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

Keith Olbermann will debut new 'Countdown' show June 20 on Current TV

 
 
Keith Olbermann, the controversial "Countdown" anchor who abruptly departed MSNBC in January, will launch his new show on Current TV June 20.

"Countdown with Keith Olbermann" will air weeknights and will feature Olbermann's views on news and politics, Current executives said.

The new show will be one of the most high-profile ventures for Current TV, the little-known cable outlet founded by former Vice President Al Gore and legal entrepreneur Joel Hyatt.

Specific details about the series were not disclosed, but Hyatt said that Olbermann "will be back, speaking truth to power and calling them as he sees them."

Mark Rosenthal, chief executive of Current, added, "The show will combine familiar and popular features with some new elements that we can't wait to unveil. We're creating a great platform for Keith's style, which includes a very sophisticated digital presence for him that we think will appeal to his very enthusiastic and active following."

-- Greg Braxton

Photo: Current TV ad for Keith Olbermann's new show, "Countdown With Keith Olbermann." Credit: current.com

Tweeter's Digest: The week in TV tweets

What better way to look at the events of the week than through the eyes of TV personalities?

This week, Joe Jonas celebrates the Super Bowl, Keith Olbermann celebrates his new job, Howard Stern celebrates his new Twitter feed. Meanwhile, Dr. Drew defends Lindsay Lohan, reality stars collide -- and actors keep an eye on Egypt. See them tweet after the jump

— Joy Press
twitter.com/joypress

Current explores 'user generated' TV with the new series 'Bar Karma.' Should professional writers be worried?

Producers of a new television drama airing Friday night called "Bar Karma" derived the show's concept, characters, setting and back story from thousands of contributors to a website over the past year.

Their pay: zero.

They do, however, get to see their names in the credits if their ideas are chosen to be in the show's episodes.

Even so, "Bar Karma" has a full array of veteran script jockeys, casting directors and set designers. That's because it still takes pros to bring polish to a show that mainstream audiences will watch.

Albie Hecht, executive producer of the show and the former head of Nickelodeon, said the concept is supposed to be a collaboration in which an online community generates ideas, which are then handed off to a team of professionals. The result would be something that neither could come up with on their own, Hecht said.

Why bother at all asking audiences what they think?

"This is a generation that isn't watching TV," Hecht said of the show's target audience of young adults ages 20 to 35. "They're watching a screen. And they're pulling up whatever it is they want to see. Collaborating with them helps ensure that we create what they want to see."

So Hollywood and New York writers can breathe easy. For now.

Current TV, the cable channel airing "Bar Karma," is holding a contest on the show's website to hire a new programmer. On "Be a TV Programmer Challenge," contestants are invited to use Bar Karma's StoryMaker software, created by game designer Will Wright, to come up with five to 15 scenes of what their first day at work would be like. The winner would get a six-month stint at the channel's offices in New York or San Francisco as a TV programmer -- and a $40,000 paycheck.

Breaking into television never seemed easier. Read the L.A. Times feature on "Bar Karma" here.

-- Alex Pham

Photo: Screen shot of an online promotion for "Bar Karma." Credit: Current TV