1. Mediaite
  2. Gossip Cop
  3. Geekosystem
  4. Styleite
  5. SportsGrid
  6. The Mary Sue
  7. The Jane Dough
  8. The Braiser
Advertisement

Keith Olbermann Says He’s No Longer Speaking To Rachel Maddow; Source Claims He’s Making $10 Million At Current

» 82 comments

Ex MSNBC host Keith Olbermann has given a revealing interview to The Hollywood Reporter, which includes the amazing tidbit that Olbermann’s new job in the cable wilderness of Current TV will pay him ten million dollars a year (with the possibility of banking $100 million over the course of his five year contract)–a staggering figure that dwarfs his MSNBC salary (and THR reports that “Current TV disputes the figure but adds it does not “disclose confidential, contractual details”).

Olbermann, who discussed his new show and his departure from MSNBC, said he went on the air January 21 without knowing it was his last show. A team including Olbermann’s agents, his manager, MSNBC president Phil Griffin, and an NBC lawyer were negotiating in the building as the show went on, reaching a decision to part ways about thirty minutes into the show. Olbermann says since his exit, he has not spoken to MSNBC star Rachel Maddow:

“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?’ [He signed to NBC as a political analyst on May 23.] Which is exactly what I would do if I were in the office.”

In the story, which can be read in its entirety here, Olbermann also confirms he has hired David Shuster as his primary substitute anchor for the Current show.

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite's daily newsletter.

Email Twitter Facebook Digg Reddit Stumble Upon Yahoo Buzz LinkedIn Tumblr Delicious
  • writer

    Another one of those evil rich fat cats.

  • Harry Flashman

    The hosts (and ex-hosts) at MSNBC are the most childishly petulant of any and all of the news talking heads, cable or broadcast.

  • Cecelia

    Great… another weiner pic…

  • tatboy

    David Shuster… of Watergate Jr. fame David Shuster?
    Of Dick Chaney will be indited David Shuster?

    Guess all that chode licking on CNN David did payed off. :) I can smell the failure.

  • tatboy

    Cecelia said:
    Great… another weiner pic…

    BOOM!!!!

  • THE REAL ROYAL KING

    Harry Flashman said:
    The hosts (and ex-hosts) at MSNBC are the most childishly petulant of any and all of the news talking heads, cable or broadcast.

    Not entirely wrong, there.

  • jerrybobphil

    Rachel’s crime in Olbermann mind is what? She stayed at her job and didn’t quit when Olbermann was let go. What a sad pathetic man. A complete joke.

  • tatboy

    jerrybobphil said:
    Rachel’s crime in Olbermann mind is what? She stayed at her job and didn’t quit when Olbermann was let go. What a sad pathetic man. A complete joke.

    Olbermann demands 100% loyalty to HIM. Anything less and you are the enemy and his hate and bile are justified in his diseased mind.

  • jo hoochie

    I want to see a check stub! Hope the IRS will look into it next year.

  • writer

    In all fairness, Keith was evil before he got rich. The money is just a perk.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joseph-Wilson/100000573477842 Joseph Wilson

    I miss Keith and will watch when he is on Current TV. I always DVR parts of MSNBC nightly lineup to watch while I surf the Internet. Whenever Michael Steele appears on Rachel Maddow, I fast forward to the next segment and save my time by not listening to this self-serving politician. He will never regain his status as a rising GOP star.

    How many former Democratic politicians have signed contracts with Fox News? The right-wing browbeats CNN and MSNBC as unfair and biased, so it hires conservatives. The conservative propaganda network gets a pass and has no liberal commentators. If it has Democrats, it cuts them off and shouts them down.

    The Weiner scandal gets hours of coverage, while prosititute using Louisiana Sen. David Vitter and Sen. John Ensign got scant attention. It took a Senate Ethics committee investigation into Ensign’s attempts to get his cuckolded chief of staff lobbying business to get him after office after over a year.

  • GATXER

    I say he’s lying. Al Gore is just not that dumb. He wouldn’t waste 10 Million on a guy he could get for allot less. remember KO was fired….he burned his bridges at allot of places…..it’s not like people were knocking on his door looking to hire him. I admit I would watch his show but my cable company doesn’t carry it and since they Avg only 32,000 viewers in prime time I can’t really blame them…….KO is just not worth 10 Million.

