Althouse: Olbermann ousted.

January 21, 2011

Olbermann ousted.

"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.'... So I'm grateful I have a little more time to sign off here. Regardless this is the last edition of 'Countdown.'"

116 comments:

KCFleming said...: In a year, recalling his name will be difficult.; 1/21/11, 9:20 PM
KCFleming said...: Not a year at MSNBC, though.
Forgotten once the tennis scores come in.; 1/21/11, 9:21 PM
Chase said...: "Sarah Palin" will be mentioned in his firing in FIVE, FOUR, THREE . . . .; 1/21/11, 9:23 PM
Chase said...: Two Words:

Comcast; 1/21/11, 9:24 PM
coketown said...: His future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades. Coming to the Oprah Winfrey Network, CountdOWN with Keith Olbermann. Good luck, Keith! I think you've aged much better than Hannity.; 1/21/11, 9:30 PM
Skyler said...: Liberals like to compare him to Rush as his ideological counterpart, but it's not an apt analogy. Rush, whether you like him or not, is at least intelligent. Olberman is really quite dense.

His vile hatred will not be missed.; 1/21/11, 9:30 PM
EnigmatiCore said...: He should feel happy. His dabble in politics, as ill advised as Limbaugh's dabble in sportscasting, lasted much longer.; 1/21/11, 9:31 PM
Ambrose said...: Good bye sir; we're movin' to the middle, yes we are. Thank you for your service and best wishes in your future endeavors. Oh, and by the way, don't let that door hit you in the butt on your way out.; 1/21/11, 9:31 PM
Skyler said...: As a counter to Hannity, sure. Hannity is stupid, too. I wouldn't miss his vile hatred either.; 1/21/11, 9:31 PM
lucid said...: Hey, now he can be a regular on the Howard Stern Show on Sirius/XM. That would be perfect for him!!; 1/21/11, 9:32 PM
PaulV said...: White house needs a czar for the two minutes hates; 1/21/11, 9:33 PM
lucid said...: Gawd, I want to see how Rachel Maddow manages to maintain her holier-and-more-honorable-than-anyone-else-in-the-whole-world attitude while she mumbles and evades any real commentary on this.

And I want to see Chris Matthews trying not to smirk or break out in a big horse-laugh.; 1/21/11, 9:36 PM
michaele said...: I guess he leaned too far forward and fell out the window.; 1/21/11, 9:36 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: Who cares, they'll just replace him with some other douchebag who's just as bad.; 1/21/11, 9:38 PM
lucid said...: the link seems to be broken.; 1/21/11, 9:40 PM
Temujin said...: Oh well. His fans are going to be crushed. Both of them.; 1/21/11, 9:44 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Its not April 1st yet.. is it?; 1/21/11, 9:48 PM
rcocean said...: The news gave Chris Matthews a thrill up his leg.; 1/21/11, 9:54 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: According to Drudge's posted numbers Olbenini gets the top ratings at MSNBC...

NEWS RACE
THURS. JAN. 20, 2011

FOXNEWS O'REILLY 2,918,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY 2,079,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 1,940,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 1,786,000
FOXNEWS BECK 1,780,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 1,460,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,106,000
CNN PIERS 1,025,000
MSNBC MADDOW 976,000
MSNBC O'DONNELL 855,000
MSNBC SCHULTZ 760,000
CNN COOPER 740,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 700,000; 1/21/11, 9:55 PM
gadfly said...: Gosh! Sarah America won't have Olbermann to kick around anymore!

On January 11, responding to criticism about remarks he made on the Giffords shooting, KO said: "Since the shooting [some] on the right have put forward the absolutely incoherent narrative that suggestions from the left that the right's rhetoric might have real world consequences is out of line -- because those remarks might have a real world consequence."

So it turns out that "Only Words" do, in the end, have meaning and that was dramatically demonstrated on the very day that Comcast took over ownership the network.; 1/21/11, 9:57 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: He must have done or said something again..; 1/21/11, 9:58 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Link goes nowhere.; 1/21/11, 9:58 PM
Tyrone Slothrop said...: The comments at Kos and HuffPo are positively heartwarming.

Link; 1/21/11, 9:59 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: He wasn't in a movie, he was on TV. That's what TV is like. Lots of directions through the earpiece.; 1/21/11, 10:00 PM
Unknown said...: How soon before Chrissy, Maddow, Shultz, and O'Donnell join him?

