Christmas came early this year for local blogger, political activist and UVA law student Mike Stark. His present? Last month, Fox News tried to stir up trouble for Stark at UVA law school in retaliation for Stark’s activism directed toward the conservative network’s prickly talk show host, Bill O’Reilly.
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According to the website Raw Story, Fox News VP Dianne Brandi recently wrote UVA law school Dean John Jeffries, saying Stark’s actions with respect to O’Reilly "may constitute criminal harassment" under New York law and that the school should investigate whether Stark violated the Code of Conduct.
Stark told Raw Story that Jeffries had shown him a copy of Brandi’s letter, but would not permit it to be distributed. Stark added that Jeffries told him he was taking no further action with respect to the letter.
Neither Brandi nor O’Reilly returned phone calls and e-mails.
While Stark has been a thorn in O’Reilly’s side for years by calling into his radio show, Stark’s activism took a more personal turn last summer.
Responding to what Stark felt was dishonest reporting by O’Reilly in seeking to depict the popular progressive online community Daily Kos, to which Stark is a regular contributor, as a "hateful" site, Stark and a fellow blogger, accompanied by this reporter, went to O’Reilly’s Long Island neighborhood in late July. There, Stark distributed to O’Reilly’s neighbors copies of a 2004 sexual harassment complaint filed against O’Reilly by Andrea Mackris, a former producer for his show.
The court filing includes allegations of both inappropriate conduct by and racy talk from O’Reilly to the producer, including his much-ridiculed desire to caress Mackris in the shower using a "falafel" (O’Reilly apparently meant to say "loofa"). O’Reilly denied wrongdoing, but Fox reportedly settled with Mackris for millions of dollars.
Stark also posted hand-drawn signs around O’Reilly’s home and on his street calling him, among other things, a "pervert." And when O’Reilly himself, dressed in a New York Knicks t-shirt, red gym shorts and flip flops, sauntered down his driveway to pick up his New York Times, Stark was there with his video camera to confront O’Reilly with what Stark told him was his "accountability moment."
 Undaunted: Bring it on, O’Reilly, says Mike Stark. |
O’Reilly calmly told Stark, "You’re on my property," picked up his paper and walked back to his house as Stark continued to shout questions, including, "How’d you keep the falafel together in the shower?"
Stark’s account of the incident, posted within hours of the incident, set off a vigorous online debate over whether he crossed the line, including Stark being named the second worst person in the world that evening on MSNBC by O’Reilly nemesis Keith Olbermann (Olbermann named O’Reilly the worst).
Stark is unapologetic about the stunt, pointedly noting that the style of "ambush journalism" in which he engaged is a frequent O’Reilly practice.
Shortly after, Stark wrote UVA’s Larry Sabato, a regular O’Reilly guest, as part of a "newly funded initiative called ‘Accountability Moments,’" trying to dissuade Sabato from appearing on O’Reilly’s shows. Sabato responded through staff that he appears on shows with hosts of all political stripes.
Brandi’s letter to Stark’s law school dean claimed that Stark’s e-mail to Sabato has interfered with Sabato’s ability to express his views on talk shows, according to Raw Story. Stark, meanwhile, has called on Sabato to explain why he shared his e-mail with Fox.
"Why is Sabato taking the side he’s taking?" Stark asks. "It’s not like Sabato is partisan."
Sabato—the most widely quoted man at UVA—declined to comment.
As for Stark’s battle with Fox and O’Reilly, however, just as politicians are sometimes said to be known because of their enemies, so can an activist be elevated by the notoriety of his. In the activism game, attention is the coin of the realm.
Thus, despite the letter to Jeffries, Stark is not concerned about what O’Reilly’s next steps may be against him. Quite the contrary, he welcomes them.
"To quote a hero of mine," Stark says, "’Bring it on.’"
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