An Atheist in the FOXhole: A Liberal's Eight-Year Odyssey Inside the Heart of the Right-Wing Media

by Joe Muto

“Hilariously details the inner workings of the cable news network.” —The Daily Beast
 
After college, Joe Muto—a self-professed bleeding-heart, godless liberal—took an entry-level position at Fox News. Joe kept quiet about his political views and initially enjoyed the newsroom camaraderie. But after he began working for Bill O’Reilly—Fox’s number one talking head—Joe just couldn’t take it anymore. He went rogue by becoming Gawker’s Fox Mole, and was outed (and fired) in thirty-six hours.
Reminiscent of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, An Atheist in the FOXhole is filled with hilarious, untold tales that will appall and delight the millions who love to hate FOX news.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor, Biography, Tv, History

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I am a bleeding-heart liberal, I promise this review shall be as fair and balanced as an episode of The O'Reilly Factor.

It all started when fresh-out-of-college-and-desperate-for-a-job, Joe Muto, accepted a position at Fox News . . .

In the spring of 2004, in the course of about six weeks, I'd gone from a jobless, left-wing film student to a cog in the machine at the New York City headquarters of what I always assumed was a cartoonishly evil, far-right, conservative media cabal.

Muto's job at Fox led him to plenty of soul-searching and left him rehearsing deflections to use when confronted by liberal friends about his manner of earning a living. (My favorite? "Hey, I'm just doing my part to make sure the misinformed people stay misinformed.") Politics aside, his story takes a fascinating look at the inner workings of a 24-hour television news organization.

But, then again, it's pretty hard to put politics aside when it comes to Fox News.

Fair and Balanced. We Report, You Decide. Everyone knew it was bunk. A sham. Over the next eight years at Fox, I never met a single employee, not the truest of the true believers, who wasn't cynical about what our main purpose was.

"We all know the 'Fair and Balanced' thing is bullshit," a very conservative O'Reilly Factor producer told me once, late at night, after we'd had a few drinks. "We're not here to be fair. We're here to give red meat to our viewers."

"To stir up the crazies, you mean," I said.

He laughed. "Yeah, to stir up the crazies. Because outrage equals ratings."

After serving his sentence as a poorly paid, lowly production assistant, Muto was promoted to work on The O'Reilly Factor. Throughout the book, Bill O'Reilly is portrayed as both a larger than life father figure and a prima donna. He is compared unfavorably to Goldilocks, a character who is unsatisfied unless everything is just right. Despite his mocking tone, the author professes great admiration for O'Reilly, whose perfectionism undoubtedly plays a part in the fact that his show consistently rules the number one spot.

Muto explains how much of his time was spent "Foxifying" stories taken from the AP wire. Any unflattering news items about liberal politicians were punched up and made into headlines. But a story had to be just right to make it onto O'Reilly's show. The author offers a hilarious example, using some well-known stories, of how they would have to be condensed and "spun" to stoke the fires of outrage if they were to catch O'Reilly's attention:

Adam & Eve: "Bill, a liberal feminist extremist tricked her husband into consuming drugs, and then told authorities that a talking snake made her do it."

The Nativity: "Bill, a ruler in the Middle East ordered the murder of thousands of infants based on the advice of some liberal astrologers."

The Boston Tea Party: "Bill, a far-left antigovernment, anticapitalist group in Massachusetts attacked a ship belonging to a corporation they didn't like, destroying millions of dollars' worth of merchandise."

The Civil Rights Movement: "Bill, radical black activists in the South are carrying out a campaign to damage the teeth of police dogs."

So, what's a fellow to do when he's entirely disturbed by the product his company is producing? Well, he can quit, OR he can turn whistle-blower. Muto chose the latter, and started leaking inside info to a liberal website.

Therein lies the tale . . .

Muto keeps his humorous tone throughout, and it helps to keep the horror at bay. The fact that this network, started only 20 years ago, now has the power to shape ALL Republican Presidential candidates into the mold set by Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes is a truly frightening reality. It would be nice if someday the organization would take its motto to heart and allow for some independent thought and opposing opinions. But, I won't be holding my breath until that happens.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before picking up this book, I had never heard of Joe Muto or the whole "FOX News Mole" debacle. It was, apparently even by Muto's own admission, a blip on the radar in terms of its historical significance and impact on FOX News.

