Keith Olbermann taps Michael Moore, Ken Burns, Richard Lewis for ‘Countdown’
Keith Olbermann has enlisted a motley crew for his nightly Current TV show "Countdown with Keith Olbermann": director-slash-agitator Michael Moore, comedian Richard Lewis and documentary filmmaker Ken Burns have all signed on as contributors before the show's launch on June 20.
"I'm delighted and honored that so many of my friends -- who are not coincidentally among the top progressive and entertainment voices in the country today -- will be joining me as contributors to 'Countdown' on Current," Olbermann said in a statement. "I hope these talented individuals, and the others we are to announce in these weeks before the premiere on June 20, will give viewers a sense of the strength and depth of the franchise we're assembling."
Which leads us to wonder: What is Burns doing with this provocateur crowd?
Burns has never hidden his political beliefs -– he once gave a speech called "Why I Am a Yellow Dog Democrat" –- but his PBS series usually make subtler points than Olbermann, a man whose own PR team calls him "one of journalism's most provocative and outspoken voices." Sure, Burns will rally for the national parks, but it's hard to see him calling some national-park-hater "The Worst Person in the World."
Then again, Burns did make that "Baseball" series for PBS, and we all know how Olbermann feels about that subject. If Burns can spare a little rage for Olbermann's favorite teams, we'd love to see these two throw down.
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Keith Olbermann will debut new "Countdown" on Current TV
-- Melissa Maerz
Photo: Keith Olbermann. Credit: Peter Kramer / Associated Press
Erm, not to be picky, but wasn't Ken Burns been a regular guest on the MSNBC Countdown show that Keith Olbermann hosted ?
Posted by: Richard | May 11, 2011 at 03:43 PM
Apparently you weren't watching Keith Olbermann back when he was on MSNBC. Ken Burns has appeared on Keith's show, "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" for the last five years.....
Posted by: navoff | May 11, 2011 at 03:50 PM
Wow 3 of the biggest losers on 1 show!!!! I feel sorry for the 8 people that will watch this train wreck!!!!
Posted by: Mike | May 11, 2011 at 03:51 PM
You of course ARE aware that Ken Burns has been a guest on Keith Olbermann's show many many times over the last five years right? If being friends and a colleague of someone for YEARS is a reason, then there is your apparent reason for why Mr. Burns would be contributing to this "motley" crew.
Posted by: Angie Lotto | May 11, 2011 at 03:52 PM
You do know Ken Burns has been on Countdown before, right?
Posted by: Alex Cortez | May 11, 2011 at 03:53 PM
um. motley? really? You do know that Ken Burns was a frequent guest on Countdown when it was on MSNBC, right? And why all the hate toward Moore and Lewis? yeesh.
Posted by: Richard | May 11, 2011 at 04:00 PM
I find it ironic and funny that somebody writing a blog called "Show Tracker" hasn't tracked the very show they write about enough to know that Burns has appeared on Olbermann's previous incarnation of "Countdown" many, many times over the years. Glad to see Burns is on the lineup; I find him one of the most interesting and well-spoken individuals around.
Posted by: Robin Black | May 11, 2011 at 04:11 PM
Gee Melissa, what are you supposed to write about exactly? You don't seem to know much about TV or politics. Does the Times now have someone on staff just to throw around vitriol ? You seem to have a good handle on that. "Motley crew"? Really?
Posted by: garyk | May 11, 2011 at 04:22 PM
8 people? Keith must of picked up a few viewers from his first show.
Posted by: Dwins | May 11, 2011 at 04:22 PM
Lets get it going. I really miss Keith. That's right. I'm a bleeding heart liberal.
Posted by: Rick in CA | May 11, 2011 at 04:30 PM
Well, Moore will get fatter every time he appears and one will wonder will he drop over from heart attack.
Burns will bore you with tales of great things from the past and a few made of facts on the past and present.
PBS Baseball was awful when it come out and is laughable now.
Lewis will tell you he is a drunk and still thinks Lettermen and Leno are funny, but he should have a sitcom again or an HBO Stand Up special.
Current TV is where PBS goes to die.
Posted by: John Mcaluney Jr | May 11, 2011 at 04:38 PM
The difficulty with 'Taking Heads' TV and 'Talk' Radio aimed at Progressives is, of course, that the Liberal Left don't really need cheerleaders to tell them how or what to think, or polemicists to affirm entrenched opinions.
As much as I might have liked to, I just couldn't get into the Air America concept of 'our' Rush or Anne or Glenn. Bozos are bozos, and it doesn't much matter if a particular Bozo is for or agin' one's own political or cultural beliefs....
Posted by: Egads | May 11, 2011 at 05:43 PM
What kind of Yellow Journalism is this? A complete hatchet job; baseless, clueless, unsupported by a single fact (other than the names of the contributors), and of no value to any reader - just the ego and agenda of a FACELESS, NAMELESS provocateur (to use your term).
SHAMEFUL, UTTER CRAP.
Posted by: Joe Roberts | May 11, 2011 at 06:40 PM
Hey Keith, why not add Rosie O'Donnell to your selection of Michael Moore. Twin Osama supporters raving about his lack of a fair trial. Are you kidding me Keith, giving air to Michael? I personally was a big fan of his until his latest rant on unfair treatment of Osama. Man. Take any position contrary to public sentiment and win a TV spot.
Posted by: Cleo Reddy | May 12, 2011 at 08:10 AM