Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

There's bad blood at MSNBC (Kaplan-Olbermann catfight)
NY Daily News ^ | 8/10/05 | LLoyd Grove

Posted on 08/10/2005 3:24:43 AM PDT by jimbo123

It might be a good idea for Keith Olbermann and Rick Kaplan to give each other a wide berth until things cool down.

I hear that MSNBC staffers in the Secaucus newsroom-studio watched in horror Monday night as the volatile Kaplan, the president of the cable outlet, publicly laced into the eccentric Olbermann, anchor of the 8 p.m. show "Countdown," after the latter eulogized lung-cancer victim Peter Jennings with a graphic rant about his own cancer scare.

Olbermann - a former pipe and cigar smoker - is said to have looked stunned as Kaplan raced onto the set and shouted at him after he signed off.

Olbermann had urged viewers to quit smoking and repeatedly mentioned "spitting blood" and "spitting globs of myself into a garbage can" while discussing his bout with a benign tumor in in his mouth.

I'm told that Kaplan erupted angrily and at length, calling Olbermann "out of control" and "not to be trusted," and accusing him of driving away viewers from the 9 p.m. debut of Kaplan hire Rita Cosby's show, "Live and Direct."

Kaplan - a friend and former ABC News colleague of Jennings, and a frequent cigar smoker - apparently got even angrier when Olbermann suggested that the reason he was upset was that "this is about you."

I'm told that the anchor quietly asked the news exec to move the discussion to a private location, but the enraged Kaplan wouldn't hear of it.

"I don't care if you don't come to work tomorrow," Kaplan told Olbermann, according to my spies.

Olbermann - who yesterday defended his much-criticized remarks on Jim Romenesko's media gossip Web site at www.poynter.org - did come to work, but he didn't return my phone call.

Kaplan told me: "I'm not going to discuss it. It's between me and Keith."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: countdownandout; olbermann; pmsnbc; rickkaplan; yourfired
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last
Looks like Olbermann's days at PMSNBC are numbered...
1 posted on 08/10/2005 3:24:45 AM PDT by jimbo123
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: jimbo123

Bunch of hopeless fools.


2 posted on 08/10/2005 3:29:01 AM PDT by Huck (Whatever.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: =Intervention=; adam_az; an amused spectator; bert; BlessedBeGod; BlessedByLiberty; Blurblogger; ...

+
FReeper
Cigar
Aficionado
Based on an amused spectator's list
Send FReepmail if you want on/off MSP list
The List of Ping Lists

3 posted on 08/10/2005 3:29:42 AM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123

When you're playing for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays of 24 cable news there's probably not a lot of options out there.


4 posted on 08/10/2005 3:30:04 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123

But Kaplan was fine with the Diebold conspiracy line.


5 posted on 08/10/2005 3:30:32 AM PDT by Semper Paratus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123
Olbermann's a nut-case. I'm not surprised.

Kaplan's no dummy, he can see this Leftie has hurt (killed) the time-slot and now looks to drag any chance for resuscitation down with him (lack of lead-in).

Maybe they keep him on for publicity (like this).

Why would we care about MSNBC otherwise? Funny, I thought they were off the air anyway... Ha Ha!
6 posted on 08/10/2005 3:30:36 AM PDT by Barney59 (I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123
accusing him of driving away viewers from the 9 p.m. debut of Kaplan hire Rita Cosby's show, "Live and Direct."

Kaplan is hinging his rating hopes on ... Rita Cosby.

I mean, c'mon.

7 posted on 08/10/2005 3:34:20 AM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123
Kaplan. . .apparently got even angrier when Olbermann suggested that the reason he was upset was that "this is about you.

Keitih's offers a typical 'almost right' Lib response and misses the real mark. . .

. . .more to the point. . .Keith's 'eulogy'; was all about KEITH and in the grossest of terms; it seems.

Watching NOT. . .of course; but had I been; I would have definitely 'moved on' (which is what I usually do, should I happen to catch Olberman waxing on ANYthing, for that matter).

