Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

Bill O’Reilly was one of the guests on tonight’s “60 Minutes,” having achieved fame for himself for the “No Spin Zone” he hosts on Fox TV five nights a week. I found him to be somewhat argumentative with the 60 Minutes interviewer, as if he wanted to moderate the interview with himself, himself.

I’d not heard of O’Reilly until last spring when he appeared before the local Southwestern Michigan Economic Club, of which Earl and I are card-carrying members. Mr. O’Reilly spoke before this group; and, truthfully, I was taken with his speaking abilities. He didn’t seem so radical then.

But since May, I’ve watched him on television more than once. And, politics aside, what I find is that he likes to fight, likes to debate the cause, likes to engage the battle. To me, this seems to stand in the way of maintaining a “No Spin Zone,” because O’Reilly puts his spin on things regardless.

This isn’t a new phenomenon. It seems to afflict every rising popular television or radio star. There’s Dr. Laura, who once dispensed sage advice but now rails against anything west or east of center. There’s Dr. Phil, who once was Oprah’s sidekick one day a week but who has acquired his own show where he pontificates like never before. There’s even Dr. Phil’s son, whose name escapes me, but who is hosting some kind of reality show.

I call all this the real “O’Reilly Factor” where the master of ceremonies seems to pride him or herself on being a celebrity, rather than simply interviewing those who are.