Keith Olbermann on his MSNBC Countdown show Monday night announced he is temporary suspending his “Worst Persons” segment. At this writing, the video has not been posted on his website.
What I discerned is that despite some waffling, Olbermann indicated placing the segment on hold is his way of lowering the cable news hysteria panned by Jon Stewart at Saturday’s rally for sanity in Washington D.C.
He said “Worst Persons” was never intended to be a political hatchet machine but one to expose stupidity and hypocrisy (my words, not his) in our society.
He also said dropping the segment is unilateral and doubts his competitors (Fox, in particular, which is killing him in ratings) would do the same in lowering political rhetoric and hyperbole.
He said a decision will be made later after viewer polls are taken whether to bury the segment permanently.
Actually, I always considered “Worst Persons” as one of his best segments because I, too, detest pomposity, stupidity and hypocrisy which most of the time it exposed. Over the past seven years when I have watched Olbermann’s show, I tolerated, especially the “Oddball” segments and some of his snarky rants, just to watch Worst.
To produce three worst persons five days a week for six or more years would be a producer’s nightmarish challenge despite the wealth of material on the hustings.
Perhaps it was the repeat offenders — almost the entire cast and crew and owner of Fox News — that Olbermann finally decided was too much road kill even for him.
I, for one, will miss “Worst Persons” and I hope Olbermann reconsiders.
(Photo courtesy washingtonnote.com)
Jerry Remmers worked 26 years in the newspaper business. His last 23 years was with the Evening Tribune in San Diego where assignments included reporter, assistant city editor, county and politics editor.