Olbermann Ouster Open Thread

As you have no doubt heard by now, TV talk personality Keith Olbermann is leaving his MSNBC show Countdown.

Olbermann said in his last show that over the last two years, "all that surrounded the show — but never the show itself — was just too much for me." MSNBC tried without success to suspend Olbermann a few months ago for failing to participate in the collective lie of objective journalism. In a statement, MSNBC did not give any reasons for pulling the plug, while prospective NBC owner Comcast said it had not influenced the decision.

New York Times media columnist Bill Carter says, without any supporting evidence, that the popularity of Rachel Maddow made NBC executives "less concerned about losing Mr. Olbermann as the signature star of the network."

I am happy to say I have no opinion whatsoever about Keith Olbermann. So talk among yourselves. You can also enjoy one last wistful glance at the talk host's passionate intensity…

…and a tribute Reason TV put together during his abortive suspension…

As always, best wishes to all concerned.

Comments

[hmm]

As goes Zucker, so goes Olberdoodle.

[Immoral Liberal]

Original Song Title: "Miserable"
Original Performer: Anna Russell
Parody Song Title: "Show Horrible"
Parody Written by: Immoral Liberal

I liked it better when it sucked!

We gave you this show
And you made our show horrib-b-ble.
'Twere so horrible;
It was a dreadful show, 'tis true

Now you're suspended,
It hasn't been so horrible.
We're being so civil,
And fair-minded without you...

But who wants civility?
We'd rather have you instead;
With all your temper tantrums,
And frothing-mad things you've said.

Oh, oh, oh! We had fans clapping
When you made our show horrib-b-ble.
Come back,
And make our show horrible again!

We want our jerk back!

[AA]

I supposed there is nothing to be said. He doesn't deserve any comments.

[AA]

*suppose

[prolefeed]

A moment of silence seems appropriate. Grateful silence. Now, if only Krugman could be shown the door ...

[AA]

Or all of the NYT.

[Bill]

Why is there a thread for this?

[fish]

Why not? Good riddance to the states biggest cheerleader!

[Episiarch]

Why do you care? Is this your blog?

[Rather]

Mine

[Episiarch]

It's not Saturday morning without blogwhoring from rectal. What's your readership up to, rectal? Three? You must be making a killing off of Google Ads.

[Rather]

Referrer Views
reason.com 1,450

[heller]

From what I've seen so far Rectal subsists solely on cat urine and feces. She pays for her internet and crack addiction by renting out her cunt as a pickling factory.

[hmm]

cunt pickle

[Rather]

hmm. I mention your stupidity in this morning's blog. Read the alt text bitch

[hmm]

No thanks. I'd rather have my colon scoured with an SOS pad on the end of a chainsaw.

You cunt pickle.

[Rather]

lying bitch 😉

[heller]

^Rectal needs to delude herself to keep from realizing that she'd be better off dead^

[Rather]

Helle, you made my top 5 most read! Click on it please; Helle needs to be fed.

Mindfuck
I Was Clearing Guts Out My Turkey's Ass and Thought Of Warty
Pat Dollard Is A Pig-In My Opinion
The Politics Of Decision
Helle
Holy Paranoia Batman!- the Kool-aid Was Spiked At Libertarian Headquarters!
Thank your Mother Of Invention AKA Government
Greek Catch Of The Day-Danger Do Not Eat Raw, Or Vice Versa
CLITME Classical Liberal In The Modern Era
Rodney King-You Were Right All Along

[heller]

Wait since when did we start caring about Rectal's half-aborted-baby of a blog? Never? Good.

[Episiarch]

You just know she has that condition where she no longer can smell the cat urine, but her two guests per year are blown away by how strong the odor is.

[AA]

Suckers!

[Rather]

The pickling business has been pretty sparse of late, but I keep a cucumber in there anyway because I like the feeling. Reminds me of Daddy.

[heller]

Rectal claims that she has incifed me, so if everyone could repeat:

From what I've seen so far Rectal subsists solely on cat urine and feces. She pays for her internet and crack addiction by renting out her cunt as a pickling factory.

That would be great. I just want to make sure she knows that I know her secret.

[Rather]

You're so uncouth and worse BORING, Helle

...and BTW, my dad died last week 🙁

[heller]

Can't say I give a shit.

[Rather]

You are heartless helle-you just reminded me that my daddy can no longer shit either

[Cytotoxic]

STOP FEEDING IT.

[Rather]

Cytotoxic, even if they do stop, I really don't think they will read any of your boring shit.

