Saturday, June 18, 2011
Miscellaneous 82
1) People often ask me, "So, why do you like Lawrence O'Donnell and NOT like Keith Olbermann (the implication here being that they're pretty much the same)?" It's a question, quite frankly, that perplexes me. I mean, yeah, they're probably pretty similar in their political views. But, really, is that the only thing that we base our assessments on lately; POLITICS? I like O'Donnell's personality, the fact that he tends to be at least reasonably fair (he had a guy on who wrote a positive article on Sarah Palin's stint as Governor, admitted that there was at one point a reasonable Dick Cheney, and just recently credited Senator Coburn for standing up to Grover Nordquist), unpredictable, etc.. But, probably more than anything, I like the fact that when he does do a "special comment", a) the person that he skewers generally deserves it and b) he keeps the hysterics, histrionics, and hyperbole to minimum/manageable level (he's not a frigging lunatic/cartoon, in other words).............2) I always find it interesting that the African-American family was able to survive slavery, Jim Crow, and lynching, but it couldn't survive the 1960s. Is it possible here, folks, the we killed it, that entire institution, with kindness?............3) I have no problem admitting that Fox News is biased (hell, folks, it was one of the reasons that I started blogging in the first place). I do, however, think that some of their critics are essentially on automatic pilot now. Take, for instance, that first Republican debate that Fox took part in. Progressives bloggers are spouting off on just how easy the questions were, how the moderators were flat-out biased, yada yada. And it was like, no, that's not how it was at all. The questions were challenging and the presentation fair. And if you don't believe me, just ask Howard Kurtz. Howard Kurtz, folks, is generally considered the Rolls Royce of media criticism and he said that Fox did a decent job. Look, don't you think that maybe we need to be a little more surgical in our criticisms here? I mean, I know that it's human nature to slime stuff with a broad brush and all but, come on! This intellectually lazy construct of saying that every minute of every hour of every show of every employee at Fox somehow represents the devil/evil, I don't know, folks....Cartoon theater, maybe, both sides?
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20 comments:
Olbermann is one of those human cartoons. How can anyone take him seriously at all when he goes on about how someone is the "worst person in the world" for being a talking head on another network who happens to beat him in ratings.
I've caught O'Donnell a few times, and the first time I saw him I was surprised at how reasonable he was compared to Olbermann and the similarly cartoonish Maddow who remains.
Great observation on critics of Fox News being on auto-pilot. I think something similar is going on with the right.
I thought the CNN debate wasn't bad... things to like and things to hate. What I didn't see was any liberal bias in the questioning.
Sure, there was a focus on things like same-sex marriage and abortion, but those are pretty standard in any Republican debate no matter who's asking the questions.
But the feedback on the debate I've seen from the right is "why do we let these lefties ask the questions of Republicans." Like you said, auto-pilot.
What makes you think the African-American family is dead? Also, adversity can strengthen a group through mutual support. Adversity is the most harmful without a support group. A helping hand can pull someone up while neglect just pushes them down further.
My guess is the L.O'D has had more of an established political career than Keith, plus, he just has that aura about him(as much as I hate to use terms like that).
[1] I like Keith Olbermann and Lawrence O'Donnell... and Rachel Maddow.
[2] The African-American family was killed with kindness? I don't know what the hell you're talking about.
[3] I haven't watched any of the Republican debates. Fox Nooz has some actual news on it, but it's ancillary. Their primary purpose is to regurgitate Republican talking points.
The only talking points you find there are in that small part of O'Reilly's show.
There's something not quite right about Mr. Olbermann; the fact that he's always dropping the bomb that he went to Cornell (yeah, and so did Ann Coulter, and Donald Trump went to Penn, and Laura Ingraham went to Dartmouth - his point?), those comical B-caliber movie rants of his (i.e., special comments), a thin-skin that rivals that of O'Reilly (enter irony), the fact that he more closely resembles Howard Beale than Edward R. Murrow, etc.. I don't know, folks, let's just say that the fellow probably needed some time off.
F#@K Keith Olbermann.....one of the best saxaphone players ever just died.A native of Red Bank NJ,the big man Clarence Clemons.
Oh, you're kidding! Loved that guy.
I don't know who Clarence Clemons is... although I just looked him up on Wikipedia and it says he was a member of Bruce Springsteen's band. Was he ever on the Daily Show? As I recall someone from Bruce Springsteen's band was on the Daily Show awhile back. I think it might have been this guy.
