Olbermann Rules

One of the most frequently asked questions I get as a critic is what do I really think of Bill O'Reilly?

This is because I wrote a book titled "The Man Who Would Not Shut Up: The Rise of Bill O'Reilly," a biography published in January by St. Martin's Press. While it is not an authorized biography, he did give me 29 interviews anyway. I had such access because O'Reilly is from Long Island, and I was the media critic at the Long Island paper Newsday for 35 years. It was a great honor, apparently, for him to be asked questions by somebody he grew up reading every morning.

All of which makes me the world's leading O'Reillyologist, more sensitive to changes in the most loved and loathed journalist on cable network news.

I should explain further that O'Reilly off the air is different than on "The O'Reilly Factor." I'd ask him one question, and he would talk for 10 minutes. Having a conversation with O'Reilly is like trying to take a drink of water from an open fire hydrant.

One of his shortest answers occurred the day I asked him what he thought of Keith Olbermann.

"Countdown with Keith Olbermann" is the rival show on MSNBC at 8 PM. It was the 19th attempt by MSNBC to compete in the ratings since "The O'Reilly Factor" debuted in 1996.The eighteen earlier ones had failed.

Olbermann has been at war with O'Reilly since he went on the air March 31, 2003. A regular feature of his news hour has been O'Reilly winning Olbermann's Worst Person in the World award, a bronze medal (worse), a silver (worser) and a gold (worst). Bill O'Reilly had the distinction of winning all the medals on a single broadcast (the night of Nov. 30, 2005). As of June, he had gone gold 57 times.

O'Reilly had been above the battle. Where he usually loved to get into media food fights, with epithets being thrown back and forth, which the media threw more oil on the fire by covering, he made an exception with Olbermann. He never mentioned Olbermann by name, preferring to identify him as "a notorious smear merchant."

"He'll be fired by the time your book comes out," O'Reilly assured me. "His ratings are awful. He's been last in his time slot for years. When CNN's Headline News is beating you, it's pretty bad."

I faithfully recorded his prediction as O'Reilly's Boswell, a term the New York Times Sunday book review used in praising my work.

Apparently, this hasn't exactly happened as O'Reilly projected. As I explained in my cover story in The Nation issue of Oct.9, Keith Olbermann is on the rise. While MSNBC is traditionally ratings-challenged, Olbermann's ratings in July alone had shot up 88% over last year. Not only hasn't he fallen into the Sixth Dimension and disappeared like his 18 predecessors, Olbermann is now recognized by everybody (except O'Reilly) as the first real threat Fox News has ever faced at 8 o'clock

I didn't want to tell Bill any of this. He has enough on his mind these days trying to get untangled from his Bushonian and pro-war positions.

I am worried about O'Reilly.

When I began studying him he was a semi-demented TV newsman, who rudely interrupted guests in debates, giving them the last word, which he also interrupted, but lately he seems to be losing it.

As an O'Reillyologist, I could see it happening more easily than the normal viewers who couldn't watch O'Reilly without their blood boiling and wanting to tear his tongue out and burning him at the stake -- and that was before they would punish him.

One night I was stunned to learn from the O'Reilly show that "a national underground network of pink pistol-packing lesbians is terrorizing America." Violent lesbian gangs are a growing problem, the segment began. All across the country they are raping young girls, attacking heterosexual males at random. The story told me more than I ever wanted to know about pistol packin' Lesbos who carried 9mm. Glock pistols, colored pink.

Nobody else had the lesbian gang story that day, as far as I could tell. Presumably, it was what used to be called in local TV news during sleaze sweep periods "an exclusive." Because nobody else wanted it. But this was national television with three million or so viewers who may, or may not be, permanently terrified by the thought of lesbian gangs with pink pistols.

O'Reilly had originally caught my eye for his investigative stories that were well researched and that needed doing. But suddenly he was spending a lot of time on conspiracies like the plot against Christmas and his other favorite topic, how the media was out to get him. Basically, he is a total narcissist, with paranoid tendencies, like Imus and other big TV names. But something else was happening.

Aside from his story selection, his previous strength was his interviewing technique. Mini-debates were the core of the show. You need two sides -- at least -- to make a debate. Even if they were on his side, if the guests were off 1%, he now would jump all over them. "Your Alger Hiss! And you're lying!"

He just seems to go berserk more often now.

Forget the important issues. Even his personality has changed. I was dumbfounded earlier this month when he was interviewing Tony Snow, his former colleague at Fox News, about his post-White House future, and the exchange went something like this:

O: So what are you doing next?

SNOW: Maybe a book. Or lecture circuit. I'm going to try to earn some money for my family.

O (snickers): Well, you're never going to earn as much as me.

That may not be the exact language, but the sentiment is right. He had to tell Snow how much money he makes. He would never have done that in years past. He just never bragged about his money. Probably because he feared people would ask for loans. He is a very frugal person, as my book explains at great length.

Frankly, I can't listen to him anymore. As much as I praised the early O'Reilly, I think he's gone nuts. Between the fight with Geraldo, the weekly culture quiz and the body language segment of the show, he has jumped the shark.

It may even be a physiological problem. Could it be an undetected tumor that is short-circuiting his brain? Unfortunately, he has a great fear of going to doctors. So we'll never know.

On the other hand, it's no great loss since I have Keith Olbermann at 8 o'clock now. As I explained in my Nation cover piece, Olbermann's style of journalism is changing the face of TV news. He is the first competent newsman, who is smart, articulate, with a sense of humor, an understanding of pop culture, with the guts to have opinions about important issues that he has the courage to stand by, or at least sit by, on the air.

I am so enthusiastic about Olbermann's skills and his evolutionary potential that in The Nation piece I even suggested CBS hire him as the replacement for Katie Couric on the evening news, which is failing now even worse than Dan Rather.

It is time commercial networks news, I argue, ended the sham of so-called "objective news," which never really existed except in the minds of Cronkite purists using the faux theory to cover their asses when under attack for the opinionated essays delivered by Murrow on the early CBS News shows.

Olbermann is the next Ed Murrow, I predicted, the way the idea-impaired CBS News brainiacs could degauss themselves of all past mistakes

Doing a variation on "Countdown" every night might shock the CBS 54-to-Dead demo evening news viewers for a while, make a certain number of pacemakers fratz out. But Olbermann is the key to getting "The CBS Evening News" out of the ratings dungeon, where it's been locked up for the last ten years.

For more on my constructive free advice I gave to CBS News, catch The Nation's Oct.9 issue.

Comments

[author1]

Mr. Kitman, I saw you for the first time on Keith Olbermann's show this evening Sept. 27,2007. You've made my short list of heroes (and believe me it is short). I was trying to think of gifts for Christmas 2007. Your book on Bill O'Reilly is definitely the one for all my loved ones except a cousin of mine who worships the ground O'Reilly walks on. Thanks for telling it like it is and for appreciating Keith Olbermann who also happens to be on my short list of heroes.

[PADDYWHACK]

I know you are an expert on O'Reilly,but that's like,not very fulfilling as you say.I don't know if he really thinks like he sounds or is just doing it for the money.Eith­er way,if you gave him an enema you could bury him in a matchbox.H­e makes me cringe because he uses words he can't spell or pronounce and often mispronounces others,in addition to his lies.Olber­man is in a different league.

[Norm]

Hilarious. Simply hilarious. Thank you, I needed that.

[Wilbur]

While I am a faithful viewer of "Countdown," I do have some gripes about it. The "fluff stuff," i.e., "Keeping Tabs" and "Oddball," are getting way boring. And I would agree with others who say that K.O.'s select list of guests needs to be expanded.

But what really makes me uncomfortable with K.O.'s show is his continued use of one Geralf Posner as a supposed informed, informed guest. Posner has distinguished himself as the person who has written books that whitewashed the assassinations of John Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Also, he has done numerous political flipflops vis-a-vis Dubya. He first supported (supposedly) Gore in 2000, then wrote an article in 2001 (post 9/11) in which he said he was wrong to support Gore and that Dubya is "the man." Now he rails against "W." And K.O. acts as if Posner is credibel and has something to say. That one thing has made me just a wee bit suspicious of K.O.

Wilbur

[exoevolution]

Keith is the best thing to happen to the news business since Tom Paine & Edward R Murrow!

A dozen Keith clones would be America's best hope to overcome the "corporate" owned talking heads, that only speak for the super rich & the corporations.

Keith is someone that fights for & believes in the three most important words written in our constitution, "WE THE PEOPLE".

[Apples]

Keith Olbermann is not without his faults, but the show is easily the best and most entertaining news program on TV.

He is articulate, to the point, and passionate. He often tackles subjects worth exposing that are not reported elsewhere. True, the same pundits tend to turn up, but their journalistic knowledge and editorial acumen are not to be scoffed at. These traits alone are worthy of their regular inclusion. However, I would like to see more challenging viewpoints rather than those in continual agreement.

