil. There is evil in the world." Lovett sighed: "It's so awful, man."
Listen to the entire podcast below, with the discussion of Fox News beginning at minute 29. Jeva Lange
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Jonathan Powell: who is the man behind Keir Starmer's foreign policy?
Today's Big Question Prime minister's national security adviser is a 'world-class operator'
-
Summer sipping: the best fruit beers
The Week Recommends Check out these delightfully refreshing sweet and sour brews
-
How Putin misunderstood his past victories
In Depth Though Vladimir Putin has led Russia to a number of grisly military triumphs, they may have misled him when planning the invasion of Ukraine
-
Trump said to seek government stake in Intel
Speed Read The president and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan reportedly discussed the proposal at a recent meeting
-
US to take 15% cut of AI chip sales to China
Speed Read Nvidia and AMD will pay the Trump administration 15% of their revenue from selling artificial intelligence chips to China
-
NFL gets ESPN stake in deal with Disney
Speed Read The deal gives the NFL a 10% stake in Disney's ESPN sports empire and gives ESPN ownership of NFL Network
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B deal
Speed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance
-
Tesla reports plummeting profits
Speed Read The company may soon face more problems with the expiration of federal electric vehicle tax credits
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages