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{{Infobox journalist | |||
{{Short description|American sports and political commentator (born 1959)}} | |||
| name = Keith Olbermann | |||
{{Redirect|Olbermann|his 2013 sports talk show|Olbermann (TV series)}} | |||
| image = ] | |||
{{Use American English|date = October 2019}} | |||
| caption = Keith Olbermann, ] | |||
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2016}} | |||
| birthname = | |||
{{Infobox person | |||
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|1|27}} | |||
| name = Keith Olbermann | |||
| birth_place = ], ] | |||
| |
| image = Keith Olbermann - small.jpg | ||
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| alt = | ||
| caption = Olbermann in 2008 | |||
| death_place = | |||
| birth_name = Keith Theodore Olbermann<ref name="Olbermann1997" /> | |||
| education = B.A., Cornell University | |||
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|1|27}} | |||
| occupation = Broadcaster | |||
| |
| birth_place = ], U.S. | ||
| |
| other_names = | ||
| alma_mater = ] (])<!--PLEASE DISCUSS BEFORE CHANGING THIS--> | |||
| status = Single, dating | |||
| occupation = {{hlist|Sports announcer|broadcast journalist|political commentator}} | |||
| title = ], ], and ] | |||
| years_active = 1980s–present | |||
| family = mother, sister, father deceased | |||
| |
| partner = | ||
| |
| employer = | ||
| |
| known_for = | ||
| |
| notable_works = | ||
| |
| style = | ||
| net_worth = <!-- Net worth should be supported with a citation from a reliable source --> | |||
| salary = $4,000,000 | |||
| television = {{plainlist| | |||
| networth = $14.2mm (est.) | |||
* '']'' (2003–2011, 2011–2012) | |||
| credits = | |||
* '']'' (1992–1997, 2017–2020) | |||
| agent = | |||
* '']'' (2007–2010) | |||
| URL = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/ | |||
* '']'' (2013–2015) | |||
* '']'' (2016–2017)}} | |||
| party = ] | |||
| movement = | |||
| boards = | |||
| awards = Three ]<ref name="gets prime-time" /> | |||
| website = {{URL|https://twitter.com/keitholbermann}} | |||
| footnotes = | |||
| module = {{infobox YouTube personality |subbox=yes | |||
| channel_url = UCeAACGXB76rAOON6aaY72-Q | |||
| channel_display_name = CountdownWithKO | |||
| subscribers = 194 thousand | |||
| views = 30,495,312 | |||
| stats_update = June 14, 2024 | |||
}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Keith Theodore Olbermann''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|oʊ|l|b|ər|m|ə|n}}; born January 27, 1959) is an American sports and political commentator and writer. Olbermann spent the first 20 years of his career in ]. He was a sports correspondent for ] and for local TV and radio stations in the 1980s, winning the ''Best Sportscaster'' award from the California ] three times. He co-hosted ]'s '']'' from 1992 to 1997. From 1998 to 2001, he was a producer and anchor for ] and a host for ]. | |||
'''Keith Olbermann''' (born ], ]) is an ] ], ], and radio ]. He hosts '']'' on ], an hour-long nightly newscast of five selected stories with commentary by Olbermann and guests. Starting with the ], Olbermann also serves as co-host of ] '']'' with ]. | |||
From March 2003 to January 2011, Olbermann hosted the weeknight political commentary program '']'' on ]. He received attention for his pointed criticism of ] and right-wing politicians and public figures.<ref name="niche" /><ref name="olbermannfactor" /><ref name="honest" /><ref name="boyer" /><ref name="Rodrick" /> Although he has frequently been described as a "]",<ref name="will use" /> he has often rejected being labelled politically, stating, "I'm not a liberal. I'm an American."<ref name="not liberal" /> | |||
==Early life and career== | |||
Originally from ], Olbermann grew up in ], attending school at ]. Keith Olbermann is of ] ancestry. <ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20107912| title='Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for August 2, 2007}}</ref> As a teenager, he often wrote about baseball card collecting, appearing in many sports card collecting periodicals of the mid-1970s. He is credited in ''Sports Collectors Bible'', a 1975 book by ], which is considered one of the important early books for ] collectors. | |||
From 2011 to March 30, 2012, Olbermann was the chief news officer of the ] network and the host of a Current TV program also called ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann''.<ref name="breaks silence" /><ref name="new show" /> From July 2013 until July 2015 he hosted a late-afternoon show on ] and ] called '']'',<ref name="espn2olbermann" /> as well as ]'s ]. From September 2016 until November 2017, he hosted a web series for '']'', titled ''The Closer with Keith Olbermann'', covering the ], later renamed '']'' after the victory of ].<ref name="gqcloser">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by line.--> |title=Keith Olbermann bringing political commentary to GQ |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-keith-olbermann-bringing-political-commentary-to-gq-2016-9 |newspaper=Business Insider/Associated Press |date=September 12, 2016 |access-date=October 20, 2016 |archive-date=October 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021070855/http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-keith-olbermann-bringing-political-commentary-to-gq-2016-9 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Olbermann graduated from the ] in ] two years after future ] broadcaster ]. He began his broadcasting career while still in high school as a play-by-play announcer for ]. Olbermann started college at the age of 16 and in ] he earned his ] degree in communications arts from ], where he served as sports director for ], a student-run commercial ] in ].<ref name="Counting_Down_w_KO">{{cite news | |||
| first=Eric | |||
| last=Finkelstein | |||
| title=Counting Down With Keith Olbermann '79 | |||
| publisher=Cornell Daily Sun | |||
| url=http://www.cornellsun.com/media/storage/paper866/news/2004/11/29/News/Counting.Down.With.Keith.Olbermann.79-1336820.shtml?norewrite200604232310&sourcedomain=www.cornellsun.com | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> | |||
In January 2018, Olbermann returned to ESPN's ''SportsCenter'' program, expanding in May to some baseball play-by-play work. On October 6, 2020, he again resigned from ESPN to start a political commentary program on his YouTube channel.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Flood|first=Brian|date=2020-10-07|title=Keith Olbermann walks away from ESPN gig to bash Trump on daily YouTube show|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/keith-olbermann-espn-trump-youtube|access-date=2020-10-31|website=Fox News|archive-date=November 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104042059/https://www.foxnews.com/media/keith-olbermann-espn-trump-youtube|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Strauss|first=Ben|title=Keith Olbermann leaves ESPN (again) to 'bring flamethrower' to Trump on YouTube show|newspaper=]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/10/06/keith-olbermann-youtube-politics/|access-date=2020-10-31|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> On August 1, 2022, Olbermann relaunched ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' as a daily podcast with ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/keith-olbermann-countdown-podcast-1235324815/|title=Keith Olbermann Is Bringing 'Countdown' Back as Daily Podcast With iHeartMedia|work=Variety|first=Todd|last=Spangler|date=July 25, 2022|access-date=August 12, 2022|archive-date=August 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813214126/https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/keith-olbermann-countdown-podcast-1235324815/|url-status=live}}</ref> It is described as a news-driven show featuring his trademark "Special Comment" political analysis, "The Worst Persons in the World" segment, and readings from the works of humorist ]. | |||
Olbermann began his professional career at ] and ] before joining then nascent ] in 1981. In 1984, he briefly worked as a sports anchor at ]-TV in ], before heading to ] to work at ] and ]. His work there earned him 11 , and he was named Beth Sportscaster by the California ] three times.<ref name="IMDB_Bio"></ref> | |||
== |
== Early life == | ||
Olbermann was born January 27, 1959, in New York City,<ref name="Olbermann1997" /><ref>{{cite journal|title=Current Biography Yearbook|author=H.W. Wilson Company|journal=Current Biography Yearbook: Annual Cumulation|year=2009|publisher=H. W. Wilson Company|issn=0084-9499|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1vwZAAAAYAAJ|access-date=July 11, 2022|quote=Keith Olbermann was born in New York City on January 27, 1959 to Theodore Olbermann, an architect, and Marie Olbermann, a preschool teacher...}}</ref> the son of Marie Katherine (née Charbonier),<ref name="6apr2009" /> a preschool teacher, and Theodore Olbermann, a commercial architect.<ref name="boyer" /> He is of ] ancestry.<ref name="Ref_2007" /> Olbermann and his younger sister Jenna (b. 1968),<ref name="Ref_2008" /> were raised in a ] household<ref name="Ref_2008a" /> in the town of ]<ref name="Ref_2006" /> in ]. He attended the ], a private ]<ref name=boyer /><ref name="Rodrick" /> in nearby ]. | |||
In 1992, he joined ]’s '']'', a position he held until 1997. He often co-hosted ''SportsCenter'' with ], the two becoming a popular ] team. In 1995, Olbermann won a ] for Best Sportscaster. Olbermann would later co-author a book with Patrick called ''The Big Show'' about their experiences working at ''SportsCenter''. On the ], ], episode for ''Countdown'', Olbermann said that the short-lived ] ] '']'' was based on his time on ''SportsCenter'' with Patrick.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4945202/ | title='Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for May 7 | publisher=MSNBC | date=] | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref> | |||
===Leaving ESPN=== | |||
In 1997, Olbermann abruptly left ESPN under a cloud of controversy, apparently burning his bridges with the network's management.<ref name="scorchedbridges">{{cite news | |||
| first=Michael | |||
| last=Hiestand | |||
| title=Despite scorched bridges, Olbermann rejoins ESPN | |||
| publisher=USAToday | |||
| url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2005-06-13-olbermann-espn_x.htm | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> This began a long and drawn out feud between Olbermann and ESPN. Between 1997 and 2007 incidents between the two sides included Olbermann publishing an essay on ] in November of 2002 entitled "Mea Culpa" in which he stated "I couldn't handle the pressure of working in daily long-form television, and what was worse, I didn't know I couldn't handle it."<ref name="meaculpa">{{cite web | url=http://www.salon.com/news/sports/col/olbermann/2002/11/17/meaculpa/index.html | title=ESPN:Mea culpa | publisher=Salon.com | author=Keith Olbermann | date=] | accessdate=2006-09-15}}</ref> The essay told of an instance of where his former bosses remarked he had "too much backbone," a claim that is literally true, as Olbermann has six ] instead of the normal five.<ref name="meaculpa"/> In 2004, ESPN famously snubbed him from the guest lineup of its 25th Anniversary '']'' "Reunion Week," which saw ] and ] return to the ''SportsCenter'' set. In 2007, ten years after Olbermann's departure, in an appearance on '']'', he said "If you burn a bridge, you can possibly build a new bridge, but if there's no river any more, that's a lot of trouble."<ref name="burnedrivers">{{cite news | |||
| title=Keith and Dan with Dave | |||
| publisher=YouTube | |||
| url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7bXnJ9MvOI&mode=related&search= | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> During the same interview, Olbermann stated that he recently learned that as a result of ESPN agreeing to let him back on the airwaves, he was banned from ESPN's main ] campus.<ref name="burnedrivers"/> | |||
Olbermann became a devoted fan of ] at a young age, a love he inherited from his mother, who was a lifelong ] fan.<ref name="6apr2009" /> As a teenager he often wrote about baseball ] and appeared in many sports card-collecting periodicals of the mid-1970s. He is also referenced in ''Sports Collectors Bible'', a 1979 book by ], which is considered one of the important early books for ] collectors.<ref name="Steinberg1997" /> | |||
===Return to ESPN=== | |||
Olbermann co-hosted an hour of the syndicated '']'' on ] from 2005 until Patrick left ESPN on ], ]. <ref> USA Today July 9, 2007. Retrieved July 9, 2007</ref> Olbermann and Patrick referred to this segment as "The Big Show," just as their ''SportsCenter'' show was known. Patrick often introduced Olbermann with the tagline "saving the democracy," a nod to his work on ''Countdown''. | |||
While at Hackley, Olbermann began his broadcasting career as a play-by-play announcer for WHTR. After graduating from Hackley in 1975, he enrolled at ] at the age of 16<!--PLEASE DISCUSS BEFORE CHANGING THIS-->.<ref name="Counting_Down_w_KO" /> At college Olbermann served as sports director for ], a student-run commercial radio station in ].<ref name="Counting_Down_w_KO" /> Olbermann graduated from Cornell University's ] in 1979 with a BS in communication.<ref name="offbio" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Simpson|first=Elizabeth|title=Olbermann '79 entertains with Cornell anecdotes and political commentary|url=http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2011/03/olbermann-entertains-cornell-anecdotes|publisher=Cornell Chronicle|access-date=September 12, 2013|archive-date=October 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003004357/http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2011/03/olbermann-entertains-cornell-anecdotes|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=CALS Departments & Majors|url=http://cals.cornell.edu/academics/departments-majors/|publisher=Cornell University|access-date=September 12, 2013|archive-date=September 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130903024922/http://cals.cornell.edu/academics/departments-majors/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
==Other sports broadcasting== | |||
===Fox Sports=== | |||
In 1998, Olbermann joined ] as anchor and executive producer for ''The Keith Olbermann Evening News'', a sportscast similar to ''SportsCenter'', airing weekly on Sunday evenings. While at Fox, he again hosted the ] as well as ]'s baseball '']''. | |||
== Sports broadcasting == | |||
According to Olbermann, he was fired from Fox in 2001 after reporting on rumors that ], whose ] owns Fox, was planning on selling the ].<ref>, July 9, 2004.</ref> When asked about Olbermann, Murdoch said "I fired him...He's crazy."<ref>Martin Peers, , '']'', May 29, 2008</ref> News Corp. sold the Dodgers to Frank McCourt in 2004. | |||
Olbermann began his professional career at ] and the ] before joining then-nascent ] in 1981.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn2TTadqcuo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/cn2TTadqcuo| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Redskins 1983 Super Bowl parade, Keith Olbermann on CNN|last=Cathy Ferkleheimer|date=December 10, 2012 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Among the early stories he covered was the ] at ], including the "]."<ref name="Counting_Down_w_KO" /> In the early-to-mid 1980s he was a sportscaster on the old ] radio station in New York City. In 1984, he briefly worked as a sports anchor at ] in ] before heading to Los Angeles to work at ] and ]. His work there earned him 11 ]s,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rtna.org/GoldenMikeAwards/winners.asp|title=Radio and Television News Association of Southern California – Golden Mike Awards Winners|website=www.rtna.org|access-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005130633/http://rtna.org/GoldenMikeAwards/winners.asp|archive-date=October 5, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> and he was named best sportscaster by the California ] three times.<ref name=imdb_bio />{{Better source needed|reason=]|date=November 2017}} | |||
=== |
=== ESPN === | ||
In 1992 Olbermann joined ]'s '']'', a position he held until 1997 with the exception of a period from 1993 to 1994 when he was at ]. He joined ESPN2 as its "marquee" personality to help launch the network.<ref name="Ref_d" /><ref name="Ref_e" /> He often co-hosted ''SportsCenter''{{'}}s 11:00 p.m. show with ], the two becoming a popular anchor team. In 1995 Olbermann won a ] for Best Sportscaster.<ref name="offbio" /> he later co-authored a book with Patrick called ''The Big Show'' about their experiences working at ''SportsCenter''; he also said that the short-lived ] ] '']'' was based on his time on ''SportsCenter'' with Patrick, ] having been co-owned with ] since 1985 (ESPN now produces all sports coverage on ABC, which is branded '']'').<ref name="Ref_2004" /> In his last year with KCBS before moving east to work for ESPN, Olbermann's salary was $475,000 but started at "just over $150,000" with ESPN.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gq.com/sports/profiles/201106/espn-oral-history-sportscenter-keith-olbermann |date=June 2011 |access-date=April 27, 2012 |work=GQ |title=Game On! The Untold Stories and Furios Egos Behind the Rise of SportsCenter |author=James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales |archive-date=January 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109041157/http://www.gq.com/sports/profiles/201106/espn-oral-history-sportscenter-keith-olbermann |url-status=dead }}</ref> He made $350,000 at the end of his tenure at ESPN.<ref name="Solo" /> | |||
After Olbermann left Fox Sports in 2001, he provided twice-daily sports commentary on the ], reviving the "Speaking of Sports" and "Speaking of Everything" segments begun by ].<ref>Martin Peers, , '']'', January 3, 2002</ref> | |||
===NFL on NBC=== | |||
Olbermann was named on ], ] as co-host of '']'', NBC's NFL pre-game show that precedes their ].<ref name="KEITH OLBERMANN NAMED CO-HOST">{{cite news | |||
| title= KEITH OLBERMANN NAMED CO-HOST, NBC'S 'FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA' | |||
| publisher=NBC Universal Media Village | |||
| url=http://nbcumv.com/sports/release_detail.nbc/sports-20070416000000-keitholbermannname.html | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> | |||
Early in 1997 Olbermann was suspended for two weeks after he made an unauthorized appearance on '']'' on ] with then-host and former ESPN colleague ]. At one point in the show he referred to ] (ESPN's headquarters), as a "Godforsaken place".<ref name="Solo" /> Later that year he abruptly left ESPN under a cloud of controversy, apparently burning his bridges with the network's management;<ref name="scorchedbridges" /> this began a long and drawn-out feud between Olbermann and ESPN. Between 1997 and 2007 incidents between the two sides included Olbermann's publishing an essay on '']'' in November 2002 titled "Mea Culpa", in which he stated, "I couldn't handle the pressure of working in daily long-form television, and what was worse, I didn't know I couldn't handle it."<ref name="meaculpa" /> The essay told of an instance when his former bosses remarked he had "too much backbone", a claim that is literally true, as Olbermann has six ] instead of the normal five.<ref name="meaculpa" /> | |||
==Career at NBC Universal== | |||
===First NBC stint=== | |||
In 1997, Olbermann left ESPN to host his own primetime show on ], ''The Big Show with Keith Olbermann''. The news-variety program covered three or four topics in a one-hour broadcast. Olbermann also occasionally hosted the weekend edition of '']'', and, along with ], co-hosted ]’ pre-game coverage of the ]. | |||
{{see also|Major League Baseball on NBC}} | |||
In 2004, Olbermann was not included in ESPN's guest lineup for its 25th anniversary '']'' "Reunion Week", which saw ] and ] return to the ''SportsCenter'' set. In 2007, ten years after Olbermann's departure, in an appearance on the '']'', he said, "If you burn a bridge, you can possibly build a new bridge, but if there's no river any more, that's a lot of trouble." During the same interview Olbermann stated that he had recently learned that as a result of ESPN's agreeing to let him return to the airwaves on ESPN Radio, he was banned from ESPN's main (]) campus.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7bXnJ9MvOI|title=Keith and Dan with Dave|date=June 27, 2007|publisher=YouTube|access-date=June 22, 2015|archive-date=January 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115061647/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7bXnJ9MvOI|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