Here's essentially what happened: Muto, who worked as a producer at FOX News, specifically on the highly-rated "The O'Reilly Factor", for eight years, was finally thinking of quitting, as he was sick and tired of the growing anti-Obama hysteria and liberal-bashing by the predominantly conservative and/or Republican mouthpieces that permeated FOX News, and he decided to go out with a bang. Muto, a liberal, had secretly videotaped candid scenes in the green room of Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney saying dumb things and gave the videos to a media watch-dog/gossip website Gawker.com, along with some humorous (anonymous) columns in which he expressed his annoyance at being a liberal working at FOX News. There were no military secrets being released to the public. National security was not threatened. No one got hurt. Well, except maybe Muto's reputation. He was caught only three days later and fired from FOX News.

So, Muto decided to put his story in a book: "An Atheist in the FOXhole".

It's an okay story, and Muto's funny---I'll give him that---but the book is not nearly as scathing or incendiary as I was hoping for. Indeed, Muto almost gushes rhapsodically about his former boss, Bill O'Reilly.

Muto's depiction of O'Reilly captures the arrogance, narcissism, and close-mindedness one sees in Papa Bear in his TV persona, but Muto clearly has respect for the guy. Why? According to Muto, O'Reilly's pithy demeanor, confidence, charisma, and that "I can relate to the blue-collar common man" Everyman vibe is pretty much how he is off-camera. It's not an act. Sure, he can be a dick sometimes, but he's also a pretty down-to-earth guy. Muto also respects his work ethic, his ability to listen to people (he may roll his eyes and call you a "pinhead", but he really does listen), his devotion to his children and the fact that he keeps his private life well-guarded, and his almost-innocent naiveté. (In one anecdote, Muto recounts how O'Reilly became befuddled when his staffers giggled every time he referred to Tea Party members as "tea-baggers", and he became increasingly flustered and confused when no one wanted to explain it to him. When someone finally told him that it was a sex act, O'Reilly seemed sincerely shocked and embarrassed.)

Muto spends a large portion of the book on O'Reilly, which is understandable: he worked for him.

There's really very little, though, that Muto says in the book that most people didn't already know about FOX News.

Basically, if you've ever just caught even half an hour of the channel, you probably know these things:

*The words "fair and balanced" that FOX News claims as their approach to news is complete bullshit. Everyone---including the people who work there---knows that the network is a propaganda tool used by the Right. It is ultra-conservative by design, thanks to founder Roger Ailes and owner Rupert Murdoch.

*Glenn Beck really is bat-shit crazy.

*There is a disproportionate number of hot blonde anchorwomen that work at FOX News.

*Sean Hannity really is an asshole.

*FOX News hates liberals.

Here are some things you may not know, according to Muto:

*Anne Coulter is actually a very sweet person.

*Bill O'Reilly loves buffets.

*Shepard Smith may be gay. It's not definite.

Wow. Thanks for those shocking tidbits, Mr. Muto.

In all seriousness, Muto's memoir is a decent read, and funny, and it does offer an interesting look at the minutiae of being a TV producer, which seems like an absolutely horrible job, unless one likes spending a vast majority of the day actually watching TV.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Believe it or not, this book is a fair and balanced portrayal of what goes on inside the fox news building. The irony is not lost on the reader, and parts of this are written in a very touching way.

I also really enjoyed the pacing of this book. It escalated in a way that has me riveted until the end even though I had read the gawker articles and knew the outcome.

[Lisa Hagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Muto's book is laugh out loud hysterical! A fascinating insider's view of the Fox News Channel and Bill O'Reilly's show. I read a chapter on Salon.com aloud to my co-worker, I had a hard time reading for laughing. I immediately had to run out to B&N to buy the book.

It is a quick entertaining read, perfect for my summer guests. I'll be leaving my copy on the guestroom nightstand table for everyone to read while they are here. Then we can laugh about it for years to come.

Joe did an outstanding job, he's a good writer and I wish him all the best. I hope to see more from him.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun look at the dysfunctional world of Fox News. Liberal midwesterner, Joe Muto, took a job at Fox right out of college despite the $12 an hour paycheck and no benefits. He spent 8 years in the belly of the beast, recording the events of the true believers and the cynics, like him, who just wanted to earn a living.