  • Big Eddie

    Shuster and Herr Olbermann working for AlGore .

    Who snaps first ?

    Hey Olby . Don’t rub Al the wrong way .

  • murphy0071

    At least Keith is not also a TV evangelist like Glenn Beck. Fox News should fire about 100% of their staff to have fair and balanced news they could use a few orangutans.

  • GATXER

    Joseph Wilson said:

    Joseph Wilson said:
    I miss Keith and will watch when he is on Current TV. I always DVR parts of MSNBC nightly lineup to watch while I surf the Internet. Whenever Michael Steele appears on Rachel Maddow, I fast forward to the next segment and save my time by not listening to this self-serving politician. He will never regain his status as a rising GOP star.

    How many former Democratic politicians have signed contracts with Fox News? The right-wing browbeats CNN and MSNBC as unfair and biased, so it hires conservatives. The conservative propaganda network gets a pass and has no liberal commentators. If it has Democrats, it cuts them off and shouts them down.

    blockquote>

    How many former Democratic politicians have signed contracts with Fox News?

    Quite a few have worked for Fox over the years…..maybe you should try watching some time.

    Gen Wes Clark….Harrold Ford…….Geraldine Ferraro …to name just a few of the top of my head…..and NOBODY shouts down Gen Clark.

  • Jerps

    I suddenly want to watch Rachel’s show tonight. Except Game 4 of Mavs-Heat is tonight. Hopefully Mediate will provide the highlights.

  • http://constitutionallibertarian.co.cc DavidKramer

    Who ever said that propaganda does not pay well?

  • Just4thefax

    Fact: Obermann does have a fuzzy math degree.

  • Jaurez

    and was not confirmed by Current

    Nuff said.

  • tatboy

    Jaurez said:
    and was not confirmed by Current Nuff said.

    bingo…..

  • Gorgegirl

    jerrybobphil said:
    Rachel’s crime in Olbermann mind is what? She stayed at her job and didn’t quit when Olbermann was let go. What a sad pathetic man. A complete joke.

    I think the headline was misleading. There appears to be no squabble between Rachel and Olbermann from what he said.

  • Ardiva

    He seems to be overstating the monetary compensation of his work a bit.

  • TeaPartyNation

    If it weren’t for mediaite , practically NOBODY would even know that TAX CHEAT olbermann still exists (if you can call being on “crazed sex poodle” gore’s network existing.)

    No wonder the folks at Right Wing News call mediaite a “leftist blog”.

  • tatboy

    Just4thefax said:
    Fact: Obermann does have a fuzzy math degree.

    From a NON-Ivy League school ;)…

  • murf

    I don’t think Dobermann’s staff and even his boss Gore have any idea what there in for with this , boorish, deranged asshole. Good luck.

  • felixw

    $10 million in income for Keith Olbermann. But does that include the money he gets from George Soros?

  • Dave Richards

    Keith who?

  • Michael_T

    Considering that sometimes the Hollywood Reporter tends to lean right politically, I thought it was a fair treatment of Olbermann – warts and all.

    I look at K.O. as the Sean Hannity of the left … very passionate and unapologetically partisan. As long as you’re up front about it – unlike BillO who claims he’s an Independent – then I don’t see anything wrong with it.

    As far as Current TV goes, I’m not terribly optimistic Olbermann can build a significant audience given the small footprint this channel has in most large markets.

    Look at the ‘black hole’ Dan Rather seems to have fallen into at HDNet. Has anyone actually ever watched his show – or even looked it up in their channel guide? Not many I presume.

  • Yukon Jack

    Dave Richards said:
    Keith who?

    The “Worst Person I The World”.

  • illusive man

    Since Olbermann is an anti-captialist “liberal”, as he said to Michael Moore in an interview, I will assume he will give at least 9 of his 10 million to the fed since the left belives that only the government can properly spend money.
    I mean, “liberals” are all about spreading the wealth, right? And we all know Olbermann is no hypocrite, right?