[Epi]

Jeez, "Rather," you're "rather" popular for an unpopular gal. Why is that? The house narcissists can't resist your charms? What does that say about the house narcissists?*

*Rhetorical question

[Heartbroken]

Epi, I'm writing an article about that very subject-it's about domination

[heller]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Now that's funny.

[Rather]

helle, can I use the picture of you masturbating?

[a penny a day keep obama away]

rather,

Sorry to hear about your dad.

[Epi]

I was serious, dammit!

[Epi]

Love me?

[Scooby]

That's about 3 hits for each one of your blogwhoring posts, so Epi's estimate is about right.

[Bill]

I don't. I was implying that O-bore-man is not important enough to deserve a thread.

[Clop clop moo moo]

I'm off to find another cow to milk.

[Billy Shakespeare]

Suggestion: Replace him with the honorable Mr. D. Chipmunk.

[ptolemy]

Got to give him credit for trying to use SEO on a TV show.

[KingTaco]

Honestly don't think it has anything to do with political reasons. A friend of mine is a long-time producer at ESPN, and has said on a number of occaisons that Keith Olbermann is one of the most difficult people you'll ever deal with. A huge headache away from the cameras.

If he's a big sore spot for MSNBC management, there are multiple folks on their roster than can dish lefty red-meat with less headaches.

[robc]

Ive heard this also. However, Olbermann is probably my all time favorite SportsCenter newscaster. He just sucked since he left.

On the flip side, Ive heard that ESPN treats their "talent" like crap.

[hmm]

I've heard this from people who work in cable news. The grapevine said Olberdoodle was always backed by Zucker, and that many disliked dealing with him. Given Zucker being shown the door one would assume that Olby lost his bully backing and was politely asked to go the fuck away. I don't think his ego would have allowed him to come to the conclusion to go himself.

[In Fairness]

All this is hearsay, of course. Not that hearsay does not drive the blogosphere. That and ignorance. And malice. Not that Olbermann was nothing if not malicious.

[In Fairness]

Or not.

[BoscoH]

I'm hoping they get Craig Kilborn. He'd keep it light.

[Coke Zero]

They'd eventually just have to replace him with Craig Ferguson.

...actually, I nominate Craig Ferguson to take Olbermann's place.

[some other guy]

no way. Ferguson and Kristen Bell are taking over the Regis show.

[In Fairness]

Can't any of you read? Lawrence O'Donnell is taking over Olbermann's time slot. They'll (presumably) have to change the name of his show, from The Last Word to...what? Snide Socialist Malice? Too soon?

[Coke Zero]

...in your pants.

[Geoff Peterson]

balls

[Lance Armstrong]

ball

[Sheryl Crow]

Took it with me

[MNG]

I really thought Killborn's star was going to rise a few years ago and was wrong I guess. But I also thought Greg Kinnear would be huge one day too...

[BoscoH]

Greg Kinnear is huge on the Lifetime Network.

[Epi]

Also in my pants. But we digress.

[Geoff Peterson]

balls

[Rather]

Epi, Greg Kinnear blows you? Holy shit, is everyone coming out of the closet today?

[Epi]

You want kinky? Episiarch is coming over tonight with a ball gag and cucumber! I told him I wasn't into that and he said relax, it's for him! I told him I still wasn't comfortable with it and he started crying. So I said OK, come on over. I gave him a fake address but I don't feel guilty. I mean, he must be used to it. Right?

[Rather]

lol.
Dear Epi,
you know I love animals, so the only thing i'll pull out of your ass is the tiny sweet gerbil-ask helle to retrieve anything else

[Carpy]

He knows what time it is though... fuck time

[Wind Rider]

The only way this gets better - now that Keith has 'cleared the decks' getting out of the TV gig, smooth sailing ahead for him to campaign to replace Gibbs as Press Secretary, with Olby having delusions that he's the second coming of Tony Snowe. Could be a laugh riot.

[Almanian]

That would be totally awesome.

[Jeffersonian]

I second that. Having Olby behind the podium ranting like Howard Beale on crystal meth would be like Christmas every day of the year.

[heller]

First Leberman announces he will be retiring, now this? WOOHOO!

[heller]

Also so glad he didn't leave when he was suspended, then he would have ridden a wave of popular opinion. Now he gets to go quietly into the night.

[Episiarch]

Hyperbolic men, near hysterics, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light!

[rac]

Winter in his locks
his eyes like slicing daggers
farewell sad asshole

[Rectified]

Once again a voice of the people gets snuffed out by those who fear that the truth will find them out. What died last night was integrity itself.

[sevo]

Rectified|1.22.11 @ 3:14PM|#
"...a voice of the people..."

Yep, all 5 of 'em.

[Mr. FIFY]

Yeah, what a fuckin' knee-slapper. "Voice of the people". It is to laugh!

[Heartbroken]

hmm, you little cunt pickler, I didn't know you were on the down-low. NTTIAWWT.

[hmm]

pathetic...

[Heartbroken]

no shame in what you are baby!

[Nipplemancer]

i haven't figured out who is more annoying, you or OhioOrrin (our newest troll). That you actually take the time to type out whole words makes you slightly less annoying, but your blogwhoring drives me absofuckinglutely bonkers. At least the solitary lunatic was amusing if off-topic. You're just a kosher dill production line.

[Rather]

Nipplemancer, I would insult in return but frankly you are an insignificant poster and I can't remember a fucking thing you have ever said.

[Nipplemancer]

I'd rather be insignificant in your eyes than whore my blog every chance I get. Do you also make kimchi?

[Rather]

Kimchi jjigae.

[sevo]

"No, Keith, they're not gonna go for it at ESPN, or CNN. I'll try PBS, but, hey, have you considered:
http://www.cachecreek.com/entertainment/
I can get you a week's gig, and the veal's good!"

[MNG]

I liked Olbermann on ESPN quite a lot. His Hannity Alter-Ego thing on MSNBC was not to my tastes but it is strange to see him go as I've read he was their highest rated talking head. I have to say from what I've seen of him I prefer him to Lawrence "OMG Rand Paul is going to cause Armageddon by not voting to raise the debt ceiling" O'Donnell.

I don't think it is fair to call him "the state's biggest cheerleader." People like him or Hannity cheer the state where they want and criticize it where they want, often based on who is in "control" of the state at the time. I've seen Olbermann attack the state many times.

[Bee Tagger]

This... for the most part.

I was one of the few that didn't care for his ESPN days. I also find Dan Patrick horribly annoying. And Scott Van Pelt.

[MWG]

"...but it is strange to see him go as I've read he was their highest rated talking head."

He was their highest rated show, which shows you how much of a douche bag he must of been behind the camera to get himself fired.

[hmm]

I think Maddow is close enough to cover the ratings he had. Might have had something to do with it.

[AssiduouslyYours]

I've seen Olbermann attack the state many times.

Yes, but over the past two years for not doing enough. E.g., healthcare didn't go far enough.

[Jeffersonian]

He's cool with boots on necks, as long as they're the right boots.

[nekoxgirl]

Seriously, what is O'Donnell's deal with the debt ceiling? It's all I've seen him talk about since November. He's getting kinda autistic about it.

[Irresponsible Hater]

I can finally stop not watching him now.

[hmm]

It will be interesting to see where he goes, considering the bridges he's burned.

[Hugh Akston]

"Interesting" isn't the word I would use.

[In Tribute]

Keith Olbermann. Worst...unemployed man...IN THE WORLD!

[Rather]

I Guess He Won MSNBC'S Worse Person Of The Week

My blog topic 😉

[hmm]

...and

cunt pickle.

[Heartbroken]

you have a cunt too? I hear they are looking for EMTs here

[hmm]

You really think that's going to work? EMT doesn't equal Medic, you cunt pickle.

[Heartbroken]

No denial? Boo hoo hoo

[YaY]

Welcome to our team

[Rather]

Yesterday, we learned Epi bought a girl's gun, today hmm came out, tomorrow it will be ...?

[a penny a day keep obama away]

rather, you sure attract the mean...

[Epi]

We can't help ourselves. It's a disease. But you knew that.

[luftwaffe]

I love you so much. You are so loved and cared for, PS YOUR BLOG IS AWESOME. Your insightful view of current events and the way that you care, OH, it makes me want to dry hump. Ah, rather, marry me.

[a penny a day keep obama away]

lufty,

I think she'll shoot you down.

[Rather]

do ya think? lol

[Epi, The Greatest Hits]

Do you strive to do exactly what we expect you to do, or are you just as stupid as we think? You sound like a moron. Congratulations.

[dunphy]

n EMT-P is a paramedic. kind of a medic. like in a "para" way.

[hmm]

Thanks, I still have the NREMTP card to remind me of that. Otherwise I might forget the distinction. Go ahead and call a medic an EMT when the service uses both. Just reinforces what a lot of medics think of cops.

[dunphy]

i would NEVER call a medic an EMT. that;s like calling a cop a correctional officer.

although i did win a bet with a medic the other day. guy had pain in his nads, and i said it was probably kidney stones. he disagreed.

it was kidney stones.

life's small victories. btw, i lurv paramedics. when i had severe blood loss they (probably) saved me

[Ted S.]