8 posted on 08/10/2005 3:42:29 AM PDT by cricket (color me. . .Republican)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Barney59
"Why would we care about MSNBC otherwise? Funny, I thought they were off the air anyway... Ha Ha!"

MSNBC does have a few good guys over there. . .somewhere. . .

9 posted on 08/10/2005 3:52:19 AM PDT by cricket (color me. . .Republican)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123
These losers are imploding, fueled by their own impotence.

No viewers, no one cares, no one would notice if the disappeared.

And they know it too!

10 posted on 08/10/2005 3:53:05 AM PDT by OldFriend (MERCY TO THE GUILTY IS CRUELTY TO THE INNOCENT ~ Adam Smith)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123
Kaplan told me: "I'm not going to discuss it. It's between me and Keith."

Yeah, right.

11 posted on 08/10/2005 3:53:14 AM PDT by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cricket

I had actually just tuned to MSNBC to check out Rita and saw him going on all angrily about a bump on the roof of his mouth. I thought it was too much info and really bizarre so I changed the channel.

Was he intentionally trying to sabotage Rita's ratings? He didn't dare do it at the beginning of his own show, so maybe he was. I'm guessing she took a big hit either way.


12 posted on 08/10/2005 4:05:48 AM PDT by spycatcher
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123

Just sounds to me like business as usual @ PMSNBC .


13 posted on 08/10/2005 4:06:12 AM PDT by lionheart 247365 (( I.S.L.A.M. ; ) Islam's Spiritual Leaders Advocate Murder .. .. .. ))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: spycatcher

I caught the tale end of that rant.. He was screaming at people for smoking and calling them idiots essentially.

I was literally screaming at the TV at this douchebag.

Kaplan is on the money.. This definently turned people off.


14 posted on 08/10/2005 4:16:04 AM PDT by Bones and Bones
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: spycatcher
"Was he intentionally trying to sabotage Rita's ratings? He didn't dare do it at the beginning of his own show, so maybe he was. I'm guessing she took a big hit either way."

Wonder the same (this is their 'business' after all) . . .or perhaps; like so many things 'medical'. . .some just get carried away; and no doubt, Rita was not thrilled to see that performance coming at her. . .

. . .I did not see Keith. . .but 'bumped' into the opening of Rita's show. . .but still moved on . . .

That said; I do hope Rita fares well; but cannot say I miss her at Fox.

15 posted on 08/10/2005 4:18:45 AM PDT by cricket (color me. . .Republican)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: spycatcher; All
"That said; I do hope Rita fares well; but cannot say I miss her at Fox."

. ..and having said that. . .will add that I admired her tenacity and her boldness for going where others feared to go.

Had not realized she had 'departed' from Fox; until I happened to see her over at PMS one evening. . .do not know yet; as I have not watched her; if same talents are being used over at PMS. . .

16 posted on 08/10/2005 4:28:25 AM PDT by cricket (color me. . .Republican)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: mainepatsfan

Kaplan trashed CNN with his uberliberal fun and games act. Now he is sinking the ratings at MSNBC below sea level. No doubt he can hired as the NY Times media expert soon with these credentials. Hope Rita has a blast cavorting with these losers.


17 posted on 08/10/2005 4:31:19 AM PDT by rod1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123
Looks like Olbermann's days at PMSNBC are numbered...

I felt a tremendous disturbance in DUmmieland....as though 65,000 voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced....

18 posted on 08/10/2005 5:18:32 AM PDT by NRA1995 ("People do stupid things...." and I hear the Vonage music playing.....woo-hoo, woo-hoo-hoo....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123
If two losers have a fight in the woods, and no one sees it, is there a winner?
19 posted on 08/10/2005 5:27:51 AM PDT by norwaypinesavage
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimbo123

Sounds like Lou Grant and Ted Baxter. What a couple of idiots. Eulogizing Jennings is dangerous business these days. ;)


20 posted on 08/10/2005 5:30:50 AM PDT by WorkingClassFilth (Please stand by. We are experiencing technical difficulties.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson