I’ve been keeping up with the love fest going on between Gawker and Keith Olbermann.
I’ve been keeping up with the love fest going on between Gawker and Keith Olbermann. They’ve been exchanging pillow talk for the last week, when former Olbermann employees began sending in tales from the Countdown crypt.
In a back and forth with Keith and various Gawker/tipsters, what’s been revealed (besides what we’ve already learned about Olbermann’s penchant for public displays of diva-ism) is that he is a fashion disaster. I know attacking someone on looks is really a mean-spirited grade-school variety of playground bullying, but honestly sometimes one’s shoes really says a lot about one’s personality.
One of four pairs of Vibram FiveFinger Running shoes, Keith wore while sitting (not running or even walking) in the MSNBC studios. Although Keith claims never to have worn orange, only black!
Gawker gossip aside, this recent trip to the laundry began with Olbermann’s twitter-tantrum with his Current TV bosses (e.i. Al Gore and Co.) Apparently Olbermann was left out of GOP caucus coverage by his new network. And being the star of the channel, he took his gripe straight to the twitter-verse. An aside, Olbermann is now an equity partner of Current, on track to make close to $100 million over the next five years. lets pause for a moment right now.
When rich guys complain, do you:
A) tune out
B) Become infuriated at sexism, 1%-ism, white-man-privilege-ism
C) write a blog about it
D) Realize we all live in alternate multi-universes
I just wonder what Current was thinking? You hired a primadonna! And with most weak parents, the crying screaming kid stomping their web-toed shoes usually gets his way—in public. This week Current has conceded to Olbermann’s request to be lead anchor of the GOP coverage, from now on.
I find this all so fascinating because on balance Keith Olbermann is one of the only voices to the left that advances political dialogue. He stands with the gays! I mean, remember this and this.
He fast tracked Rachel Maddow’s prominence into the pundit-sphere… Although he hasn’t spoken to her in a year, since he got the axe from MSNBC, telling the Hollywood Reporter, “There were lots of people who were forced to choose sides. And particularly in Rachel’s case, I didn’t want to add to the pressure on her already. The last thing I need to do is be calling her up and saying, ‘How’s that Michael Steele working out for you?” 
You wonder why can’t this guy just hold his tongue? Is diarrhea of the mouth just the other side of brilliant oratory? Or is it just the paradox of “genius”? Smart people can be real dumb at the same time.
I read (actually listened via audio books) to the Steve Jobs biography, and it seems Jobs was the same kind of character, people either loved or hated him. He had moments of pure genius and success and other moments of pure failure. He was cruel and/or inspiring. I’m just wondering if you can’t have one without the other, or maybe its all in degrees?
I’m trying to think of people I’ve worked for that I may be able to compare to? Sadly I don’t think I ever really worked for or with anyone that highly genius or successful. If you have I’m curious what your experience was.
