1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,435 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. And 2 00:00:21,795 --> 00:00:25,355 Speaker 1: we're back to counting how many angels are dancing on 3 00:00:25,395 --> 00:00:29,755 Speaker 1: the head of one particular pin. We're better still, how 4 00:00:29,795 --> 00:00:34,555 Speaker 1: many of Stormy Daniels wrenches are dancing inside the monkey works. 5 00:00:35,595 --> 00:00:38,795 Speaker 1: NBC reports the Stormy Daniels grand Jury is back in 6 00:00:38,835 --> 00:00:41,675 Speaker 1: the saddle today in New York. First, CNN said it 7 00:00:41,715 --> 00:00:44,635 Speaker 1: was on standby, then they switched to its back about 8 00:00:44,675 --> 00:00:49,235 Speaker 1: eight thirty last night. Both networks hint at additional witness testimony. 9 00:00:49,555 --> 00:00:52,955 Speaker 1: Politico says it's an old witness coming back to rebut 10 00:00:52,995 --> 00:00:56,315 Speaker 1: a new witness, which would be Michael Cohen. CNN says 11 00:00:56,395 --> 00:00:59,195 Speaker 1: it could be a new witness and even floated the 12 00:00:59,235 --> 00:01:02,675 Speaker 1: name of Stormy Daniels and says the delay has been 13 00:01:02,795 --> 00:01:05,555 Speaker 1: DA Alvin Bragg and his prosecutors trying to decide if 14 00:01:05,555 --> 00:01:07,715 Speaker 1: the best rebuttal of the new witnesses from the old 15 00:01:07,715 --> 00:01:11,755 Speaker 1: witness Cohen or the new witness to be announced. The 16 00:01:11,875 --> 00:01:14,875 Speaker 1: right wing blogosphere is quoting a Fox analyst saying the 17 00:01:14,995 --> 00:01:19,395 Speaker 1: DA hid six hundred pages of exculpatory evidence, or is 18 00:01:19,395 --> 00:01:22,475 Speaker 1: it six thousand or is it sixty thousand, but not 19 00:01:22,635 --> 00:01:27,395 Speaker 1: one Fox story makes the slightest reference to this nor 20 00:01:27,475 --> 00:01:32,835 Speaker 1: to its own supposed analyst. Nobody, but nobody thinks there'd 21 00:01:32,875 --> 00:01:36,395 Speaker 1: actually be an indictment today, which means, given how this 22 00:01:36,515 --> 00:01:38,915 Speaker 1: story has been going for the last week, it is 23 00:01:38,995 --> 00:01:42,155 Speaker 1: time for Captain Reynaud to say, round up the usual suspects. 24 00:01:43,355 --> 00:01:46,195 Speaker 1: The only participant in all of this to go on 25 00:01:46,235 --> 00:01:48,715 Speaker 1: the record is a Trump lawyer, and one with a 26 00:01:48,835 --> 00:01:52,475 Speaker 1: terrible reputation, and he testified Monday in order to try 27 00:01:52,475 --> 00:01:55,355 Speaker 1: to impeach the witness, Michael Cohen. And he says he 28 00:01:55,555 --> 00:02:01,955 Speaker 1: quote through a wrench in their monkey works, which would 29 00:02:01,955 --> 00:02:04,755 Speaker 1: be a great headline, except, of course it's through a 30 00:02:04,755 --> 00:02:08,595 Speaker 1: monkey wrench into the works, because there's no such thing 31 00:02:08,835 --> 00:02:13,835 Speaker 1: as monkey works. Then there appeared a twenty eighteen letter 32 00:02:13,875 --> 00:02:17,035 Speaker 1: in which Cohen lied to the Feds that he made 33 00:02:17,035 --> 00:02:20,995 Speaker 1: the payment to Stormy Daniels, and the Trump apologist all said, aha, 34 00:02:21,315 --> 00:02:24,355 Speaker 1: and everybody else said, we already knew Cohen lied to 35 00:02:24,395 --> 00:02:26,475 Speaker 1: the Feds about that payment. That's why he went to jail. 36 00:02:27,595 --> 00:02:31,635 Speaker 1: But even that claim of throwing a wrench in their 37 00:02:31,715 --> 00:02:35,635 Speaker 1: monkey works by the Trump mouthpiece Robert Costello does not 38 00:02:35,995 --> 00:02:39,715 Speaker 1: add up, because if Costello really did damage Cohen on Monday. 