Some of his stories are hilarious. That tale about the Meatloaf tape still has me chuckling. Some of his other observations are not surprising. Bill O'Reilly is a control freak who screams at subordinates and is cheap despite pulling down $20 million a year? Who could have guessed? The fact that most people at Fox knew Glenn Beck was a headcase on the day they hired him but still allowed him to go on the air, was disturbing.

If you know anything about Fox, the revelations here won't surprise you except at how cheap the management is. (One of Muto's photos was of bathroom doors that left a 3 inch gap so everyone could see what you were doing on the toilet.) Still, it's an amusing read. I wish Muto had gone into the job with the intent of exposing what went on there. Instead, he seems to have released videotapes of conservative politicians saying stupid things as a prank, not an act of patriotism.

Buy a copy and piss off Bill O'Reilly. He deserves it.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not the book that I expected. It really is not a detailed look at the inside of Fox News. The hype and the cover are misleading. I know DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER! But gosh that is a hard edict to adhere to when you have Hannitty, Coulter, Rush, Beck and Palin gracing the cover with Bill-O. I admit the cover raised my expectations. Joe Muto only talks about Rush, Hannity, Palin, Beck, and Coulter in about 50 pages of the book and the coverage is all lumped together. It is a sweet story and Muto is funny, but almost every element in the book is public knowledge to cable news viewers. I received a free e-book that was a behind the scenes look at working in a bookstore and it was both hilarious and fascinating. As I read the bookstore book - I laughed and shook my head in disbelief. As I read Foxhole I shook my head and thought is that all Muto?
SPOILER: For example readers will not be surprised to learn that Sarah Palin is charismatic, and beautiful, but does not do her homework. Hello, Does Katie Couric ring a bell?

Well the bottom line is this, Muto worked for Fox News for eight years and writes a tell all that doesn't tell much. It is not an awful book. It is a rather sweet story of a young man's first job.

[Bonnie_blu · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book contains some interesting information about the inner workings of a cable news network, but too little insight into FOX News. In addition, there are too many personal anecdotes that have nothing to do with the story, which only results in the reader seeing Joe as an entitled, unappreciative adolescent, even into his late twenties. The author does validate that FOX News has never been "fair and balanced" and that their charter has always been to promote an ultra-conservative agenda. Eventually, when Barack Obama ran for the presidency, all pretense was dropped, and FOX News' treatment of Obama became obsessive and vitriolic. It was this shift that led the author to leak (almost worthless) information about FOX. After reading the book, I was left with these questions: what was the purpose of him staying at FOX News as long as he did, him leaking information, and him writing this book? It all seems so pointless.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

My problem with this book is that the author is a deeply repellent human being. Throughout the book, he protests too much his ambivalence about selling out (although he never characterizes it as such), but he worked at Fox for many years. He claimed he only became a Fox mole for the Gawker website because he couldn't get a job at any other news outlet, but I don't believe that. He just seemed to me to be a slimy, self-justifying sell-out. Yuck.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually followed the whole Fox Mole thing on Gawker. I am one of those people who reads Gawker and Jezebel SO MUCH that they have buttons in my frequent visits tab on Safari. So, when the opportunity came to review the audiobook of Atheist In the FOXhole by Joe Muto, I jumped at it as I find the idea of an inside look at Fox News to be fascinating. I love getting the dirt on different things. Juicy gossip is juicy gossip, y’all.
Read the rest of my review here

[Dianne Landry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just imagine being a left-leaning, bleeding heart Democratic who, after graduating from Notre Dame, can't get a job anywhere but Fox News. Then imagine having to work there without your head exploding and your friends abandoning you. This is what happened to the author. How he kept his job and sanity for 8 years amazes me. I personally would have turned Gawker mole after 8 weeks not waited 8 years.

Joe Muto writes in a very engaging style that makes this an easy read. He even manages to make me sorta, kinda understand why he stayed.

All in all this was a bery enjoyable read.

