Keith Olbermann Reacts To "SNL" Sketch, Proves Palin Altered "SNL" Script

Keith Olbermann reacted to the "SNL" sketch in which Ben Affleck portrayed him as a cat-loving pompous freak Monday night, and also to a report that the McCain campaign was "tickled" by the sketch.

He had previously told Time's Ana Marie Cox, "Honestly, everybody deserves a laugh but if on the weekend before the presidential election they spent more than seven seconds bothering with ME, the campaign staff has even less of a clue than I thought." He had also blogged at DailyKos about the incident, saying:

In terms of my whole career I really haven't been doing this that long (1997-98, 2002-date) but don't presidential campaigns have more to worry about on the day before the election than me?

Am I misunderstanding? Aren't two breaths spent on a sketch done on Saturday Night Live, two breaths not spent calumnying Obama?

Monday night, Olbermann continued with this "Who, me?" line of attack, but also brought evidence — in the form of cue cards — that Sarah Palin was scripted to compliment Tina Fey for her impression when she appeared on SNL but ad-libbed and left the line out.

Watch:

Comments

[dbushik]

I thought the first five minutes of the sketch (that was something like 7.5 minutes total) was dead. The last part with the Special Comment on his cat was funny. That last part was insightful in pointing out what is absurb about what Oberman does. The first five minutes just wasn't funny. What little they did get at in that part was also addresed in the second part, so really there was no need for it. That sketch should have been edited down to just the Special Comment, and as a whole it would have been funnier.

[Kkak]

Just loved it and I loved what a great sport Olbermann was about the whole thing!

[forthepeople1]

I watched a TV interview with Chevy Chase. He was asked about the skits on Saturday Night Live, and asked if he thought the poking fun of any one candidate, was a negative for them at the polls, and if the public viewed them as such and it affected their voting. His answer: YES! He said of course. He was also asked if he was a Gerald Ford supporter at the time. And Chevy Chase laughed and said NO, heck NO! He said I was for Jimmy Carter of course I was... and then laughed.

He said that when he was on the show, doing Gerald Ford skits and making fun of his blunders, he believed it helped him lose his bid for President. Chevy Chase was also asked if he was a Gerald Ford supporter at the time. And he said: "Hell-O No! So, he was asked if he thought the stints and skits with Palin was going to result perhaps in the same negative reaction at the polls as the skits primarily emphasize her blunders...and gaffes.

He gave a LOUD WICKED laugh and that didn't actually say yes, BUT it did say YES!!! And winked.
LOLOLO!!!

[carrieanna]

miss precious perfect!!!!!!

ben affleck is so awesome!

[OneArizonan]

Some valid observations. I agree the skit was funny briefly, but then became repetitive and over-the-edge. I also agree that if Obama wins tonight, the world will appear to me a better place.

I enjoy Olbermann and I appreciate the counterpoint he provides to Republican and conservative hacks, but, like the Affleck impersonation, he sometimes reaches too far. I ignore the Oddball segment altogether, and the Worst Person segment is getting old already.

[U5122]

I love Keith, I just discovered him during this election I will definitely keep watching.

[BartLA]

Oh, so if Palin did diss Fey. Alaska threw Palin a big victory party. Boy do they loathe her (I mean love her). PICS:

http://thebruceblog.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/pics-alaska-throws-an-off-the-hook-party-for-palins-victory-return-home-boy-do-they-loathe-her-i-mean-love-her/

[mlaiuppa]

I watched the SNL election countdown on Monday night. The only bit that fell completely flat was Palins. Anyone else notice that it wasn't funny at all? Revoke NBCs license. That's not funny. That's a threat.

[Myshkin57]

Yeah... that wasn't funny. It was actually scary. Did you notice that the few laughs from the audience were forced and awkward?

I think it was mostly the delivery. She doesn't seem to have a sense of humor about herself. She's just a mean, nasty person.

[rhetoricdog]

WERE there any laughs at all???

[menyc]

Countdown to 2012: Miss Pretty Princess V. Spaghetti Cat

[timetorevolt]

I watch Keith because he was the first to openly contradict the lies that W and company has been spewing for the last eight years. There are more pundits now showing some balls but many were afraid to tell the truth because they didn't want the right wing to call them traitors. Keith was the first to show some real balls... Plus he is entertaining and funny while speaking truth to power.

I will continue to watch him ..because he will not always agree with Obama and will not be afraid to voice his disagreement and that's what we need.

[nootrope]

palin even went rogue on the SNL script, lol.

[soameshaley]

Keith likes to put his spin on things. Sometimes he is funny other times he just looks like a fool...

[ebanks84]

Keith doesn't spin. He tells the truth. That's something most of the rest of the MSM needs to learn how to do.

[WritusMaximus]

Keith does at times spin, like one time claiming as victory getting higher ratings than O'Reilly three weeks out of ten in a given time period (duh,he lost seven out of ten), like being highly selective by stating that he won a day here, a day there but not by total # of viewers (yup, lost that battle also) but with this demographic group, that demographic group, etc.,

[mk20051]

I wish everyone wouldn't take this skit so seriously. I watch Countdown, along with Hardball and the Rachel Maddow show every night and thought the skit was hilarious! Ben Affleck kind of looked like Keith and it cracked me up how he would turn around in his chair just like Keith does. Ben Affleck is an Obama supporter, so I am sure that he didn't do the skit because he doesn't like Keith Olbermann.. Everyone just calm down.

[ebanks84]

Affleck's skit was done in good taste and was supposed to be funny but it wasn't, not to most of us anyway. But Keith isn't complaining and neither am I and a lot others. What are you talking about?

[alicetilden]

I seem to remember that last week Keith said he had helped Ben Affleck with the impersonation. He seemed to enjoy it. I absolutely love Keith and I thought the skit was hilarious. It was done by someone who likes him, not someone who hates him.

[BillMelater]

Olbermann took it pretty well. But I think he fosters some resentment with trying to pin some other silly things on SNL.

There was rumors a couple weeks ago that Obama was going to do SNL just before the election. I guess he just wanted to leave well enough alone in that regard. McCain was more than willing to fill in it seems. I thought the McCain QVC skit was hilarious. It did not change my vote, however, as I am fully aware of that was trying to be accomplished in his appearance. Others, however, might have been swayed.

http://billmel8er.wordpress.com

[noamjunior]

a pretty tone-deaf skit- got some of Olbermann's mannerisms right but missed any real humor.
Olbermann picks on himself just about every night, so it is hard to parody someone with a dry, self-repreciating sense of humor.

[Myshkin57]

I thought the skit was so-so. I don't think it would have been that hard to make fun of him. They just needed to get it right and THEN exaggerate. They did the second part, but not the first.