Olbermann: 'Worst Persons' Changing Following Arizona Shooting (VIDEO)

Keith Olbermann announced Monday a major change coming to one of his broadcast's signature segment: the Worst Persons in the World.

The "Countdown" host said he would be changing the name of the segment just months after temporarily suspending it in the wake of Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity.

"This ordinarily is where you would see our Worst Persons in the World segment," Olbermann said Monday late into the broadcast. "For more than two months, I've struggled with its value. We suspended it for a time, there was a small clamor to bring it back, and bring it back we did. The segment was born in humor with clear intentions: criticism, sarcasm, satire, calling out, even ridiculing. But a lot of people -- especially those who don't watch the show -- still think that I literally mean, these are the three worst persons in the world.

"There is potential danger in that," he continued. "So the name has got to go. But the purpose — to employ the French philosopher Bergson's explanation that laughter is a social sanction against inflexible behavior — that remains relevant and important and maybe more so than ever before."

Olbermann promised that "a new version of the segment" would be coming shortly.

"No time for it tonight, maybe not even this week," he said. "We have sadder and more sober things to discuss."

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Comments

[elkhornbob]

12:59 PM on 01/14/2011

Reminder to self: criticize the deed, not the doer.

[conservasniper]

10:02 PM on 01/21/2011

when the going gets tough..
have another beer

[Probus]

03:56 AM on 01/14/2011

I hope this segment stays how else will we know what stupid things the republicans are saying.

[BOin08]

08:25 PM on 01/13/2011

'WorstPersons' changing content? Looks like a contributing player's guilty conscience speaks for action. Good for you Keith.

[Epiphany2b]

09:00 AM on 01/14/2011

Apparently not content. Labeling is important, so the title will only be changed. I don't know about him having a guilty conscience . . . perhaps everyone looking to clean up his own act is an excellent thing whether they've been guilty or not. Too bad all the pundits can't look inward, rather than pointing the finger outward. Yes, good for you, Keith.

[Amondale]

07:14 PM on 01/15/2011

I suggest you watch him sometime since your absurdy inaccurate comment proves you're woefully uninformed. Thanks!

[BOin08]

07:53 AM on 01/17/2011

good point- I'll watch and double his numbers

[windyindie41]

07:46 PM on 01/13/2011

I vote for the Most EMBARRASSING Person in the World!!!!!

[RadicalAgent]

09:59 PM on 01/21/2011

and that would be..
you?

[taango]

07:34 PM on 01/13/2011

Here's my Biggest Freak in the World list:

Olbermann.

[RadicalAgent]

09:59 PM on 01/21/2011

takes two to taango

[mynameispaul62]

06:51 PM on 01/13/2011

Olbermann never advocates violence. He even called Hillary out for some remarks she made about Obama in 2008. I thought the whole point of calling out stupidity was to use words and ideas as a tool instead of resorting to violence.

[LiberalOutlaw]

12:29 AM on 01/21/2011

Thank you.

There is a difference between expressing displeasure (or even hatred) towards someone and inciting violence towards them.

[darcylu]

06:30 PM on 01/13/2011

Keith, I will miss "Worst Persons", the haunted organ music and the funny way you end the segment saying 'worst ... persons ... in the wooorrrrrrlllldA!' It is pretty funny, and the humor is never lost on your viewers.

But I will get over it, and I will continue to watch you. If it makes the righties get a good night's sleep, more power to you.

Though I don't know why they care ... they insist no one watches the show. Obviously you and the few of us who watch have way too much power, and we scare them. What will they complain about next?

[darcylu]

06:06 AM on 01/14/2011

I never respond directly to the fox t-roll$ ...

[RadicalAgent]

10:00 PM on 01/21/2011

go right after 'em baby
not sporting
but what the hell

[KarateKid]

06:28 PM on 01/13/2011

How about Silly, Sillier and Silliest Person In The World?

[RadicalAgent]

10:01 PM on 01/21/2011

and then there's the Karate Kid

[Michael Watts]

05:54 PM on 01/13/2011

Yes, Keith, there is a better way to find and describe the absurdity of the actions of others besides (apparently, if not actually) attacking their character with value-judgments. You have done a wise thing and a good thing, even if it causes a drop in your ratings. I applaud you.

[RJPasadena]

05:13 PM on 01/13/2011

The next time Faux entertainers threaten someone's life, I think the FBI should look into it then maybe it will stop.

[luvbeingright]

05:15 PM on 01/13/2011

why not wait for the first time?

[murphysgirl]

04:22 PM on 01/13/2011

I think Keith should take a poll as ask the viewers whether Worst Persons should stay or go.

[LiberalBuzz]

05:02 PM on 01/13/2011

He did and they said to keep it.

[luvbeingright]

05:18 PM on 01/13/2011

he did, 3 were for it and 2 against. the other viewer wasn't home

[Skunkman]

06:37 PM on 01/13/2011

The five watching Kieth were literate the million watching Fox weren't. :-)

[Periwinkle]

03:19 PM on 01/13/2011

But, Keith . . . some of the characters you feature really are the worst people in the world.

[scottpilgrim]

03:42 PM on 01/13/2011

They must be, because they're all conservative talk show hosts with higher ratings.

[LiberalBuzz]

05:04 PM on 01/13/2011

Yes, just how the baggers such as thouself regard truth and journalism. Ratings.

Funny how lying by fakenews gets them higher ratings BUT as has been shown by a recent study they are poorly informed as to the truth of the world around them.

They prefer the "Truthiness" of Fauxsnooze to the real truth.

BUT if you are still going to go by ratings, Spongebob gets higher ratings so I guess if ratings is how you judge what is true, then Spongebob is the man for you.

[davidariley]

05:05 PM on 01/13/2011

never watched the show? not surprised

[freddsky]

01:22 PM on 01/13/2011

Keith is like the parent who makes you envy ophans:

This year there will be Christmas.
This year there won't be Christmas.

Bright, but no fun to tattle to.

[wee weed up]

10:58 AM on 01/13/2011

Keith you might find this funny...It's for the Journalistically Challenged types, not you of couse.

http://cfif.org/v/index-mc1.php?cartoonMonth=2011-01&start=MediaGuideForTheJournalisticallyChallenged.jpg&nr=0

[2lib4oh]

10:24 AM on 01/13/2011

Does a since of humor have to be defended today?

The Right isn't smarting from hurt feelings.They are being manipulative and insincere as always.It helps if you have a background in mental health to recognize the nasty manipulative games that are being played by Fox news.

[LiberalOutlaw]

12:34 AM on 01/21/2011

I am working toward a degree in psychology and I can't figure out what is going on in the heads of the Fox news folks.

It makes me wonder if I should reconsider my major....

But even if we could figure out how to resurrect Freud, he might even be scratching his head....