Olbermann quashes idea of playing nice with O'Reilly and News Corp.

MSNBC personality Keith Olbermann is disputing a report that his feud with Bill O'Reilly, Fox News and News Corp. has had the kabosh put on it. 

On the Monday night telecast of "Countdown with Keith Olberman" (see video below), the liberal cable talk show host blasted conservative O'Reilly, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch and -- hey, go for it, Keith -- New York Times reporter Brian Stelter, who wrote a front-page story in Saturday's New York Times claiming that Murdoch and Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of MSNBC parent General Electric, had persuaded Olbermann and O'Reilly to stop throwing mud at each other.

Olbermann said he told Stelter "on and off the record" that there was no such deal and that he hadn't been asked by his bosses at MSNBC or GE to tone it down. And to prove his point, he went on to call O'Reilly a "racist clown" -- and then ironically criticized Murdoch for trying to muzzle O'Reilly. All three made it on Olbermann's daily honor roll of "World's Worst Person."

The Los Angeles Times also reported on the detente attempt, ahem, ahead of the Grey Lady (but who's keeping score?). Our story was kinda dubious of such an accord, noting that both O'Reilly and Olbermann had continued taking pot shots at each other long after said truce supposedly went into effect in June.

Fox's O'Reilly did not get into the feud on his show tonight. But there's always tomorrow.

-- Joe Flint

Comments

[cody mccall]

You know that thing about 'don't believe half of what you read and one-fourth of what you hear and about ten percent . . . or is it five' . . . oh, well, you know what I mean. It boils down to don't believe ANYTHING. Like the lie that Olbermann and O'Reilly are blood enemies. Pshaw! They're best buddies and are putting on this 'feud' act to drive up ratings. It's all about money, folks, and the higher the ratings the more money that flows to both of them. It's a hoax on you and me. But the lifeblood of American culture is celebrity gossip and that's what 'The Bill vs. Keith Feud' is feeding. And we're buying. While they snicker. Nothing is ever what it appears to be. Will we never learn!

[JD]

Keith Olbermann is to journalism what Hulk Hogan is to professional wrestling. It's hard to make Bil Reilly look erudite, but MSNBC's resident clown prince has done so. Mkes you miss the dispassionate analytical skills of Lou Dobbs...

[Rich]

Keith Olbermann goes miles to make himself look like an idiot. He is a pompous ass and full of himself. Because of these attributes he is rendered totally irrelevant.

[Jake]

Bill O'Reilly is to journalism what Hulk Hogan is to professional wrestling. It's hard to make Keith Olbermann look erudite, but Fox News's resident clown prince (next to Glenn Beck) has done so. Makes you miss the dispassionate analytical skills of William F. Buckley...

[JohnRJ08]

If you're depending on either of these networks for news, you're not only mentally impaired. You're misinformed.

[ed]

Olbermann speaks truth to power like few other journalists. He is a tremendous asset to this country.

[John Sweeney]

Glenn Beck is to political discourse as Jimmy Swaggart was to evangelism.

[Pat]

Keith Oberman NEEDS this "feud". The ratings on that show are pretty awful and he needs something to keep him relevant.
He used to be pretty good on ESPN and seems like a nice guy, maybe he should go back there.

[Don't let 'em wear you down]

On the one hand, in a who's-speaks-more-of-the-truth debate, I'll take Olbermann over O'Reilly any day. On the other hand, I take what they ALL say with a very large grain of salt - except Jack Caffertyy (CNN, formerly of WPIX in NYC), Chris Matthews (MSNBC) and Jon Stewart (yes, Jon Stewart of The Daily Show). Those I take with a smaller grain of salt.

[s]

Any anchor on MSNBC or CNN is just a step up from video taping yourself and watching it with your family

[Ann]

I totally think all the feud is ridiculous! The media is supposed to do its duties obligated to the public. They're working for the public, not for themselves! Why not air something more important to people's lives than those flighting against each other that most people at home in front of TV don't really care?? They're supposed to act like reasonable adults!

http://www.newsy.com/videos/timeout_in_cable_news_feud_or_not

This vdo I found says that serious journalism is fading away with all this feud happening!! This is consequences of not doing journalist's jobs well.

[Terry]

olberman is a guy who never played any sports--collected baseball cards--and commented on sports where he never even understood the game---gave stats but was just a bitter wannabe. Now as a supposed political commentator he wants to belittle women---notice how many times he talks bad about Palin. What a "little man" complex! He's a fraud and a coward---always has to try to put down people, because that's the only way he can feel good about himself--because he does know what it is to sweat or accomplish anything. Sara Palin could whip his butt in basketball, running, politics and honesty. He's a fake and only survives on cowardice and lies.