The 'softer' showbiz elements that constitutes the number 1 story of the countdown can sometimes let the show down, plus the guest's sarcastic remarks passing as humor in this section are just begging for attacks from Olbermann's critics. And not every 'Special Comment' is a home-run, but when he hits the target, which is more often then not, you feel like declaring 'Bullseye' as loud as you can.

'Countdown' has now become my nightly 6pm news (on the west coast we get the show earlier). If NBC ever considers moving Olbermann's show from cable to regular programming and leaves it intact without editorial interference - with perhaps the exception of that troublesome number 1 story with comments from Michael Musto - it has my vote of confidence. And what better way of leaving Bill O way behind?

[splastershoes]

You know, the best part of Olbermann's "Countdown" is when he identifies FLAT OUT LIES propagated by blow hards on television and corrects them for his viewing audience. I still remember the entire O'Reilly debacle where he chided Gen. Clark about actions from US Soldiers in WWII. Boy, that really got me. I was so furious and it really made me smile when Keith called him out on it. Instances like these give me a glimmer of hope for the future of TV "news" - opinionated or not.

[Aunt Shecky]

Baseball season is just about over, and after the last out I'll probably watch "Countdown" with Keith. But that show is so enjoyable that I feel somewhat guilty-- I keep remembering what I read about blurring the line between news and entertainment in the book
"Amusing Ourselves to Death" by the late NYU professor, Neil Postman. The book was published nearly a decade ago! Still, this society really needs satire, like that of Keith and Andy Borowitz, for instance.
And Marvin Kitman -- his writing is so literate that he sent me (cheerfully) to the dictionary -- to look up "degauss."

[RHR]

I am a huge Olbermann fan. It is refreshing, for once, to see some truth on TV News - - even if it only reflects the viewpoint that I agree with.

BUT - - Keith is very guilty of feeding his journalist guests with extremely leading questions that don't really require a response from them. There is no room for disagreement in his forum, and lacking healthy debate renders the show into back-slapping puffery-land.

I'm not saying he needs to include Ann Coulter in his bevvy of regular guests, but Keith's view should be challenged more on a regular basis.

He is at his best when interviewing someone like Ken Burns. Despite the fact that it was part of a promo blitz for PBS, the segment drew out orignal thinking about war in general and the parallels and differences to our current Iraq fiasco. It was (finally) a breath of fresh air.

Also, anyone beyond Jonathan Alter and the usual gang would prove to be very refreshing.

The same line-up of interviews on a daily basis is growing VERY stale, especially as Keith feeds them his cues inside his queries. These segments have grown positively robotic and I find myself flipping the channel rather aggressively these days.

I believe the old joke goes that when journalists have no one else to interview, they interview each other.

Keith may be drawing all sorts of new viewers with his well-worn style, but to bring up a point he launches almost daily, he is ignoring his base...

I would also add that oftentimes Olberman's "Special Comments" border on the ridiculous. I do appreciate his passion but his vocabulary-laden tirades (filled with icy stares and clenched jaws) quickly remove the credibility he has worked so hard to achieve. Ease up on the caffeine, partner.

[Wilson33]

Amen, I couldn't agree more. He is way more lopsided with his views and guests than anything Fox News. I know the hatred for Fox runs deep because it displays a different lens to view news, but that is why it is thriving and other media outlets are tanking.

The liberal drivel gets old and he the SAME guests on EVERY night.

And Olbermann is way more pompous and blowhardish than anyone on Fox. Have you seen is "Special Commentari­es." He arrogance is sickening.

[ihavenobias]

It only SEEMS way more "pompous and blowhardish" because you disagree with his presmise before he opens his mouth.

And that's fine, but you're comparing ONE liberal show host to an ENTIRE NETWORK.

And again, even on his OWN network, there are more conservative show hosts. Which reminds me, in addition to Tucker Carlson and former republican senator Joe Scarborough, MSNBC's war correspondent is (drumroll) Pat Buchanan.

[splastershoes]

I find it humorous that you claim he is more lopsided with his views and guests than anything on Fox News. Apparently, you haven't been watching Fox News for maybe the past 4 years or so...One other thing, he doesn't claim to be "fair and balanced." His entire show is basically dedicated to being a panacea to FNC's reicht-wing propaganda machine. As far as his arrogance. Yes, he is intelligent. So at least his "arrogance" is backed up with a demonstrable trait of sorts. Something completely unlike our own President's arrogance. And for the other person disagreeing with Keith's choice of specific, poignant vocabulary for particular situations: ME SOWWY, U NO LIKE HAWD WORDZ!
Seriously though. You're going to bash someone for using appropriate and powerful vocabulary to convey specific emotions about passionate topics? Please. Should he "dumb it down" for the Fox News fans? Or is it merely perceived in your head that education = arrogance?

