TV Critic: Keith Olbermann Should Join Fox News

January 22nd, 2011 6:23 PM

It's been less than 24 hours since Keith Olbermann's abrupt departure from MSNBC, and folks are all atwitter with predictions about where he'll end up.

TV critic Tim Goodman's suggestion that the former "Countdown" host should go to Fox News is destined to anger people on both sides of the aisle:

Yes, it sounds insane (for both sides). But think about it. Every other lightweight “liberal” that Fox tries to toss on the air to make things “fair and balanced” has no real gravitas. Olbermann? When it comes to television, he is the voice of the left. There’s your balance (screw fair – nobody with a brain that hasn’t been pickled by Kool-Aid believes that nonsense). Can you image what kind of ratings Death Star would be created if he joined Fox News? It would turn MSNBC to dust and leave CNN so much further behind in the ratings that it would be battling BET for numbers. It would also allow Roger Ailes to lord it over every liberal in this country and he might swallow whatever pride he has about Olbermann to have that kind of club at his disposal.

And – wait for it – it would be the most audacious reach across the aisle in television history. The left would have to actually tune their television to Fox News to find Olbermann. And the right would have to suffer through all those promos for his show – like sizzle reel Kryptonite – before settling in on Bill O’Reilly. A nation heals.

And, seriously, who wouldn’t want to watch O’Reilly and Olbermann toss to each other every night? It would be a sneer and snark fest for the ages.

Although this wouldn't surprise me, I'd be very sad to see it happen.

In my view as a media analyst, Keith Olbermann represents all that is wrong in journalism today. He makes a hobby out of distorting the truth, and when that's not good enough to further his agenda, he just flat out lies.

Him battling with folks like Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, and Greta Van Susteren would be fabulous theater as it drove Fox's ratings, but it would also drag down that network's credibility.

MSNBC is a laughing stock because of this arrogant, egotistical blowhard, and has become more so as a result of similarly vitriolic additions to its prime time lineup.

Let's hope Roger Ailes recognizes this and doesn't take Goodman's advice.

Readers are encouraged to review Goodman's nine other recommendations for Olbermann (h/t Hot Air).

*****Update: Alan Burkhart imagines Fox has already hired Keith (h/t Adam Baldwin)...