notes from the department of "I'm going to hell"

[rm]

I could listen to Keith Olbermann talk about teabagging all day.

Comments

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

Well, to my mind at least, a sizable part of Olbermann's whole gig is about being O'Reilly's reflection. He's "our" angry pundit v. theirs. Which, you know, doesn't leave a lot of space for credibility so much as being a rallying point and a starting point and a counter. I'll venture that Olbermann seems to be more honest than the O'Reillys and the Cavutos of the world, but he's probably not going to be the best primary source.

It serves some purpose, but it isn't always news. Maddow and Cooper are a lot sturdier in that area, and more reliable.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Yeah. It's just... under Bush, everything was so crazy, there was a certain reliability to Olbermann, because everything was worthy of that level of outrage and disgust. But without an administration that despicable, he has to play gotcha with Fox in ways not really related to politics, and I just don't care! Which makes me sad.

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

I suspect it's been an easier transition for people like Jon Stewart -- who can shift their focus around and kind of mock at will because that's their role -- than it's been for Olbermann. He's got a real and useful position, but it doesn't need as much defending right now.

Which, you know, is good. Just not for him.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Also, as much as I adore him, I will never forgive him for in his gay marriage rant explaining that he didn't have a horse in the race and it didn't even affect any of his friends.

Um... Rachel Maddow?

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

It's the old "straight but not narrow" thing. He said valuable, useful things, but that was kind of a grit-your-teeth moment. It's like, "Yeah, thanks well-meaning ally. It's always helpful when you distance yourself from us filthy, filthy queers."

Of course, now I'm amusing myself by imagining a behind-the-scenes rapper-style feud between him and Maddow. They could have posses!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Hahahahaa. It's like the walk-off in Zoolander!

I thought the angle at which he came at it from was useful. As the big, straight, vaguely uptight white-guy in that performance, he was potentially persuasive. But everyone knows he's chummy with Maddow and everyone knows she's a lesbian so both that, and the depth of his emotion on it, made it one of those really odd WTF? moments for me.

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and Olbermann has to be Owen Wilson because of his (Olbermann's) sports commentary background. Plus, Maddow could totally pull off those cheekbones.

For what it's worth, it really did seem to strike a chord with most of my straight/married friends. I don't think they even noticed that moment as much as they were like "YES!" to the "What is it to you?" angle. It was really interesting to see how people for whom it's a social good but not a personal issue responded differently.

And really, I was glad for it overall. It's hard to overstate the awesomeness of overtly straight, married people on the teevee telling the world that they're supportive. If I were prince of everything, though, and had a little crown and could make the whole world right, though, there would be edits called for. Again with the credibility.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Olbermann is legendarily single (which may account for the strenuous "no horse in the race" angle), FYI. But yes.

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

Argh. You're right. He's partnered, but not married. Duh.

Way to not know what I'm talking about, me.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Oh, I didn't even know he was with anyone. Subconscious hope apparently does spring eternal. heh.

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't exactly have my fingers on the pulse of Olbermann's personal life (obv.), but Wiki claims it's so.

It's like Schrodinger's Girlfriend. Until proven, she both does and does not exist.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Hahahah. I just googled her. The Internet is cruel and evil.

And that is all I have to say about that.