Keith Olbermann Announces Abrupt Departure From MSNBC
Less than three months after being suspened by MSNBC for not disclosing political donations during last year's election, Keith Olbermann announced during last night's Countdown that the show would be his last on the cable news network.
Olbermann, who had two more years left on his contract, signed off in part with the following:
"There were many occasions particularly in the last two and a half years where all that surrounded the show — but never the show itself — was just too much for me. But your support and loyalty and if I may use the word insistence ultimately required that I keep going."
Rachel Maddow spoke about Olbermann's departure about 90 minutes after his announcement during an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher: "i know very little about it," she said. "All I know is that it was between Keith and the company, it didn't involve any of the rest of us, and he was really gracious and nice when he left."
Comcast is just days away from officially acquiring a 51% stake in NBC Universal, the parent company of MSNBC.
Some reports insist that Olbermann was fired from his job.
Watch the final three minutes from Olbermann's final broadcast as well as a clip of Maddow on speaking to Bill Maher about the surprising news show, AFTER THE JUMP.
Posted Jan. 22,2011 at 3:31 AM EST by Steve Pep in Bill Maher, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow | Permalink
Keith clearly said that he was told that it would be his last broadcast. Also, TMZ is reporting that their sources are saying that he was fired, and that it was because of Comcast.
Doing this on a Friday afternoon just after the Comcast purchase was approved, Rachel is out of town, and springing this on Keith at the last moment clearly feels like a firing.
Posted by: Mike | Jan 22, 2011 3:53:24 AM
Really a slap in the face considering he was their highest rated program and spearheaded MSNBCs left leaning anti-FOX style. He's not hurting for money, but I hope he lands somewhere else and makes MSNBC feel sorry.
Posted by: Brian in Texas | Jan 22, 2011 5:40:15 AM
Keith Olbermann was MSNBC, Shedding light on all the lies bigotry and manipulation of politicians. Their wouldn't be a Rachel Maddow if it wasn't for Keith Olbermann who mentored her and O'donnell. Obviously the merger had something to do with this, me thinks the new execs of nbc are right wing nutcases. Well Keith is huge advocate for gay rights and gay equality. He'll be missed. Thank you keith for giving me life and for all your special comments.
Oprah please get Keith to bring life to your OWN NETWORK,CNN, somebody please god bring Keith Olbermann back on tv immediately. I already miss him. I heart Olbermann.
Posted by: Logan | Jan 22, 2011 6:38:27 AM
'MSNBC thanks Keith for his integral role in MSNBC's success and we wish him well in his future endeavors.'
Whoever the b*tch(s)are who came up with this bureaucratic para-phrase '...we wish him well in his future endeavors' should be assassinated. If you're going to fire someone, even Olbermann who I never watched, at least do it with A LITTLE class and dignity.
Posted by: ratbastard | Jan 22, 2011 6:51:32 AM
Well that didn't take long. Can it really be just coincidence that he departed the same week NBC Universal's merger with Comcast was approved by the Feds? Seems the new bosses wanted to get Keith off the air ASAP. So much for a serious counterbalance to Faux News' evening line-up of Repuggie haters and liars. And, this move from the same cable channel that continues with its Repuggie-lite "Morning Joe" AM show -- one I can barely stomach with its right-wing leanings. I can guess Keith's departure finalizes my need to no longer watch MSNBC. I hope he lands another TV gig soon so his fans can again enjoy his skewering of all the right wingnuttery in this country. Long live Keith Olbermann.
Posted by: HadenoughBS | Jan 22, 2011 6:55:59 AM
And Comcast suks ass big time. I'm even less likely than before to watch MSNBC knowing their Comcast connect.
Posted by: ratbastard | Jan 22, 2011 6:57:34 AM
He either quit or he was fired, and he said he was "told" this would be his last show, so it sounds like he was fired.
Posted by: Jason (the commenter) | Jan 22, 2011 7:07:52 AM
"their highest rated program"
LOL ! High praise indeed!
Posted by: Jim in St Louis | Jan 22, 2011 7:52:45 AM
Kinda creepy that I have to use Comcaat in order to get any TV in my area...as they are a Monopoly! Still can't believe they were allowed to buy NBC... something is very wrong here!!
Posted by: GW | Jan 22, 2011 8:10:52 AM
Keith will be sorely missed. I highly respect him for his no nonsense approach to he issues of the day. He was and is a strong advocate for gay rights and I hope as this door is closed another door is opened for him.
Posted by: Tom N albuquerque | Jan 22, 2011 8:11:13 AM
While at times Olberman can be hyperbolic he is usually on target. He will no doubt land on his feet an in a much better deal. He gave us a great voice in gay rights and also Rachael.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Jan 22, 2011 8:36:31 AM
Keith was a true patriot for the progressive movement. He spoke the truth. He supported gay and equality rights. The gay community could have not had a better "straight" support than Keith.
He is missed already.
Posted by: Quentin | Jan 22, 2011 9:11:26 AM
comcast is ultra repub conservative so.........................
i expect Rachel to "leave" as well
Posted by: mstrozfckslv@yahoo.com | Jan 22, 2011 9:54:54 AM
Many people will argue that Mr. Olbermann was no less of a blowhard than Limbaugh or O'Reilly, but at least the man was coherent. I will always have respect for his impassioned special comment following the pass of Prop 8. I only hope Kabletown won't muzzle Maddow next.
Posted by: homoDM | Jan 22, 2011 9:55:47 AM
After his firing, all of Olbermann's viewers gathered in a phone booth to make plans to express their outrage.
The WOOOOOORST PERSON IN THE WOOORLD got fired. Good riddance.
Posted by: LincolnLounger | Jan 22, 2011 10:58:33 AM
There are trolls and others with limited intellectual capacity that try to strike a false equivalency between Olbermann and Limbaugh, Beck and the warped cadre of right wing loons that currently infest our airwaves. What they ignore, however, is Olbermann provided facts to support his assertions and when he did make an error in fact or judgment, he issued an admission of error and apology as soon as possible. Limbaugh and the other poison toads who shill for the right NEVER would do that. When caught, they play the roll of victim, and a populace less and less capable of critical thinking and discerning fact from fantasy believe them.
Olbermann spoke truth to power. He was an eloquent and intellectual spokesman for the progressive movement. I think he was fired as a result of the Comcast/NBC merger. I predicted that should the merger be approved, Olbermann would be gone and Schultz will be the next to follow. Comcast/NBC will keep Olbermann off the airwaves (at least TV) for a year, maybe two. In the media business, that's a lifetime. I hope, however, he finds another outlet and isn't silenced.
Part of the long term and so far very successful plan of the right wing corporatocracy is to control the message. With the consolidation of media, broadcast, print and eventually the internet, in the hands of a few of America's corporations the circle will be complete. At the risk of someone screaming "Godwin's Law", let me just point out the right has learned very well the lessons taught by the Nazi's in the area of propaganda and acquiring power.
Posted by: Bob R | Jan 22, 2011 11:00:08 AM
To say that Olbermann was not the superior to O'Reilly, for instance, because our corporate masters have been very successful in taking over the country's airwaves with their propaganda, which resulted in his ratings being lower than those of shows on Fox, is to either deliberately miss the point, to be an utter lunatic, a complete moron, or all three.
That everyone in the country wasn't watching Olbermann isn't proof that Olbermann wasn't the best voice on television. In this day and age, it's actually proof that he was. Of course Comcast got rid of him and my very first thought after hearing about it was "Rachel's next".
Posted by: justme | Jan 22, 2011 11:20:23 AM
A gracious good-bye. The real story will come out ultimately. I'm sure he'll land on his feet. Smart, articulate guy.
Posted by: steve | Jan 22, 2011 11:50:55 AM
With the firing of Keith Olbermann MSNBC has lost its class, its intelligence and its courage. To say nothing of his sense of humor. He took the pomposity out of the lunatic right. But apparently that didn't fly with Comcast. I now have no excuse to watch MSNBC. So I won't!
Posted by: Vince | Jan 22, 2011 12:22:56 PM
I have a feeling Comcast had a role in this. I'm saddened Keith has moved on, but as one commenter said over at HuffPo, "Where Keith goeth, I goeth".
Posted by: Rodney Wollam | Jan 22, 2011 12:26:46 PM
First came the SCOTUS "Citizens United" decision making corporations = persons.
Now further media consolidation with Comcast taking over NBC.
Network neutrality will be totally abandoned next (bye, bye Towleroad.com).
The Corporate Dictatorship of the USA nears completion.
Posted by: JONNY NYNY2FLFL | Jan 22, 2011 12:35:57 PM
http://fablog.ehrensteinland.com/2011/01/21/fait-diver-keith-canned-by-comcast/
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Jan 22, 2011 1:00:41 PM
Oops! Ignore that last comment, my fellow queens. I hit the wrong keys on my computer... must be a hangover. So what else is new? I actually love Keith Olbermann... yeah, he's a brilliant guy, and he's a great TV personality, but damn... I'd hit that till the cows came home!
Posted by: LINCOLNLOUNGER | Jan 22, 2011 1:06:12 PM
So now what? MSNBC is going to bring more balance to news by getting rid of their lefties and becoming another right-wing outlet to compete with FOX?
Seriously, this bodes very ill for journalism in this country. The right will have digital media, the left will be stuck far behind with a portion of the print press...
Posted by: Andalusian Dog | Jan 22, 2011 1:07:57 PM
Keith will be just fine. Sanctimonious posturing and whiny pseudo-intellect always finds a market, just look here at all the buyers of that load of horse crap.
Posted by: Jim in St Louis | Jan 22, 2011 2:03:07 PM