Olbermann should have a half-hour show

[MonkeyFunk]

I know he wasn't on tonight, but the lineup is the same. A half-hour of decent news, then Michael Musto, who's never been funny or entertaining in his life, then Maria Milito to discuss American Idol (and poorly).

5 minutes on pop-culture? Sure? But half the show? Regularly? Ugh.

[tularetom]

1. Yeah and no worst person in the world either

And no pokes at billo.

[MonkeyFunk]

2. The billo stuff is sorta fun...

it's a feud, and people like to follow such things. But it should take 5 seconds of the show.

[DURHAM D]

5. I think they have stopped doing the worst person bit

when KO is not on. No one else call pull it off.

[montanacowboy]

3. I agree

when he starts that tabloid stuff I turn it off; I would suggest a whole hour of KO without the bullshit

[LTR]

13. MSNBC mandates that, I believe

I can tell Olbermann doesn't like talking about Britney Spears and whatnot, but it seems like his bosses want him to mix it up.

Nonetheless, he handles that stuff pretty well, with the right amount of sarcasm. Actually, it kinda makes the show what it is.

If I want all hardcore news, I could catch "Democracy Now" on the cable access channel here. But that puts me to sleep. Part of the reason "Countdown" works is that it has a rather light edge to it.

I think the only thing that would kill it is if he did like the other cable news hosts do and put on screaming pundits (one from the left, one from the right...). Those shows are far worse than the tabloidy shit. And I'm thankful Olby doesn't do that.

[Supersedeas]

21. the Corporate suits want to frame the entire show as "Oddball"

[wildbilln864]

14. yep! n/t

[Lex]

4. I guess the stupid stuff keeps a lot of viewers tuning in who wouldn't

otherwise tune in if it was all news. :shrug:

[MonkeyFunk]

6. maybe

but even I, a gay man who loves celebrity gossip, thinks his show does it really really poorly. Michael Musto has no business being on TV. He doesn't even belong in print - he's just not witty, insightful, funny... he's just terrible. Milito sucks, too, and 7 minutes on Idol is just a waste.

[DefenseLawyer]

7. Well they still have to sell soap

I tend to switch after the first couple of stories, but those stories make it worth my while. I understand that they are trying to appeal to a cross section to boost ratings. I guess I don't quite understand your logic though: You like the first half and don't watch the second half, and your suggestion is for a half hour show? If you only watch the first half anyway, why do you care about the content of the second half of the show? It seems to me that for you (and me) it usually is a half hour show, so why spoil the "fun" for people that like Michael Jackson Puppet Theater?

[Captain Hilts]

8. Agree. A half hour of high intensity Keith and forget the rest. nt

[Robbien]

9. I expect MSNBC would require all the pop culture be included

whether it was a half hour or sixty minutes. At least with it being sixty minutes, we get some real news along with all the celebrity news.

[likesmountains 52]

10. I'm with you...I tape the program and usually don't watch the last half..

[Bucky]

11. Bear in mind that the 18-34 demographic is slightly different than the MonkeyFunk demographic

It's a business. Let 'em pay their bills. It's still the only show on TV consistantly critical of White House spin.
.

[MonkeyFunk]

12. That's my objection...

being critical of the White House doesn't excuse the 30 minutes of crap.

Yeah, I agree with KO this year. But when a Dem takes over the White House next year, what's his gig? Will it be attacking the White House, or attacking republicans?

I just don't understand the adoration for KO when half his show is the worst of celebrity gossip. And I don't hate celebrity gossip - I just think his show does it very very badly.

[shimmergal]

15. I always thought the celebrity and kooky stuff

was the price he had to pay for being able to do the news the way he does.

I too, often let the grandkids switch to cartoons after the first half of the show. Problem with that though, is that occasionally Keith has a really hardhitting news feature--or one of his Special Comments--at the very end of the hour.

[sutz12]

16. I think you're right....

He used to label segments "An item my producer is forcing me to air" or something like that. He doesn't say it any more. I think he signed a "don't criticize the producer" clause or something.

[Berry Cool]

17. I don't think he signed any clauses.

He still complains with regularity about the fluffy segments, especially the American Idol segments. I don't think you will ever see them go, because his producers do force them on him. I could do with less of some stuff, but I don't need an hour of hard news from him either.

In any case, the show shouldn't be judged by how it looks when he's not on it. And with the AI season finale coming up this is definitely not the time to be questioning how much AI is on it. At least that will soon be over.

[Vinca]

18. I disagree. Keep it as it is. You have to lighten up at the end of the day.

My only complaint is I wish he was on in Tweety's time slot because by the time Keith comes on I've seen the stories in one form or another about 6 times already.

[KharmaTrain]

19. By 7PM I'm "Newsed Out"

After watching talking heads and spin doctors and corporate stenographers ramble with what is called "News" all day, Olbermann is a breath of fresh air at the time he is on...transitioning from the ugly world we have to deal with and clean up along with some laughs and a nightly reminder we need to "lighten up" or we'll all go crazy.

I generally only watch the first half hour...until Oddball and then I'm either off to another White Sox victory or whatever the Discovery Channel or PBS is up to. He gives a "last word" on many stories and the Countdown format works very well in putting some sense in all the crap that's flowed from the past 24 hours.

IRC, Keith did do a solid hour when Countdown began and the ratings were trashy. One thing Keith has done that has helped both his ratings and status with the network is to draw a younger, hipper audience. It's the goofy shit that draws them in...and hopefully informs people who usually aren't tuned into the News.

Yes, I am no fan of Musto or Maria Malito or any of those promotions for Faux Network shows...but that's the final 5 or 10 minutes. All things considered I'll take any amount of what Olbermann is doing over what was there previously. Also, one of his special comments makes up for any and all of his silliness.

Cheers...

[MagickMuffin]

20. Here's a suggestion

How about emailing the producer with a lobbying campaign?
Maybe convince them to do a segment with a title such as Rapping with your Rep

It could be along the lines of The Colbert Report's Better Know a District. I think that would appeal to any number of ages, especially with KO's wit. Just a thought on the subject, because I can't stand the last 10 minutes, I would hate to see him squeezed into 30 minutes, which is really only about 22 minutes....

Also Keith started doing his commentaries as the ending segment, I can't ever miss that.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

22. I Disagree. Olbermann Should Have An 8 Hour Show.

We need more of him, not less.