Clearly, this has a lot to do with Immelt's move.

And, somewhere, Dubya is smiling quietly and saying, "Keefy, Shut. The Hell. Up".; 1/21/11, 10:00 PM
DADvocate said...: No wonder we're having such a cold snap, the hot air's been turned off.; 1/21/11, 10:03 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: THE far left bloggers have been predicting this, due the merger with Comcast.; 1/21/11, 10:08 PM
John Burgess said...: The air in America is just a bit fresher. Perhaps those calls for civility are having an effect.; 1/21/11, 10:09 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Pretty amazing that so many of us [CNN right now] are gabbing about a lifelng douche-nozzle whose national show drew only 700,000 viewers.

Btw, Olbermann has at least one character flaw - he always bites the hand that feeds him.

wv = cates [that reminds me, Seven you showed your age mntioning Phoebe Cates from 1983 pool bikini scene]; 1/21/11, 10:22 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "And, somewhere, Dubya is smiling quietly and saying, "Keefy, Shut. The Hell. Up", and Dick is shouting "A-hole, Shut. The F. Up".

Fixed.; 1/21/11, 10:25 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Olbermann's Controlled, useful-looking anger is out of fashion now.. call it pre-tucson anger..

They are looking for generous anger now..

Its a question of a sudden course correction in attitudinal demographics brought on by a national tragedy.. we had an anger bubble.

Anybody who called people "the worst person in the world" could not be called "generous"..

Keith had to go.; 1/21/11, 10:34 PM
Anonymous said...: The news gave Chris Matthews a thrill up his leg.

Actually, I'll give Olberdouche credit: he was the first to call Crissy Matthews on his leg thrill.; 1/21/11, 10:35 PM
Irene said...: Civility scores.; 1/21/11, 10:41 PM
jr565 said...: Maybe he could try to get a job at Fox.; 1/21/11, 10:47 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Americans will find civility is overrated and boring. Shoot, civility would kill the blogosphere.; 1/21/11, 10:48 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Scarborough is quite cowardly.; 1/21/11, 10:51 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "Maybe he could try to get a job at Fox."

He was too dumb to know that getting a raise and a new TV job is easy, if you say you're afraid of Muslim looking Muslims.; 1/21/11, 10:56 PM
Unknown said...: 1jpb said...

"And, somewhere, Dubya is smiling quietly and saying, "Keefy, Shut. The Hell. Up", and Dick is shouting "A-hole, Shut. The F. Up".

Fixed.

Whoever Dick is. As usual, PB&J thinks he's witty off meds.

Maybe he needs to be fixed.; 1/21/11, 10:59 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Cheney; 1/21/11, 11:02 PM
Anonymous said...: Come on AJ. It's only rated the #1 nude scene ever by none other than Mr. Skin -- the nude scene by which all other nude scenes must be measured.

There was also the skinny dipping party with Katy Mixon...; 1/21/11, 11:07 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Mr. Skin said she's #1- I did not know that! Nah she was an up and coming - came out of nowhere hottie- is that where she went back to I wonder? Damn she was a hottie before that was a word!; 1/21/11, 11:23 PM
Anonymous said...: She married Kevin Kline, I believe.; 1/21/11, 11:31 PM
Unknown said...: The White House apparently is looking for a new social director since Julianna Smoot is leaving to work on the re-election campaign. With Olbie's scintillating personality, he'd be a shoe-in!; 1/21/11, 11:36 PM
SteveR said...: He'll show up somewhere soon enough, he's useful to those who feel most news in down the middle or leaning right. And that actual discussion or debate in unnecessary.

The other haters at MSNBC are only doing "well" as a result of the pathetic demise of CNN, they won't have much leeway just to be entirely of interest to such a narrow audience; 1/21/11, 11:46 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: She married Kevin Kline, I believe.

I remember her from Bright Lights Big City with MJ Fox..; 1/21/11, 11:56 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Julianna Smoot?

Smoot sounds like one of the names given to the high society ladies the Three Stooges seemed to tangle with in one episode or another.; 1/22/11, 12:07 AM
Chef Mojo said...: Jonah Goldberg tweeted:

JonahNRO: Lord, let Obama ask Olby to be his new press sec.

