Bill O'Reilly Goes On Vacation After A Week Of Getting Ditched By Advertisers

A couple of hours ago, The O'Reilly Factor aired. The host of the show wasn't the pugnacious longtime commentator Bill O'Reilly. It was a Fox News contributor named Dana Perino.

So where did Billy go?

Yesterday, O’Reilly and Fox News announced that the controversial commentator was taking a vacation; he was heading to Italy and the Vatican. He claimed that he would be returning to the show on April 24th.

It's pretty convenient timing for O’Reilly, who is going through the worst scandal of his career. Last week, the New York Times reported that O’Reilly paid more than $13 million in sexual harassment settlements. (He maintains that he planned this trip in October.)

Now it's being reported that Fox News executives are mulling if it's worth it to keep O’Reilly, who has a longstanding legacy of being a cable news juggernaut. Rupert Murdoch controls 21st Century Fox and wants him to say. While his sons, Lachlan and James, who both have leadership positions, want him out. (This O’Reilly situation comes a year after the Roger Ailes scandal.)

The pressure to get rid of O’Reilly has been real. Dozens of companies have dropped their advertisements. Add that to the fact that New York City Public Advocate Letitia James and about 50 people protested in front of the Fox News Corp building earlier today. 

Maybe O'Reilly should consider an extended stay in Italy.

H/T: New York Times