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

[bach1084]

Calumnying is not a word.

[Armmand]

Calumniating is a word, just not properly spelled in that blog.

[Hallucinocynic]

I'm jazzed that we are actually employing and/or discussing a word like calumny on this site. .

[katlade]

Normally I am not a fan of Ben Affleck's acting ability but he nailed this one. Funny as heck. Especially when he turned completely around on the chair.

[moosetacos]

I love KO. Unfortunately like all of SNL for the past 10 years it wasn't funny which is too bad because it had great potential. I hope it goes away after the election again, that show stinks.

[Snwbnny9]

I didn't really think the skit was funny. Tina Fey's Palin is good. Their imitations of the Clintons and Joe Biden are spot on. But the Olbermann skit was stupid. Maybe it got funnier but I stopped watching after about 4 minutes because I was annoyed instead of entertained. Their Obama skits are usually stoopid too. Except the Obama infomercial one. Solid as Barrack was funny.

[ohioan73]

I love KO. I love how Ben kept spinning around in the chair. Its seemed a little reminiscent of Colbert's opening monologue bit on his show.

[DarkWitch]

So when are they going to do Bill-O? Or Limbaugh for that matter?

[dawlishgal]

Perhaps when they fire Lorne Michaels?

[georgiaR]

They villified Sarah Palin

[timezone]

No, in fact, some of the sentences Fey used were directly taken from what Palin actually said. Palin is a caricature of herself! No one can be funnier (in a scary, ignorant kind of way) then Palin actually is.

[wendoxia]

terrific sketch, and i'm sure keith is smart enough to take the joke as a sincerest form of flattery. i salute hom for being the voice of the true left that he is.

[dajay]

Keith, SNL got you perfectly.

How does it feel to be such a big joke, when you really think you are a big deal??

L O S E R

[cactusgal]

Bill-O, is that a loofah in your pocket, or are ya just glad to see me?

[dawlishgal]

HA!

[crice]

So I also assume that you enjoyed the Palin impersonations just as much, right? For some reason, I think Palin gets much bigger laughs thant eh Keith sketch, which was hilarious.

[timezone]

Keith has his own show with tons of fans. He has a personality, which is what makes his show fun to watch. Because he adds so much energy to his show and isn't bland like so many commentators, he makes him easier to impersonate. He gets attention. People listen to him. I don't call that a loser.

[Blue in NH]

Affleck's spoof of Olberman was great. Keith's laughing heartily at it was even better.

[timezone]

Keith, you're my favorite commentator and are so much better looking and more masculine than Ben's impersonation!

[dajay]

Oh right. Keith IS better looking than Ben Affleck. Yeah, Keith looks like Ben Affleck on cracke.

GIVE ME A BREAK.

[timezone]

Uh, dajay. It's always best to read a whole sentence before replying. NOTE: the word "impersonation". Ben's IMPERSONATION made Keith look less attractive and prissy, which is what impersonations do, right? So I didn't say BEN was better looking, but it was all about the impersonation. Give ME a break!

[MSB]

I love Keith, but I was crying I was laughing so hard.

[Minako]

It seemed to me that Keith got a kick out of watching Affleck's impersonation. We all know Keith's a tough guy and can take what's handed to him a lot better than some pundits.

It wasn't 5 star, but I just about died laughing when Ben Affleck spun around in his chair to face a different camera. Very good play on the special comments.

[TooDarkMark]

If you have the Republican candidate for President mentioning you, and trying to make you a villain, you are doing something right. Thank you Keith for being a hero to the Strong Left. The part of the left that doesn't shrink away from the fight, and the part of the left that wants to fight fire with fire. The little daisies who want everyone on the left to be "fair" all the time, got us trampled.

Imagine Al Gore having the guts to stand up for himself more in 2000? You, and others like you, have led the fight into the right wing and have stopped playing defense. And for that I thank you.

[OgreDaddy]

The turn in the chair had me in stitches!

Good fun to break up all the stress.

[FLMomocrat]

Keith - I love you and have watched you for a long time. The sketch was funny, a bit too long, but funny. Its no secret that you and McCain harbor mutual disdain, that's why their campaign commented on it - especially b/c McCain was on the show. Keith! Relax...

[dajay]

Somehow I doubt McCain actually cares what Keith Olbermann, ex-sportscaster of ESPN, and a news anchor (AND I USE THAT TERM LOOSELY< VERY LOOSELY) on MSNBC, the Obama network, cares about him.

[crice]

Somehow I think that McCain does care. Maybe it was his bringing up Obermann at the dinner he and Obama attended and then again this past weekend.