When the ] broke in 1998, the show morphed into ''White House in Crisis''. Olbermann became frustrated as his show was consumed by the Lewinsky story. In 1998, he stated that his work at MSNBC would "make me ashamed, make me depressed, make me cry."<ref name="scorchedbridges">{{cite news| url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-06-13-olbermann-espn_x.htm | title=Despite scorched bridges, Olbermann rejoins ESPN | publisher=USA Today | date=] | author=Michael Hiestand | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref> | |||
=== |
=== Post-''SportsCenter'' === | ||
In 1999, Olbermann joined ] to be the star anchor for their sports news show '']'', which was an ill-fated competitor to ''SportsCenter''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://awfulannouncing.com/2015/the-keith-olbermann-timeline.html|title=The Keith Olbermann Timeline|first=Ken|last=Fang|date=July 9, 2015|access-date=January 7, 2019|archive-date=January 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108050247/https://awfulannouncing.com/2015/the-keith-olbermann-timeline.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Olbermann later left that show to be an anchor and executive producer for ''The Keith Olbermann Evening News'', a sportscast similar to ''SportsCenter'' that aired weekly on Sunday evenings. While at Fox he hosted the ] as well as ]'s baseball '']''. In May and July 1999, Olbermann also guest-starred ten times on '']''.<ref name="Ref_f" /> | |||
{{main|Countdown with Keith Olbermann}} | |||
Olbermann returned to MSNBC in 2003 as a substitute host on '']'' and as an anchor for the network's coverage of the ]. Prior to his return, Olbermann was a regular contributor to CNN and provided twice-daily commentary, “Speaking of Sports,” for ABC Radio Network. His own show, ''Countdown'', debuted shortly thereafter on ], ], in the 8 p.m. ET time slot previously held by programs hosted by ] and, briefly, ]. On ], ], Olbermann launched '''', his ''Countdown'' ], hosted on MSNBC.com.<ref name="welcome_to_bloggermann">{{cite news | |||
| last=Olbermann | |||
| first=Keith | |||
| title=Welcome to Bloggerman | |||
| publisher=MSNBC.com | |||
| url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6243014/#041013a | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> Olbermann used the open format of the blog to expand on facts or ideas alluded to in the broadcast, to offer personal musings and reactions, and to break news at odd hours. However, in February 2007, Olbermann launched a new blog, . | |||
According to Olbermann, he was demoted by Fox when he asked for a slight reduction in duties for health reasons, and then was fired from Fox in 2001 after reporting on rumors that ], whose ] owns Fox, was planning on selling the ].<ref name="Ref_2004a" /> Olbermann characterized the demotion as "blackmail."<ref name="Ref_2011a" /> When asked about Olbermann, Murdoch said, "I fired him ... He's crazy."<ref name=murdoch /><ref name="Guardian2011" /> In 2004 Olbermann remarked, "Fox Sports was an infant trying to stand , but on the broadcast side there was no comparison—ESPN was the bush leagues."<ref name="Counting_Down_w_KO" /> | |||
''Countdown'''s format, per its name, involves Olbermann ranking the five biggest news stories of the day or sometimes "stories my producers force me to cover" as Olbermann puts it. This is done in numerical reversal or counting down with the first story shown being ranked fifth but apparently the most important. The segments ranked numbers two and one typically are of a lighter fare than segments ranked five through three. The first few stories shown are typically oriented toward government, politics, and world events. The last two typically involve celebrities, sports, or the bizarre. | |||
After Olbermann left Fox Sports in 2001, he provided twice-daily sports commentary on the ], reviving the "Speaking of Sports" and "Speaking of Everything" segments begun by ].<ref name="Sandomir2002" /> In 2005, Olbermann made a return to ESPN Radio when he began co-hosting an hour of the syndicated '']'' on ], a tenure that lasted until Patrick left ESPN on August 17, 2007.<ref name="patrick" /> Olbermann and Patrick referred to this segment as "The Big Show", just as their book was known. Patrick often introduced Olbermann with the tagline "saving the democracy", a nod to his work on ''Countdown''. On April 16, 2007, Olbermann was named co-host of '']'', NBC's NFL pre-game show that precedes their ], a position which reunited him in 2008 with his former '']'' co-anchor ]. Olbermann left the show prior to the start of the 2010 season.<ref name="Shain2010" /> | |||
''Countdown'' posted a 77 percent gain in total viewers (52 percent in viewers aged 25 to 54) for the first quarter of 2007 over the first quarter of 2006 in the 8pm timeslot, ]'s gains during that period were 5 percent, ]'s 12 percent, and ]'s suffered a loss of 10 percent.<ref name="Q1 #'s: Q1 2007 vs. Q1 2006">{{cite news | title="Q1 #'s: Q1 2007 vs. Q1 2006" | publisher=MediaBistro|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/q1_s_q1_2007_vs_q1_2006_56347.asp | date=]}}</ref> In the age 25-54 ], O'Reilly had 507,000 viewers versus Olbermann's 250,000,<ref name="Q1 #'s: Q1 2007 vs. Q1 2006">{{cite news | title="Q1 #'s: Q1 2007 vs. Q1 2006" | publisher=MediaBistro|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/q1_s_q1_2007_vs_q1_2006_56347.asp | date=]}}</ref> and O'Reilly's overall viewer pool was larger than Olbermann's (2.2 million viewers a night this year versus Olbermann's 710,000 viewers).<ref>Bauder, David. , ''Associated Press'', September 26, 2007.</ref> | |||
Shortly before rejoining ESPN, Olbermann signed a contract with ] to host the studio show portions of its coverage of the ] and ]. He replaced ], who had been in this role since his departure from ESPN to join the ] family, and was originally supposed to host the show with TBS' ]. Instead, Eckersley was sent to join ] and ] to call the ]. TBS later hired ], ], and ] to provide analysis. ] also joined the studio crew, as he was replaced by ] as a field reporter.<ref>{{cite web|title=Olbermann to host TBS' postseason baseball studio show|date=June 5, 2013|url=https://nypost.com/2013/06/05/olbermann-to-host-tbs-postseason-baseball-studio-show/|publisher=New York Post|access-date=May 19, 2022|archive-date=May 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520033300/https://nypost.com/2013/06/05/olbermann-to-host-tbs-postseason-baseball-studio-show/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
On ], ], MSNBC reported that Olbermann had signed a four-year extension on his contract with MSNBC for ''Countdown'', as well as the inclusion of another show set to air on NBC in the fall. The details of the show have not been fully disclosed, but Olbermann was quoted on air as saying it will deal with commentary segments similar to his "special comments", but not so politically oriented. He has referred to them as "essays."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17168554/ | title=Keith Olbermann, NBC agree on 'second term' |publisher=MSNBC}}</ref> | |||
=== Return to and departure from ESPN === | |||
In a technique similar to that of former ] anchor ] in connection to the Vietnam War, Olbermann counts the days since May 1, 2003, the day President George W. Bush declared "mission accomplished" in Iraq. He then ends the broadcast by crumpling up his notes and throwing them at the camera, saying his signature close, "Good night and good luck" in the mode of another former CBS newsman, ]. | |||
{{Main|Olbermann (TV series)}} | |||
It was announced on July 17, 2013, that Olbermann would host his own one-hour nightly show on ]. The two-year contract would allow him to deviate from the topic of sports into realms such as "pop culture and current events",<ref>{{cite news|title=Olbermann Will Return To ESPN|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 17, 2013|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/17/sports/after-16-year-absence-olbermann-is-said-to-be-returning-to-espn-to-host-show.html|access-date=July 17, 2013|last1=Miller|first1=James Andrew|archive-date=July 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717172127/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/17/sports/after-16-year-absence-olbermann-is-said-to-be-returning-to-espn-to-host-show.html|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as politics, which was a right Olbermann claimed he did not intend to exercise.<ref>{{Citation | last = Pierce | first = Scott D. | title = Keith Olbermann promises no politics on his new ESPN2 show | newspaper = ] | date = July 25, 2013 | url = https://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/sltrib/blogstv/56642603-63/olbermann-politics-talking-sports.html.csp | access-date = April 5, 2016 | archive-date = February 21, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170221010247/http://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/sltrib/blogstv/56642603-63/olbermann-politics-talking-sports.html.csp | url-status = live }}</ref> | |||
Olbermann was suspended by ESPN in 2015 for the week following Penn State University's annual philanthropy THON due to a Twitter exchange he had with Penn State supporters.<ref>{{Citation|title=Keith Olbermann Benched by ESPN For Comments About Penn State |newspaper=StateCollege.com |date=February 24, 2015 |url=https://www.statecollege.com/keith-olbermann-benched-by-espn-for-comments-about-penn-state/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225150528/http://www.statecollege.com/news/local-news/keith-olbermann-benched-by-espn-for-comments-about-penn-state%2C1462946/ |archive-date=February 25, 2015 |access-date=May 19, 2022 }}</ref> THON is the world's largest student-run philanthropy, raising over $160 million for pediatric cancer research since 1977. In the Twitter exchange, Olbermann stated, "PSU students are pitiful." Later, prior to apologizing, Olbermann stated, "I'd like to thank the students and alums of Penn State for proving my point about the mediocrity of their education and ethics."<ref>{{Citation|title=Fallout Continues to Pile Up After Olbermann Rant Against Penn State |newspaper=statecollege.com |date=February 25, 2015 |url=https://www.statecollege.com/fallout-continues-to-pile-up-after-olbermann-rant-against-penn-state/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226155525/http://www.statecollege.com/news/local-news/fallout-continues-to-pile-up-after-olbermann-rant-against-penn-state%2C1462951/ |archive-date=February 26, 2015 |access-date=May 19, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title = ESPN suspends Keith Olbermann after a series of nasty tweets insulting Penn State students | newspaper = ] | date = February 24, 2015 | url = http://www.businessinsider.com/espn-suspends-keith-olbermann-for-a-week-2015-2 | access-date = February 24, 2015 | archive-date = February 26, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150226113921/http://www.businessinsider.com/espn-suspends-keith-olbermann-for-a-week-2015-2 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=ESPN Suspends Keith Olbermann For Penn State Tweets |newspaper=] |date=February 24, 2015 |url=http://deadspin.com/espn-suspends-keith-olbermann-for-penn-state-tweets-1687751753 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224235215/http://deadspin.com/espn-suspends-keith-olbermann-for-penn-state-tweets-1687751753 |archive-date=February 24, 2015 |access-date=February 24, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=ESPN's Keith Olbermann taken off the air after fighting with Penn State fans on Twitter |newspaper=] |date=February 24, 2015 |url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/02/espn-keith-olbermann-penn-state-twitter-taken-off-air |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224200249/http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/02/espn-keith-olbermann-penn-state-twitter-taken-off-air |archive-date=February 24, 2015 |access-date=February 24, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Olbermann apologized on his program upon his return March 2, but noted, "I'm much more sorry about batting practice . So for me, batting practice ends."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82957112/|title=LA Times|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=March 3, 2015|archive-date=October 6, 2012|archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20121006015957/http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82957112/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
===Claims of ideological bias=== | |||
Although it began as a traditional newscast, ''Countdown With Keith Olbermann'' has gradually adopted an opinion-oriented format. The show frequently features criticism of prominent ] and rightward leaning figures, especially the ], and of rival news commentator ], whom Olbermann routinely dubs the “Worst Person In The World."<ref>{{cite news | |||
| first=Alex | last=Koppelman | title=The Olbermann Factor | publisher=Salon | url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/09/11/olbermann/ | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> | |||
In July 2015 ESPN announced that it would be Olbermann's last month with the network. ESPN said that it was a "business decision to move in another direction".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/07/08/keith-olbermann-out-espn-contract |title=Keith Olbermann's second tenure at ESPN comes to end after two years. |newspaper=Sports Illustrated |date=July 8, 2015 |access-date=July 8, 2015 |archive-date=July 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714234843/http://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/07/08/keith-olbermann-out-espn-contract |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The '']'''s ] has written that Olbermann is "position his program as an increasingly ] alternative to '']''."<ref>{{cite news | |||
| first=Howard | last=Kurtz | title=Bill O'Reilly And NBC, Shouting to Make Themselves Seen? | publisher=The Washington Post | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/14/AR2007011401124.html | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> The conservative ] group ] (MRC) has accused Olbermann of ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mrc.org/press/2007/press20070215.asp | title= NBC HIRES A LEFT-WING DEMAGOGUE | publisher=Media Research Center | accessdate=2006-06-27 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://newsbusters.org/taxonomy/term/185 | title=NewsBusters blog entries about Keith Olbermann | publisher=Media Research Center | accessdate=2007-02-19 }}</ref> The MRC compiled a list of the recipients of Olbermann's “World's Worst” for about a year from its beginning on June 30, 2005 and reported that, of the approximately 600 recipients, 174 (29 percent) of those fit their definition of “conservative” people or ideas while only 23 (4 percent) were what they considered “liberal.”<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mediaresearch.org/realitycheck/2006/fax20060627.asp | title= The “Worst” of MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann | publisher=Media Research Center | accessdate=2006-06-27 }}</ref> Olbermann has frequently chastised 2008 Democratic Party nomination candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton for her campaign tactics against her primary opponent, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL). During this time, Olbermann began posting on the grassroots progressive blog ], a site where visitors tend to be actively pro-Obama. | |||
=== The Ringer === | |||
In a ''Countdown'' interview with ] on October 25, 2005, Olbermann noted that in 2003, after having ] and Franken on his show, a vice president of MSNBC had questioned him on inviting "liberals" on consecutive nights, contrasting that occurrence to the apparent ideological latitude he enjoyed at the time of the second Franken interview.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9827774/ | title= 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for Oct. 25th | publisher=MSNBC | accessdate=2005-03-06 }}</ref> | |||
In 2016, Olbermann wrote an article for ]' company "]" after ]'s death.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theringer.com/muhammad-ali-keith-olbermann-remembrance-2d81ba11561b|title=Muhammad Ali: Champion of the World.|date=June 4, 2016|access-date=June 4, 2016|archive-date=May 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531084059/https://theringer.com/muhammad-ali-keith-olbermann-remembrance-2d81ba11561b|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Third tenure with ESPN=== | |||
In November 2007, conservative British newspaper '']'' placed Keith Olbermann at #67 on their Top 100 list of most influential US liberals. It said that he uses his MSNBC show to promote "an increasingly strident liberal agenda." It added that he would be "a force on the Left for some time to come."<ref name="mostinfluential">{{cite news | |||
| title = The most influential US liberals | |||
| publisher =] | |||
| date =2007-03-11 | |||
| url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/exclusions/uselection/nosplit/liberals61-80.xml | |||
| accessdate = 2007-12-15 }}</ref> Investigative journalist ] has characterized Olbermann as being on the "left side of the scale."<ref name="parry">{{cite news | |||
| last=Parry | |||
| first=Robert | |||
| authorlink = Robert Parry | |||
| title = The Left's Media Miscalculation (Redux) | |||
| publisher =] | |||
| date =2007-09-25 | |||
| url =http://baltimorechronicle.com/2007/092507Parry.shtml | |||
| accessdate = 2007-12-15 }}</ref> | |||
In January 2018, Olbermann returned to ] once again, presenting occasional commentaries on '']'' throughout the first half of 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://awfulannouncing.com/espn/keith-olbermann-espn-sportscenter.html|title=Keith Olbermann's again working with ESPN, contributing to 'SportsCenter'|date=2018-01-31|work=Awful Announcing|access-date=2018-07-14|archive-date=June 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604214539/http://awfulannouncing.com/espn/keith-olbermann-espn-sportscenter.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2018, Olbermann's role at ESPN expanded to include a return to the role of '']'' host and the addition of occasional ] play-by-play.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2018/05/keith-olbermann-to-expand-multi-faceted-espn-role/|title=Keith Olbermann to Expand Multi-Faceted ESPN Role|website=ESPN Press Room U.S.|date=May 25, 2018|access-date=May 19, 2022|author=Josh Krulewitz|archive-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517042203/https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2018/05/keith-olbermann-to-expand-multi-faceted-espn-role/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Olbermann has refused to "pigeonhole" himself politically, stating, "I'm not a liberal, I'm an American."<ref>{{cite news | |||
| first=Mackenzie | last=Carpenter | title=Anchor Olbermann counts on commentary to boost MSNBC's ratings | publisher=The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06346/745336-237.stm | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> | |||
== News journalism == | |||
===Criticism of the Bush administration=== | |||
In 1997, Olbermann left ESPN to host a prime-time show on ], ''The Big Show with Keith Olbermann'' (ESPN objected to the use of the title).<ref name="Solo" /> The news-driven program, with substantial discussion, relied on Olbermann to carry the 8:00–9:00 pm hour.<ref name="Solo" /> The show typically covered three or four topics in a one-hour broadcast. Olbermann also hosted two Sunday editions of '']'' and once co-anchored a Saturday edition of the '']'' show.<ref>A search of the {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105181132/http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/ |date=November 5, 2014 }} shows that Olbermann anchored ''NBC Nightly News'' on April 12, 1998 (Easter Sunday), and May 9, 1998. On his ''Nightly News'' debut Olbermann led with coverage of the ] and introduced stories about observances of Easter at the ], the ], and ] among other subjects.</ref> During that period Olbermann, along with ], also co-hosted ]' ] of the ] ]. Olbermann became frustrated as his show was consumed by the ]. In 1998, he stated that his work at MSNBC would "make me ashamed, make me depressed, make me cry."<ref name="scorchedbridges" /> | |||
In Olbermann's ] segment on ], ], he called ] ]'s ] of ]'s prison sentence the "]," and called for the resignation of Bush and ] ]. Olbermann said: | |||
<blockquote>We enveloped our President in 2001. And those who did not believe he should have been elected — indeed, those who did not believe he ''had'' been elected — willingly lowered their voices and assented to the sacred oath of non-partisanship. | |||
