This is not about the man Keith Olbermann used to be...it's the man he is now, a man I am less enamored with than I once was. To be clear...Olbermann is not a news anchor...on MSNBC he is a commentator. His job is not to deliver the news, it's to deliver his opinion in an entertaining manner, to get ratings for his show. Same as Bill O'Reilly and Glen Beck, just served up 180 out on the ideological view point. Heck...I'm not even sure if any of those three actually believe 100% of what comes out of their mouths. From a theoretical standpoint, they are no different than Howard Stern or Tom Lycos...their job is to say the most extreme things they think they can get away with, within the established limits of their medium, at times pushing those bounds.
From a 'real world' viewpoint, it's worse. Being on cable news networks gives these commentators an air of legitimacy that no one would attach to Howard Stern, and some people live their lives by the words that come out of these guys mouths. Sad. While my opinions fall somewhat more in line with O'Reilly and Beck, by now means do I agree with everything they say.
That disclaimer out of the way, I still don't like Keith Olbermann. It started for real for me this past election night. The MSNBC election night lineup was 100% commentators, trying to pretend to be unbiased anchors, failing miserably, and Olbermann was the worst of a bad bunch that night. I have never seen a person posing as a news reporter showing so much personal glee and pleasure at other peoples misfortunes. As it became clear on election night that the Republican Party WAS going to retake the House, he focused on the senate instead, spending about 35% of his time focusing on Christine O'Donnell, who never really had a chance in Hades of winning in New Jersey, tying her in directly as a Sarah Palin proxy...it was
mean, petty and smarmy, and I don't think any of it was an act.
One of Olbermanns main shticks in anointing some someone the Worst Person in the World. Past multiple winners of this award have been Glen Beck, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, and basically everyone who has ever disagreed with him. Last week, Olbermann target a new person: Bristol Palin, Sarah's daughter, a mother and dances with the Stars Finalist. His issue with Bristol is tied to a Public Service Announcement she recently made, where she promotes abstinence, and The Situation(?) is promoting safe sex.
BUT Olbermann points out...Bristol is a single mom, so obviously she didn't practice abstinence, which makes her a hypocrite, which is the worst thing you can be, and that makes her worthy of being The Worst Person in the World.
Really....that is it...being a hypocrite. What a crock. We are ALL hypocrites. Just a retarded reason for picking her as The Worst Person in The World. Bah.
What I liked in the PSA, which I watched, was not the acting, for sure...horrible. Worse than a junior high drama production. In the PSA, after Bristol talks about abstinence, The Situation, whose main claim to fame seams to be well defined abs and a neat hair cut, goes on to talk about condoms also, which is refreshing. I have NEVER thought that the Republican Parties insistence on an 'Abstinance Only' policy was something that made sense. Teenagers are going to have sex. Even(especially?) teenage kids from well-raised conservative family's. Pretending that telling them not to have sex is going to keep them from having sex is the worst from of self-delusions I have seen. Telling them not to have sex, but hey, if you are gonna have sex, use a condom makes much more sense. And might actually work.
So Keith Olbermann, YOU are
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