[Corinne · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is not what I expected and not what the title and cover art lead you to believe. It is not a detailed description and analysis of the workings of Fox News. Most of the book is a description of the so called uneasiness of the "liberal" writer who is only working there because he needs the job. He is begging for our understanding and sympathy, but does not come across as a likable character. Not worth the time in my opinion.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this memoir. The writing was excellent-- it felt like I was reading a novel, and the story was reminiscent of the 1994 movie The Paper, which was always one of my favorites. Surprisingly, the book is not salaciously political, really. More than anything, Muto's memoir is about what it is like to work, straight out of college, for a news organization, this one happening to be FOX News, which as a conservative outlet, comes with its own idiosyncrasies, that despite his own political leanings, he doesn't really trash or put down at all (must be that pesky journalism background kicking in), until the very end, when he really can't take it anymore. The worst part of the book is the too-long and somewhat misleading title--the fact that Muto is an atheist is fairly irrelevant to the book, and its just ridiculously verbose for a title in general. Ultimately, Muto is a talented writer and this is a gem of a memoir- I could hardly put this book down once I started it-- highly recommended!

[Jason Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty disappointing. Two stars because I’m rounding up, but I can’t call it one star since I didn’t hate it. But there’s nothing revelatory in this so-called tell-all. Should we be surprised that the people who work for and run Fox News know they’re not Fair and Balanced? This is something we figured out, accepted, and got over years ago.

And to be clear, this book isn’t really about Fox News, very much. Mostly it’s about 'The O’Reilly Factor.' And mostly, its apologetic, even praising Bill O’Reilly more often than not. I’m not saying the book should have been a hateful screed eviscerating the guy, but when Muto writes “The mere existence of this book… is going to make this next line surprising… I actually like Bill O’Reilly,” my reaction was a loud “No, really?” dripping with sarcasm.

I suppose it’s my own fault, judging a book by its cover. The cover if this one has, in caricature, pictures of O’Reilly, Palin, Coulter, Susteren, Beck, Rove and Hannity. Palin gets a few paragraphs, including Muto’s saying that she’s a very attractive woman, that the cameras don’t do her justice. Coulter is a very nice person off air. Beck is a loony, and everyone at Fox knew it. Rove is a smart guy. Hannity pulls in ratings less than O’Reilly’s, and Susteren is in third. Wow. That’s a real foxhole you got there, Joe.

The book is subtitled “A Liberals’ Eight-Year Odyssey Inside the Heart of the Right-Wing Media.” I’m afraid this is a seriously slanted description. A self-confessed ne’er-do-well tosses his liberal sensibilities aside to get a job, and moves up the ranks a bit before getting bored and chucking career away on a whim. Hardly an odyssey. And “the Heart of the Right-Wing Media”? Maybe, but drinks in a bar with production assistants, trying to figure out where to live in Brooklyn, breaking up with girlfriends… that’s now what I’d call the heart of anything.

Cutesy asides, footnotes, moments of self-deprecation related ad nauseum, and the meager recounting of that laughably inconsequential and utterly pointless three days as Gawker’s 'Fox Mole'… all of it detracted from what meager bits might have made this an interesting “insider’s” view. But only might have. The best thing I can say about this book is that if you want to know what it’s like to be a TV news producer, there’s a few details here for you. Mostly it sounds dull.

[Smiley III · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, the opposite of impersonal, and strewn with anecdotes that'll make you recall any office jobs you've ever worked, this plunge into the Hell-Hole of the Poltergeist-like siphoner of people's goodwill, benefit-of-the-doubt and bonhomie towards their fellow American is as sloppily-staffed, rag-tag and pecking-order ruled as the 4077th depicted in M.A.S.H., your high school (Muto draws especially keen analogies, here) or any construction firms' office: Shit's Gotta Get Done, Show's Gotta Go On, etc.

And Muto goes home tired.

The irony?

Nobody'd go near the place if they were from the other side of the political divide (as Muto learns, through trial and error, when he raises the subject of his employer at cocktail parties and other gatherings) if it weren't subsumed under the awe a young person feels about NYC. (Which is how, as Muto points out, they end up with a few "pinkos" on staff, inevitably, no matter how long they ultimately last.)

What one gets, long view and all the way through, by the end of the book, is an odd sense that most people have, pre-User Friendly internet, such a poor and atrophied sense of How Things Get Put Together (lest they're the creative types writing for Factsheet Five, say) that all sorts of narrative splicing, time-line jumping, and boiled-down conclusions can't but be swallowed wholesale: one's as used to them as a People magazine article, a Bumble Bee Tuna commercial w/images and jingle, a Spielberg or Steven Seagal movie that comes from Far Away.