Olbermann left MSNBC for Fox Sports Net shortly thereafter. After leaving Fox Sports in 2001, Olbermann returned once more to news journalism. In 2003, his network won an ] for writing on the "Keith Olbermann Speaking of Everything" show. In addition, Olbermann wrote a weekly column for ] from July 2002 until early 2003,<ref name="Ref_h" /> worked for ] as a freelance reporter,<ref name="Counting_Down_w_KO" /> and was a fill-in for newscaster ].<ref name="Ref_i" /><ref name="Ref_j" /> Olbermann revived his association with MSNBC in 2003 briefly as a substitute host on '']'' and as an anchor for the network's coverage of the ]. | |||
And George W. Bush took our assent, and re-configured it, and honed it, and shaped it to a razor-sharp point and stabbed this nation in the back with it.<ref></ref></blockquote> | |||
=== ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' === | |||
On his February 14, 2008 "Special Comments" segment, Olbermann castigated Bush for threatening to veto an extension of the ] unless it provided full immunity from lawsuits to telecom companies. Olbermann stated, | |||
{{Main|Countdown with Keith Olbermann}} | |||
Olbermann's own show, ''Countdown'', debuted on MSNBC on March 31, 2003, in the 8 p.m. ET time slot previously held by programs hosted by ] and, briefly, ]. ''Countdown's'' format, per its name, involved Olbermann ranking the five biggest news stories of the day or sometimes "stories my producers force me to cover", as Olbermann put it. This was done in numerically reverse order, counting down with the first story shown being ranked fifth but apparently the most important. | |||
The first few stories shown were typically oriented toward government, politics, and world events; the segments ranked numbers two and one were typically of a lighter fare than the preceding segments. These lighter stories sometimes involved celebrities, sports, and, regularly and somewhere in the middle, the bizarre, in a segment he called "Oddball." Opinions on each were offered by Olbermann and guests interviewed during the segment. Olbermann had been criticized for only having guests that agree with his perspective. Former '']'' television critic Howard Rosenberg stated that "''Countdown'' is more or less an echo chamber in which Olbermann and like-minded bobbleheads nod at each other."<ref name="Rosenberg2008" /> | |||
<blockquote>Mr. Bush, you say that our ability to track terrorist threats will be weakened and our citizens will be in greater danger, yet you have weakened that ability, you have subjected us, your citizens, to that greater danger. This, Mr. Bush, is simple enough even for you to understand. For the moment, at least, thanks to some true patriots in the House, and to your own stubbornness, you have tabled telecom immunity, and the FISA act. You. By your own terms and your definitions, you have just sided with the terrorists. You got to have this law, or we‘re all going to die. But, practically speaking, you vetoed this law.<ref></ref></blockquote> | |||
On October 13, 2004, Olbermann launched '''', his ''Countdown'' blog, hosted on MSNBC's website.<ref name="welcome_to_bloggermann" /> Olbermann used the open format of the blog to expand on facts or ideas alluded to in the broadcast, to offer personal musings and reactions. However, in February 2007, Olbermann launched a new blog, ''''. | |||
During the same commentary, Olbermann stated: "If you believe in the seamless mutuality of government and big business, come out and say it. There is a dictionary definition, one word that describes that toxic blend. You‘re a fascist—get them to print you a T-shirt with 'fascist' on it. What else is this but fascism?".<ref></ref> | |||
In a technique similar to that of former ] anchor ] in connection to the ],<ref name="Bliss1991" /> for the last six years of the program, Olbermann closed every show by announcing the number of days passed since President ] had declared the end of "major combat operations" in Iraq under a banner that read "]" (May 1, 2003). Olbermann would then crumple up his notes, throwing them at the camera and saying "Good night and good luck", echoing another former CBS newsman, ]. (Yet Olbermann himself discounted this gesture to his hero as "presumptuous" and a "feeble tribute.")<ref name="olbermann_murrow" /> | |||
===Feud with Bill O'Reilly=== | |||
Olbermann has repeatedly named ], host of the ] on the ] as his “Worst Person in the World," naming him more than 60 times from June 2005 to August 2007.{{Fact|date=December 2007}} | |||
On February 16, 2007, MSNBC reported that Olbermann had signed a four-year extension on his contract with MSNBC for ''Countdown'' which also provided for his hosting of two ''Countdown'' specials a year to be aired on NBC as well as for his occasional contribution of essays on ''NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams''.<ref name="Ref_k" /> | |||
The feud blossomed with Olbermann's public celebration of O'Reilly's 2004 ] suit by former Fox News Channel producer ];<ref name="mackris_lawsuit">{{cite news | |||
| title=Mackris' complaint v. O'Reilly, official document | |||
| publisher=TheSmokingGun.com | |||
| url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1013043mackris1.html | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> he jokingly kept track of money his viewers pledged to buy the tapes from Mackris and ran a “Save the Tapes” campaign. | |||
Olbermann co-anchored, with ], MSNBC's coverage of the death of fellow ] employee ] on June 13, 2008.<ref name="Elber2008" /> He presented a tribute, along with several fellow journalists, in honor of Russert.<ref name="Ref_l" /> | |||
Olbermann went (on August 30, September 5, September 11, and November 1 of 2006 commentaries) from criticizing O'Reilly to confronting the Bush administration directly. In a September 2006 “Worst Person in the World” segment, Olbermann said, “I'm sorry, Bill. I can't play with you right now. I have bigger fish to fry.”<ref name="bigger_fish">{{cite news | |||
| title=Salon.com interview of Keith Olbermann where he references making “bigger fish to fry” comment a few days previous. | |||
| publisher=Salon.com | |||
| url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/09/11/olbermann/index1.html | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> | |||
During the ], Olbermann co-anchored MSNBC's coverage with Chris Matthews until September 7, 2008, when they were replaced by ] after complaints from both outside and inside of ] that they were making partisan statements.<ref name=replaced /> This apparent conflict of interest had been an issue as early as May 2007, when ] complained about his serving in dual roles, as both a host and a commentator.<ref name="Ref_m" /> Despite this, ''Countdown'' was broadcast both before and after each of the presidential and vice-presidential debates, and Olbermann and Matthews joined Gregory on MSNBC's Election Day coverage.<ref name=electionnight /> Olbermann and Matthews also led MSNBC's coverage of the inauguration of President ].<ref name=inauguration /><ref name=inauguration2 /> | |||
According to '']'', O'Reilly eventually stopped criticizing Olbermann on ''The O'Reilly Factor'', but Fox News spokeswoman Irina Briganti has released the following public statement in response: | |||
<blockquote>Because of his personal demons, Keith has imploded everywhere he’s worked, from lashing out at co-workers to personally attacking Bill O’Reilly and all things Fox, it’s obvious Keith is a train wreck waiting to happen. And like all train wrecks, people might tune in out of morbid curiosity, but they eventually tune out, as evidenced by Keith’s recent ratings decline. In the meantime, we hope he enjoys his paranoid view from the bottom of the ratings ladder and wish him well on his inevitable trip to oblivion.<ref name="MSNBC’s Star Carves Anti-Fox Niche">{{cite news | |||
| title="MSNBC’s Star Carves Anti-Fox Niche" | |||
| publisher=NYTimes | |||
| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/11/arts/television/11keit.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5088&en=d333137dac65612c&ex=1310270400&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref></blockquote> | |||
In November 2008, it was announced that Olbermann had signed a four-year contract extension worth an estimated $30 million.<ref name="tvnewsernov08" /> | |||
A press release by NBC on May 1, 2007 indicates that ratings for ''Countdown'' went up significantly since Fox’s 2006 statement. | |||
<blockquote>Countdown with Keith Olbermann" (8:00 to 9:00 pm ET) continues its ratings surge, up +81% in total viewers (818,000 v. 452,000) and +73% in the demo (292,000 v. 169,000) over a year ago. "Countdown" maintained its lead over ], with a +9% advantage in total viewers and a +7% advantage in the demo. CNN delivered 749,000 total viewers and 273,000 in the demo for the month.”<ref name="MSNBC RATINGS CONTINUED TO CLIMB HIGH IN APRIL ">{{cite news | |||
| title="MSNBC RATINGS CONTINUED TO CLIMB HIGH IN APRIL " | |||
| publisher=NBC Universal Media Village | |||
| url=http://nbcumv.com/msnbc/release_detail.nbc/msnbc-20070501000000-msnbcratingscontin.html | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref></blockquote> | |||
==== Feud with Bill O'Reilly ==== | |||
While attending a ] breakfast session on ] ], Olbermann was photographed holding up "an O’Reilly mask while raising his right arm in what resembled a ]."<ref>, ''Broadcasting & Cable'', ] ]</ref> The next week, while a guest on '']'' with ], Olbermann was asked to comment on the photo, which had appeared on the '']''. Olbermann said he had been waving to a friend, though he added that "Bill O'Reilly has defended the ]s from ] on three separate occasions."<ref>, ''MSNBC'', ] ]</ref><ref name="RMN_stark">{{cite news | |||
After beginning ''Countdown''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s "Worst Person in the World" segment in July 2005, Olbermann repeatedly awarded ], host of '']'' on ], the dubious honor.<ref name="niche" /> The feud between the anchors originated with Olbermann's extensive coverage of a 2004 ] suit brought against O'Reilly by former Fox News Channel producer ] during which Olbermann asked ''Countdown'' viewers to fund the purchase of lurid audio tapes allegedly held by Mackris.<ref name="Hagan2004" /><ref name="mackris_lawsuit" /> In 2008 O'Reilly decided to avoid mentioning Olbermann's name on the air, and once cut off a caller who mentioned Olbermann.<ref name="banned" /> O'Reilly has also criticized MSNBC's news commentary and political coverage without ever specifically mentioning Olbermann.<ref name="niche" /><ref name="Ref_2006a" /><ref name="Carpenter" /> The rivalry continued when in 2006 at Television Critics' Association in California, Olbermann donned a mask of O'Reilly and made a ] salute, leading to a letter of protest from the ].<ref name="Ref_n" /><ref name="feud boils" /><ref name="Ref_o" /> | |||
| last=Saunders | |||
| first=Dusty | |||
| title=Saunders: Media ego clash escalates | |||
| publisher=Rocky Mountain News | |||
| url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/spotlight_columnists/article/0,2777,DRMN_23962_4522137,00.html | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> Olbermann's comments referred to an episode of ''The O'Reilly Factor'', in which O'Reilly inaccurately stated that American troops were the aggressors in the ]. | |||
In an article on "perhaps the fiercest media feud of the decade", '']''{{'}} ] noted that in early June 2009 the "combat" between the two hosts seemed to have abruptly ended as a result of instructions filtered down to Olbermann and O'Reilly from the chief executives of their respective networks.<ref name="Stelter2009" /> On the August 3, 2009, edition of ''Countdown'', Olbermann asserted that he had made statements to Stelter before the article was published denying that he was a party to such a deal, or that there was such a deal between NBC and Fox News, or that any NBC executive had asked him to change ''Countdown'''s content. Olbermann maintained that he had stopped joking about O'Reilly because of O'Reilly's attacks of ], and soon resumed his criticism of O'Reilly.<ref name="Ref_2009a" /> | |||
On ] ], the ] (ADL) sent an open letter to Olbermann at ] stating, "We are deeply dismayed by your ongoing use of the Nazi ']' salute, both on your program and in public appearances…" The letter explains that Olbermann's use of the salute prompted many complaints from its members, including ] survivors, and that any use of it "serves to trivialize the Holocaust and the six million ]s and others who died as a result of ]'s ]." The letter closed by asking Olbermann to "reconsider use of the Nazi salute in the future."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.adl.org/media_watch/tv/20060728-MSNBC.htm | title=ADL Letter to MSNBC | publisher=Anti-Defamation League | date=] | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref> | |||
==== Suspension ==== | |||
Olbermann had written a year earlier in his ] that Nazi references have "no place...in this culture" and "the analogies are wrong, offensive, and deeply hurtful" when used in partisan politics.<ref>, ''MSNBC'', ] ]</ref> | |||
On October 28, 2010, days before the ], Olbermann donated $2,400 each to three Democratic candidates for Congress: ] Senate candidate ], and ] Democratic Representatives ] and ].<ref name='Suspended' /> Grijalva had appeared on Olbermann's show immediately before Olbermann mailed the donations. In response, on November 5, MSNBC President ] suspended him indefinitely without pay for violating a network policy which required employees to obtain approval from management before making political contributions.<ref name="Danny2010" /><ref name="NYT-suspend" /> An online petition calling for his reinstatement received over 250,000 signatures;<ref name="Olbermann suspension ending" /> two days after the suspension began, Griffin announced that Olbermann would return to the air on November 9.<ref name="Olbermann suspension ending" /> | |||
==== Departure ==== | |||
On the ] ] ''Countdown'', Olbermann gave O'Reilly the bronze during The Worst Person in the World segment for telling ], "you know, I've never understood why you, Tony Snow, McClellan, and White House spokespeople and President Bush himself, the president himself, don't get as angry as I get from the 'Bush lied crowd'. They can't prove any lies. They say it over and over and over. Somebody accused me of being a liar like Biden just did, I'd be all over them. I'd be all over them." Olbermann challenged O'Reilly, "Okay. You're a liar. Come get me, tough guy." <ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22148053/ | title='Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for Dec. 6 transcript | publisher=MSNBC | date=] | accessdate=2007-12-11}}</ref> | |||
On January 21, 2011, Olbermann announced his departure from MSNBC and that the episode would be the final episode of ''Countdown''.<ref name="EndCountdown" /><ref name="FinalCountdown" /> MSNBC issued a statement that it had ended its contract with Olbermann, with no further explanation. Additional reporting in the days immediately following suggested that the negotiations for the end of Olbermann's tenure at MSNBC had begun soon after the end of his suspension.<ref name="Keith Olbermann -- The Rich Get Richer" /> | |||
=== Current TV and FOKNewsChannel.com === | |||
===Criticism of Fox News=== | |||
On February 8, 2011, it was announced that Olbermann had become the chief news officer for the public affairs channel ] and would begin hosting a one-hour prime time program on the network at 8 pm Eastern – the same time slot that ''Countdown'' had been on MSNBC.<ref name="Olbermann Said to Be Going to Current TV" /><ref name="show time" /> On April 26, 2011, it was announced that Olbermann's new show would debut on June 20 and would be named ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann''.<ref name="unveils" /> Olbermann was also heavily involved in the development of the rest of the network's news programming.<ref name="coming to current" /> The deal also included an ] in Current TV.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208211320/http://current.com/keith-olbermann/ |date=February 8, 2011 }}</ref> | |||
Olbermann has repeatedly voiced criticisms of ], usually calling it "Fixed News" due to his belief that the network is about entertainment and putting forward conservative ideals rather than reporting the news. He has on many occasions labeled Fox News journalists and the network itself as "worse, worser and worst in the world" during his popular segment. During an interview with ] on ], 2008, the day ] died, Olbermann, referring to ]'s comments about how his death is a shock to the news industry, listed the major news networks with the exception of Fox News.<ref> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEPQzdM5le4 Keith Olbermann Snubs Fox News</ref> | |||
During the interim between shows, Olbermann launched an "official not-for-profit" blog called FOKNewsChannel.com, "FOK" being an abbreviation for "Friends of Keith". The blog featured political commentaries by Olbermann—including ] versions of ''Countdown'''s "Special Comment" and "Worst Person" segments, as well as photographs of his outings at ] games.<ref name="website launches" /> On May 29, 2011, the FOKNewsChannel.com domain redirected to the Current website promoting the June 20 launch.<ref name="foknews" /> | |||
===Criticism of the ] campaign=== | |||
On ] ], Olbermann used his "Special Comment" on ''Countdown'' to criticize the direction and management of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Olbermann said Sen. Clinton is "campaigning as if Barack Obama were the Democrat and were the Republican", and pled with Senator Clinton to "take back the reins of the campaign from whoever has led you to this precipice".<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23601041/</ref> | |||
Olbermann was fired from Current TV on March 30, 2012. In a statement from Current TV, they stated that "Current was founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it." Olbermann released his own statement, apologizing for "the failure of Current TV" and "that the claims against me implied in Current's statement are untrue and will be proved so in the legal actions I will be filing against them presently."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/03/keith-olbermann-to-file-against-current-tv-119218.html|title=Keith Olbermann to file against Current TV|author=Keach Hagey|work=POLITICO|date=March 30, 2012|access-date=March 30, 2012|archive-date=March 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330215739/http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/03/keith-olbermann-to-file-against-current-tv-119218.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In a May 2, 2008 "diary" entry in the ''Daily Kos'' political blog Olbermann berated the Clinton Campaign for Hillary Clinton's interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly even after Barack Obama appeared on Fox News Sunday three days prior. <ref>http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/2/115219/2226/754/507740</ref> <ref>http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/04/29/hillary-clinton-to-appear-on-the-oreilly-factor/</ref> | |||
The two parties sued each other over Olbermann's firing. On March 12, 2013, it was announced that Olbermann settled his $50 million legal claim. In a joint statement, Olbermann and Current TV said: "The parties are pleased to announce that a settlement has occurred, and that the terms are confidential. Nothing more will be disclosed regarding the settlement."<ref>{{cite web|title=Keith Olbermann Settles $50 Million Current TV Lawsuit|date=March 12, 2013|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/keith-olbermann-settles-50-million-428231/|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=May 19, 2022|archive-date=May 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520033300/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/keith-olbermann-settles-50-million-428231/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
According to ''Politico'', Olbermann's professional reputation suffered greatly as a result of his dispute with Current, which accused Olbermann of making "material breaches of his contract, including the failure to show up at work, sabotaging the network and attacking Current and its executives." Purportedly, despite actively shopping other networks for offers, Olbermann was unable to find an outlet interested in hiring him. According to ''Politico'', the fact Olbermann had been rendered unemployable as a result of the dispute, factored heavily during settlement negotiations between his attorneys and representatives from CurrentTV.<ref>"Sources: Olbermann's inability to get a job cited in Current TV settlement." By DYLAN BYERS, writing for ''Politico''. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209072249/https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/03/sources-olbermanns-inability-to-get-a-job-cited-in-current-tv-settlement-159322 |date=December 9, 2021 }}. Published March 14, 2013, Retrieved December 9, 2021.</ref> | |||