Well, one can dream... Ah, that would be totally sweet.; 1/22/11, 12:15 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: The more I think about this the more I realize Comcast made this one requirement to close the deal to buy NBC. It demanded NBC fire Olbermann and pay his his sevrance on his contract cause Comcast did not want to be on the hook for Olbermann's contract.; 1/22/11, 12:22 AM
Anonymous said...: Olbermann almost got fired once before and has a history of being fired by networks, or otherwise screwing up relationships. The man is a first and foremost an insufferable drama queen.

My hope is that he marries Kevin Kline, never to be heard from again.; 1/22/11, 12:28 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Kline & Olbie kinda look alike. While oneime hottie Phoebe is looking too minivan driving Mom-ish.; 1/22/11, 12:32 AM
Anonymous said...: Why did you make me Google a recent photo of Phoebe Cates when I had such a perfect and unspoiled vision in my head? Truly, AJ, you are the worst person in the world.; 1/22/11, 12:35 AM
Clyde said...: His many fans should erect a monument to him. I think something along the lines of a Spinal Tap-sized Stonehenge would be appropriate.; 1/22/11, 1:13 AM
Sprezzatura said...: "Why did you make me Google a recent photo of Phoebe Cates when I had such a perfect and unspoiled vision in my head? Truly, AJ, you are the worst person in the world."

Are you crazy? There's no way things could have gone that down hill, since 2005.; 1/22/11, 3:31 AM
Anonymous said...: Thank you, 1jpb, for restoring my fantasy world to its equilibrium.; 1/22/11, 3:59 AM
AllenS said...: This is absolutely terrible news. Why? Because he'll probably get another job ruining some sports show, that's why.; 1/22/11, 4:35 AM
LakeLevel said...: This is absolutely terrible news. Why? Because he'll probably get another job ruining some sports show, that's why.

Naw, that's not gonna happen. Even GE (Government Electric) cut him from NBC sports because he was such a ratings killer. Millions of people were turning the channel at the sight of this nasty hole.; 1/22/11, 5:20 AM
rhhardin said...: I always just assumed he was for some other audience.; 1/22/11, 5:28 AM
DaveW said...: I just don't watch much TV. I've never watched an episode of either Olbermann or Beck. In fact, I don't know offhand where MSNBC or Fox are on my satellite channel menu.

But I've seen a lot of Olbermann clips on the internet and I never saw the attraction. I'm sure he'll land somewhere, I just hope it's not on one of the NFL pregame shows.; 1/22/11, 5:34 AM
Deb said...: Olbermann, whom I had the misfortune to see on some Internet clips once or twice, was exactly like a very left wing guy I knew. When my 12 year old daughter, who was babysitting his kids, told him the Republican fundraisers had called, he spit on his phone.

He had that same vile, volatile, unhinged hatred for any political views other than his own.; 1/22/11, 5:50 AM
Anonymous said...: "He had that same vile, volatile, unhinged hatred for any political views other than his own."

There are plenty more where Reifenstahl ... er sorry Olberman ... came from.

And if you pay attention to the comments over at the lefty sites, they give you a really good list of which organizations comprise the left-wing hate machine.

For example ... here's one commenter at HuffPo who spills the beans:

"wtf? well I already sent my nastygram telling MSNBC to eat it. I was no longer watching their programming. I'll use PBS and BBC America. wtf?!?!"

So, if they can't get their two-minute hate at MSNBC, they'll gladly flip the dial to the channel the Republicans are paying for through their funding of the Public Broadcasting System.

Look, we have two months ... folks.

In March, the continuing resolution funding the United States government expires. Republicans have until then to remove from the federal budget all funding for the Democrat Party hate machine - starting with PBS and NPR.

Too many people are dying in the streets because of the Democrat Party's hateful incivility.

There is simply no reason in the world I can think of why Republicans who control the House - from which all appropriations bills must emanate - would continue to fund the Democrat Party's main propaganda outlets.

Republicans either cut out this funding, or they're finished.; 1/22/11, 6:48 AM
Johanna Lapp said...: Coming up next, as promised, tonight's Special Comment. But first: Did you want whipped cream on that venti gingerbread latte?; 1/22/11, 7:26 AM
Anonymous said...: Didn't take Comcast long to start throwing out the garbage, starting with the biggest bag.

Who's next? Mathews? Maddow? Ratigan? Scarborough?

A lot of garbage needs to be taken out before Comcast can turn a profit in that cesspool that is MSNBC.

