"The embattled life" of Bill O'Reilly "has become an increasingly strange and scary one," Verne Gay says in a fascinating Newsday cover story today.

"Gauging the animus against O'Reilly has always been a rough art, but by his own estimation 'it's gotten worse. Now it's so bad that I spend an enormous amount of money protecting myself against evil.'"

That's why, when the king of cable news is asked about the future after his current contract ends a little more than two years from now, he blurts out the word "retirement."

He is working on a book, "Culture Warrior," but says it'll be his last. He has ruled out a political future. "He insists that he finally sees the road ahead, and it probably leads out of Fox News headquarters and away from the scorching spotlight -- forever."

"I don't need to do the show anymore [and] I'm as famous as I need to be. I don't like being famous," he says.

Why not?

"You have to worry about who's looking at you -- are they taking your picture? Did you curse at this guy? If you nudge somebody's bumper, are they going to sue you for $80 million?" More...