How else?

People who cringed through school not getting engaged with books that are too daunting to read (whether Joan Didion or Hunter S. Thompson is included or not) end up unable to disentangle themselves from the Glass Teat's hold over their lives: We are what we eat, and if it only had been a question of everyone being not so passive all along the "spirited debate" impulse in humans perhaps wouldn't end up crawling all over the walls like a spider-plant gone crazy ... can't we all get along?

[Derek Baker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Notes for friends:
Basically, there's nothing here. This is a typical tabloid-type expose, with the "exposed" stories being pretty darn dull. Author (Muto) doesn't deliver on the title "An Atheist in the FOXHole." There is little or nothing about his atheism being tried or tested against some crazy religious requirements within Fox. (There seem to be none. )

I picked the book up while browsing the library for something else, and thought it could be interesting. I should have looked up the author's story on the internet first -- as that would have been a clue. His "infiltration" of Fox was a non-event culminating in a soft puff of nothing.
The book had none of my hoped-for comparison of philosophies, nor arguments for or against much of anything; just dull little tales of the stuff you would expect to hear about any news network -- bad bosses, internal politics, and sexy hosts who are (surprise, surprise) prima donnas. You haven't got much if you end up burning words on office layout, office odors and bathroom conditions.

The subtitle, A liberal's Eight-Year Odyssey Inside the Heart of the Right-Wing Media, is nothing but bait on the undeliverable. Odyssey. Really? This is probably just the publisher's dishonest hype, as even Muto doesn't make it out as such.
On the positive side, Muto doesn't overstate (too much) his prowess and cunning. My guess is that he tells it the way it probably was. He was an immature, partying, film student who needed a job and could only land this one.
His writing is witty and somewhat funny, in a shallow way, so he makes a bit out of not much. My guess is he could do better with better material, but I'll use more caution if tempted by something else he writes.
In the end, do we learn anything about Fox? Maybe. It's no big carefully orchestrated set of ideals and principles, just a bunch of conservatives doing what they like to do. It's a marketing plan.

If I received a free copy would I keep it in my library as a lend-out? No.
I think I only finished the book because I was reading some other challenging books and needed a bit of down time -- super easy reading -- and I still barely made it though.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

In May 1983 I took an entry-level position at CNN Headline News in Atlanta. The pay was crappy, the hours were bizarre, and there was often a lot of running, shouting, and cursing involved. So reading the first couple of chapters of this book, when Muto describes his early days in a entry-level position with Fox News in New York City, where the pay was crappy, the hours were bizarre, and there was a lot of running, shouting and cursing, brought on a serious case of deja vu. The really odd part of this is that Muto started his job in 2004. The more things change, the more they stay the same. The big difference here is that I did not write a tell-all book about my time at what was then called "Chicken Noodle News;" Muto did. After years of trying to ignore Fox's right-wing agenda, he begins feeding tidbits of information to an industry gossip website. The book actually starts with the day Fox announces that it has found the "mole," leading Muto to take extraordinary steps. He then uses this day to weave in the story his previous eight years at the network where he moved up from script-runner to associate producer on the top-rated Bill O'Reilly show. It is fascinating, especially if you're a di-hard liberal who likes having all their beliefs about Fox News confirmed. And, in case there was any doubt, Muto also confirms what a complete SOB O'Reilly is to work for, despite Muto's claim that he has a soft spot in his heart for him.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very entertaining but oddly disappointing tale of a liberal atheist who lands his first out of college job with FOX News. Joe Muto graduated from Notre Dame and felt that even working for FOX was better than spending the next few months/years unemployed and living with his parents. He managed to stay with the evil empire for eight years, having leaked all the inside information to Gawker, which eventually lead to Muto's firing.
Great premise, but Muto is not Daniel Ellsberg and this is not the Pentagon Papers. Muto's information hardly had an impact of FOX, but what's worse is that there is just nothing new that we did not know having already watched a few minutes of FOX: O'Reilly is a grumpy old man with anger management issues, Hannity is a pompus, know-nothing ass, Roger Ailes is a Republican tool, FOX's female on-air talent must be in their 20's, goregeous, and bleached blond, and Sarah Palin is even dumber than you think she is.
Lots of jokes and fun made at FOX's expense, but for subjecting oneself to that much abuse, you would like to think the author came away with more than just a few yucks and giggles.