Immelt got what he wanted out of it though, didn't he?; 1/22/11, 7:54 AM
Humperdink said...: Rush's show is filled with humor. The line-up at MESSNBC is filled bitterness. After watching two minutes of Olby, one can see it oozing from his every pore.; 1/22/11, 8:08 AM
EnigmatiCore said...: I like Maddow.

However, the guy they are replacing Olbermann with is the biggest piece of trash on TV, so perhaps he'll be next.; 1/22/11, 8:09 AM
Toad Trend said...: Good riddance, Olberdork.; 1/22/11, 8:13 AM
Peter V. Bella said...: The EPA just issued a joint alert with the United Nations. Global warming is over. The firing of Keith Olbermann and elimination of his toxic brew have eliminated the need for any Global Warming initiatives.; 1/22/11, 8:23 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Commie Cast got their wish!!!! Let's hear it for a market free of competition!

With all the money that guy made there will always be a market for him, and that's what scares the Reds.; 1/22/11, 8:48 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Rush's show is filled with humor. The line-up at MESSNBC is filled bitterness.

LOL.

Seriously though, that was funny.

In every strained and breathy gasp forced into the mike by Dominican Sex Tourist El Rushbo, I think, no bitterness here. He's just got constipation of the voice.

Seriously, how much for a tape of Limbaugh actually, you know, laughing? And not in a fake way or at the expense of the misfortune of others? Something like that must be worth a lot of money.; 1/22/11, 8:52 AM
vet66 said...: It will be interesting to analyze whether the left-wing MSM swings toward the center with Obama. Will their rabid support of far left delusions be tempered or will they go the way of Olbermann foaming at the mouth?

I watched a snippet of Olbermann occasionally to see what exercised him at the particular moment. His inflated opinion of himself must have given his bosses heartburn and motivation to rid themselves of him. My first impression is that the honchos at MSNBC are cowards and are using the COMCAST merger for cover to please their new bosses.

MSNBC is one pathetic organization.; 1/22/11, 9:00 AM
roesch-voltaire said...: Another liberal perspective stifled by corporate own media-- nothing new here.; 1/22/11, 9:02 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Olbermann almost got fired once before and has a history of being fired by networks, or otherwise screwing up relationships.

Ownership constitutes a relationship in the same sense that slavery constitutes a relationship. Olbermann did nothing to upset the people with whom he actually had a decent, working and profitable relationship - MSNBC, and if that business weren't successful then Commie Cast wouldn't have sought to buy them or their parent company. Commie Cast was as removed from Olbermann as management gets, and just axed the guy out of their perception of personal (or political) offense, nothing else. There was no "working relationship" with him for them to evaluate in the first place.

But as usual, Seven Femmes sees the world through whore-tinted lenses and has no clue as to what personal dynamics are or are not at work. Good little tramp that he is, he confuses political moves with personal or financial decisions, and vice versa.; 1/22/11, 9:20 AM
Anonymous said...: Olbermann did nothing to upset the people with whom he actually had a decent, working and profitable relationship - MSNBC

That's an assertion with no foundation in fact.

Why?

The host, who has had a stormy relationship with the management of the network for some time, especially since he was suspended for two days last November, came to an agreement with NBC’s corporate management late this week to settle his contract and step down.

But hey, you have a narrative to cling to, so have at it...; 1/22/11, 9:37 AM
traditionalguy said...: Olbermann is lucky to be out of there. NBC Sports is a mafia gang. He would have sooner or later insulted the very Politician that NBC was seeking support from. And Olby's Pravda like reporting is a hard act to do put on everyday.; 1/22/11, 9:44 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: But Fen says you can't trust the NYTimes, Jay, because they apparently make stuff up. Who provided the "fact" of the alleged storminess of their relationship? Anyone? Anyone?

It's NYT's narrative, as Fen would say.

Seriously, I don't think MSNBC was waiting for a buy-out by Commie Cast to oust Olbermann. As spunky as he was to them, they always could have done it on their own.; 1/22/11, 10:03 AM
Dark Eden said...: I'm torn. I am personally happy about this but I don't know if getting rid of the top not-Fox cable news personality will end up being a good business decision. But its nothing he doesn't deserve.

WV: unpants. Is the WV getting fresh with me??; 1/22/11, 10:10 AM
jr565 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/22/11, 10:12 AM
jr565 said...: This is the new theme song for the death of Olbermann's show:

href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw

It's the Final Countdown. Da nah nah nah, dah nah nah nah nah, da nah nah nah, da nah nah nah nah.

