Coundown rating takes 44 percent plunge

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 2:55 pm

Oh how the mighty windbags have fallen. It seems that Keith Olbermann's Countdown show on MSNBC has fallen 44 percent year over year this past January. And why is that? Hmm... Could it be that his liberal bias is becoming so painfully obvious and pathetic that even his fellow liberals tire of him?

If you haven't yet seen Jon Stewart take on this windbag, then by all means do. This parody of a pundit happened in the same month that the might, pseudo-intellectual Olbermann's ratings fell so precipitously.

January 21, 2010: Special Comment - Keith Olbermann's Name-Calling

This is so good that IMO Stewart finishes by being a better Olbermann than Olbermann himself. It's kind of like watching Gilda Radner do Babwa Wahwah. After those SNL skits, it's impossible to take Barbara Walters seriously any more.

In my opinion it's also a really good sign that Obamamania is dead. The only worshipers left on TV are the fringe pundits (e.g. Olbermann and Matthews) who in my own distorted opinion were only relevant because of "Bush fatigue." Last I checked though, Bush isn't president. Damn... What's a worshiper to blame the world's problem on these days?

- Bill

* I first used this "fatigue" reference to explain why GWB could beat Gore (the former VP) in the first place. The country at the time indeed was suffering from "Clinton fatigue." Too many bimbo eruptions, and mindless defenses of what "is" is. (Not a typo)

Gene DeMambro · Post by **Gene DeMambro** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 4:28 pm

What was that about biases again, Bill?

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:53 pm

Gene DeMambro wrote:
What was that about biases again, Bill?

Do tell, Gene!

Jon Stewart wrote:
A Massachusetts Republican is still considered like a gay Democrat in other parts of the country, so...

All in good fun, Gene.

Jon Stewart wrote:
You can't resort to childish attacks as hominum as they are nauseum. You've ceded the high ground. {Glasses come off} And now... you wallow in the fetid swamp of baseless.... of baseless name calling AND AS WE BOTH KNOW..., SIR... That's MY thing!

The point is to be able to laugh at yourself, Gene. Find ways not to take yourself so seriously. If you can't do that, you've lost your perspective.

That being said, a 44 percent drop year/year in ratings is not a random event. What and/or who has changed? Savor that thought.

- Bill

IJ · Post by IJ » Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:42 am

Agreed on Olbermann. Never liked him. However: obnoxious windbags still making plenty of dough on the right. So, I think this has to do with a change of perspective, and not any insight overall that obnoxious windbaggery should be shunned.

Jason Rees · Post by **Jason Rees** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:48 am

That clip had me rolling! Thanks, Bill.

mhosea · Post by **mhosea** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:24 am

Even for "obnoxious windbags" there are degrees of respectability that ultimately determine what percentage of folks are moved to think "Stay off my side."

IJ · Post by IJ » Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:46 am

To that end, did Robertson's ratings go down when he said God destroyed Haiti for their deal hundreds of years ago with the devil, and did Limbaugh's, when he chortled without a shred of concern for the victims that Obama just wanted to improve his cred with the blacks for helping out?

mhosea · Post by **mhosea** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 5:00 am

Have no idea. Please post the data.

IJ · Post by IJ » Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:17 am

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/54092 as of august, going strong. Most recent comment from his site also outdated but positive:
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/ ... guest.html

Recent data not coming up on google but no evidence he suffers from windbaggery. In fact he's happy to describe it as strategy : http://www.muckmakers.com/video-rush-li ... listeners/

Variety of searches on Haiti and Pat Robertson and 700 Club and ratings and viewership showed nothing but the usual condemnation of his latest blathering.

No sign that stupid comments hurting these speakers, no proof that it isn't. But would be shocked if all this stuff isn't floating Glenn Beck's boat nicely.

Jason Rees · Post by **Jason Rees** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:04 am

IJ wrote:To that end, did Robertson's ratings go down when he said God destroyed Haiti for their deal hundreds of years ago with the devil, and did Limbaugh's, when he chortled without a shred of concern for the victims that Obama just wanted to improve his cred with the blacks for helping out?

The kind of zombies still listening to Pat Robertson probably wouldn't have cared, even if their hearing aids by chance did pick up his latest commentary on Haiti. Global warming, of all things causing an earthquake. R-e-a-l-l-y... he probably even thinks Glenn Beck is off his rocker.

For that matter, I don't think a certain black actor's commentary on the subject has hurt him, either.

And Limbaugh? He's predictably sane, for a guy in his line of work. When was the last time he shed a tear over any natural disaster? I can't think of one. It doesn't help him with his audience one whit to, so why fake it if you don't have to? How many politicians making sappy speeches on the disaster in Haiti (but mentioning disaster and Haiti in the same sentence is a little redundant) do you believe actually give one little speck of rat turd about it? At least he's honest.

But all three examples above are one-shot deals. Every time I happen to flip through the channels and find Olbermann, he's insulting someone, and/or acting like a pompous ass-hat.

mhosea · Post by **mhosea** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 5:46 pm

IJ wrote:No sign that stupid comments hurting these speakers, no proof that it isn't.

Surely it matters which side is in power, because the efficacy of demagoguery is affected. Under current conditions, surely Beck can get away with stuff that Olbermann can't.