Anyway... even though Bruce is a Democrat I'm not a fan of his music.
I've don't recall ever hearing Keith Olbermann say he attended Cornell.
BTW Keith Olbermann returns to television TOMORROW on Current TV. I WILL be watching. I'll catch the Lawrence O'Donnell repeat later in the evening.
Will, remember when you said that Keith Olbermann's "nightmare has just begun", and that "never again will he ever get a format like this; a show in which he doesn't have to debate people [and can engage in] hit-and-run style journalism"?
It appears to me that Keith's new show (which has the same name) also has the same format. So it turns out your prediction was wrong.
Personally I'm looking forward to the return of The World's Worst Person segment. If KO ever included nobodies in this segment my vote would be for Rusty to be awarded "worser" and for Voltron and "Freedom Fan" to tie for "worst"... that is, if they are not all the same person.
I;m not sure that Kieth's new show counts as a show. Or anything. So Will might be right.... almost. It's on a network so unpopular that I never heard of it before WD mentioned it here. Seems less like a show than a one-man echo chamber.
If it is a show, then when you sing in the shower, can you call that a concert?
So the executives at Current TV decided to PAY Keith Olbermann to appear on their network even though they knew nobody was going to watch? Or, perhaps they're just too stupid to realize what dmarks realizes?
Also, Current TV has advertisers... are you saying that anyone would PAY to advertise on a channel (no matter how low the rates) that nobody watched?
And so, for his comment that is an ugly lie, I nominate dmarks for the "worse" position in "The World's Worse Person"...
Although, given his notorious thin-skin, perhaps Keith would place dmarks in the top slot... if he heard this lie himself.
Personally, I plan on watching religiously. And I'm promoting the heck out of the show on my blog, so that should CERTAINLY pump up Keith's numbers.
Also, according to the Hollywood Reporter, industry analysts say "Keith Olbermann Could Boost Ratings for Current TV Tenfold".
One analyst says, "Keith Olbermann obviously was the man who made MSNBC, and he has got a very loyal audience. This is huge for Current TV".
I guess dmarks is one of the industry analysts they chose to ignore.
Speaking of thin skin, WD, you watch Olbermann a lot, right? Ever see the time he made fun of a whole city for staring at a trashbag up in a tree and thinking it was a bear?
"Personally, I plan on watching religiously. And I'm promoting the heck out of the show on my blog, so that should CERTAINLY pump up Keith's numbers."
Yes, If you get Will and me to watch, it will triple the viewership. Good luck!
"I guess dmarks is one of the industry analysts they chose to ignore."
Seriously, let's see if this channel goes beyond its sporadic/regional coverage that it has now.
I'm getting my popcorn and Dr.Pepper ready for tonights show.
What time does it come on? What channel is it on?
The great prognosticator Rusty says KO will say something disparaging about two of the following people Romney,Bachmann,O'Reilly,Weiner,Pawlenty,Christie or Perry.
He's going to increase their viewership 10-fold? From 24 to 240? Seriously, though, wd, how can you watch something that is THAT predictable? It's like watching a B-movie, a Gilligan's Island rerun, tea-water boiling, my cat dragging his butt on the carpet after taking a dump. You totally know what he's going to say. The only mystery is the volume or whether or not his head is going to explode.
Keith Olbermann's next stop: Shortwave radio.
Significantly less predictable than your comment Will.
The Hollywood Reporter says Olbermann got a pay increase (from 7 to 10 million per year) to make the switch from MSNBC to Current. The same article also says that because Olbermann negotiated for an equity share, he could make up to 100 million over the next five years.
Less than then highest paid Conservative pundits... perhaps, but that's sell-your-soul money. Keith Olbermann gets to keep his soul, continue fighting for the people... AND he's making bank.
In any case, I seriously doubt he gives a shit what his critics say.
"Keith Olbermann gets to keep his soul, continue fighting for the people."
The people who agree with him, yes, and form his audience (which is a miniscule proportion of the population). As for his politics, he fights for the State, not the people.
Yes, I don't like him. Why? Because he is a total blowhard. Maddow in contrast is OK.
"Rusty Shackelford said... Keith Olbermann's next stop: Shortwave radio."
Well what next, after you crash out of the bottom of the worst-rated cable news network and end up on an "oh, what's that?" cable network.
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