(Wondering if I should make it my new ringtone).; 1/22/11, 10:14 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Olbermann's responsible for MSNBC's success. Olbermann and perhaps to some degree, Scarborough. Commie Cast doesn't care if they eviscerate the network in their quest for world political domination; it's small potatoes compared to their iron-fisted grip on everything else that they either acquired or that the government granted them. An honest or contrarian broadcast business comes a far distant second place to their desire for political domination.; 1/22/11, 10:17 AM
Anonymous said...: @RV:

"Another liberal perspective stifled by corporate own media-- nothing new here."

You're right here in one respect; when I think liberal, I think Olbermann. Poster boy nonpareil.

Re the 'corporate own (sic) media', Olbermann's boss and Barry fellator,(GE's Immelt), has just taken a nice gig with the BO administration earlier this week.; 1/22/11, 10:19 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Conservative Commie Cast was behind it; they're even bigger than GE. There's no point in blaming lesser execs who lack vitriolic hatred of Obama and/or the left on this one. And that's why Commie Conservative Cast left the less fiery libs in. Rachel Maddow runs a comparatively gentle show, and Cenk Uygur just likes to vent. They're all about venting and not about taking action vis a vis government obsequiousness and allowing the abuse of our rights, while keeping the marketplace free from competition.

Olbermann actually thought people should be active in pushing for the rights of the people, in keeping the government honest, in not letting the government be sold out like a bunch of prostitutes to Corporate Johns like Commie Cast, and for that, he was seen as dangerous, and nixed.

He was not too "obnoxious". He was too "dangerous". Politically. Comcast can't do as well with the truth out there.; 1/22/11, 10:28 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Commie Cast doesn't mind letting on-air dissenters vent, as long as they don't urge or inspire action against their gummint-based Republican benefactors. It's their way of letting the left, the middle and everyone else eat cake.; 1/22/11, 10:32 AM
Tyrone Slothrop said...: Conservatives 4 Better Dental Hygiene said...

Olbermann's responsible for MSNBC's success.

If MSNBC's ratings constitute success, I wish them lots more success.

wv:elities- inside-the-beltway breakfast cereal; 1/22/11, 10:32 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: I don't think they aspire to the kind of empire that others do, and they didn't have the earlier successes that FOX and CNN, older networks, did before they even came on the scene in the late 90s. Comparing MSNBC to those two is like comparing the market share of a Honda to that of an American manufacturer in the 1980s. Inertia, legacy and government hand-outs don't define success in my book but perhaps they do in yours.; 1/22/11, 10:48 AM
jr565 said...: C4BDH wrote:
Olbermann's responsible for MSNBC's success. Olbermann and perhaps to some degree, Scarborough. Commie Cast doesn't care if they eviscerate the network in their quest for world political domination; it's small potatoes compared to their iron-fisted grip on everything else that they either acquired or that the government granted them. An honest or contrarian broadcast business comes a far distant second place to their desire for political domination.

Except they're replacing Olbie with Laurence O'Donnell an even smugger lefty douche. So maybe it was just that Olbie was an asshole who didn't get along with management. He seems to have left a trail wherever he worked of people who ended up hating his guts. Maybe he's just that unpleasant that they'd rather have someone else with lower ratings and not have to deal with such a drama queen.
Good day SIR!; 1/22/11, 11:09 AM
jr565 said...: C4BDH wrote:
I don't think they aspire to the kind of empire that others do, and they didn't have the earlier successes that FOX and CNN, older networks, did before they even came on the scene in the late 90s.

RIght, they are striving to be number three. "we're number three! We're number three!"They're like the kids in school who get trophies even if they end up in last place. We're all winners even if we lose. Hooray!; 1/22/11, 11:11 AM
traditionalguy said...: Con4betterhygene is right about Comcast. As successful as Olberman was in the niche market of leftard hate speech, he was a blocking personality to a expansion of NSNBC into a News provider to a much larger and more rational audience...and Comcast has a world wide audience planned for its newly acquired platform. Can you say "civility", class?; 1/22/11, 11:14 AM
Johanna Lapp said...: Mission accomplished, Sarah Pailn!; 1/22/11, 11:27 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Good things come to those who wait (regarding the growth of real, authentic businesses), and no one has as yet provided any evidence that Olbermann met with a single Commie Cast exec ever. The ink isn't even dry on FCC's approval of the merger, which occurred less than 4 days ago. As usual, you Conservative Communists are hallucinating.

