Bill O'Reilly Apologizes for His Comments About Maxine Waters' Hair

Fox News host Bill O’Reilly has apologized for his comments about Congresswoman Maxine Waters and her “James Brown wig.”

The host of The O’Reilly Factor visited Fox & Friends on Tuesday and, after a video clip of Waters ran, said: “I didn’t hear a word she said. I was looking at the James Brown wig… I didn’t say she wasn’t attractive. I love James Brown. But it’s the same hair!” (Watch the clip below.)

Now O’Reilly has apologized for those comments: “As I have said many times, I respect Congresswoman Maxine Waters for being sincere in her beliefs. I said that again today on Fox & Friends, calling her ‘old-school.’ Unfortunately, I also made a jest about her hair, which was dumb. I apologize.”

After his reference to Waters’ hair on Fox & Friends, O’Reilly did say of her, “She’s a sincere individual. Whatever she says, she believes. She’s not a phony. And that’s old-school… We’re giving Maxine a break here. I love you, Maxine. I want to see you on the Factor. And when hell freezes over, I’m sure that will happen.”

UPDATE: O’Reilly apologized again for his comments about Waters on Tuesday night’s The O’Reilly Factor, saying, “This morning on Fox & Friends, I said in a simple jest that the [congresswoman]’s hair distracted me. Well, that was stupid. I apologize. It had no place in the conversation. It’s unnecessary to poke fun at anyone who’s speaking from the heart in the public arena, in my opinion.”