Is Olbermann’s snide act on MSNBC the future of TV news?
Via LAT
Is Olbermann’s snide act on MSNBC the future of TV news?
By Howard Rosenberg
Former Times Television Critic Howard Rosenberg, a Pulitzer Prize winner for criticism in 1985, will be writing occasional commentaries about news on television and the Internet.
It seems like a couple of centuries since His Holiness Pope Walter reigned as God’s deputy on the airwaves. Even longer if you think about leave-’em-laughing funnyman Keith Olbermann.
The leer, the smug histrionics, the relentless needling, the shameless self-puffery, the accusatory rants excoriating Bushies and other Republicans as well as cable competitor Fox and its temperamental bully, Bill O’Reilly. And, of course, the comedy.
“Countdown With Keith Olbermann” is the bean ball between “Hardball With Chris Matthews” and “Verdict With Dan Abrams” in MSNBC’s weekday lineup. This trio has spent the election season heckling Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton from deep inside Sen. Barack Obama’s hip pocket and hammering Sen. John McCain since Day One.
>Read the rest at LAT.
Hmm… more negative views of Olbermann… from places that used to be staunchly in his corner.
As will all media personalities, as soon as you get popular, more people talk about you… knives ready. But I wonder if this new wave of negativism directed towards Olbermann is something he’ll be able to handle. His past history says he’s quite temperamental, and doesn’t mind burning a bridge or two… so enough of this negative stuff, and he might retreat to a safer venue (read: Air America).
I can’t remember another time when so many mainstream negative articles came out with the finger solely pointed in Olbermann’s direction… and while we know he loves being talked about, he can’t be enjoying this at all.
Comment by ImNotBlue — June 7, 2008 @ 10:49 pm