=== GQ === | |||
Again, on May 23, 2008, Olbermann made Senator Clinton the subject of a "Special Comment," for a remark that she made on the same day. He strongly criticized the senator's reference to ]'s June 5, 1968 assassination which she made as part of a rationale for continuing her "second place" presidential campaign into June, calling it and her other conduct "unforgivable."<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16270176/</ref> | |||
On September 12, 2016, ] announced that Olbermann would, as a special correspondent, host a web series covering the ]. The series, titled ''The Closer with Keith Olbermann'', aired twice weekly on GQ.com.<ref name="gqcloser" /> It was retitled ''The Resistance'' after ]'s victory.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.gq.com/story/watch-the-closer-keith-olbermann|title=Watch 'The Resistance' with Keith Olbermann|last=Olbermann|first=Keith|date=November 21, 2016|work=]|access-date=December 21, 2016|archive-date=December 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222034809/http://www.gq.com/story/watch-the-closer-keith-olbermann|url-status=live}}</ref> {{as of|2017|March}}, it had nearly 170 million views on ''GQ''{{'}}s YouTube and Facebook.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://medium.com/idea-insider/keith-olbermann-the-closer-the-resistance-viewed-170-million-times-gq-youtube-gq-facebook-aa54e17a4cbc | title=Keith Olbermann's The Closer and The Resistance have been viewed almost 170 million times on ''GQ''{{'}}s YouTube and Facebook | work=Idea Insider | date=April 2, 2017 | access-date=May 2, 2017 | author=Black, Lee Bob | archive-date=April 9, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170409200144/https://medium.com/idea-insider/keith-olbermann-the-closer-the-resistance-viewed-170-million-times-gq-youtube-gq-facebook-aa54e17a4cbc | url-status=live }}</ref> In mid-October 2017, Penguin Random House issued a hardcover book by Olbermann, ''Trump Is F*cking Crazy (This Is Not a Joke)'', consisting of 50 essays based on ''The Resistance'' commentaries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/564314/trump-is-fcking-crazy-by-keith-olbermann/9780525533863/|title=Trump is F*cking Crazy by Keith Olbermann|website=PenguinRandomhouse.com|access-date=2018-11-18|archive-date=November 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118081917/https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/564314/trump-is-fcking-crazy-by-keith-olbermann/9780525533863/|url-status=live}}</ref> On November 27, 2017, in episode 147 of ''The Resistance'', Olbermann announced his retirement from political commentary, citing his belief that "this ... presidency of Donald John Trump will end prematurely and end soon, and I am thus also confident that this is the correct moment to end this series of commentaries".<ref>{{Citation|last=GQ|title=Trump is Finished {{!}} The Resistance with Keith Olbermann {{!}} GQ|date=2017-11-27|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmkXR7EL_RY|access-date=2018-11-18|archive-date=November 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128051347/https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xmkXR7EL_RY|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
=== ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' Podcast === | |||
==Other news journalism== | |||
On August 1, 2022, Olbermann began producing and hosting a weekday podcast titled "Countdown with Keith Olbermann", for iHeart Media.<ref name="hollywoodreporter.com">{{cite news|title=Keith Olbermann to Host New Podcast on iHeartMedia|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/keith-olbermann-to-host-new-podcast-on-iheartmedia-1235185676/|access-date=7 September 2022|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=25 July 2022|archive-date=September 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907162659/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/keith-olbermann-to-host-new-podcast-on-iheartmedia-1235185676/|url-status=live}}</ref> It usually consists of a similar five block show from the TV days with three blocks changed out. The main, a dog in need, a headlines section, worst person, a sports rundown and the number one story either being a story of Olbermann's (usually his experience in the news media) or a short story from ] on Fridays. | |||
Olbermann was a fill-in for newscaster ].{{Fact|date=July 2007}} The ] provided the impetus for Olbermann to return to full-fledged news reporting.{{Fact|date=July 2007}} He won an ] for reporting from the site of the attacks for 40 days on ] and ] radio station ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rtnda.org/asfi/awards/murrowshow2003.asp | title=2003 EDWARD R. MURROW NATIONAL WINNERS | publisher=Radio-Television News Directors Association and Foundation | accessdate=2007-07-11}}</ref> | |||
Olbermann wrote a weekly column for ] from July 2002 until early 2003.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://dir.salon.com/topics/keith_olbermann/index.html?ti=27 | title=Index of Olbermann's Salon columns | publisher=Salon.com | accessdate=2007-08-14}}</ref> | |||
== Acting == | |||
Olbermann anchored MSNBC's coverage of the death of fellow anchor ] on June 13, 2008. He presented a tribute, along with several fellow journalists, in honor of Russert. | |||
Olbermann has made several acting appearances either as himself or simply as a sports/newscaster, most notably as ] (a blue whale newscaster on the MSNBSea network) in several episodes of '']''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/BoJack-Horseman/Tom-Jumbo-Grumbo/|title=Tom Jumbo Grumbo|website=Behind The Voice Actors|access-date=2016-10-21|archive-date=October 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018165448/http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/BoJack-Horseman/Tom-Jumbo-Grumbo|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cornellsun.com/2015/10/29/interviewing-the-cornellians-behind-bojack-horseman/|title=Interviewing the Cornellians Behind BoJack Horseman|date=2015-10-30|website=The Cornell Daily Sun|access-date=2016-10-21|archive-date=October 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010213118/http://cornellsun.com/2015/10/29/interviewing-the-cornellians-behind-bojack-horseman/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://awfulannouncing.com/the-locker/craig-kilborn-voiced-a-cartoon-character-in-a-scene-keith-olbermann.html|title=Craig Kilborn voiced a cartoon character in a scene with Keith Olbermann|date=2015-07-21|newspaper=Awful Announcing|access-date=2016-10-21|archive-date=May 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515212325/http://awfulannouncing.com/the-locker/craig-kilborn-voiced-a-cartoon-character-in-a-scene-keith-olbermann.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
== Political positions == | |||
==Baseball historian and fan== | |||
Olbermann is a dedicated ] fan and historian of the sport, with membership in the ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12254330/ | title=Baseball's greatest Ambassador: Buck O'Neil (Keith Olbermann) | publisher=MSNBC | author=Keith Olbermann | date=] | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref> He is also one of the most prominent ] collectors in the country, particularly of ] ] and other rare cards, such as the very rare 2006 ] rookie card.<ref name="becket">{{cite news | |||
| title=That Guy Olbermann's A Real Card! | |||
| publisher=Beckett Sports Collectibles Vintage | |||
| url=http://www.beckett.com/vintage/news/index.asp?a=3678&s=27 | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> He argues that ] baseball player ] should not be denied inclusion into the ] because of a ] mistake."<ref name="justice_for_merkle">{{cite news | |||
| first=Stan | |||
| last=Isaacs | |||
| title=Justice for Merkle: Keith Olbermann's crusade helps salvage Merkle's rep | |||
| URL=http://www.thecolumnists.com/isaacs/isaacs74.html | |||
| publisher=TheColumnists.com | |||
| date=2002 | |||
}}</ref> He contributed the foreword to ''More Than Merkle'' (ISBN 0-8032-1056-6), a book requesting amnesty for Merkle's error, also known as the "]." Olbermann was also one of the founders of the first experts' ] league. He was one of the founders of the ''] ]'' ] league, giving the league its nickname (LABR stands for League of Alternative Baseball Reality).<ref name="LABR">{{cite news | |||
| first=Jonah | |||
| last=Keri | |||
| title='Tis the season to project stats | |||
| URL=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=keri/070214 | |||
| publisher=ESPN.com | |||
| date=2007 | |||
}}</ref> | |||
Because of his extensive baseball knowledge, Olbermann is a consultant to ], the baseball card manufacturer. Topps allowed him to open the first pack of 2007 baseball cards on ''Countdown'' the week before they hit stores. The first card of the pack was ] of the ]. | |||
== |
=== Viewpoints === | ||
Although it began as a traditional newscast, ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' eventually adopted an opinion-oriented format. In a ''Countdown'' interview with ] on October 25, 2005, Olbermann noted that in 2003, after having ] and Franken on his show, a vice president of MSNBC had questioned him on inviting "liberals" on consecutive nights, contrasting that occurrence to the apparent ideological latitude he enjoyed at the time of the second Franken interview.<ref name="Ref_2005" /> | |||
On Monday, ], ], the day following ]’ death from ], Olbermann revealed on-air that he had a benign fibrous ] removed from his ] just 10 days earlier. In an explicit monologue (in which he described, among other things, his experience spitting blood into a trash can), he attributed his tumor directly to his 27-year habit of ] pipes and cigars. He vigorously urged his viewers not to wait until they see symptoms to quit. "Do whatever you have to do to stop smoking — now. While it's easier."<ref name="smoking_and_you">{{cite news | |||
| title=Video clip of Olbermann's smoking monologue | |||
| publisher=MSNBC.com | |||
| url=http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=5ac2937b-29fe-4271-bdb8-e026cc92cc41 | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref> | |||
In January 2007, '']'''s ] wrote that Olbermann was "position his program as an increasingly ] alternative to '']''."<ref name="Kurtz2007" /> Much of the program featured harsh criticism of prominent ] and right-leaning figures, including those who worked for or supported the ], 2008 Republican presidential nominee Senator ] and running mate Governor ],<ref name="replaced" /><ref name="Ref_2008b" /> and rival news commentator ], whom Olbermann has routinely dubbed the "Worst Person in the World".<ref name="olbermannfactor" /> | |||
This marked the beginning of "I Quit," once a recurring segment on ''Countdown'' which offered anti-smoking tips and encouragement. On ], ], Olbermann's NBC colleague ] joined him for "I Quit" to discuss kicking the habit.<ref name="mike_taibbi_quits_smoking">{{cite news | |||
| title=Video clip of Mike Taibbi "I quit" segment on ''Countdown'' | |||
| publisher=MSNBC.com | |||
| url=http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=a0d92421-d474-4da4-9d36-56c4e4d69ea5 | |||
| date=] | |||
}}</ref><ref> from August 8, 2005.</ref> | |||
The October 2007 edition of ''Playboy'' carried an Olbermann interview in which he stated, "Al Qaeda really hurt us, but not as much as Rupert Murdoch has hurt us, particularly in the case of Fox News. Fox News is worse than Al Qaeda — worse for our society. It's as dangerous as the Ku Klux Klan ever was."<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-09-11|title=Olbermann|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/olbermann-jonah-goldberg-3/|access-date=2020-11-01|website=National Review|archive-date=April 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424202503/https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/olbermann-jonah-goldberg-3/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In November 2007, British newspaper '']'' placed Olbermann at No. 67 on their Top 100 list of most influential US liberals. It said that he used his MSNBC show to promote "an increasingly strident liberal agenda." It added that he would be "a force on the ] for some time to come."<ref name="mostinfluential" /> Avoiding ideological self-labeling, Olbermann described his reporting in 2006 to ], "I don't think in these issues that I'm a liberal; I think that I'm an American. I think I'm acting almost as a historian on these particular things".<ref name="olbermannfactor" /> During the 2008 Democratic Party primaries, Olbermann frequently chastised presidential aspirant ] for her campaign tactics against her principal opponent, Senator ], and made her the subject of two of his "special comments".<ref name="Ref_2008c" /><ref name="Ref_2008d" /> Olbermann has also posted on the liberal blog ].<ref name="Ref_p" /> | |||
Before the ], Olbermann called Republican candidate ] "an irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, Tea Bagging supporter of violence against women, and against politicians with whom he disagrees".<ref name="roasts" /> This was criticized by his colleague ], who called the comments "reckless" and "sad".<ref name="Barr2010" /> Yael T. Abouhalkah of the '']'' said that Olbermann "crossed the line in a major way with his comments".<ref name="Abouhalkah2010" /> The next night, Olbermann chose to "double down", as '']'''s Danny Shea described it,<ref name="Shea2010" /> on his criticism of Brown by adding the word "sexist" to his original description of the Republican candidate. ] criticized Olbermann about this attack on his show, ''The Daily Show'', by noting that it was "the harshest description of anyone I've ever heard uttered on MSNBC". Following Stewart's critique, Olbermann apologized by noting, "I have been a little over the top lately. Point taken. Sorry."<ref name="Shea2010" /> | |||
==Other television appearances== | |||
*He appeared in a ] as himself in an episode of ]'s '']''.<ref name="surfacecameo">{{cite web | |||
| last=Sassone | |||
| first=Bob | |||
| title=Surface: Episode 11 | |||
| publisher=TV Squad | |||
| url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/01/02/surface-episode-11/ | |||
| date=] | |||
| accessdate=2006-07-14 | |||
}}</ref> | |||
*He appeared in a series of television commercials for the ] restaurant chain in 1997, in which he tells a bunch of Calvin-Klein type models to "eat something." | |||
Olbermann accused the ] of being racist due to what he views as a lack of racial diversity at the events, using photos that show overwhelmingly white crowds attending the rallies. In response, the Dallas Tea Party invited him to attend one of their events and also criticized his network for a lack of racial diversity, pointing out that an online banner of MSNBC personalities that appears on the website shows only white personalities. Olbermann declined the invitation, citing his father's prolonged ill health and hospitalization and stated that the network has minority anchors, contributors and guests.<ref name="McCann2010" /> | |||
*He briefly appeared in an episode of '']'' as himself. During his appearance he was working at ]. | |||
In October 2020, Olbermann called for supporters and what he described as "enablers" of ], including United States Supreme Court nominee ] and conservative political commentator ], to be "prosecuted" and "removed from our society".<ref>{{cite web |title=Keith Olbermann: "Terrorist Trump" And His Enablers And Supporters Must Be "Removed From Our Society" |url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/10/09/keith_olbermann_terrorist_trump_and_his_enablers_and_supporters_must_be_removed_from_our_society.html |website=RealClearPolitics |access-date=October 12, 2020 |archive-date=October 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013180946/https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/10/09/keith_olbermann_terrorist_trump_and_his_enablers_and_supporters_must_be_removed_from_our_society.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Barrabi |first1=Thomas |title=Keith Olbermann: Amy Coney Barrett, others should be 'prosecuted' and 'removed from our society' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/keith-olbermann-amy-coney-barrett-trump-prosecuted-removed-society |website=Fox News |date=9 October 2020}}</ref> Additionally. Olbermann labeled Trump "a terrorist" and called his supporters "a blight that will be with us for generations", further saying that Trump's "only barely-human delight comes from the morons in the crowd."<ref>{{cite web |title=Ex-ESPN anchor Keith Olbermann labels President Trump a 'terrorist' and gets called out by Mitt Romney |url=https://www.nj.com/sports/2020/10/ex-espn-anchor-keith-olbermann-blasted-by-mitt-romney-for-calling-president-trump-a-terrorist.html |website=nj.com |date=October 13, 2020 |access-date=October 19, 2020 |archive-date=October 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019215333/https://www.nj.com/sports/2020/10/ex-espn-anchor-keith-olbermann-blasted-by-mitt-romney-for-calling-president-trump-a-terrorist.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
*A self-described fan of the ] animated television sitcom '']'', he announced in June 2006 on the Dan Patrick Show that he had recorded some voice tracks to be used in an upcoming episode of the series. ("]", featuring Olbermann as a character named Bob Grossbeard,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://thenewshole.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/10/188411.aspx | title=Olbermann on Family Guy}}</ref> aired on ], ].) Also, ] (creator of the animated ''Family Guy'' series) guested on ''Countdown'' on ], ] to discuss ] appearance on ''The O'Reilly Factor'' and O'Reilly's subsequent appearance on '']''. Olbermann had previously appeared on ''The Colbert Report'' himself (], ]), and discussed his disputes with O'Reilly. | |||
In March 2024, Olbermann called for the ] to be dissolved following the court's unanimous decision in '']'' to allow Trump to remain on the ballot in the ].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fortinsky |first1=Sarah |title=Keith Olbermann rips Supreme Court, calls liberal justices 'inept' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/4507380-keith-olbermann-rips-supreme-court/ |website=The Hill |access-date=5 March 2024 |date=4 March 2024 |archive-date=March 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305053859/https://thehill.com/homenews/4507380-keith-olbermann-rips-supreme-court/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
*Olbermann has lent his voice for '']'' 2007-2008 season episode "]." The episode featured ] whom Olbermann had previously compared to Bill O'Reilly. | |||
=== Criticism of the Bush administration === | |||
*On ], ], Olbermann appeared on the '']''. | |||
In Olbermann's "]" segment on July 3, 2007, he called ]'s ] of ]'s prison sentence the "]" and called for the resignation of Bush and Vice President ].<ref name="Ref_2007a" /> On his February 14, 2008, "Special Comments" segment, Olbermann castigated Bush for threatening to veto an extension of the ] unless it provided full ] from lawsuits to ].<ref name="Protect America Act" /> During the same commentary, Olbermann called Bush a fascist.<ref name="Protect America Act" /> In a special comment on May 14, 2008, Olbermann criticized Bush for announcing that he had stopped playing golf in honor of American soldiers who died in the ]. He stated that Bush never should have started the war in the first place, and he accused Bush of dishonesty and ]s.<ref name="boyer" /> | |||
== Personal life == | |||
*Olbermann appears, with ], in the opening segment of the ] ] "]".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://video.google.com/url?vidurl=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2Fvideoplay%3Fdocid%3D-1381591825965891169%26q%3D%2522only%2Bwanna%2Bbe%2Bwith%2Byou%2522%26hl%3Den&docid=-1381591825965891169&ev=v&esrc=gvpl&usg=AL29H21cyCt-Ij84xmzJCgJI-LqgPa70sA | title=Warner Music Group}}</ref> | |||
Olbermann suffers from a mild case of ],<ref name="Ref_2005a" /> as well as ].<ref name="boyer" /> In August 1980, he also suffered a head injury while leaping onto a ] train.<ref name="Ref_2009b" /> This head injury permanently upset his ], resulting in his avoidance of driving.<ref name=boyer /> Along with ], he supports the ] as an honorary board member.<ref name="Ref_s" /> | |||