"(R)ational audience", TG? I guess your idea of rational means passive and uninformed. That's a great market for Commie Cast, or anyone for that matter. Not so much to those of us who prefer the information that allows us to stay vigilant of our rights as consumers and voters.; 1/22/11, 11:36 AM
Shanna said...: I don't think they aspire to the kind of empire that others do

Because cable tv stations would never aspire to success! Heavens.

Dont' care about this one way or another, I don't even get that channel, but this guy was a jackass so whatever.; 1/22/11, 11:39 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Laurence O'Donnell's just less (visibly?) emotional. Call that smug, call that whatever third-grade playground taunt you want (while simultaneously preaching maturity. That's a good one). The likely fact is that for whatever reason, the Commie Cast Conservatives were just less paranoid about him. For now.; 1/22/11, 11:40 AM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Confusing success with monopolistic power and total control over a market and the regulatory apparatus overseeing it. Modern day conservatism as defined by narcissistic dupes like Shanna.; 1/22/11, 11:42 AM
Robin said...: They Misogynist Olbermann replaced by Crazy Larry ...; 1/22/11, 11:48 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: Seriously, how much for a tape of Limbaugh actually, you know, laughing? And not in a fake way or at the expense of the misfortune of others?

The comment wherein you reveal that you have never listened to his program.; 1/22/11, 12:25 PM
tim maguire said...: I virtually never watched him so I really don't care, but it seems strange that he was the highest rated MSNBC host and the first (last?) fired.

Granted, his top of the heap numbers are more a reflection of how abysmal the MSNBC heap is, but still...he was the best of a bad lot.; 1/22/11, 12:25 PM
Anonymous said...: Who provided the "fact" of the alleged storminess of their relationship? Anyone? Anyone?

Hysterical.

Your response is as predictable as a child crying when their toy is taken away.

Um, who provided this "fact"?

Olbermann did nothing to upset the people with whom he actually had a decent, working and profitable relationship - MSNBC

Why nobody. That's who...; 1/22/11, 12:31 PM
Michael said...: I found him stupid and humorless and very fond of himself. He had none of the self deprecation and good humor of a Rush. He was clearly in the minor leagues and as a sports caster he knew what that meant and was humiliated by it. Daily. He was minor league hockey trying to get moved up based on fights and hits. Bad, losing, strategy. Unlike Rush he was an employee, a 1040 kind of guy.; 1/22/11, 12:56 PM
Fen said...: Libtard: Conservative Commie Cast

Desperation, thy name is Ritmo; 1/22/11, 1:06 PM
Humperdink said...: Been gone for awhile so I missed a few of Cons/for/tooth/decay's comments.

Rush not funny? Have you ever listened to the guy? Apparently not. His ability to poke the libs is second to none.

"Olby is responsible for MESSNBC's" success? Ritmo, your standard for success is a whole lot lower than mine.

At least in this thread, you have escaped reality.; 1/22/11, 1:08 PM
Steve M. Galbraith said...: Just to add: That youtube tape of Matthews and Olbermann and the "tingle" that Obama gave Matthews was done when they were both anchoring the MSNBC news desk covering the election.

Yes, Matthews and Olbermann as objective news anchors covering a campaign and election.

Whether you like them or not, that's just absurd. They have no business getting with 1,000 yards of a newsroom.; 1/22/11, 1:18 PM
Humperdink said...: FOXNEWS O'REILLY 2,918,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY 2,079,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 1,940,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 1,786,000
FOXNEWS BECK 1,780,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 1,460,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,106,000
CNN PIERS 1,025,000
MSNBC MADDOW 976,000
MSNBC O'DONNELL 855,000
MSNBC SCHULTZ 760,000
CNN COOPER 740,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 700,000

Ritmo, if Obly is a success, then Tingle Leg has to be your MVP.; 1/22/11, 1:19 PM
Anonymous said...: Olbermann will never get out of the bathtub now.; 1/22/11, 1:19 PM
Original Mike said...: "Naw, that's not gonna happen. Even GE (Government Electric) cut him from NBC sports because he was such a ratings killer. Millions of people were turning the channel at the sight of this nasty hole."

I was one of those millions. I would not watch the NBC halftime when he was on it.; 1/22/11, 1:25 PM
mtrobertsattorney said...: Anyone who watched Herr Olbermann over time could't help but notice that he was moving closer and closer to the edge.