[Fred Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two types of people will enjoy this book. (i) Anyone who absolutely despises Fox News. (ii) Anyone who has ever had an entry-level job in New York City. Of course, there will be overlap between those two categories. This is an amusing book with humorous observations about "fair and balanced" news and also about working in New York. (One of my favorite parts was when the author described how disgusting food off a "halal" food cart is, ending with: "It's delicious".)

Of course, this liberal who worked at Fox News while suppressing his views for 8 years really didn't accomplish much. When he became the "Fox Mole", he was discovered almost instantly. Fox News was not hurt by what he did. Maybe this book is a last effort to squeeze something out of that experience and make some money since the author is unlikely to be sought by other media outlets in case he becomes disgruntled again.

Joe Muto is no David Sedaris. His writing is funny but not hilarious.

[Mike McAdam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rather enjoyed this book. I was seriously hoping it was not a hatchet job on Republicans and the political stances but more a behind-the-scenes look at how Fox News is run and that is exactly what it was. Don't get me wrong. The author does do some Republican-bashing - but it is specific people, which is much more interesting to me than "Republicans are all wrong because...." Portraits of the individual people (especially Bill O'Reilly) are very entertaining. I have never watched Fox news so I don't know who most of the people are but that didn't matter to me. The story was interesting, the inner workings were interesting and I enjoyed reading it. There are a few people on the cover who aren't talked about hardly at all in the book. But otherwise enjoyable....

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is what you would expect from someone who was trained by Fox: A provocative headline, vacuous prose, an absence of a moral center or critical reflection, self-serving and egocentric with not so subtle claims of being victimized--in spite of being privileged and responsible for his own career disappointments. Joe never addresses the significance of "atheist" in his book's title or even his definition of "liberal". He seems genuinely bewildered why liberals would wag their heads at him when he tells them he works at Fox. Where do I go for a refund of the time I spent reading this book?!

[Michael Jacoby · Rating 3 out of 5]

My only problem with this book is that I glean a lot of false modesty and sincere self-aggrandizement. It's okay that you know you are smart and good at what you do/did. However, Mr. Muto does a nice job of both describing the ins and outs of being a PA as well as confirming that FOX is a ratings chaser and not a true News outlet. I actually found his take on O'Reiley very nuanced and fascinating. His fondness for a martinet boss seems genuine and also is ironically comical.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book fits in well with a certain genre...call it the "I did this job and is was a learning experience" group. For me, this was very similar to "Waiter Rant". If you are looking at a tear-down of Fox News, be aware Joe Muto carries a great deal of respect for the daily operation, and for at least one on-air personality.

[Kristi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is awful. I'm a liberal Fox-hater and I ended up liking Bill O'Reilly (who comes across as oddly sympathetic) more than the author. Muto's tidbits about Fox News personalities were interesting but there's no point to the book or to his whole caper, which he even admits at the end. Don't waste your time.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected this to be a behind the scenes look at Fox News, but I didn't expect it to be so funny. And unlike other books of this genre it's well written!
(And that I'm mentioned in the acknowledgements and in the final chapter have nothing to do with my five star rating.)

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable. I love knowing how things come together behind the scenes, and politics aside, this was a very enjoyable read from that perspective alone. Course if you're a bleedin heart liberal you will enjoy this all the more. I am still giggling over the Meatloaf story.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining, honest, and frank memoir about a liberal production assistant's 8-year journey at Fox News. It's not quite the takedown you'd expect, which I found refreshing, although I share Muto's political persuasion.

[Peter Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Liberal 8 years odyssey working for Fox. The book is full of interesting, informative and funny behind the scene stories. The author continues to states he is a Liberal and dislikes working for Fox. Is he trying to convince us or himself. It's not an ax job of Fox or those who work there.

[Ray Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that grabs you from the get-go and compels you to keep reading. Deftly written, wry, and fascinating, this is a must read for the political junkie!

[Foxglove · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilarious laugh out loud book that really skewers politics. I may be right wing, but I can laugh at our foibles.

[Alex Padilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very amusing behind the scenes look at Fox News. Well worth the time, and a breezy quick read.