ESPN Suspends Keith Olbermann for Tweets About Penn State
ESPN has suspended Keith Olbermann for a string of tweets he wrote on Monday evening bashing Penn State University and its students.
In what Deadspin described as a “weird and unnecessary” exchange, Olbermann dismissed PSU students as “pitiful” despite raising $114 million for the fight against pediatric cancer:
@lisaadeleon …Pitiful
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 23, 2015
He then spent several minutes fending off critics while digging himself deeper in the hole:
.@dave_seidel No, Son. I said PSU students were pitiful. Had nothing to do with fundraising #AlsoPSUReadingComprehensionAppearsToBeWeak
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 23, 2015
.@dave_seidel Again – get your $ back – you didn't learn how to read. PSU students are pitiful because they're PSU students – period.
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 23, 2015
@EricOwensFS Don't make shit up, Sonny. You'll wind up running Penn State.
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 24, 2015
I'd like to thank the students and alums of Penn State for proving my point about the mediocrity of their education and ethics.
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 24, 2015
And so ESPN suspended him, issuing this statement:
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. 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. The annual tradition of THON and the efforts of the students of Penn State to fight pediatric cancer should be applauded.
And Olbermann apologized:
I apologize for the PSU tweets. I was stupid and childish and way less mature than the students there who did such a great fundraising job.
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 24, 2015
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