Keith Olbermann returned to TV on Monday night with the debut of his new ESPN2 talk show "Olbermann."
Although the former MSNBC and Current TV host may discuss other topics besides sports, his new contract reportedly forbids him from talking about politics on the program. But that little requirement didn't stop him from bringing the full brunt of his personality to sports commentary.
In true Olbermann fashion, he started the program with, “As I was saying…” and then proceeded to take a shot at The New York Daily News for its coverage, in print and on Twitter, of New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan's "reckless" decision to put Mark Sanchez into the fourth quarter of the team's preseason 24-21 overtime win over the New York Giants. Sanchez was injured in the game, prompting many news outlets to call for Ryan's ouster. (See video above.)
With a mocking voice and a teaser image of a tombstone noting "REPORTING DIED 2013," Olbermann said: "Reporting is dead, long live making something out of nothing. If you can instigate controversy, if you can sell just a few more newspapers to a world that no longer wants them, all your sins will be forgiven, especially the sin of having just contradicted yourself in that newspaper."
Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the show's set:
The program airs at 11 p.m. weekdays on ESPN2.