Maxine Waters responds to Bill O'Reilly's 'wig' insult: 'I cannot be intimidated'

@allinwithchris/Twitter

Rep. Maxine Waters of California responded to Bill O'Reilly's disparaging remarks on Tuesday, saying that she was unintimidated by both O'Reilly and the conservative media.

"Let me just say this: I’m a strong black woman and I cannot be intimidated," said Waters on MSNBC's "All In With Chris Hayes" on Tuesday afternoon. "I cannot be thought to be afraid of Bill O’Reilly or anybody."

"I’d like to say to women out there everywhere, don’t allow these right-wing talking heads, these dishonorable people, to intimidate you or scare you," continued Waters. "Be who you are. Do what you do. And let us get on with discussing the real issues of this country."

"Bill O'Reilly and Roger Ailes have no credibility," said Waters. "They have been sued by women, they've had to pay millions of dollars ... And so we know about that checkered past."

Her remarks come after O'Reilly, during an appearance on Fox News earlier Tuesday, was asked to comment on Waters' Monday speech about race and Trump from Monday.

"I didn't hear a word she said. I was looking at the James Brown wig," O'Reilly said as he laughed. "If we have a picture of James, it's the same wig."

After an outcry on social media, O'Reilly apologized for his remarks.

"As I have said many times, I respect congresswoman Maxine Waters for being sincere in her beliefs," O'Reilly said in a statement. "I said that again today on Fox and Friends calling her 'old school.' Unfortunately, I also made a jest about her hair which was dumb. I apologize."

The exchange helped spark the social media hashtag, #BlackWomenAtWork — what it's like to be a black woman in the workplace — in which people shared experiences of hostility in professional settings.

Watch her remarks on MSNBC below:

NOW WATCH: Animated map shows which states are the biggest winners and losers from 'Trumpcare'