[Wilson33]

Olberman is a mean spirited hack. He literally creates his "news" program from the Huffington Post. His ratings may be on the rise, but they are still dismal...v­ery dismal.

He is a conspiracy theorist and a left wing, pissed off, bitter man who hates Bush.

Just last night I was watching him and he stated that our intelligence services supposedly know what is being said in Germany, Iran and other countries using the wire tapping, but that they don't know what is being said in Congress. I almost spit my drink out because he basically just said what Bush has been saying all along, we are not listening to Americans. They shouldn't know what Congress is saying since they don't tap Americans!

And is pompous, smug face that he makes every time he poses a leading question to his left wing guests...i­t's laughable.

Where is the balance? I have NEVER seen an oppossing view point on his show. He has liberal media heads come on and basically agree with everything he says. At least O'Reilly has both view points on his show.

Keith Olberman was a sports reporter and now, just because MSNBC gave him a job, he tries to pull himself off as a "hard news guy."

Pathetic.

[ihavenobias]

Actually, a couple of weeks ago Olbermann beat O'Reilly in the 25-54 (or something like that) demographic.

And like I said before:

1. I'd rather have that than have him book a polar opposite only to mock and intimidate him (O'Reilly anyone?).

2. We get hear the people that (usually or always) disagree with him all day, every day. This includes the entire Fox News channel(obviously), but also Glenn Beck and even hosts on his own network (Scarborough and Tucker Carlson, etc).

[Wilson33]

And that makes it OK for him to have fellow Kool-Aid drinkers on his show with no oppossing view points? Isn't that what debate is all about.

And yes, O'Reilly sometimes shouts them down, but only after they are heard. At least the viewers can then decide where they fall.

To me, it only proves that Keith is a scared baby who KNOWS that his conspiracy theories would be shot down by any intelligent dissenting person.

[frankifrost]

Bill O' is a carnival barker;
don't insult Olbermann by mentioning his name in the same breath with that misanthrope.

[BG23]

What with the goons in power now: I hope Keith has a food taster & car starter! and the awful part is; I'm not kidding.

[chazmara]

I'm a retired High School teacher,now I can listen to a person with integrity and honor!
A person who does news with passion and honesty.
I thought those days ended with Walter and Murrow. Thank goodness for MSNBC.

[realitytrumpsbull]

I wish ALL reporters would go back to the 5 'w's, Who, What, When, Where, Why, and
drop a lot of the opinion segments. Just be
honest, and tell people what's going on, and leave the fan-dance out of it...

[kroses98]

I want Keith to run for the Presidnecy. We don't have a candidate who "tells it like it is," as does Keith! They all lie and pander, and pretend and obfuscate! Not Keith! He "tells it like it is," and everyone knows where he stands! He is breathtaking and refreshing, and his "Special Commentaries" are even better than were Murrows. Which candidate is better than he? I challenge any of you to tell me! But I won't believe you, because you would be lying, since it is Keith who is the best and the brightest of them all, bar none!

[AnaFromTennessee]

You are correct...­there is no candidate better than Olbermann. As stated above, "He is the first competent newsman, who is smart, articulate, with a sense of humor, an understanding of pop culture, with the guts to have opinions about important issues that he has the courage to stand by, or at least sit by, on the air".

Keith Olbermann is truly a breathe of fresh air in the news media. His spot on 'special comments' are riveting, those comments are what brought me to be the huge fan of Olbermann that I've become. Keith has even brought my normally manly husband to tears...af­ter hearing one particularly movintg special comment, saying "God bless that man". To understand what a big deal that is you'd have to know my husband, I've seen him with tears in his eyes only twice in 40 years.

After listening to the sheep that the mainstream media have become, Olbermann's star is rising and I for one am proud to be included as one of his constant viewers. In times such as these we need as many Olbermann's as we can get. If I have to listen to another Sean Hannity clone I might just have to kill myself.

And he's great to look at as well. Hell, if I weren't too old I'd love to be an Olbermann groupie.

[JacktheBlogger]

It won't be too long before Keith Olbermann overtakes the Loofa in the ratings. And, when that happens Fox Noise, as Keith is wont to say, might just pull the plug on "Oh, Really!"