Olbermann's father, Theodore, died on March 13, 2010, of complications from ] surgery the previous September. His mother had died several months before.<ref name="father death" /> Olbermann had cited the need to spend time with his father for taking a leave of absence shortly before his father's death, occasionally recording segments to air at the beginning of the shows which ] guest hosted in his absence, giving his views on the state of the American ] and updating viewers on his father's condition.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Vogel|first=Kenneth|date=March 15, 2010|title=Olbermann's father dies|work=Politico|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2010/03/olbermanns-father-dies-034425|access-date=February 11, 2021|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109003830/https://www.politico.com/story/2010/03/olbermanns-father-dies-034425|url-status=live}}</ref> Olbermann has dated several women involved in politics and journalism, including ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kosman|first=Josh|date=September 23, 2024|title=Olivia Nuzzi once dated ex-MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann — star reporter's love life in focus amid RFK Jr. sexting scandal|work=New York Post|url=https://nypost.com/2024/09/23/entertainment/olivia-nuzzi-once-dated-msnbc-commentator-keith-olbermann/}}</ref> | |||
*On ], ], he appeared on '']''. | |||
Olbermann is a dedicated baseball fan and historian of the sport, with membership in the ].<ref name="Keith2006" /> In 1973, when he was 14 years old, The Card Memorabilia Associates (TCMA) published his book ''The Major League Coaches: 1921–1973''. The September issue of Beckett Sports Collectibles Vintage included a ] card that depicted Olbermann in a 1905-era New York Giants uniform.<ref name="beckett" /> He argues that ] baseball player ] has been unduly criticized for his ].<ref name="justice_for_merkle" />{{efn|See video: {{YouTube|id=9QVcGJwiO54|title=The Fred Merkle Story}}}}{{Dead link|date=October 2021}} He contributed the foreword to ''More Than Merkle'', a book requesting amnesty for "]". Olbermann was also one of the founders of the first experts' ] league, the ''] ]'' ], and he gave the league its nickname "LABR".<ref name="LABR" /> Olbermann wrote the foreword to the 2009 ] Annual.<ref name="Ref_q" /> In March 2009, Olbermann began a baseball-related blog entitled Baseball Nerd. He has also written a series of articles on baseball cards for the ''Sports Collectors Digest''.<ref name="Ref_r" /> | |||
*On ], ], he was featured in the "Cable Guy" segment on '']''. | |||
== Career timeline == | |||
*On ], ], Olbermann and Patrick appeared on the ''Late Show with David Letterman''. | |||
* ], sports reporter (1979)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://awfulannouncing.com/2015/the-keith-olbermann-timeline.html | title=The Keith Olbermann Timeline | date=July 9, 2015 | access-date=January 7, 2019 | archive-date=January 8, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108050247/https://awfulannouncing.com/2015/the-keith-olbermann-timeline.html | url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
* ], sports reporter (1980)'' | |||
* ], sports reporter (1981–1984) | |||
* ] Boston, sports reporter (1984) | |||
* ]-TV Los Angeles, sports director (1985–1988) | |||
* ] Los Angeles, sports director (1988–1992) | |||
* '']'', co-anchor (], 1992–1997)<ref name=imdb>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0646021/|work=]|title=Keith Olbermann|access-date=October 30, 2008|archive-date=March 22, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322124051/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0646021/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
* ''The Big Show'', anchor (MSNBC, 1997–1998)<ref name=imdb /> | |||
* ''White House in Crisis'', anchor (MSNBC, 1997–1998)<ref name=imdb /> | |||
* '']'', studio host (1999–2000)<ref name=imdb /> | |||
* '']'', co-anchor (], 1999–2000) | |||
* ''The Keith Olbermann Evening News'', anchor (Fox Sports Net, 2000–2001)<ref name=imdb /> | |||
* ''Speaking of Sports'' and ''Speaking of Everything'', commentator (], 2001) | |||
* '']'', anchor (], 2003–2011)<ref name=imdb /> | |||
* '']'', co-host (], 2005–2007) | |||
* '']'', co-host (NBC, 2007–2010) | |||
* '']'', anchor (]: 2011–2012)<ref name=imdb /> | |||
* '']'', studio host (2013) | |||
* '']'', host (ESPN2, 2013–2015) | |||
* '']'', host ('']'', 2016–2017)<ref>{{cite web|title=Trump is Finished|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmkXR7EL_RY&t=8s|website=YouTube|access-date=28 November 2017|date=27 November 2017}}</ref> | |||
* ''SportsCenter'', anchor and ], play-by-play (2018–2020) | |||
* '']'', host (], 2022–present)<ref name="hollywoodreporter.com"/> | |||
== Publications == | |||
*On the ] series '']'', Olbermann appeared in Season 2, Episode 9 ("Swing Vote Margene") as himself during a fictitious newscast. | |||
* ''The Major League Coaches: 1921–1973'' (Card Memorabilia Associates, 1973). | |||
* ''The Big Show: Inside ESPN's Sportscenter'' (Atria, 1997) (coauthor: Dan Patrick). {{ISBN|0-671-00918-4}}. | |||
* ''The Worst Person in the World and 202 Strong Contenders'' (Wiley, September 2006). {{ISBN|0-470-04495-0}}. | |||
* ''Truth and Consequences: Special Comments on the Bush Administration's War on American Values'' (Random House, December 2007). {{ISBN|978-1-4000-6676-6}}. | |||
* ''Pitchforks and Torches: The Worst of the Worst, from Beck, Bill, and Bush to Palin and Other Posturing Republicans'' (Wiley, October 25, 2010). {{ISBN|0-470-61447-1}}. | |||
* ''Trump Is F*cking Crazy: (This Is Not a Joke)'' (Blue Rider Press, October 17, 2017) {{ISBN|978-0-525-53386-3}}. | |||
== See also == | |||
*On ], ], Olbermann appeared on the ''Late Show with David Letterman''. | |||
* ] | |||
== Explanatory notes == | |||
*On ], ], Olbermann hosted the ]'s commercial-free special coverage to honor his colleague, the late ](1950~2008). During that broadcast he visibly wept during the many segments. | |||
{{Notelist}} | |||
== |
== References == | ||
{{reflist | |||
* ''Truth and Consequences: Special Comments on the Bush Administration's War on American Values'' (Random House, December 2007). ISBN 978-1-4000-6676-6. | |||
|30em | |||
* ''The Worst Person In the World and 202 Strong Contenders'' (Wiley, September 2006). ISBN 0-470-04495-0. | |||
|refs= | |||
* ''The Big Show: Inside ESPN's Sportscenter'' (Atria, 1997). ISBN 0-671-00918-4. | |||
<ref name="6apr2009">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna30092799|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for April 6, 2009|date=April 6, 2009|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305221306/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/30092799/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
* ''The Major League Coaches: 1921-1973'' (Card Memorabilia Associates, 1973). | |||
<ref name="Abouhalkah2010">{{cite web|last=Abouhalkah |first=Yael T |title=Keith Olbermann's disgusting comments |work=] |date=January 20, 2010 |url=http://voices.kansascity.com/node/7296 |access-date=January 22, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123184627/http://voices.kansascity.com/node/7296 |archive-date=January 23, 2010 }}</ref> | |||
==References== | |||
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}} | |||
<ref name="banned">{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11698322|title='Olbermann' banned from 'The O'Reilly Factor'|work=]|date=July 11, 2006|access-date=June 27, 2009|archive-date=July 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730123901/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11698322/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
==External links== | |||
{{commonscat}} | |||
{{Wikiquote}} | |||
* | |||
* on ] | |||
*, Peter J. Boyer, '']'', June 23, 2008 | |||
* from ] | |||
<ref name="Barr2010">{{cite web| last =Barr| first =Andy| title =Joe Scarborough: Keith Olbermann is 'reckless'| publisher =]| date =January 19, 2010| url =http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31648.html| access-date =January 22, 2010| archive-date =January 22, 2010| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20100122082710/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31648.html| url-status =live}}</ref> | |||
{{Sportscenter}} | |||
{{Major League Baseball on FOX}} | |||
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<ref name="Bliss1991">{{cite book|title=Now the News: The Story of Broadcast Journalism|url=https://archive.org/details/nownewsstoryofbr0000blis|url-access=registration|last=Bliss|first=Edward|year=1991|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=0-231-04403-8|page=}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="boyer">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/06/23/080623fa_fact_boyer?printable=true|last=Boyer|first=Peter J.|title=The Political Scene: One Angry Man|magazine=]|date=June 23, 2008|access-date=November 16, 2008|archive-date=October 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014201158/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/06/23/080623fa_fact_boyer?printable=true|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="breaks silence">{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/confessions-keith-olbermann-195411|title=The Confessions of Keith Olbermann|author=Marisa Guthrie|date=June 7, 2011|access-date=November 8, 2011|work=The Hollywood Reporter|archive-date=January 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109081901/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/confessions-keith-olbermann-195411|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<!-- <ref name="burnedrivers">{{cite episode |title=] |airdate=2007-06-27 |network=] |transcript-url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7bXnJ9MvOI}}</ref> | |||
--> | |||
<ref name="Carpenter">{{cite news|first=Mackenzie|last=Carpenter|title=Anchor Olbermann counts on commentary to boost MSNBC's ratings|publisher=The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06346/745336-237.stm|date=December 12, 2006|access-date=February 19, 2007|archive-date=April 26, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070426110102/http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06346/745336-237.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="coming to current">{{cite web|url=http://current.com/keith-olbermann/ |title=Keith Olbermann Is Coming To Current TV |publisher=Current TV (announcement) |date=February 8, 2011 |access-date=February 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208211320/http://current.com/keith-olbermann/ |archive-date=February 8, 2011 }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Counting_Down_w_KO">{{cite news|first=Eric |last=Finkelstein |title=Counting Down With Keith Olbermann '79 |publisher=Cornell Daily Sun |url=http://cornellsun.com/node/13424 |date=November 29, 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213104905/http://cornellsun.com/node/13424 |archive-date=February 13, 2012 }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Danny2010">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/05/keith-olbermann-suspended_n_779586.html|title=Keith Olbermann SUSPENDED From MSNBC Indefinitely Without Pay|author=Danny Shea|publisher=Huffington Post|date=November 5, 2010|access-date=November 5, 2010|archive-date=November 5, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105202832/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/05/keith-olbermann-suspended_n_779586.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Elber2008">{{cite news |first=Lynn |last=Elber |title=Tim Russert's son to join NBC convention team |work=] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-07-31-russert_N.htm |date=August 1, 2008 |access-date=April 22, 2010 |archive-date=November 2, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081102105805/http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-07-31-russert_N.htm? |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<ref name=electionnight>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/167557 |title=How the Networks Covered Election Night | Newsweek Politics | Newsweek.com |publisher=Newsweek.com |access-date=November 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081129115113/http://www.newsweek.com/id/167557 |archive-date=November 29, 2008 }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="EndCountdown">{{cite news|url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/21/keith-olbermann-countdown-over_n_812506.htmls|title = Keith Olbermann And MSNBC Announce They Are Parting Ways|publisher=HuffingtonPost|date = January 21, 2011|access-date = January 21, 2011|first=Carly|last=Schwartz}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="espn2olbermann">{{cite news|url = http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2013/07/olbermann-returning-to-espn2-with-daily-late-night-show-aug-26|title = Olbermann Returning to ESPN2 with Daily Late-Night Show Aug. 26|publisher = ESPN Media Zone|date = July 13, 2013|access-date = July 20, 2013|archive-date = July 21, 2013|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130721022305/http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2013/07/olbermann-returning-to-espn2-with-daily-late-night-show-aug-26/|url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="father death">{{cite web|url=http://keitholbermann.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/03/theodore_c_olbermann_1929-2010.html|title=Baseball Nerd: Theodore C. Olbermann, 1929–2010|last=Olbermann|first=Keith|date=March 13, 2010|access-date=March 13, 2010|archive-date=March 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315170659/http://keitholbermann.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/03/theodore_c_olbermann_1929-2010.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="feud boils">Burkeman, Oliver. www.guardian.co.uk. July 26, 2006.</ref> | |||
<ref name="foknews">{{cite web|url=http://foknewschannel.com/ |title=FOKNewsChannel.com |access-date=April 1, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110328133737/http://foknewschannel.com/ |archive-date=March 28, 2011 }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="FinalCountdown">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/keith-olbermann-leaving-msnbc-ends-countdown/|title=Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends 'Countdown'|website=]|date=January 21, 2011|access-date=September 13, 2014|archive-date=September 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913080454/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/keith-olbermann-leaving-msnbc-ends-countdown/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="gets prime-time">{{cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Olbermann-gets-prime-time-show-on-Gore-s-network-2460375.php|title=Olbermann gets prime-time show on Gore's network|date=February 9, 2011|author=Joe Garofoli|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=November 7, 2011|archive-date=February 14, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110214071410/http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-02-09/news/27328915_1_current-tv-msnbc-current-currency|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Guardian2011">{{cite news | work=Guardian | title=How I was hired – and fired – by Rupert Murdoch | first=Keith | last=Olbermann|date=August 1, 2011|access-date=August 1, 2011 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/aug/01/rupert-murdoch-keith-olbermann}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Hagan2004">{{cite web|url=http://www.observer.com/2004/air-women-snub-mackris-olbermann-offers-cash |title=On-Air Women Snub Mackris, Olbermann Offers Cash |last=Hagan |first=Joe |author2=Kolhatkar, Sheelah |work=] |date=October 31, 2004 |access-date=October 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015151401/http://www.observer.com/2004/air-women-snub-mackris-olbermann-offers-cash |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref> | |||
<ref name=honest>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13559914/the_most_honest_man_in_news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070225090659/http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13559914/the_most_honest_man_in_news|archive-date=February 25, 2007|title=The Most Honest Man in News|last=Binelli|first=Mark|date=March 8, 2007|access-date=February 3, 2009|url-status=dead|magazine=]}}<br /> | |||
{{cite journal|url=http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=4268|journal=]|last=Lisheron|first=Mark|title=Is Keith Olbermann the Future of Journalism?|date=February–March 2007|access-date=February 3, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611014354/http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=4268|archive-date=June 11, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
<ref name=imdb_bio>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0646021/bio|title=Keith Olbermann – Biography|work=]|access-date=October 30, 2008}}</ref> | |||
<ref name=inauguration>{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/01/msnbc-president.html|newspaper=]|date=January 12, 2009|access-date=February 3, 2009|title=Despite bias charges, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews will lead inauguration coverage|last=Gold|first=Matea|archive-date=January 23, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123025022/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/01/msnbc-president.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
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<ref name="justice_for_merkle">{{cite web|first=Stan|last=Isaacs|title=Justice for Merkle: Keith Olbermann's crusade helps salvage Merkle's rep|url=http://www.thecolumnists.com/isaacs/isaacs74.html|publisher=TheColumnists.com|year=2002|access-date=October 30, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913062303/http://www.thecolumnists.com/isaacs/isaacs74.html|archive-date=September 13, 2008|df=mdy-all}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Keith2006">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna12254330|title=Baseball's greatest Ambassador: Buck O'Neil (Keith Olbermann)|work=NBC News|author=Keith Olbermann|date=March 1, 2006|access-date=September 2, 2006|archive-date=December 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217152654/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/12254330/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Keith Olbermann -- The Rich Get Richer">{{cite news|url=http://www.tmz.com/2011/01/24/keith-olbermann-msnbc-countdown-cable-news-comcast-nbc-universal-7-million-dollars-exit-package-televison-blackout-conan-obrien/|title=Keith Olbermann – The Rich Get Richer|date=January 24, 2011|work=TMZ|access-date=January 25, 2011|archive-date=January 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110127161610/http://www.tmz.com/2011/01/24/keith-olbermann-msnbc-countdown-cable-news-comcast-nbc-universal-7-million-dollars-exit-package-televison-blackout-conan-obrien|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Kurtz2007">{{cite news|first=Howard|last=Kurtz|title=Bill O'Reilly And NBC, Shouting to Make Themselves Seen?|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/14/AR2007011401124.html|date=January 15, 2007|access-date=September 2, 2017|archive-date=August 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821082335/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/14/AR2007011401124.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="LABR">{{cite news|first=Jonah|last=Keri|title='Tis the season to project stats|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=keri/070214|publisher=]|date=February 14, 2007|access-date=October 30, 2008|archive-date=January 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105141523/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=keri%2F070214|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="mackris_lawsuit">{{cite news |title=Mackris' complaint v. O'Reilly, official document |publisher=] |url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/funny/oreilly-hit-sex-harass-suit |date=October 13, 2004 |access-date=September 10, 2014 |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225065011/http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/funny/oreilly-hit-sex-harass-suit |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="McCann2010">{{cite web| last =McCann| first =Ian| title =Keith Olbermann turns down invitation to Saturday's Dallas Tea Party anniversary rally| publisher =]| date =January 25, 2010| url =http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-teaparty_25met.ART.Central.Edition1.4bed0b9.html| access-date =February 25, 2010| archive-date =February 28, 2010| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20100228130722/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-teaparty_25met.ART.Central.Edition1.4bed0b9.html| url-status =live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="meaculpa">{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/2002/11/18/meaculpa_2/|title=ESPN:Mea culpa|work=]|author=Keith Olbermann|date=November 17, 2006|access-date=February 23, 2017|archive-date=February 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223213339/http://www.salon.com/2002/11/18/meaculpa_2/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
