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Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' |
CNN IS NEXT? User ID: 1203935 United States 01/21/2011 10:45 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' NEW YORK – MSNBC host Keith Olbermann announced Friday that he is leaving the network and has taped his last "Countdown" show. [link to news.yahoo.com]
MSNBC issued a statement that it had ended its contract with the controversial host, with no further explanation. Olbermann hosted the network's most popular show, but his combative liberal opinions often made him a target of critics.
Olbermann did not explain why he was leaving.
"MSNBC thanks Keith for his integral role in MSNBC's success and we wish him well in his future endeavors," the network said.
A spokesman said Phil Griffin, MSNBC's president, would not comment on Olbermann's exit. Spokesman Jeremy Gaines would say only that the acquistion of NBC Universal by Comcast, which received regulatory approval this week, had nothing to do with the decision.
Olbermann was suspended without pay from the network for two days in November for donating to three Democratic candidates, which violated NBC News' policy on political donations. Olbermann complained that he was being punished for mistakenly violating an inconsistently applied rule that he had known nothing about.
The host apologized to fans — but not to the network.
Olbermann, before leaving the show with a final signature toss of his script toward the camera, thanked his audience for sticking with him and read a James Thurber poem. More in Entertainment The New Royals: Insight on Prince William & Kate Middleton's wedding Full coverage of the royal wedding on Yahoo! News Complete entertainment coverage
"This may be the only television program where the host was much more in awe of the audience than vice versa," he said.
He thanked a series of people, including the late Tim Russert, but pointedly not Griffin or NBC News President Steve Capus.
Olbermann's prime-time show is the network's top-rated. His evolution from a humorous look at the day's headlines into a pointedly liberal show in the last half of George W. Bush's administration led MSNBC to largely shift the tone of the network in his direction, with the hirings or Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell in primetime.
But Olbermann was known for a mercurial personality behind the scenes and he was almost fired last year for the political donations. He quit a prime-time show on MSNBC in the late 1990s, complaining that management was making him report too much on President Bill Clinton's impeachment scandal.
He was particularly critical of Fox News Channel and his direct competitor, Bill O'Reilly, frequently naming him his "Worst Person in the World" in a segment popular with his fans. Bosses at NBC had discussed trying to keep the tone of the vitriol down.
MSNBC announced that O'Donnell, who had frequently filled in for Olbermann before starting his own 10 p.m. show, will take over Olbermann's time slot starting Monday. "The Ed Show," with Ed Schultz, would move to 10 p.m. Cenk Uygur of the Web show "The Young Turks," will fill Schultz's vacated 6 p.m. time slot.
Olbermann had signed a new four-year contract with MSNBC two years ago. It's unclear what his plans are now.
He could give a boost to struggling CNN's prime-time lineup, but Olbermann would mean CNN would make an abrupt shift in its nonpartisan policy. It was not immediately known how quickly Olbermann could switch to another job if he wanted to. |
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 343019 South Korea 01/21/2011 10:50 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' So long, Keith |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1220916 United States 01/21/2011 10:51 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' hahahaha.... love that last sentence!! Improve CNN? HAHAHAHAhahaha As if! hahahah |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1220916 United States 01/21/2011 10:51 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' hahahaha.... love that last sentence!! Improve CNN? HAHAHAHAhahaha As if! hahahah |
Only Me
Strawberry Girl
User ID: 725691 United States 01/21/2011 10:51 PM
Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' why would they let their award winning show go like that i wonder.... Goodbye, halcyon days...
There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another theory mentioned, which states that this has already happened. |
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 911383 United States 01/21/2011 10:54 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' why would they let their award winning show go like that i wonder....