  • news_junkie

    “a staggering figure that dwarfs his MSNBC salary (and THR reports that “Current TV disputes the figure”

    He hasn’t even started yet and he’s already getting into disputes with management. LOL.

  • Big Eddie

    Gore told Olby that he was going to be paid what he’s worth .

    Olby said ” Hey , I’m not working for that ! “

  • eraci

    From what most of you are saying here I can tell you’re one of those sheep that the right pay or talk into spending their days making negative comments about anything from liberals. I’ve seen the video of a guy teaching you lemmings how to follow the leader. Too bad you don’t have a mind of your own.

  • OxyCon

    Where would an also-ran network nobody has ever heard of, which nobody could ever find with their remote, get that kind of money? Who is financing the leftist propaganda?
    (hint: see my avatar)

  • eraci

    By the way, if everyone got as much money from George Soros as you people say they get, George Soros would be broke.

  • tatboy

    eraci said:
    From what most of you are saying here I can tell you’re one of those sheep that the right pay or talk into spending their days making negative comments about anything from liberals. I’ve seen the video of a guy teaching you lemmings how to follow the leader. Too bad you don’t have a mind of your own.

    Teabagger…

  • tatboy

    tatboy said:
    Teabagger…

    Oh…. I got it… THIS insult is OK with the POS Mediaite censors. F-off

  • rubberneck

    Hi, I am keith! And, I’m a dick! A rich dick!

  • JR

    Hi I’m Keith and I’m on Current TV. No one is watching so maybe if I say something publically, people will remember who I used to be….

    …Anyone? Bueller?

    *crickets*

  • NonElite

    Keith Olbermann? Didn’t he used to have some kind of TV thing? Can’t quite place him.
    Whoever he is, he sounds like a real crackpot.

  • NonElite

    eraci said:
    From what most of you are saying here I can tell you’re one of those sheep that the right pay or talk into spending their days making negative comments about anything from liberals. I’ve seen the video of a guy teaching you lemmings how to follow the leader. Too bad you don’t have a mind of your own.

    For me, it was my own liberal de-programming and hundreds of hours of studying both sides as well as history.

  • NonElite

    It’s either a madman paying that kind of scratch or a madman making the claim or possibly both.

  • bumsrush

    He hasn’t asked Rachel Maddow out on a date since he left MSNBC?

  • http://www.nukethefridge.com MartiniShark

    Well now since Keith is raking in that kind of scratch he can no longer criticise Glenn Beck and others for how much they are making.

    What am I saying, heh-heh, of course he will still bark about others — they didn’t earn it, like he has.

  • WildMan

    Who the hell is this guy? rotfflmfao@Keithy. $10 million??? Somebody is either out of his/her mind or they own bottomless oil wells. Actually I kind of miss getting to watch the nutty fruitcake go off on a nightly basis. LSDnbc has actually gone down hill since he got the boot. Oh well at least we have FOX News so we can actually get the news.

  • seek

    eraci said:
    By the way, if everyone got as much money from George Soros as you people say they get, George Soros would be broke.

    perhaps you want to run a google search on what George has and how much he has spent and continues to spend on smearing the right. It’s not a secret. Try it – you will find stuff you never dreamed of! George and broke – not while he can topple governments – not going to happen.

  • gottosay

    I am just happy to know the Keith is still on air…sad that MSNBC has chosen to lose Keith but keep Joe such a pathetic move

  • huahuang

    (¯`v´¯)
    .`*.¸.*´
    ¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
    (¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.*SUGAR*

    If you like saving money,you’ll love = http://www.myflyings.com!!

  • MediaWhat

    What a DOPE! Herr Olbermann better stick to his day job of flying that hovercraft for Orbitz. If you look up jerk in the dictionary his smiling mug is there by the definition

    I don’t think Rachel Maddow is losing too much sleep over the lack of communication between her and hovercraft boy.

    He is a lauging stock and it is all his doing. I don’t think it will be long before he has a very public meltdown. Mr. Sheen, can you make some room for the pseudo news nazi?

  • Skippy

    Dang it, Keith.

    Talk about burning the britches, the boats, and the forest.

    High FIVE!