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<ref name="mediaite">{{cite news|url=http://www.mediaite.com/online/keith-olbermanns-father-theodore-olbermann-passes-away/|title=Keith Olbermann's Father, Theodore Olbermann, passes away at 81|last=Grant|first=Drew|date=March 13, 2010|publisher=Mediaite|access-date=March 14, 2010}}</ref> | |||
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<ref name="mostinfluential">{{cite news|title = The most influential US liberals|publisher =The Daily Telegraph|date =March 11, 2007|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/exclusions/uselection/nosplit/liberals61-80.xml|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071031195000/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/exclusions/uselection/nosplit/liberals61-80.xml|url-status = dead|archive-date = October 31, 2007|access-date = December 15, 2007| location=London}}</ref> | |||
<ref name=murdoch>{{cite news|title=Murdoch: Obama's a Rock Star |last=Peers |first=Martin |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/dnotebook/2008/05/29/murdoch-obamas-a-rock-star/ |date=May 29, 2008 |access-date=October 30, 2008 |work=The Wall Street Journal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207121945/https://blogs.wsj.com/dnotebook/2008/05/29/murdoch-obamas-a-rock-star/ |archive-date=December 7, 2008 }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="new show">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/06/07/136931640/keith-olbermann-the-countdown-to-his-new-show|title=Keith Olbermann: The 'Countdown' To His New Show|date=June 7, 2011|work=NPR|access-date=April 4, 2018|archive-date=May 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526082013/https://www.npr.org/2011/06/07/136931640/keith-olbermann-the-countdown-to-his-new-show|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name=niche>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/11/arts/television/11keit.html|title=MSNBC's Star Carves Anti-Fox Niche|work=The New York Times|date=July 11, 2006|access-date=November 24, 2008|last=Carter|first=Bill|archive-date=March 8, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308150707/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/11/arts/television/11keit.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="not liberal">{{cite web|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv/2006/12/12/Anchor-Olbermann-counts-on-commentary-to-boost-MSNBC-s-ratings/stories/200612120166|title=Anchor Olbermann counts on commentary to boost MSNBC's ratings|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=December 11, 2006|access-date=November 16, 2021|last=Carpenter|first=Mackenzie|archive-date=November 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116194740/https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv/2006/12/12/Anchor-Olbermann-counts-on-commentary-to-boost-MSNBC-s-ratings/stories/200612120166|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="NYT-suspend">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/06/us/06olbermann.html|title=Keith Olbermann of MSNBC Suspended Over Donations|last=Stelter|first=Brian|author2=Bill Carter|date=November 6, 2010|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 6, 2010|archive-date=August 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817113739/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/06/us/06olbermann.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="offbio">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3080446|title=Keith Olbermann – Countdown with Keith Olbermann|work=NBC News|date=February 22, 2007|access-date=October 30, 2008|archive-date=July 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710132355/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3080446/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Olbermann1997">{{cite book|title=The Big Show|last=Olbermann|first=Keith|author2=Patrick, Dan|publisher=]|year=1997|isbn=0-671-00918-4|page=|url=https://archive.org/details/bigshowinsideesp00olbe/page/33 |quote=JANUARY 27, 1959: Keith Theodore Olbermann born in New York City, to startled and consistently head-shaking parents.}}</ref> | |||
<ref name=olbermannfactor>{{cite news|first=Alex|last=Koppelman|title=The Olbermann Factor|work=]|url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/09/11/olbermann/|date=September 11, 2006|access-date=November 10, 2006|archive-date=September 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916123332/http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/09/11/olbermann/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="olbermann_murrow">Keith Olbermann, Olbermann/Bloggermann, August 30, 2006, . "Although I presumptuously use his sign-off each night, in feeble tribute, I have utterly no claim to the words of the exemplary journalist Edward R. Murrow."</ref> | |||
<ref name="Olbermann Said to Be Going to Current TV">{{cite news|url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/olbermann-said-to-be-going-to-current-tv/?partner=rss&emc=rss|title=Olbermann Said to Be Going to Current TV|date=February 7, 2011|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 8, 2011|first1=Bill|last1=Carter|first2=Brian|last2=Stelter|archive-date=February 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211104507/http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/olbermann-said-to-be-going-to-current-tv/?partner=rss&emc=rss|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Olbermann suspension ending">{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna40062578|title=NBC: Olbermann suspension ending Tuesday|date=November 7, 2010|work=NBC News|access-date=November 7, 2010}}</ref> | |||
<ref name=patrick>{{cite news|url = https://www.usatoday.com/sports/2007-07-09-Patrick-leaving-ESPN_N.htm|title = Patrick to leave ESPN; next career move unknown|last = Cherner|first = Reid|work = ]|date = July 10, 2007|access-date = October 30, 2008|archive-date = October 9, 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081009032347/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2007-07-09-Patrick-leaving-ESPN_N.htm|url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Protect America Act">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna23184008|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for February 14, 2008|date=February 15, 2008|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=August 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801142740/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/23184008/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2004">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4945202|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for May 7, 2004|date=May 10, 2004|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=April 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417091213/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/4945202/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2004a">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5423058|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for July 9, 2004|date=July 12, 2004|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305085153/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5423058/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2011a">{{cite web|url=http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-07-13/entertainment/30030574_1_keith-olbermann-work-schedule-lesser-figures|title=''Rupert Murdoch Blackmailed Keith Olbermann''|date=July 13, 2011|publisher=]|work=The Wire|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515030952/http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-07-13/entertainment/30030574_1_keith-olbermann-work-schedule-lesser-figures|archive-date=May 15, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2005">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9827774|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for October 25, 2005|date=October 26, 2005|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305205924/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/9827774/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2005a">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5745877|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for August 17, 2004|date=August 17, 2004|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305131029/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5745877/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2006">{{cite web|url=http://www.c-span.org/video/?191247-1/qa-keith-olbermann|title=''Q&A'' for March 12, 2006|date=March 12, 2006|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 16, 2014|archive-date=November 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109001603/http://www.c-span.org/video/?191247-1/qa-keith-olbermann|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2006a">{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=6116845 |title=O'Reilly, Olbermann: Polar Opposites of Campaign |work=] |date=July 11, 2006 |access-date=June 27, 2009 }}{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2007">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna20107912|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for August 2, 2007|date=August 3, 2007|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 21, 2019|archive-date=October 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023115757/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/20107912|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2007a">{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19588942|title=Olbermann: Bush, Cheney should resign|publisher=NBC News|date=July 3, 2007|access-date=November 9, 2008|archive-date=May 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504192637/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19588942/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2008">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25004673|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for June 5, 2008|date=June 5, 2008|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306111945/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/25004673/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2008a">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25368154|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for June 24, 2008|date=June 25, 2008|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 21, 2019|archive-date=March 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310143720/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/25368154/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2008b">{{cite news|work=]|date=November 10, 2008|url=http://www.thenation.com/issue/november-10-2008|title=November 10, 2008 Issue|access-date=July 13, 2010|archive-date=July 17, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717152858/http://www.thenation.com/issue/november-10-2008|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2008c">{{cite web|url=http://essence.typepad.com/news/2008/03/keith-olbermann.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080321023440/http://essence.typepad.com/news/2008/03/keith-olbermann.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 21, 2008 |title=Keith Olbermann rips Sen. Clinton over Ferraro's comments |work=The Roland Report |publisher=] |date=March 18, 2008 |access-date=November 24, 2008 }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2008d">{{cite web|url=http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/05/keith-olbermann-blasts-hillary-000626.php|title=Keith Olbermann Blasts Hillary Clinton Assassination Comment|work=The Daily Voice|date=May 24, 2008|access-date=November 24, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208142938/http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/05/keith-olbermann-blasts-hillary-000626.php|archive-date=December 8, 2008|df=mdy-all}}</ref> | |||
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<ref name="Ref_2009">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna29530231|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for March 4, 2009|date=March 5, 2009|publisher=]|work=]}}</ref> | |||
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<ref name="Ref_2009a">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32284299|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for August 3, 2009|date=August 4, 2009|publisher=]|work=]|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305172629/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/32284299/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_2009b">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32552121|title=''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'' for August 24, 2009|date=August 24, 2009|publisher=]|work=]}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="will use">{{cite journal | author = Frager, Ray | date = April 20, 2007 | title = For NBC, Olbermann Will Use His Political, ESPN Play Books | journal = ] | url = http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2007-04-20/sports/0704200149_1_olbermann-football-night-night-in-america | access-date = February 1, 2017 | archive-date = February 2, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170202234211/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2007-04-20/sports/0704200149_1_olbermann-football-night-night-in-america | url-status = dead }} See also {{cite journal | author = Gold, Matea | date = February 19, 2009 | title = MSNBC Viewers Lobby For a Liberal Host | journal = ] | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-feb-19-et-msnbc19-story.html | access-date = February 1, 2017 | archive-date = March 5, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305220422/http://articles.latimes.com/2009/feb/19/entertainment/et-msnbc19 | url-status = live }} and {{cite news | author = Kurtz, Howard | date = April 1, 2009 | title = MSNBC Signs Liberal Radio Host Ed Schultz to Be Its 6 O'Clock Anchor | newspaper = ] | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/01/AR2009040104061.html | access-date = February 1, 2017 }} and {{cite news | author = Kurtz, Howard | date = September 1, 2008 | title = At MSNBC, A Liberal Supply Of Sharp Elbows | newspaper = ] | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/31/AR2008083102263.html | access-date = February 1, 2017 | archive-date = August 25, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160825180628/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/31/AR2008083102263.html | url-status = live }}.</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_d"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306023820/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/01/sports/espn-s-hip-kid-brother.html |date=March 6, 2016 }} ''The New York Times''. October 1, 1993.</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_e">{{citation |title=Keith Olbermann (Bio) |publisher=] |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/25918122/ |access-date=April 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125100958/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/25918122 |archive-date=January 25, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_f">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0646021/filmoseries#tt0138968|title=Keith Olbermann – Filmography by TV series|work=]|access-date=July 13, 2010|archive-date=August 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130814020259/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0646021/filmoseries#tt0138968|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_h">{{cite web|url=http://dir.salon.com/topics/keith_olbermann/index.html?ti=27 |title=Index of Olbermann's Salon columns |work=] |access-date=August 14, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929141406/http://dir.salon.com/topics/keith_olbermann/index.html?ti=27 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_i"> – ''Chicago Tribune'', September 3, 2008 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914144705/http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-080903paul-harvey-birthday%2C0%2C5643317.story |date=September 14, 2008 }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_j">{{cite news|last=Hinckley |first=David |title=He picks up Cosell torch |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2002/01/04/2002-01-04_he_picks_up_cosell_torch__sp.html |work=New York Daily News |date=January 4, 2002 |access-date=January 21, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_k">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna17168554|title=Keith Olbermann, NBC agree on 'second term'|work=NBC News|date=February 15, 2007|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306042603/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17168554/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_l">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna17168554|title=Remembering Tim Russert|work=NBC News|date=February 15, 2007|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306042603/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17168554/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_m">. David Bauder. ''USA Today''. May 6, 2007.</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_n">{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} AP Online Article July 23, 2006</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_o">Kurtz, Howard. ''The Washington Post''. April 3, 2006</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_p">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/26/olbermann-blogging-regula_n_83411.html|title=Olbermann Blogging Regularly at DailyKos|publisher=Huffington Post|access-date=October 2, 2008|first=Max|last=Follmer|date=January 26, 2008|archive-date=January 31, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080131124001/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/26/olbermann-blogging-regula_n_83411.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_q"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090127035504/http://baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=1157 |date=January 27, 2009 }}. Goldman. January 21, 2009.</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_r">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportscollectorsdigest.com/keitholbermann/|title=Keith Olbermann Archive|work=Sports Collectors Digest|access-date=February 17, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211190552/http://www.sportscollectorsdigest.com/keitholbermann|archive-date=February 11, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Ref_s">{{cite web|url=http://www.multiplemyeloma.org/foundation/1.05.php|title=Honorary Board|access-date=October 14, 2008|publisher=]|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080416015201/http://www.multiplemyeloma.org/foundation/1.05.php |archive-date = April 16, 2008}}</ref> | |||