Quoting: Only Me Spokesman Jeremy Gaines would say only that the acquistion of NBC Universal by Comcast, which received regulatory approval this week, had nothing to do with the decision.jeremy is a company man toeing the line |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1227269 Spain 01/21/2011 11:00 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' This is interesting. Although I didn't care for this "anchor", I find it odd to be told that it's your last show abruptly. I'd think he would have been given a few days or weeks notice. At least he didn't flip out on the air. He was also the best MSNBC had to offer. However, I have a hunch that someone from Fox will take over the timeslot. We'll see. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 842983 United States 01/21/2011 11:08 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1205162 United States 01/21/2011 11:17 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' Good riddance! I like a few liberal commentators but That fellow was hateful. |
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 1193406 United States 01/21/2011 11:17 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' Funny. He calls himself anti-establishment - but only if the establishment is Republican. I really enjoyed him on sports center and at times on his show too.
His rant on the death of habeus corpus was OUTSTANDING. But his myopic blaming of all things bad on anyone not voting democratic made me sick.
He, like most talking heads on TV (including Beck), only show half the picture. It is intentional by the networks to herd us in to a left vs right paradigm.
Break free from your mental shackles people. I think even Olberman would want that... |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1238985 United States 01/21/2011 11:23 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' So long, Keith Quoting: Anonymous Coward 343019 |
godzillla85 User ID: 1236306 United States 01/21/2011 11:28 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' Fuck him, liked him better at sportscenter, karma is a bitch ins't it Mr. Olberman you fucking asshole |
Lastcall User ID: 1207980 United States 01/21/2011 11:32 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown'
You'll see more of this in the future Blatantly liberal "commentators" who are really nothing more than the liberal version of Rush Limbaugh ( Except Rush doesn't pretend to be a journalist ) are on the way out. Here's why , just look at the population breakdown Liberal 18% Moderate 40% Conservative 42$ There just isn't enough liberals in the population to make liberal bullshit artists like Olbermann , Maddow and Mathews "sellable" While they are very good at dragging in the 18% thats liberal , they drive the other 82$ of the population away They're "Ratings Poison" and the market for "Liberal commentary" is vastly over-saturated. So ABC, CBS and NBC have a choice, straighten their acts up (in terms of journalism) or go bankrupt within the next five years. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1237606 United States 01/21/2011 11:34 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' PUT A FORK IN THAT COMMIE RAT BASTARD, HE'S DONE! GLORY, HALLELUJAH! |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 927177 United States 01/21/2011 11:36 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' Yay!! Psycho Keith Olbermann was fired. Looks likes he rightly was in Comcast's crosshairs. I think he should be monitored by the FBI. He really is THAT crazy. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 842983 United States 01/21/2011 11:37 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' Keith Olbermann |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 927177 United States 01/21/2011 11:37 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' Next up - Crissy "Tingles" Matthews. Buh-bye. |
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 1179574 United States 01/21/2011 11:45 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' |
beyonder
User ID: 1217807 United States 01/21/2011 11:46 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' |
Keith Olberman Swallows User ID: 980721 United States 01/21/2011 11:46 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' Thus is what happens to liberal hateful pricks. The guy acted like a 3rd grader....a clown in a suit. Fuck you Olberman...stay off the air. CNN would be stupid to hire this guy..or anyone else. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 842983 United States 01/21/2011 11:51 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' Uh oh. The 10 people that watch him will be very sad. |
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NATURAL BORN WITH PROOF
User ID: 1179574 United States 01/22/2011 12:06 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' Sgt. Schultz after Crissy!!!
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1179574 Then that CNN goofball Israeli Wolfy!!!!! Then Anderson "in my pooper" Cooper!!!! |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1238877 United States 01/22/2011 12:10 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Re: Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends `Countdown' He was a no good. Nauseating, stomach turning prick, I watch Lib-o'vision now and then as a reference point and he was even more disgusting than Matthews, They are watched by Alzheimer patients who are trapped in 1957. It is awesome retardation that will be noted in historical policy analyst journals in about twenty years, the Lib's of the future will say WTF were they thinking, no wonder their plan went to shit and backed up on them like a rusty sewer line. Amazingly idiotic. |
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