  • hgovernick

    MediaWhat said:

    I don’t think Rachel Maddow is losing too much sleep over the lack of communication between her and hovercraft boy.

    I don’t think Keith Olbermann is losing ANY sleep over your opinions of him, or anything, for that matter.

    MediaWhat said:

    He is a lauging stock and it is all his doing.

    Spell much? Yes, he’s laughing all the way to the bank, where he makes more in a day than you will more than likely make over your entire lifetime.

    To summarize: MediaWhat: What a DOPE!

  • tatboy

    hgovernick said:
    I don’t think Keith Olbermann is losing ANY sleep over your opinions of him, or anything, for that matter. Spell much? Yes, he’s laughing all the way to the bank, where he makes more in a day than you will more than likely make over your entire lifetime. To summarize: MediaWhat: What a DOPE!

    He has RLS… he loses LOTS of sleep… even HE says so…. DOPE! And spelling flames are soooooo 90′s. You must teach English 101 to ALL the incoming freshman.

  • TPRTR

    That picture has douxxx bag written all over it!

  • TPRTR

    Hey Mediaite you could do us all a favor and deep six the MSNBC pop-uo ads. No amount of ads would prompt me to watch that network.

  • KirbbDogg2000

    it sucks there not talking. They were really good friends. I’m sorry as a person to see that end. It show’s how bad everything got at MSNBC…

    But you know know what He did confrim a few things I’ve been saying about the iusse’s MSNBC has had for awile. The iusse’s did star when Tim russert passed away. When he died that’s when from my point of view as a fan. That’s whe all the back stage politcs started. The decline of MSNBC started. Also that Comcast did not froce Keith out. And maybe Pill Grifen was not the only one who droped the ball. it’s not all on him. That Jeff Zucker is to blame for alot of this.

    It doe’s make some sence. I’ve watched Jeff when he went on Morning Joe. How bent over backwords to kiss’s Joe’s and Mika’s you know what. Jeff behaver on MJ just came off as unprofesal, Ans showed that there was a conflct of intrest between the 2. Keith didn’t handle thing right also. But it seems like Jeff was the big iusse.

    And keep in mind talks for Keith to be out of his concrat start the week of Jan 29. His last show, 3 days after they started the mearger with NBC and Comcast got aproved. I think if Keith had known that was going to happen. I think he might have stayed till the end of his concrat. I don’t know for sure but that’s what i think anyway. This was a good inretview and I wish Keith the best of luck. And MSNBC needs to get it together if there going to beat Fox.

  • http://constitutionallibertarian.co.cc DavidKramer

    TPRTR said:
    Hey Mediaite you could do us all a favor and deep six the MSNBC pop-uo ads. No amount of ads would prompt me to watch that network.

    Firefox with ABP works nicely. It especially likes to kill MSNBC ads.

  • Joepalooka

    Strident Right = Limbaugh, Hannity
    Strident Left = Olberman, Maddow
    Right = O’Reilly
    Left = Matthews
    Center Right = Scarborough
    Center Left = (doesn’t exist)
    Beck is a NUT. Someone that previously only filled the same meaningless slot as “Ed” but now, on the radar, is exposed for the nut job he is.

  • ACORNInsider

    Joepalooka, I disagree with some of your ratings, but I like the concise way you summed up your opinions.

  • hgovernick

    tatboy said:
    I don’t think Keith Olbermann is losing ANY sleep over your opinions of him, or anything, for that matter.

    As I stated in my comment: “I don’t think Keith Olbermann is losing ANY sleep over your opinions of him, or anything, for that matter.”

    Interpretation for idiots like you who need help with plain English:

    To MediaWhat:

    I don’t think Keith Olbermann is losing ANY sleep:

    1. Over your opinions of him OR
    2. Over your opinions of anything, for that matter.

    You have my sympathies. It must be embarrassing to be you.

  • Tedderman

    Keith made 7 million a year at MSNBC and now makes 10 million at Current tv, he’s not loosing any sleep anyway, he’s set for life. However, I for one am glad he chooses to continue working in the medium he desires.