<ref name=replaced>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090800008.html|title=MSNBC Drops Olbermann, Matthews as News Anchors|newspaper=The Washington Post|last=Kurtz|first=Howard|date=September 8, 2008|access-date=October 30, 2008|archive-date=February 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214002033/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090800008.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="roasts">{{cite web| last =Simpson| first =Jake| title =Olbermann Roasts 'Ex Nude Model' Brown| publisher =]| date =January 20, 2010| url =http://atlanticwire.theatlantic.com/features/view/feature/Olbermann-Roasts-Ex-Nude-Model-Brown-618| access-date =January 22, 2010| archive-date =February 8, 2010| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20100208222942/http://atlanticwire.theatlantic.com/features/view/feature/Olbermann-Roasts-Ex-Nude-Model-Brown-618| url-status =dead}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Rodrick">{{cite web|last=Rodrick|first=Stephen|url=http://nymag.com/news/features/30338/|title=Limbaugh for Lefties|work=]|date=April 16, 2007|access-date=October 30, 2008|archive-date=February 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190208112323/http://nymag.com/news/features/30338/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Rosenberg2008">{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-comment7-2008jun07,0,834902.story|title=Is Olbermann's snide act on MSNBC the future of TV news?|last=Rosenberg|first=Howard|date=June 7, 2008|access-date=October 30, 2008|work=]|archive-date=October 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016141027/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-comment7-2008jun07,0,834902.story|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Sandomir2002">{{cite news|url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9800E1DB1030F930A35752C0A9649C8B63|title = PLUS: RADIO/TV SPORTS; Olbermann to Do Radio Commentaries|last = Sandomir|first = Richard|date = January 3, 2002|access-date = October 30, 2008|work = New York Times|archive-date = July 6, 2024|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240706005535/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/03/sports/plus-radio-tv-sports-olbermann-to-do-radio-commentaries.html|url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="scorchedbridges">{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Hiestand |title=Despite scorched bridges, Olbermann rejoins ESPN |work=] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/2005-06-13-olbermann-espn_x.htm |date=June 13, 2005 |access-date=October 30, 2008 |archive-date=October 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022140338/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2005-06-13-olbermann-espn_x.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Shain2010">{{cite news | url=http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/olbermann_dropped_by_snf_GQBPwqzMz9oLafV2szQ1jP | work=New York Post | title=Keith Olbermann dropped by 'Sunday Night Football' | first=Michael | last=Shain | date=August 9, 2010 | access-date=August 11, 2010 | archive-date=August 14, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814151755/http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/olbermann_dropped_by_snf_GQBPwqzMz9oLafV2szQ1jP | url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Shea2010">{{cite news|last=Shea|first=Danny|title=Keith Olbermann Apologizes For Scott Brown Comment: 'I Have Been A Little Over The Top Lately'|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/23/keith-olbermann-apologize_n_434129.html|publisher=Huffington Post|date=January 23, 2010|access-date=July 13, 2010|archive-date=July 6, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706005536/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/keith-olbermann-apologize_n_434129|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="show time">{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/09/keith-olbermann-current-tv-show-time_n_821089.html |title=Keith Olbermann Current TV Show Time: 8 PM ET |publisher=HuffingtonPost |date=February 9, 2011 |access-date=February 9, 2011 |first=Jack |last=Mirkinson |archive-date=February 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210072333/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/09/keith-olbermann-current-tv-show-time_n_821089.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Solo"> David A. Kaplan. ''Newsweek''. October 6, 1997. {{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Steinberg1997">{{cite book|title=Kinderculture: The Corporate Construction of Childhood|last=Steinberg|first=Shirley|author2=Kincheloe, Joe|publisher=]|year=1997|isbn=0-8133-2310-X|page=|url=https://archive.org/details/kinderculturecor0000unse/page/205}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Stelter2009">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/01/business/media/01feud.html|title=Voices From Above Silence a Cable TV Feud|work=]|date=July 31, 2009|access-date=August 2, 2009|first=Brian|last=Stelter|archive-date=January 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117052038/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/01/business/media/01feud.html?|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
<ref name='Suspended'>{{cite news | first = David | last = Montgomery | title = MSNBC's Keith Olbermann suspended for contributing to 3 Democratic candidates | date = November 6, 2010 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/05/AR2010110504496.html | newspaper = The Washington Post | access-date = November 6, 2010 | archive-date = November 18, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101118204905/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/05/AR2010110504496.html | url-status = live }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="tvnewsernov08">{{cite web|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/olbermanns_deal_will_pay_30m_over_four_years_100173.asp?c=rss |title=Olbermann's Deal Will Pay $30M Over Four Years |publisher=MediaBistro |date=November 11, 2008 |access-date=November 11, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524064100/http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/olbermanns_deal_will_pay_30m_over_four_years_100173.asp?c=rss |archive-date=May 24, 2009 }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="unveils">{{cite news |title=Current TV Unveils Name, Debut Date For New Keith Olbermann Show |url=http://i2.crtcdn1.net/images/ed/2011/04/26/833284.pdf |work=] website |location=San Francisco, California |date=April 26, 2011 |access-date=May 10, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510084326/http://i2.crtcdn1.net/images/ed/2011/04/26/833284.pdf |archive-date=May 10, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="website launches">{{cite news | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/26/fok-news-channel-keith-olbermann-website_n_828631.html | title=FOK News Channel, Keith Olbermann Website, Launches | work=The Huffington Post | access-date=April 4, 2011 | date=February 26, 2011 | first=Jack | last=Mirkinson | archive-date=March 2, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302211840/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/26/fok-news-channel-keith-olbermann-website_n_828631.html | url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="welcome_to_bloggermann">{{cite news |last=Olbermann |first=Keith |title=Welcome to Bloggerman |publisher=NBC News |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6243014 |date=October 13, 2004 |access-date=November 8, 2019 |archive-date=February 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226025236/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6243014/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
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<ref name=feud>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/id/2140168/|work=]|title=The Mouth vs. the Bully|last=Shafer|first=Jack|date=April 18, 2006|access-date=February 3, 2009}}</ref> | |||
<ref name=shouting>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/14/AR2007011401124.html|last=Kurtz|first=Howard|title=Bill O'Reilly And NBC, Shouting to Make Themselves Seen?|date=January 15, 2007|access-date=February 3, 2009|work=]}}</ref> | |||
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== External links == | |||
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* {{Charlie Rose view|6290}} | |||
* {{IMDb name|646021|Keith Olbermann}} | |||
* —A BBC radio series on BBC News anchor ]' friendship with Olbermann | |||
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{{S-ttl|title=Chief News Officer, ]|years=2011–2012}} | |||
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{{CNN personnel}} | |||
{{Major League Baseball on NBC}} | |||
{{Major League Baseball on Fox}} | |||
{{Football Night in America}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 02:41, 17 December 2024
American sports and political commentator (born 1959) "Olbermann" redirects here. For his 2013 sports talk show, see Olbermann (TV series).
Keith Olbermann | |
---|---|
Olbermann in 2008 | |
Born | Keith Theodore Olbermann (1959-01-27) January 27, 1959 (age 65) New York City, U.S. |
Alma mater | Cornell University (B.S.) |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1980s–present |
Television |
|
Political party | Democratic |
Awards | Three Edward R. Murrow Awards |
YouTube information | |
Channel | |
Subscribers | 194 thousand |
Total views | 30,495,312 |
Last updated: June 14, 2024 | |
Website | twitter |
Keith Theodore Olbermann (/ˈoʊlbərmən/; born January 27, 1959) is an American sports and political commentator and writer. Olbermann spent the first 20 years of his career in sports journalism. He was a sports correspondent for CNN and for local TV and radio stations in the 1980s, winning the Best Sportscaster award from the California Associated Press three times. He co-hosted ESPN's SportsCenter from 1992 to 1997. From 1998 to 2001, he was a producer and anchor for Fox Sports Net and a host for Fox Sports' coverage of Major League Baseball.
From March 2003 to January 2011, Olbermann hosted the weeknight political commentary program Countdown with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC. He received attention for his pointed criticism of American conservative and right-wing politicians and public figures. Although he has frequently been described as a "liberal", he has often rejected being labelled politically, stating, "I'm not a liberal. I'm an American."
From 2011 to March 30, 2012, Olbermann was the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of a Current TV program also called Countdown with Keith Olbermann. From July 2013 until July 2015 he hosted a late-afternoon show on ESPN2 and TSN2 called Olbermann, as well as TBS's Major League Baseball postseason coverage. From September 2016 until November 2017, he hosted a web series for GQ, titled The Closer with Keith Olbermann, covering the 2016 U.S. presidential election, later renamed The Resistance with Keith Olbermann after the victory of Donald Trump.
In January 2018, Olbermann returned to ESPN's SportsCenter program, expanding in May to some baseball play-by-play work. On October 6, 2020, he again resigned from ESPN to start a political commentary program on his YouTube channel. On August 1, 2022, Olbermann relaunched Countdown with Keith Olbermann as a daily podcast with iHeartRadio. It is described as a news-driven show featuring his trademark "Special Comment" political analysis, "The Worst Persons in the World" segment, and readings from the works of humorist James Thurber.
Early life
Olbermann was born January 27, 1959, in New York City, the son of Marie Katherine (née Charbonier), a preschool teacher, and Theodore Olbermann, a commercial architect. He is of German ancestry. Olbermann and his younger sister Jenna (b. 1968), were raised in a Unitarian household in the town of Hastings-on-Hudson in Westchester, New York. He attended the Hackley School, a private Ivy League Preparatory school in nearby Tarrytown.
Olbermann became a devoted fan of baseball at a young age, a love he inherited from his mother, who was a lifelong New York Yankees fan. As a teenager he often wrote about baseball card-collecting and appeared in many sports card-collecting periodicals of the mid-1970s. He is also referenced in Sports Collectors Bible, a 1979 book by Bert Sugar, which is considered one of the important early books for trading card collectors.
While at Hackley, Olbermann began his broadcasting career as a play-by-play announcer for WHTR. After graduating from Hackley in 1975, he enrolled at Cornell University at the age of 16. At college Olbermann served as sports director for WVBR, a student-run commercial radio station in Ithaca. Olbermann graduated from Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1979 with a BS in communication.
Sports broadcasting
Olbermann began his professional career at UPI and the RKO Radio Network before joining then-nascent CNN in 1981. Among the early stories he covered was the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, including the "Miracle on Ice." In the early-to-mid 1980s he was a sportscaster on the old WNEW 1130-AM radio station in New York City. In 1984, he briefly worked as a sports anchor at WCVB-TV in Boston before heading to Los Angeles to work at KTLA and KCBS. His work there earned him 11 Golden Mike Awards, and he was named best sportscaster by the California Associated Press three times.
ESPN
In 1992 Olbermann joined ESPN's SportsCenter, a position he held until 1997 with the exception of a period from 1993 to 1994 when he was at ESPN2. He joined ESPN2 as its "marquee" personality to help launch the network. He often co-hosted SportsCenter's 11:00 p.m. show with Dan Patrick, the two becoming a popular anchor team. In 1995 Olbermann won a Cable ACE award for Best Sportscaster. he later co-authored a book with Patrick called The Big Show about their experiences working at SportsCenter; he also said that the short-lived ABC dramedy Sports Night was based on his time on SportsCenter with Patrick, ABC having been co-owned with ESPN since 1985 (ESPN now produces all sports coverage on ABC, which is branded ESPN on ABC). In his last year with KCBS before moving east to work for ESPN, Olbermann's salary was $475,000 but started at "just over $150,000" with ESPN. He made $350,000 at the end of his tenure at ESPN.
Early in 1997 Olbermann was suspended for two weeks after he made an unauthorized appearance on The Daily Show on Comedy Central with then-host and former ESPN colleague Craig Kilborn. At one point in the show he referred to Bristol, Connecticut (ESPN's headquarters), as a "Godforsaken place". Later that year he abruptly left ESPN under a cloud of controversy, apparently burning his bridges with the network's management; this began a long and drawn-out feud between Olbermann and ESPN. Between 1997 and 2007 incidents between the two sides included Olbermann's publishing an essay on Salon in November 2002 titled "Mea Culpa", in which he stated, "I couldn't handle the pressure of working in daily long-form television, and what was worse, I didn't know I couldn't handle it." The essay told of an instance when his former bosses remarked he had "too much backbone", a claim that is literally true, as Olbermann has six lumbar vertebrae instead of the normal five.
In 2004, Olbermann was not included in ESPN's guest lineup for its 25th anniversary SportsCenter "Reunion Week", which saw Craig Kilborn and Charley Steiner return to the SportsCenter set. In 2007, ten years after Olbermann's departure, in an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, he said, "If you burn a bridge, you can possibly build a new bridge, but if there's no river any more, that's a lot of trouble." During the same interview Olbermann stated that he had recently learned that as a result of ESPN's agreeing to let him return to the airwaves on ESPN Radio, he was banned from ESPN's main (Bristol, Connecticut) campus.
Post-SportsCenter
In 1999, Olbermann joined Fox Sports Net to be the star anchor for their sports news show Fox Sports News Primetime, which was an ill-fated competitor to SportsCenter. Olbermann later left that show to be an anchor and executive producer for The Keith Olbermann Evening News, a sportscast similar to SportsCenter that aired weekly on Sunday evenings. While at Fox he hosted the 2000 World Series as well as Fox Broadcasting's baseball Game of the Week. In May and July 1999, Olbermann also guest-starred ten times on Hollywood Squares.
According to Olbermann, he was demoted by Fox when he asked for a slight reduction in duties for health reasons, and then was fired from Fox in 2001 after reporting on rumors that Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corporation owns Fox, was planning on selling the Los Angeles Dodgers. Olbermann characterized the demotion as "blackmail." When asked about Olbermann, Murdoch said, "I fired him ... He's crazy." In 2004 Olbermann remarked, "Fox Sports was an infant trying to stand , but on the broadcast side there was no comparison—ESPN was the bush leagues."
After Olbermann left Fox Sports in 2001, he provided twice-daily sports commentary on the ABC Radio Network, reviving the "Speaking of Sports" and "Speaking of Everything" segments begun by Howard Cosell. In 2005, Olbermann made a return to ESPN Radio when he began co-hosting an hour of the syndicated Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio, a tenure that lasted until Patrick left ESPN on August 17, 2007. Olbermann and Patrick referred to this segment as "The Big Show", just as their book was known. Patrick often introduced Olbermann with the tagline "saving the democracy", a nod to his work on Countdown. On April 16, 2007, Olbermann was named co-host of Football Night in America, NBC's NFL pre-game show that precedes their Sunday Night NFL game, a position which reunited him in 2008 with his former SportsCenter co-anchor Dan Patrick. Olbermann left the show prior to the start of the 2010 season.
Shortly before rejoining ESPN, Olbermann signed a contract with TBS to host the studio show portions of its coverage of the Division Series and National League Championship Series. He replaced Matt Winer, who had been in this role since his departure from ESPN to join the Turner Sports family, and was originally supposed to host the show with TBS' Dennis Eckersley. Instead, Eckersley was sent to join Don Orsillo and Buck Martinez to call the Detroit-Oakland series. TBS later hired Dirk Hayhurst, Pedro Martínez, and Mark DeRosa to provide analysis. Tom Verducci also joined the studio crew, as he was replaced by Rachel Nichols as a field reporter.
Return to and departure from ESPN
Main article: Olbermann (TV series)It was announced on July 17, 2013, that Olbermann would host his own one-hour nightly show on ESPN2. The two-year contract would allow him to deviate from the topic of sports into realms such as "pop culture and current events", as well as politics, which was a right Olbermann claimed he did not intend to exercise.
Olbermann was suspended by ESPN in 2015 for the week following Penn State University's annual philanthropy THON due to a Twitter exchange he had with Penn State supporters. THON is the world's largest student-run philanthropy, raising over $160 million for pediatric cancer research since 1977. In the Twitter exchange, Olbermann stated, "PSU students are pitiful." Later, prior to apologizing, Olbermann stated, "I'd like to thank the students and alums of Penn State for proving my point about the mediocrity of their education and ethics." Olbermann apologized on his program upon his return March 2, but noted, "I'm much more sorry about batting practice . So for me, batting practice ends."
In July 2015 ESPN announced that it would be Olbermann's last month with the network. ESPN said that it was a "business decision to move in another direction".
The Ringer
In 2016, Olbermann wrote an article for Bill Simmons' company "The Ringer" after Muhammad Ali's death.
Third tenure with ESPN
In January 2018, Olbermann returned to ESPN once again, presenting occasional commentaries on SportsCenter throughout the first half of 2018. In May 2018, Olbermann's role at ESPN expanded to include a return to the role of SportsCenter host and the addition of occasional ESPN Major League Baseball play-by-play.
News journalism
In 1997, Olbermann left ESPN to host a prime-time show on MSNBC, The Big Show with Keith Olbermann (ESPN objected to the use of the title). The news-driven program, with substantial discussion, relied on Olbermann to carry the 8:00–9:00 pm hour. The show typically covered three or four topics in a one-hour broadcast. Olbermann also hosted two Sunday editions of NBC Nightly News and once co-anchored a Saturday edition of the Today show. During that period Olbermann, along with Hannah Storm, also co-hosted NBC Sports' pre-game coverage of the MLB 1997 World Series. Olbermann became frustrated as his show was consumed by the Monica Lewinsky scandal. In 1998, he stated that his work at MSNBC would "make me ashamed, make me depressed, make me cry."
Olbermann left MSNBC for Fox Sports Net shortly thereafter. After leaving Fox Sports in 2001, Olbermann returned once more to news journalism. In 2003, his network won an Edward R. Murrow Award for writing on the "Keith Olbermann Speaking of Everything" show. In addition, Olbermann wrote a weekly column for Salon.com from July 2002 until early 2003, worked for CNN as a freelance reporter, and was a fill-in for newscaster Paul Harvey. Olbermann revived his association with MSNBC in 2003 briefly as a substitute host on Nachman and as an anchor for the network's coverage of the war in Iraq.
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Main article: Countdown with Keith OlbermannOlbermann's own show, Countdown, debuted on MSNBC on March 31, 2003, in the 8 p.m. ET time slot previously held by programs hosted by Phil Donahue and, briefly, Lester Holt. Countdown's format, per its name, involved Olbermann ranking the five biggest news stories of the day or sometimes "stories my producers force me to cover", as Olbermann put it. This was done in numerically reverse order, counting down with the first story shown being ranked fifth but apparently the most important.
