ESPN Suspends Keith Olbermann After Heated Twitter Debate

[big dog cowboy]

ESPN Suspends Keith Olbermann After Heated Twitter Debate
By Brian Steinberg
2 hours ago

ESPN said it would suspend Keith Olbermann for the rest of the week in light of snarky remarks the popular broadcaster on Twitter made about a Pennsylvania State University fundraiser and some of the students and other people who were supporting it.

Olbermann, who has railed against the school in the past on his self-titled ESPN2 program in the recent past, got into an exchange with several people on Twitter who were trying to alert him to an annual fundraiser the school was holding to fight pediatric cancer. In one tweet, he said students who attended the school were “pitiful.” As others responded, he began to engage with a number of people on the social-media outlet.

“We are aware of the exchange Keith Olbermann had on Twitter last night regarding Penn State. It was completely inappropriate and does not reflect the views of ESPN,” the Walt Disney-owned network said in a statement. “We have discussed it with Keith, who recognizes he was wrong. ESPN and Keith have agreed that he will not host his show for the remainder of this week and will return on Monday.”

Read more: https://tv.yahoo.com/news/espn-suspends-keith-olbermann-heated-twitter-debate-190538658.html

 

[DFWJC]

He can be funny at times, but I'm not a fan of Olbermann.

 

[BoysFan4ever]

Twitter gets a lot of people in trouble.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

And somehow I doubt there will be a flood people incorrectly citing the first amendment in an attempt to defend him, wonder why?

 

[Keifer]

And somehow I doubt there will be a flood people incorrectly citing the first amendment in an attempt to defend him, wonder why?

Probably because he is a d bag.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Probably because he is a d bag.

Major one. There is no bigger one in all of tv and radio than this *** hat.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Probably because he is a d bag.

maybe, but that's what's great about the first amendment, it applies to everyone. therefore anyone who inappropriately uses it defend someone Donald Sterling, Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh or who ever should be over here inappropriately using it aswell

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Do Not turn this thread political or you get a vacation.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

And somehow I doubt there will be a flood people incorrectly citing the first amendment in an attempt to defend him, wonder why?

I think he's a brilliant individual and extremely entertaining. People don't realize how difficult it is to be entertaining about sports by doing it in a different fashion that Olbermann does.

The problem is that he's in the wrong here.

I'm not a PSU fan by any means. I think the entire Sandusky scandal was the most embarrassed I've ever been to be a fan of sports. And much of that was due to how so many of the students and alumni of a university that I dislike so stubbornly defended Joe Paterno to the point that there was little care towards the victims because the focus was to protect PSU football and Paterno's legacy.

But, that doesn't mean that all Penn State students are pitiful. In fact, Olbermann did a tremendous segment a while ago about Kevin Ward being killed and how shock will make people do and say stupid things and that we should be willing to understand and forgive those people for doing and saying stupid things in a time when they are shocked.

There's also a basic rule of comedy....never make fun of those that are perceived as inferior. In other words...don't pick on the little guy. Pick on the big guy. While Olbermann's comments were not an attempt to be comedic, I think the same applies for general commentary. Picking on college kids just doesn't jive with the world. And the fact that he's picking on college kids with regards to them fundraising for pediatric cancer....it's just completely indefensible. I still like Olbermann, a lot (grew up on watching him on SportsCenter with Dan Patrick). But, he is just dead wrong on this one.






YR

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I think he's a brilliant individual and extremely entertaining. People don't realize how difficult it is to be entertaining about sports by doing it in a different fashion that Olbermann does.

The problem is that he's in the wrong here.

I'm not a PSU fan by any means. I think the entire Sandusky scandal was the most embarrassed I've ever been to be a fan of sports. And much of that was due to how so many of the students and alumni of a university that I dislike so stubbornly defended Joe Paterno to the point that there was little care towards the victims because the focus was to protect PSU football and Paterno's legacy.

