BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/21/keith-olbermann-leaving-msnbc/ Keith Olbermann is leaving MSNBC, the "Countdown" host announced on his show Friday night.The liberal commentator told viewers he had been informed "this was going to be the last edition" of his show, but offered no further details. NBC/Universal confirmed the news in a statement Friday night. "MSNBC and Keith Olbermann have ended their contract. The last broadcast of "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" will be this evening. MSNBC thanks Keith for his integral role in MSNBC's success and we wish him well in his future endeavors." Olbermann made the announcement in his typical deadpan style, evoking scenes from the film "Network" and thanking viewers for keeping him on the air for eight years. "In the mundane world television goodbyes, reality is laughably uncooperative," Olbermann said before launching into a story about his exit from ESPN 13 years ago. "As God as my witness, in the commercial break just before the emotional moment, the producer got into my earpiece and he said, 'um, can you cut it down to 15 seconds so we get in this tennis result from Stuttgart,'" he said, half-smiling, pausing for composure. "So I'm grateful I have a little more time to sign off here. Regardless this is the last edition of 'Countdown.'" The news come two months after the prime-time host was suspended for a couple of nights in November for violating the ethics policy of the cable network after Politico reported that he had donated to three Democrats seeking federal office. The contributions violated an NBC policy that requires employees of the news organization to obtain permission ahead of any political donations or activities that could be deemed as a conflict of interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandymac27 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Wow. Didn't see this coming. Something must have went down, I just wonder what the heck it was! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Can we have Tingles as a twofer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I hope he goes back to sports in some capacity. He and Dan Patrick revolutionized sports anchoring as we know it. Whether that's a good or bad thing is certainly up for debate. But I NEVER missed a SportsCenter when they were on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Wow. Didn't see this coming. Something must have went down, I just wonder what the heck it was! http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=d2e08973-1f1e-43f5-8144-9c4814f57a6f BURLINGTON, Vt. Nov. 8 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today opposing a proposed merger of Comcast Corp. and NBC Universal that would give the cable giant control of NBC's television and movie business:“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the hundreds of thousands of progressives and others who demanded that Keith Olbermann be reinstated to his position at MSNBC. These people understand the enormously important role that the media play in contemporary American politics. They know the recent ascendancy of the Republican Party and right-wing politics had less to do with the leadership skills of Mitch McConnell or John Boehner and far more to do with the enormously powerful role played by Rupert Murdoch, Fox News and right-wing talk radio. “What has not gotten a lot of attention in the midst of this controversy is that GE’s NBC Universal, one of the largest media conglomerates in the country, is in the process of merging with Comcast, the largest cable television provider in America. The new head of that company would be Stephen B. Burke, Comcast’s chief operating officer and a “Bush Ranger” who raised at least $200,000 for the 2004 reelection campaign of President George W. Bush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 He was a sportscaster, he was not a political pundit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandymac27 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I just read off of something I found on Google that the Comcast merger didn't have anything to do w/ it, but it's still too early to tell. Supposedly Anderson Cooper tweeted that he was gonna try to find out tonight at 10 if Keith was fired or what went down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDoyler23 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 He was a sportscaster, he was not a political pundit So what are the qualifications to be a pundit? Glenn Beck was a wacky morning zoo DJ at one point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I just saw this on CNN and wanted to see what folks were saying here. Too bad he wasn't fired years ago. Fox should match them and dump one of their loonies now. :evilg: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baculus Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 It's too bad -- Olbermann was a good outspoken critic and voice for liberals. Many of us suspected Comcast was going to have a chilling effect on programming, and perhaps that is the case. The Right is celebrating this, because it is less voice from the opposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visionary Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 It's too bad -- Olbermann was a good outspoken critic and voice for liberals. Really? How many people who aren't already pretty liberal can actually watch him and not get pissed off? He's a horrible representative for liberals. He's one of the reasons I mostly stopped watching MCNBC a few years back. And I used to watch it all the time before he gained prominence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsFTW Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 :applause::ciao::thumbsup: I'm just wondering now how long that carpet :munchout: Maddow chick is going to be around. She's obnoxious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 :applause::ciao::thumbsup:I'm just wondering now how long that carpet :munchout: Maddow chick is going to be around. I think the term you're looking for is "lesbian". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebluefood Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 It's too bad -- Olbermann was a good outspoken critic and voice for liberals. Many of us suspected Comcast was going to have a chilling effect on programming, and perhaps that is the case.The Right is celebrating this, because it is less voice from the opposition. If by outspoken you mean smug as hell, then yeah. He was great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 If by outspoken you mean smug as hell, then yeah. He was great. OK, he was both smug and outspoken. :pfft: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 So what are the qualifications to be a pundit?Glenn Beck was a wacky morning zoo DJ at one point. Yeah, I'm glad to see Olbermann go, but would really like to see Glenn Beck disappear next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 It's too bad -- Olbermann was a good outspoken critic and voice for liberals. Many of us suspected Comcast was going to have a chilling effect on programming, and perhaps that is the case.The Right is celebrating this, because it is less voice from the opposition. I'm a little surprised you feel that way, Bac. I consider you, most of the time, to be a pretty well-reasoned voice on the left around here. Olbermann wasn't a fair-minded and informative voice (which it IS possible to do, even if you editorialize.) He was one of those guys who was over-the-top, confrontational, and often downright obnoxious. I can't even think of a guy to compare him to on the right. Not to say he's worse than everyone on the right; certainly not. Just unique. Personally, even though I'm a proud conservative, I would like to see a nice balance in commentary shows, especially on TV. Put both voices out there. Keep each other honest. And let an informed populus decide which side they're going to support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baculus Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Really? How many people who aren't already pretty liberal can actually watch him and not get pissed off?He's a horrible representative for liberals. He's one of the reasons I mostly stopped watching MCNBC a few years back. And I used to watch it all the time before he gained prominence. While Olbermann was definitely a loud pundit, he addressed issues that weren't often discussed or he showed the ridiculous assertions from the other side of the aisle. But if you didn't like him, then, yes, it was your choice to change that channel; that doesn't mean everyone agrees with you. I don't, after all. Apparently, though, you were more upset at his tone as opposed to the issues that he discussed. And frankly, his tone wasn't that bad. Serious at times? For certain. Over-the-top from time to time. Yes. Imperfect? Sure. But when Olbermann would discuss serious subjects such as the Iraqi war, then his strong tone would certainly emphasize his feelings on the subject. You even admit you haven't watched his show for years, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckydevil Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 He had his moments when Bush was in office, but was simply another hack when Obama won. He also is an ahole. Knowing his history, he probably burned bridges at NBC. I hope he returns to sports, but espn obviously won't hire him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baculus Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I'm a little surprised you feel that way, Bac. I consider you, most of the time, to be a pretty well-reasoned voice on the left around here. Olbermann wasn't a fair-minded and informative voice (which it IS possible to do, even if you editorialize.) He was one of those guys who was over-the-top, confrontational, and often downright obnoxious. I can't even think of a guy to compare him to on the right. Not to say he's worse than everyone on the right; certainly not. Just unique. Because Olbermann wasn't "over-the-top, confrontational, and often downright obnoxious" at all times (nor would I say most of the time, either). He had guests on his show, and I never recall him ever confronting a guest in the same manner as Bill O'Reilly. Also, a lot of his material was based upon what other people did or said -- other "obnoxious" people. For example, when Limbaugh mocked Michael J. Fox's Parkison's shaking, there was Olbermann knocking Limbaugh for doing so. That was his shtick: For giving a "waggle of his finger" for that sort of stuff, and he would discuss subjects that none of the other so-called liberal media would even address. It's funny how Palin talks about liberals trying "shut her up," but it is really people such as Olbermann that some folks wanted to silence. And maybe they did. Personally, even though I'm a proud conservative, I would like to see a nice balance in commentary shows, especially on TV. Put both voices out there. Keep each other honest. And let an informed populus decide which side they're going to support. Well, for the time being, now there's one less voice in the debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Yeah. Good luck with that. Now you have one less voice to worry about, for the time being. Well, first, like I said, I want the different opinions out there, I just want them presented in a more responsible and honest manner. On BOTH sides. And second, there's something about liberal commentary that just doesn't sell. It's a legitimate, and rational, way of thinking. There are tons of people out there who espouse those virtues, and do so for honest, and understandable, reasons. But Air America crashed and burned. And MSNBC's ratings are garbage. I admit that I don't know whether it's financial backing, or ease of motivation of listeners/viewers that accounts for the discrepancy. But it's definitely there. Y'all need to get your **** figured out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandymac27 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I think a lot of people hated him b/c of what Baculus said. He called out people from the other side who were (mostly) due a good ass whooping. I never expected anyone on the right to take him seriously, after all, KO rightly called out some of their "superstars" on many occassions. As far as I'm concerned he was nowhere near as bad as O'Reilly, Beck, and some of the crap that Palin and her gang flew around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebluefood Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I don't like talking heads in general, so the more they fade away and make room for actual political commentators with experience on the Hill, the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 So what are the qualifications to be a pundit?Glenn Beck was a wacky morning zoo DJ at one point. Lol the mental image of that is hilarious But yeah, I never did respect his opinion much considering he was mainly known as a sports anchor on ESPN It just seemed out of place for him to be doing a political show, but CNN hired away Stephen A. Smith to do political commentary at one point too. One thing I will always remember about Olbermann is how he treated the Imus situation, it was a slimeball move and I won't respect that SMH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.A.C.O.L.B. Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Lol the mental image of that is hilarious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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