The first few stories shown were typically oriented toward government, politics, and world events; the segments ranked numbers two and one were typically of a lighter fare than the preceding segments. These lighter stories sometimes involved celebrities, sports, and, regularly and somewhere in the middle, the bizarre, in a segment he called "Oddball." Opinions on each were offered by Olbermann and guests interviewed during the segment. Olbermann had been criticized for only having guests that agree with his perspective. Former Los Angeles Times television critic Howard Rosenberg stated that "Countdown is more or less an echo chamber in which Olbermann and like-minded bobbleheads nod at each other."
On October 13, 2004, Olbermann launched Bloggermann, his Countdown blog, hosted on MSNBC's website. Olbermann used the open format of the blog to expand on facts or ideas alluded to in the broadcast, to offer personal musings and reactions. However, in February 2007, Olbermann launched a new blog, The News Hole.
In a technique similar to that of former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite in connection to the Iran Hostage Crisis, for the last six years of the program, Olbermann closed every show by announcing the number of days passed since President George W. Bush had declared the end of "major combat operations" in Iraq under a banner that read "Mission Accomplished" (May 1, 2003). Olbermann would then crumple up his notes, throwing them at the camera and saying "Good night and good luck", echoing another former CBS newsman, Edward R. Murrow. (Yet Olbermann himself discounted this gesture to his hero as "presumptuous" and a "feeble tribute.")
On February 16, 2007, MSNBC reported that Olbermann had signed a four-year extension on his contract with MSNBC for Countdown which also provided for his hosting of two Countdown specials a year to be aired on NBC as well as for his occasional contribution of essays on NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams.
Olbermann co-anchored, with Chris Matthews, MSNBC's coverage of the death of fellow NBC News employee Tim Russert on June 13, 2008. He presented a tribute, along with several fellow journalists, in honor of Russert.
During the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Olbermann co-anchored MSNBC's coverage with Chris Matthews until September 7, 2008, when they were replaced by David Gregory after complaints from both outside and inside of NBC that they were making partisan statements. This apparent conflict of interest had been an issue as early as May 2007, when Giuliani campaign officials complained about his serving in dual roles, as both a host and a commentator. Despite this, Countdown was broadcast both before and after each of the presidential and vice-presidential debates, and Olbermann and Matthews joined Gregory on MSNBC's Election Day coverage. Olbermann and Matthews also led MSNBC's coverage of the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
In November 2008, it was announced that Olbermann had signed a four-year contract extension worth an estimated $30 million.
Feud with Bill O'Reilly
After beginning Countdown's "Worst Person in the World" segment in July 2005, Olbermann repeatedly awarded Bill O'Reilly, host of The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel, the dubious honor. The feud between the anchors originated with Olbermann's extensive coverage of a 2004 sexual harassment suit brought against O'Reilly by former Fox News Channel producer Andrea Mackris during which Olbermann asked Countdown viewers to fund the purchase of lurid audio tapes allegedly held by Mackris. In 2008 O'Reilly decided to avoid mentioning Olbermann's name on the air, and once cut off a caller who mentioned Olbermann. O'Reilly has also criticized MSNBC's news commentary and political coverage without ever specifically mentioning Olbermann. The rivalry continued when in 2006 at Television Critics' Association in California, Olbermann donned a mask of O'Reilly and made a Nazi salute, leading to a letter of protest from the Anti-Defamation League.
In an article on "perhaps the fiercest media feud of the decade", The New York Times' Brian Stelter noted that in early June 2009 the "combat" between the two hosts seemed to have abruptly ended as a result of instructions filtered down to Olbermann and O'Reilly from the chief executives of their respective networks. On the August 3, 2009, edition of Countdown, Olbermann asserted that he had made statements to Stelter before the article was published denying that he was a party to such a deal, or that there was such a deal between NBC and Fox News, or that any NBC executive had asked him to change Countdown's content. Olbermann maintained that he had stopped joking about O'Reilly because of O'Reilly's attacks of George Tiller, and soon resumed his criticism of O'Reilly.
Suspension
On October 28, 2010, days before the 2010 U.S. elections, Olbermann donated $2,400 each to three Democratic candidates for Congress: Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway, and Arizona Democratic Representatives Raul Grijalva and Gabby Giffords. Grijalva had appeared on Olbermann's show immediately before Olbermann mailed the donations. In response, on November 5, MSNBC President Phil Griffin suspended him indefinitely without pay for violating a network policy which required employees to obtain approval from management before making political contributions. An online petition calling for his reinstatement received over 250,000 signatures; two days after the suspension began, Griffin announced that Olbermann would return to the air on November 9.
Departure
On January 21, 2011, Olbermann announced his departure from MSNBC and that the episode would be the final episode of Countdown. MSNBC issued a statement that it had ended its contract with Olbermann, with no further explanation. Additional reporting in the days immediately following suggested that the negotiations for the end of Olbermann's tenure at MSNBC had begun soon after the end of his suspension.
Current TV and FOKNewsChannel.com
On February 8, 2011, it was announced that Olbermann had become the chief news officer for the public affairs channel Current TV and would begin hosting a one-hour prime time program on the network at 8 pm Eastern – the same time slot that Countdown had been on MSNBC. On April 26, 2011, it was announced that Olbermann's new show would debut on June 20 and would be named Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Olbermann was also heavily involved in the development of the rest of the network's news programming. The deal also included an equity stake in Current TV.
During the interim between shows, Olbermann launched an "official not-for-profit" blog called FOKNewsChannel.com, "FOK" being an abbreviation for "Friends of Keith". The blog featured political commentaries by Olbermann—including viral video versions of Countdown's "Special Comment" and "Worst Person" segments, as well as photographs of his outings at professional baseball games. On May 29, 2011, the FOKNewsChannel.com domain redirected to the Current website promoting the June 20 launch.
Olbermann was fired from Current TV on March 30, 2012. In a statement from Current TV, they stated that "Current was founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it." Olbermann released his own statement, apologizing for "the failure of Current TV" and "that the claims against me implied in Current's statement are untrue and will be proved so in the legal actions I will be filing against them presently." The two parties sued each other over Olbermann's firing. On March 12, 2013, it was announced that Olbermann settled his $50 million legal claim. In a joint statement, Olbermann and Current TV said: "The parties are pleased to announce that a settlement has occurred, and that the terms are confidential. Nothing more will be disclosed regarding the settlement." According to Politico, Olbermann's professional reputation suffered greatly as a result of his dispute with Current, which accused Olbermann of making "material breaches of his contract, including the failure to show up at work, sabotaging the network and attacking Current and its executives." Purportedly, despite actively shopping other networks for offers, Olbermann was unable to find an outlet interested in hiring him. According to Politico, the fact Olbermann had been rendered unemployable as a result of the dispute, factored heavily during settlement negotiations between his attorneys and representatives from CurrentTV.
GQ
On September 12, 2016, GQ magazine announced that Olbermann would, as a special correspondent, host a web series covering the 2016 US presidential election. The series, titled The Closer with Keith Olbermann, aired twice weekly on GQ.com. It was retitled The Resistance after Donald Trump's victory. As of March 2017, it had nearly 170 million views on GQ's YouTube and Facebook. In mid-October 2017, Penguin Random House issued a hardcover book by Olbermann, Trump Is F*cking Crazy (This Is Not a Joke), consisting of 50 essays based on The Resistance commentaries. On November 27, 2017, in episode 147 of The Resistance, Olbermann announced his retirement from political commentary, citing his belief that "this ... presidency of Donald John Trump will end prematurely and end soon, and I am thus also confident that this is the correct moment to end this series of commentaries".
Countdown with Keith Olbermann Podcast
On August 1, 2022, Olbermann began producing and hosting a weekday podcast titled "Countdown with Keith Olbermann", for iHeart Media. It usually consists of a similar five block show from the TV days with three blocks changed out. The main, a dog in need, a headlines section, worst person, a sports rundown and the number one story either being a story of Olbermann's (usually his experience in the news media) or a short story from James Thurber on Fridays.
Acting
Olbermann has made several acting appearances either as himself or simply as a sports/newscaster, most notably as Tom Jumbo-Grumbo (a blue whale newscaster on the MSNBSea network) in several episodes of BoJack Horseman.
Political positions
Viewpoints
Although it began as a traditional newscast, Countdown with Keith Olbermann eventually adopted an opinion-oriented format. In a Countdown interview with Al Franken on October 25, 2005, Olbermann noted that in 2003, after having Janeane Garofalo and Franken on his show, a vice president of MSNBC had questioned him on inviting "liberals" on consecutive nights, contrasting that occurrence to the apparent ideological latitude he enjoyed at the time of the second Franken interview.
In January 2007, The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz wrote that Olbermann was "position his program as an increasingly liberal alternative to The O'Reilly Factor." Much of the program featured harsh criticism of prominent Republicans and right-leaning figures, including those who worked for or supported the George W. Bush administration, 2008 Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain and running mate Governor Sarah Palin, and rival news commentator Bill O'Reilly, whom Olbermann has routinely dubbed the "Worst Person in the World".
The October 2007 edition of Playboy carried an Olbermann interview in which he stated, "Al Qaeda really hurt us, but not as much as Rupert Murdoch has hurt us, particularly in the case of Fox News. Fox News is worse than Al Qaeda — worse for our society. It's as dangerous as the Ku Klux Klan ever was."
In November 2007, British newspaper The Daily Telegraph placed Olbermann at No. 67 on their Top 100 list of most influential US liberals. It said that he used his MSNBC show to promote "an increasingly strident liberal agenda." It added that he would be "a force on the Left for some time to come." Avoiding ideological self-labeling, Olbermann described his reporting in 2006 to Salon.com, "I don't think in these issues that I'm a liberal; I think that I'm an American. I think I'm acting almost as a historian on these particular things". During the 2008 Democratic Party primaries, Olbermann frequently chastised presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton for her campaign tactics against her principal opponent, Senator Barack Obama, and made her the subject of two of his "special comments". Olbermann has also posted on the liberal blog Daily Kos.
Before the 2010 Massachusetts special election, Olbermann called Republican candidate Scott Brown "an irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, Tea Bagging supporter of violence against women, and against politicians with whom he disagrees". This was criticized by his colleague Joe Scarborough, who called the comments "reckless" and "sad". Yael T. Abouhalkah of the Kansas City Star said that Olbermann "crossed the line in a major way with his comments". The next night, Olbermann chose to "double down", as The Huffington Post's Danny Shea described it, on his criticism of Brown by adding the word "sexist" to his original description of the Republican candidate. Jon Stewart criticized Olbermann about this attack on his show, The Daily Show, by noting that it was "the harshest description of anyone I've ever heard uttered on MSNBC". Following Stewart's critique, Olbermann apologized by noting, "I have been a little over the top lately. Point taken. Sorry."
Olbermann accused the Tea Party movement of being racist due to what he views as a lack of racial diversity at the events, using photos that show overwhelmingly white crowds attending the rallies. In response, the Dallas Tea Party invited him to attend one of their events and also criticized his network for a lack of racial diversity, pointing out that an online banner of MSNBC personalities that appears on the website shows only white personalities. Olbermann declined the invitation, citing his father's prolonged ill health and hospitalization and stated that the network has minority anchors, contributors and guests.
In October 2020, Olbermann called for supporters and what he described as "enablers" of Donald Trump, including United States Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett and conservative political commentator Sean Hannity, to be "prosecuted" and "removed from our society". Additionally. Olbermann labeled Trump "a terrorist" and called his supporters "a blight that will be with us for generations", further saying that Trump's "only barely-human delight comes from the morons in the crowd."
In March 2024, Olbermann called for the United States Supreme Court to be dissolved following the court's unanimous decision in Trump v. Anderson to allow Trump to remain on the ballot in the 2024 election.
Criticism of the Bush administration
In Olbermann's "Special Comment" segment on July 3, 2007, he called George W. Bush's commutation of Lewis "Scooter" Libby's prison sentence the "last straw" and called for the resignation of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. On his February 14, 2008, "Special Comments" segment, Olbermann castigated Bush for threatening to veto an extension of the Protect America Act unless it provided full immunity from lawsuits to telecom companies. During the same commentary, Olbermann called Bush a fascist. In a special comment on May 14, 2008, Olbermann criticized Bush for announcing that he had stopped playing golf in honor of American soldiers who died in the Iraq War. He stated that Bush never should have started the war in the first place, and he accused Bush of dishonesty and war crimes.
Personal life
Olbermann suffers from a mild case of celiac disease, as well as restless legs syndrome. In August 1980, he also suffered a head injury while leaping onto a New York City Subway train. This head injury permanently upset his equilibrium, resulting in his avoidance of driving. Along with Bob Costas, he supports the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation as an honorary board member.
Olbermann's father, Theodore, died on March 13, 2010, of complications from colon surgery the previous September. His mother had died several months before. Olbermann had cited the need to spend time with his father for taking a leave of absence shortly before his father's death, occasionally recording segments to air at the beginning of the shows which Lawrence O'Donnell guest hosted in his absence, giving his views on the state of the American health care system and updating viewers on his father's condition. Olbermann has dated several women involved in politics and journalism, including Katy Tur, Laura Ingraham, Kyrsten Sinema and Olivia Nuzzi.
Olbermann is a dedicated baseball fan and historian of the sport, with membership in the Society for American Baseball Research. In 1973, when he was 14 years old, The Card Memorabilia Associates (TCMA) published his book The Major League Coaches: 1921–1973. The September issue of Beckett Sports Collectibles Vintage included a T206 card that depicted Olbermann in a 1905-era New York Giants uniform. He argues that New York Giants baseball player Fred Merkle has been unduly criticized for his infamous baserunning mistake. He contributed the foreword to More Than Merkle, a book requesting amnesty for "Merkle's Boner". Olbermann was also one of the founders of the first experts' fantasy baseball league, the USA Today Baseball Weekly League of Alternative Baseball Reality, and he gave the league its nickname "LABR". Olbermann wrote the foreword to the 2009 Baseball Prospectus Annual. In March 2009, Olbermann began a baseball-related blog entitled Baseball Nerd. He has also written a series of articles on baseball cards for the Sports Collectors Digest.
Career timeline
- United Press International Radio Network, sports reporter (1979)
- RKO Radio Network, sports reporter (1980)
- CNN, sports reporter (1981–1984)
- WCVB-TV Boston, sports reporter (1984)
- KTLA-TV Los Angeles, sports director (1985–1988)
- KCBS-TV Los Angeles, sports director (1988–1992)
- SportsCenter, co-anchor (ESPN, 1992–1997)
- The Big Show, anchor (MSNBC, 1997–1998)
- White House in Crisis, anchor (MSNBC, 1997–1998)
- Major League Baseball on Fox, studio host (1999–2000)
- National Sports Report, co-anchor (Fox Sports Net, 1999–2000)
- The Keith Olbermann Evening News, anchor (Fox Sports Net, 2000–2001)
- Speaking of Sports and Speaking of Everything, commentator (ABC Radio, 2001)
- Countdown with Keith Olbermann, anchor (MSNBC, 2003–2011)
- The Dan Patrick Show, co-host (ESPN Radio, 2005–2007)
- Football Night in America, co-host (NBC, 2007–2010)
- Countdown with Keith Olbermann, anchor (Current TV: 2011–2012)
- MLB on TBS, studio host (2013)
- Olbermann, host (ESPN2, 2013–2015)
- The Resistance with Keith Olbermann, host (GQ, 2016–2017)
- SportsCenter, anchor and ESPN Major League Baseball, play-by-play (2018–2020)
- Countdown with Keith Olbermann, host (iHeart Radio, 2022–present)
Publications
- The Major League Coaches: 1921–1973 (Card Memorabilia Associates, 1973).
- The Big Show: Inside ESPN's Sportscenter (Atria, 1997) (coauthor: Dan Patrick). ISBN 0-671-00918-4.
- The Worst Person in the World and 202 Strong Contenders (Wiley, September 2006). ISBN 0-470-04495-0.
- Truth and Consequences: Special Comments on the Bush Administration's War on American Values (Random House, December 2007). ISBN 978-1-4000-6676-6.
- Pitchforks and Torches: The Worst of the Worst, from Beck, Bill, and Bush to Palin and Other Posturing Republicans (Wiley, October 25, 2010). ISBN 0-470-61447-1.
- Trump Is F*cking Crazy: (This Is Not a Joke) (Blue Rider Press, October 17, 2017) ISBN 978-0-525-53386-3.
See also
Explanatory notes
- See video: The Fred Merkle Story on YouTube
References
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JANUARY 27, 1959: Keith Theodore Olbermann born in New York City, to startled and consistently head-shaking parents.
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External links
- Olbermann YouTube channel
- Keith Olbermann on Twitter
- Keith Olbermann's blog on The Daily Kos
- Baseball Nerd, Olbermann's Major League Baseball blog
- Biography at TV Guide
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Keith Olbermann on Charlie Rose
- Keith Olbermann at IMDb
- Texting Keith Olbermann—A BBC radio series on BBC News anchor Ros Atkins' friendship with Olbermann
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