But, that doesn't mean that all Penn State students are pitiful. In fact, Olbermann did a tremendous segment a while ago about Kevin Ward being killed and how shock will make people do and say stupid things and that we should be willing to understand and forgive those people for doing and saying stupid things in a time when they are shocked.

There's also a basic rule of comedy....never make fun of those that are perceived as inferior. In other words...don't pick on the little guy. Pick on the big guy. While Olbermann's comments were not an attempt to be comedic, I think the same applies for general commentary. Picking on college kids just doesn't jive with the world. And the fact that he's picking on college kids with regards to them fundraising for pediatric cancer....it's just completely indefensible. I still like Olbermann, a lot (grew up on watching him on SportsCenter with Dan Patrick). But, he is just dead wrong on this one.






YR

I think his comment was an unnecessary low blow considering the context of what they were doing. I'm more or less mocking people that cry freedom of speech when someone they agree with says something inappropriate.

 

[zrinkill]

Guy is a hack ....... and the company he works for has every right to punish him if he becomes an embarrassment.

I am sure it is in that very lucrative contract he signed.

 

[jimmy40]

a week off and he can get the heck out of the cold and go to Florida or something, big deal

 

[Keifer]

maybe, but that's what's great about the first amendment, it applies to everyone. therefore anyone who inappropriately uses it defend someone Donald Sterling, Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh or who ever should be over here inappropriately using it aswell

I dont think you can compare Sterling to what Olbermann did. There is a big difference between speaking with a microphone in your face and someone secretly recording your private conversations. Unfortunately the 1st amendment doesn't protect you from the dreaded social media outrage.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I think his comment was an unnecessary low blow considering the context of what they were doing. I'm more or less mocking people that cry freedom of speech when someone they agree with says something inappropriate.

The freedom of speech debate has merit. People dismissing it because "the government isn't actually taking away your freedom of speech!"; negate the fact that essentially we are doing it to ourselves.

The difference between being thrown in jail by the government or having the people take away your livelihood and shunning you from society? I think in many cases you'd be better off going to jail. To me, it's really 6 in 1, half a dozen in another. It's just allowing the people to do the dirty work instead of the government.

It is similar to how I feel about people being innocent until proven guilty. I think that the court of public opinion should use that as an example and my opinion of the person that does not use that basic idea lessens. That doesn't mean they can't view people guilty unless they are proven innocent...they just can't do that if they are on a jury. It's a healthy thing to view people as innocent until proven guilty. Just like it is a healthy thing for people to try and protect the idea of freedom of speech and thought by not demanding people be fired and shunned from society over every little thing somebody says. And it's where I tend to disagree with Olbermann the most...he is very much on the bandwagon of coming out with the torches and pitchforks over every bad thing a person may say and then claiming that freedom of speech doesn't apply.

As much as I like Olbermann, I think it's good that he got a taste of his own medicine on this one.





YR

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Sometimes I like this guy and sometimes he's just annoying.

In this particular case he was just wrong and sounded stupid.

 

[speedkilz88]

He's off his rocker. Get help.

 

[Longboysfan]

Probably because he is a d bag.

Stop telling the truth in this forum.
If you're going to do that go to the off Topic forum.

 

[Risen Star]

Sometimes I like this guy and sometimes he's just annoying.

In this particular case he was just wrong and sounded stupid.

I'm confused. Why is he against Penn St. students? Because of the Sandusky case? That's idiotic if that's what it is.

 

[burmafrd]

Olberman is 90% of the time a total DB. But 10% he is dead on. What I gather is that he probably meant to take another shot at the blind minion's of Joe Pa but screwed up. Like he usually does.

 

[Rogah]

The First Amendment means the government cannot punish you for speaking out. (Obviously there are exceptions such as threats and slander, but I mean things like political speech, ideas, etc).

The First Amendment, however, does not mean you can say anything you want without any consequences. Nor does it mean you can say anything you want in any forum you want.