I suspect that management concluded that they had better get rid of him before he went "postal" before an national audience.; 1/22/11, 1:28 PM
BJM said...: @Chase

Yep, Maddow and Matthews must hear the hoof beats in the hall.

Perhaps that's why Matthews has really come unglued the past few weeks or he's just gone bat shit crazy.; 1/22/11, 1:33 PM
BJM said...: @C$BDH

Not so much to those of us who prefer the information that allows us to stay vigilant of our rights as consumers and voters.

Yeah, NBC is a paragon of consumer information...except for that little splody pickup fraud, they're sooo reliable and we can always count on NBC to report on GE's offshoring and coziness with the US govt, right?

Take the fucking blinders off...the big 3 nets are pawned by Wall street, NTTATWWT to a rational person who may actually be a shareholder and hope to *Gasp!* profit.

MSNBC loses money. end of story.; 1/22/11, 1:45 PM
Original Mike said...: "I suspect that management concluded that they had better get rid of him before he went "postal" before an national audience."

This is believable.; 1/22/11, 1:45 PM
William said...: The art of the mime is in disrepair and is in danger of becoming a lost art. I certainly hope that Keith is willing to think outside the box and consider furthering his already legendary career by taking up mimeing. The art of the mime precisely fits KO's performance skills. Many here who are now so critical of him would tune in eagerly to watch him mime the stoning death of an Iranian adulteress. Entertainment gold in my book.; 1/22/11, 1:46 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Drudge says he wanted more money.; 1/22/11, 2:30 PM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: The comment wherein you reveal that you have never listened to his program.

I tried, once. For about twenty minutes. The grating sound of his constipated vocal cords combined with all the negativity and whining, making it impossible to continue any further.

Of course, I hear what you guys post about him here and what others report after he finds a new turd to plunk into the punch bowl of American political and social commentary. And it's not any prettier.

People give of themselves for others to report on what they have to give. If Limbaugh generally had anything nice to say, uncynical, charitable, civil, astute, diplomatic, positive, etc., I'm sure that someone, somewhere would pick up on it and make it available for my ears to hear and my eyes to see. And the fact that they haven't hardly indicates a conspiracy to me.

Your leader gains more respect in the media than either you or he believe he does. It's not of a moral or intellectual nature, but it's respect. And it gives him ample opportunity to present himself in a better light and a huge soapbox from which to project it - assuming he had any better light to shine.; 1/22/11, 2:48 PM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: (Y)our standard for success...

Does not involve regulatory capture or shockingly bad product standards.

Decades of whining about the media have led the right to an obsession with creating a media empire of their own, which they've obviously done. If they want to make sure that their political party is a subsidiary of a media corporation, I don't care. But don't expect me to believe that competent reporting, opinion and advocacy should be limited to what riles up the Romans in line at the coliseum, much less the Emperors looking to play their part in amusing them.; 1/22/11, 2:56 PM
ken said...: Olberdouche's agent insists the bozo is underpaid at $7 million per year. How are Katie Couric's ratings doing over at CBS? Keith needs to run for US Senate. Both he and Chrissie I squat to pee Matthews would fit right in there.; 1/22/11, 3:17 PM
Michael said...: "I tried, once. For about twenty minutes."

Could be said by most poorly educated people with short attention spans regarding everything from listening to classical music to reading War and Peace to getting in shape. The perfect paragraph to summarize mediocrity.; 1/22/11, 3:46 PM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Michael just tried to compare Rush Limbaugh to listening to classical music and reading War and Peace.* No, seriously!

*Both of which I enjoy, BTW.; 1/22/11, 4:12 PM
Alex said...: In every strained and breathy gasp forced into the mike by Dominican Sex Tourist El Rushbo, I think, no bitterness here. He's just got constipation of the voice.

THIS is the kind of vile hatred that goes unanswered. No wonder the left is smoking us. They know we're pussies.; 1/22/11, 8:10 PM
Michael said...: Conservatives4: Mediocre. Twenty minutes and you have the answer. Mediocre intellect. Less than average curiosity.; 1/22/11, 9:51 PM
mtrobertsattorney said...: Isn't it time we demand that the MUL[E],aka RITMO, produce a copy of his high school diploma, or at least a copy of his GED? The fact that, to date, he has been unable to produce either explains a lot.; 1/22/11, 11:36 PM