My mom was a teachers' aide. The union insisted that the correct title was "paraprofessional".

I never understood what the difference was between a "paraprofessional" and a "para-amateur".

[vousy zu?ivosti]

definition:
pronoun - a noun which has lost it's amateur status

[Bill Maher]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t7QIwY1NmY

Here's a stolen clip of Real Time with Bill Maher from last night that was put up on YouTube. He discusses Olbermann's departure with Maddow.

[some other guy]

rachel is a funny name for a boy

[Rather]

"some other guy"

is even funnier for man

[Rich]

As always, best wishes to all concerned.

With all due respect, I'll be co-opting that.

[P Brooks]

I don't know if anybody else has mentioned this; I think Olbernozzle has been dangling from the windowsill by his fingernails ever since the Donnie Deutsch incident.

Some of you will know what I mean.

[Lance Armstrong]

You mean MSNBC not allowing him on their shows because he called olby and shultzy dumbasses?

[hmm]

well that was me owning myself...

[Epi]

Me. I am not making this up.

[Rather]

Nerds are hot-no way that's you

[Epi]

Is so!

[Nor West]

I think this more Rather's type?

http://www.michaelhanscom.com/.....he-photos/

He has a basic, though understated, rugged look i.e. "hot" by Rather's standards. If he let his hair and beard grow he would look like a skinny Braveheart.

.. and I bet if he has one, it's a girl's gun.

[Nor West]

..link fail

http://www.michaelhanscom.com/.....he-photos/

[Rather]

and joke fail too

[heller]

So if it's not a joke... it's true?

[Rather]

fuck off and goodn...fuck off

[heller]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Rectal, comedic genius, strikes again!

[heller]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Rectal, a comedic genius, strikes again!

[Rather]

ah Epi, I looked for the track marks-not you

[Epi]

You only say that because you could not see my bunghole.

[Edward King]

Hey Keith, goodbye and good luck...

[Federal Dog]

The dramatic Olbermann clip makes me laugh every time.

[Fist of Etiquette]

This doesn't mean dramatic groundhog is fired too, does it?

(That's right; I said groundhog.)

[Rachel M.]

Only 80 comments? I (me, myself, what I am, what I reallyreallyreally am) am disappointed. I am your worst nightmare. I am the new MSNBC. Fear me!

[hmm]

In other news, and much more entertaining news.

VIOLENT FUCKING VIDEO GAME!!!

Best video game trailer ever, if for nothing more than gratuitous sex, cursing, and violence.

[Rather]

Best video game trailer ever, if for nothing more than gratuitous sex, cursing, and violence

I'm so glad they are making gay sex video games. Rainbow wishes!

[Hugh Akston]

hmm, you just made my day

[hmm]

Ya, that trailer is all kinds of awesome. Even if the game ends up sucking that trailer will still reign supreme.

[joshua corning]

"I am here to chew bubblegum and kick ass and i am all out of bubblegum'

Totally stolen from the movie "They Live"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp_K8prLfso

[heller]

*facepalm*

The line in the movie is a reference to Duke Nukem, not the other way around...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....g&NR=1

[hmm]

Uh, you realize Dukenukem used a ton of quotes from army of darkness, they live and others? Right? It's a little intentional.

[nekoxgirl]

Hail to the king!

[heller]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE3KdcTgrno

[Brett L]

Shit. Now I don't know who to vote for in the vaporware roundups at the end of the year.

[hmm]

It's supposed to be out in may, hell even they make fun of the huge lag and rumors lol

[hmm]

I didn't know Justin Bieber wore glasses.

[JT]

The only way I could see him getting back on cable is if he did a counterpoint type of show, but actually talking to a conservative face to face is too much for Olby, let alone sharing a show with one. Maybe a comedy news show, but I don't know where that would go.

[P Brooks]

Olbernozzle could take over ABC's Sunday morning show; he wouldn't be any more unwatchable than that odious cow who's on there now.

[JT]

Radio maybe? I don't know. We have an AM talk radio station in my area, but it's exclusively conservatives. But I know there are lefty radio hosts, like Randi Rhodes and Stephanie Miller. But are they actually on anybody's radio?

[hmm]

liberal talk radio, Air America, not a viable business plan

[BakedPenguin]

liberal talk radio... not a viable business plan

Not without government funding.

[NPR]

You know we're right.*

(*NPR gag)

[scallywag]

In the end the media and its pundits will continue their game, beef up their cheering squad team and come up with the occasional human interest story while a comatose America sits home and wonders to itself why the country is going to the dogs and there is no one left to offer a subjective discussion, irrespective of idealogical dogma of what is actually going on in this nation, what it means and how we arrived at that moment.

Instead we will all be resigned to pointing fingers, applauding Hollywood stars who resemble action heroes with perfect haircuts and jawlines and the commiserating the continued liberties of this nation and those brave enough to inspire and engender said discussions. What a bloody shame.

http://scallywagandvagabond.co.....olbermann/

[BakedPenguin]

I think he should form an "odd couple" comedy duo with Bob Barr. Then they should tour Haiti until they're both brutally assaulted.

[joshua corning]

i bet Fox picks him up

[vousy zu?ivosti]

[exploding_head.jpg]

[hmm]

Not enough market. They don't want him. Juan williams draws more viewers than Olbermann with none of the headaches.

[joshua corning]

Glen Beck did not have that good of viewership before he came to fox.

Fox is a king maker.

[hmm]

He did for his time slot.

[vousy zu?ivosti]

perhaps he'll be replaced by a golden voiced drifter?

[BoscoH]

You know you love it!

[Greg]

How is it even possible that I searched for "FART" on this page and it came up empty?

[Geoff Peterson]

. . .in your pants

[Cartman]

The Comcast jews showed Olbie the door. The Jews have taken over the Interwebs!

Comcast: Jewish Communications Giant
http://www.truthtellers.org/al.....ernet.html

[vousy zu?ivosti]

Haha... Oh wait. You're serious... Let me laugh even harder.

[Mr. FIFY]

Oh, how sad.

Okay, I'm over it now.

BTW, does this give Ed Schultz any kind of bump? As in he won't threaten to "burn the place down" level of gratification?

[SIV]

This thread is a useless pile of shit.

As always, best wishes to all concerned.

[hmm]

I can think of at least one use for a pile of shit.

[Mr. FIFY]

MediaMatters brings the stoopid:

by Macaco (January 22, 2011 12:44 am ET)
33
I say good riddance Keith. Hopefully Maddow, Hannity, and Beck are next.

by soze169880 (January 22, 2011 12:49 am ET)
22
What has Maddow done to warrant being fired, other than being a lesbian and therefore terrifying to you?

[We're fucked...]

...people are actually SAD about this.

The pussification of America continues!

[It gets worse...]

...there are people out there that considered Olbermann too far to the right.

[Mr. FIFY]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....dded#at=55

[Rather]

entertaining 🙂

[wingnutx]

Olbermann's new theme song.

[vousy zu?ivosti]

we prefer this version

[vousy zu?ivosti]

Fernando Verdasco has a Christiano Ronaldo vibe. I hope Berdych destroys him.

[Steve in Pittsburgh]

Some of you and your bickering is off the charts.

As far as Olbermann is concerned, I'm trying to figger out where he might end up next. I can't see CNN hiring him.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

I only care in that I am just curious enough about random shit to even read an article about him; but my understanding is that he has a non-comp clause for an unspecified term

His only options would be print, blog-whoring, or something like satellite radio. Or NPR, I guess.

[Thorbie]

I'm not so sure about that. They did hire a disgraced prostitute loving Governor. Although, the main reason I can't see CNN hiring him is because they clearly are trying to hold on to their 4th network status of boring shows with terrible hosts.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

No-comp. Competition clause. If he takes a job with another TV news outlet, he is in violation of his contract. MSNBC doesn't have to pay the settled-upon payout on the current contract, and they can sue him.

[heller]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Rectal, a comedic genius, strikes again!

[Anonymous Coward]

As always, best wishes to all concerned.

What you should have done is wished Keith luck in his "future endeavors." The "future endeavors" line is the verbal form of taking steel wool, Ajax, and rock salt to a man's genitals.

[Deen Jerry]

LOL, all I can say is adios and good riddance.

total-anonymity.edu.tc

[J.Williams]

Fox should do something bold and fresh. Hire Ubermann and put him in a cage with Wild Bill.

[Mr. FIFY]

A fight to the death on both sides?

[Fatty Bolger]

Breaking: Fox News Hires Olbermann

[Lynn]

Oh, what a shame!! Honestly, I think that's too bad. There is NOBODY better than Keith Olbermann to represent crazy, effin, lunatic statist liberals. Seriously, his kind of sickness needs to be on display and everyone of his fans needs to be marginalized and discounted for their perverse need to force their loony versions of "utopia" on everyone else.

[Chris Taus]

Keith Olbermann is brilliant and brave. He stood up to all the lies from the right wing. He was a celebration every night that we saw and heard this amazing man. He will be so missed until he appears again. Maybe with the press for the current President Obama?