  • http://politicallyincorrectlibertarian.wordpress.com PoliticallyIncorrectLibertarian

    Typical, progressives hate materialism and consumerism, but it’s perfectly peachy to make $10 million.
    http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/

  • Adamhatl

    Ridiculous headline. Technically he’s not speaking to Rachel, but not because there is bad blood between them, as the headline would lead you to believe.

  • snoodles10

    You have the GOP perpetrating they are willing to compromise and then the media takes advantage of your time with a catchy line that means absolutely nothing about anything. The games people play.

  • Spiderbyte88

    $10
    million annually for Olbermann Mr. Rosenthal? This was not indicated in use of
    proceeds but I’m not taking issue on this over the internet. Anyone who
    basically pays $1000 to pay 10,000 to watch a program is no media mensa. Why
    have we not been availed viewership numbers? Why are we always told that we’re
    beating CNN when this would be impossible and why are we remunerating Mr.
    Olbermann more so than 95% of all CEO’s of public and private corporations? I
    want viewership numbers forthwith. And Olbermann, you have a big mouth

     

  • LJB57

    Lame brained Loser like Oilbermann will always have an audience, after all their lots of lib/democrats out there.

  • Anonymous

    $10 million a year? That’s only half of what J.Lo makes on ‘American Idol’ and Keither does a lot more good for the people of this country. A bargain by comparison!

  • Anonymous

    He’s lying about his salary.  Why he needs to do that, I have no idea.  He’s not that good; hasn’t been for awhile.  He’s as lousy as Beck,Limbaugh,O’Reilly….any of the bloviators that make it all about THEM.

  • http://www.facebook.com/rico.costa2 Rico Costa

    What is this, GD TMZ?  Really, not too far away.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jimhunt James Hunt

    $10,000,000 is a lot for a network no one watches.

  • Anonymous

    dumb

  • Broadhorizons

    Practice Sentence: I don’t watch Current TV. Therefore, Keith Olbermann is irrelevant.

  • Victor’s Dick

    All of 10 comments  for an Olbermann topic – figures

  • Gary Helm

    First of all, Olby does not make $10 Mil per year at Current.  Second of all, who stops talking to their close friends after a job change or firing?  No one I know.  Keith wants to be important so badly…..I will bet he was such a strange, self-absorbed kid.  Just something wrong with this guy.  

  • Marshallcox31

    lol

  • Anonymous

    Fuck this idiot Olberman or whatever his name is. Who cares, please tell me who cares, unless you are a dumocrat

  • Doug

    Yes, lots and lots and lots and lots. In fact enough to re elect the President. Sorry dude.

  • dumocrat

    Please call him Kieth if you truly want to fuck him.

  • Anonymous

    Keith Dimblubberman is perhaps, next to that far fuck anti-Semitic and white hating piece of shit Al Sharpton, the most worthless piece of shit on tv today.

    If there was a turd and Keith Dimblubberman in the street and about to be hit by a bus, I would rather save the turd than waste one ounce of sweat on that piece of Marxist American-hating crap, Keith Dimblubberman.

  • Anonymous

    Keith Dimblubberman is perhaps, next to that far fuck anti-Semitic and white hating piece of shit Al Sharpton, the most worthless piece of shit on tv today.

    If there was a turd and Keith Dimblubberman in the street and about to be hit by a bus, I would rather save the turd than waste one ounce of sweat on that piece of Marxist American-hating crap, Keith Dimblubberman.

  • Anonymous

    “In fact enough to re elect the President.”

    Don’t tell me that you think that the cancer in the White House is going to somehow win next year. You cannot be that stupid. No one could be, unless…yep, you are a liberal.

  • Silicondoc

    medical fact: He’s a deformed libtard with an extra vertebra that rapes his anus when he leans over backwards – it has taken a toll.

  • Anonymous

    Just like the ignoramus followers of those on FOX.  Lots of those out there who have to tune in daily so they can be told how to think for the day.

© 2012 Mediaite, LLC | About Us | Advertise | Newsletter | Jobs | Privacy | User Agreement | Disclaimer | Power Grid FAQ | Contact | Archives | RSS RSS
Dan Abrams, Founder | Power Grid by Sound Strategies | Hosting by Datagram