Joan Rivers On Keith Olbermann's MSNBC Exit

In an interview with the Huffington Post, Joan Rivers talked about a wide variety of things, from the "Tiger Mom" controversy to Michelle Obama to her new reality show. She also addressed the recent, sudden departure of Keith Olbermann from MSNBC:

I think, seriously, that's ridiculous. I think that the more controversial that a show is, the better. And we all know it's about numbers, so I don't understand that because I understand his numbers were terrific. You know, if Hitler came back and got good numbers somebody would say, look, he's changed. That's number 1. But I think maybe you don't know the real story behind Keith Olbermann. Maybe he was partying with Charlie Sheen and they just want to get him off before that comes out.

To read the full interview with Rivers, click here.

Comments

[Libb Cabal]

05:53 AM on 02/09/2011

Ah-HA!! I had my suspicions about KO and Charlie Sheen from Day #1.

[LouP1]

05:03 PM on 02/02/2011

"I understand his numbers were terrific" Um, no Joan they weren't. In fact, Olby was bleeding viewers in the last few months before his departure, especially in the 24-54 demo.

Olby is gone because he fancies himself smarter then his bosses where ever he has worked. The brass at MSNBC simply got sick of constentanly butting heads with their employee, and coupled with his mediocre ratings, both decided to part ways.

[Bobotheclown]

03:35 PM on 02/02/2011

She's a survivor and anyone who has been around in the public eye as long as she has, has learned a few things. Instead of the snarky comments on the way she looks (it's the only way she could get and keep a tv gig at her age) think about what she has to say. She says that it doesn't make sense that a network gets rid of its number one ratings draw on its number one show unless there is something going on that we don't know about. Mr. Olbermann has been paid to stay off television for six months and to not ever talk about the circumstances of his departure. There is something there that NBC does not want to come out. Its not just that he is a voice of the "left", he was making a lot of money for the management of the "right" and I think money always trumps thin skins. And if differences of opinion was the reason he left why did MSNBC leave three leftist commentators in his place? Something else is going on and she can smell it.

[Libb Cabal]

05:57 AM on 02/09/2011

INDEED. Great post!

KO was the heart and soul of MSNBC's liberal/progressive programming.

When MSNBC lost KO, they put Lawrence "mr. meh" O'Donnell as their "center" of their nightly programming.

I can see no other reason except that MSNBC had to get rid of KO as part of the Comcast deal. Naming "mr. meh" O'Donnell as MSNBC's "center" of nightly programming was the card that showed their hand.

We have RINOs and DINOs. Now we have LINO--liberal in name only--programming from MSNBC.

[waynesmyer]

08:02 AM on 02/09/2011

Does anyone see the crude hand of Rupert The Red-Nose in the firing of KO????

[Bobotheclown]

08:31 AM on 02/09/2011

Good point. RINO's, DINO's and LINO's, it seems that our media (entertainment) industry has found a formula for ratings. Just like Hollywood studied which movies found a natural audience and then cloned them, creating the concept of "genre", television has seen that people like to watch programs that echo their own political views, so they have created political genres to fill that need. It is easy now to see that Mr. O'Donnell is the perfect foil for this approach. He says all the right things and lefty viewers hungry for closure will gravitate towards him. He only lacks passion, creativity, and the integrity to actually standup for his beliefs. He may not advance the cause of progressives but he will get the ratings that MSNBC is after. But this is also the story of the right. True conservatives who care about small government and balanced budgets only have Hannity and Beck to turn to who are only conservative in the sense that they voice opposition to liberal ideas, but they do it as clowns, never really intending to produce change. They are rabble rousers because that is the formula that has drummed up ratings in the conservative back woods. They will say anything that they think anybody in their audience might want to hear, anything no matter how ridiculous and extreme, because they do not for a second believe that what they say matters. And it doesn't. They are CINO's making money playing their side of the big game.

[jerryfromcalifornia]

11:18 AM on 02/02/2011

Didn't read the article, who cares what she thinks or says.

[Bubba Gump]

04:13 PM on 02/02/2011

If you didn't care to read the article, who cares what you post?

[pahpah25]

11:08 AM on 02/02/2011

RIVERS is good example of what voodoo can do for you.......she passed 6 years ago, yet here she is............

[cowsandsheep]

01:17 AM on 02/03/2011

You so dumb!LOL

[rudolphjones]

01:02 AM on 02/02/2011

go away Joan. U are no longer funny. Just bitter and twisted

[Libb Cabal]

05:58 AM on 02/09/2011

How about this? YOU go away from any media content that has to do with Joan Rivers and go find your own choice of media content that suits your needs, and don't sweat it about Rivers and the people who are interested in what she has to say?

[NSeagle78]

12:58 AM on 02/02/2011

Now those comments are funny.

[Rambrewster]

12:52 AM on 02/02/2011

The woman is 78 and in the public eye. I'd venture to say that the same people who criticize her for her plastic surgery would be harping snarkily about her wrinkles and sagging skin had she let herself age "au naturel." I suspect hat Ms. Rivers knows that she couldn't win either way, and if asked, would say;" F 'em if they can't take a joke."

[Libb Cabal]

06:01 AM on 02/09/2011

People that go for the personal insults are forced to do so because they don't have any valid criticism.

[dkinton49]

10:54 PM on 02/01/2011

Ms Rivers looks like the Joker that Jack Nichelson played in the Batman movie, but I don't think she is nearly that smart.

[CharlesD]

09:39 AM on 02/02/2011

But she's rich and having fun! Ha, ha, ha.

[wmramlal]

01:44 PM on 02/02/2011

dkinton49

F & F

Too true

[deepleftfield]

08:25 PM on 02/01/2011

Not Hitler again! Ms Rivers is reaching Sunset Boulevard status. She STILL punctuates every comment with a greedy reference to money. Is that what makes her continue to go and go and go?

[Ant]

06:22 PM on 02/01/2011

She looks horrendous.

[Ever12]

11:42 AM on 02/03/2011

So do Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. They're still popular, and Joan is much more relevant.

[TheAntiOkie]

01:13 PM on 02/01/2011

Her comment on Hitler is accurate.

[Cogs]

12:44 PM on 02/01/2011

See the film "Joan Rivers- A Piece of Work". Tells an interesting story of a remarkable woman who has survived and thrived.

[Rambrewster]

12:39 AM on 02/02/2011

Indeed. Fie on the haters!

[Michael Ludin]

10:52 AM on 02/02/2011

#52. Excellent movie.

[CAMEOCAT]

11:45 AM on 02/01/2011

For once I agree with the old bat!

[m hensley]

08:33 AM on 02/01/2011

Aw, that's cute! She thinks people care what she says outside of Fashion Police.