39 00:02:40,275 --> 00:02:43,995 Speaker 1: Cohen was at the courthouse Monday waiting to be called 40 00:02:44,035 --> 00:02:48,435 Speaker 1: back in, and he wasn't, and he wasn't Tuesday, and 41 00:02:48,595 --> 00:02:55,235 Speaker 1: he wasn't yesterday. If your head already hurts, that's Trump's plan. 42 00:02:55,555 --> 00:02:59,155 Speaker 1: That has been Trump's plan since the nineteen seventies. Whenever 43 00:02:59,195 --> 00:03:02,915 Speaker 1: he has been in trouble, whether it is presidential trouble 44 00:03:03,275 --> 00:03:07,035 Speaker 1: or indictment trouble or football trouble, he has flooded the 45 00:03:07,115 --> 00:03:12,435 Speaker 1: zone with them feces. This is why he has eleventy 46 00:03:12,515 --> 00:03:15,315 Speaker 1: billion different lawyers. If one tells the truth and that 47 00:03:15,355 --> 00:03:18,195 Speaker 1: truth gets Trump in trouble, Trump just as a new lawyer, 48 00:03:18,835 --> 00:03:22,595 Speaker 1: betray the old lawyer and blame the old lawyer if 49 00:03:22,595 --> 00:03:25,915 Speaker 1: the story is too easy to follow. Trump had Michael 50 00:03:25,915 --> 00:03:28,595 Speaker 1: Cohen pay a porn star to keep quiet about an 51 00:03:28,635 --> 00:03:31,715 Speaker 1: affair so it wouldn't come out before the election. And 52 00:03:31,835 --> 00:03:35,075 Speaker 1: that's a bribe and an illegal business records felony, and 53 00:03:35,275 --> 00:03:40,355 Speaker 1: an illegal campaign contribution. Trump makes sure he throws different 54 00:03:40,355 --> 00:03:44,755 Speaker 1: attorneys and different spokespeople and different right wing media sycophants 55 00:03:44,995 --> 00:03:48,275 Speaker 1: to attack each part of the story separately, so quickly, 56 00:03:48,355 --> 00:03:51,115 Speaker 1: so loudly, and so voluinously that you no longer have 57 00:03:51,195 --> 00:03:54,915 Speaker 1: any idea what anybody is talking about. And if you 58 00:03:55,235 --> 00:03:59,555 Speaker 1: like to think meta here, if Trump was really convinced 59 00:03:59,995 --> 00:04:03,435 Speaker 1: that the stormy Daniel's case would not lead to him 60 00:04:03,435 --> 00:04:07,675 Speaker 1: being indicted and arrested, the biggest scam he could ever 61 00:04:07,875 --> 00:04:11,675 Speaker 1: pull would be too dramatically announced that he was about 62 00:04:11,755 --> 00:04:15,075 Speaker 1: to be arrested, because he could raise a lot of 63 00:04:15,115 --> 00:04:18,315 Speaker 1: campaign money off of the outrage. And then when it 64 00:04:18,355 --> 00:04:21,355 Speaker 1: didn't happen, when he wasn't arrested, he could claim he 65 00:04:21,715 --> 00:04:25,715 Speaker 1: stopped them from arresting him, or his supporters stopped them 66 00:04:25,715 --> 00:04:30,195 Speaker 1: from arresting him, or the fundraising stopped them from arresting him, 67 00:04:30,275 --> 00:04:33,875 Speaker 1: or Gods stopped them from arresting him. Then he could 68 00:04:33,915 --> 00:04:38,395 Speaker 1: make sure a long sympathetic and easily led newspaper person 69 00:04:38,515 --> 00:04:42,395 Speaker 1: like just to pick a name, Magga Haberman could find 70 00:04:42,395 --> 00:04:45,315 Speaker 1: out that Trump is sitting at Marilago saying that a 71 00:04:45,395 --> 00:04:48,355 Speaker 1: purp walk with cameras and reporters could be fun, and 72 00:04:48,435 --> 00:04:51,235 Speaker 1: obviously she'd write that, and then he'd look brave and 73 00:04:51,475 --> 00:04:55,435 Speaker 1: valiant and defiant in him martyr, because he's not just 74 00:04:55,555 --> 00:04:58,595 Speaker 1: willing to face the proverbial firing squad, but he's willing 75 00:04:58,635 --> 00:05:04,675 Speaker 1: to face it without a blindfold unless he really is arrested, 76 00:05:04,835 --> 00:05:06,515 Speaker 1: and then he's got a different problem because he comes 77 00:05:06,555 --> 00:05:08,635 Speaker 1: out of that one one of two ways, like I 78 00:05:08,675 --> 00:05:12,835 Speaker 1: suggested yesterday, Suddenly he's Glorious Swanson playing Norma Desmond right 79 00:05:12,875 --> 00:05:16,115 Speaker 1: after she murders the guy in Sunset Boulevard, and she 80 00:05:16,275 --> 00:05:18,755 Speaker 1: thinks she's making her movie come back and she's a star, 81 00:05:18,835 --> 00:05:21,235 Speaker 1: when in fact it is a purp walk and she's nuts. 82 00:05:22,555 --> 00:05:25,195 Speaker 1: And at the opposite end of that spectrum, Trump could 83 00:05:25,195 --> 00:05:28,115 Speaker 1: be in trouble boasting about how much fun a purp 84 00:05:28,195 --> 00:05:31,475 Speaker 1: walk would be when the DA's office has already said 85 00:05:32,115 --> 00:05:35,115 Speaker 1: there will not be a purp walk, and then they 86 00:05:35,195 --> 00:05:37,875 Speaker 1: arrest Trump, and to get the effect Trump has already promised, 87 00:05:37,955 --> 00:05:39,355 Speaker 1: he would have to walk out in front of the 88 00:05:39,355 --> 00:05:43,835 Speaker 1: cameras voluntarily holding his hands tightly behind his back, as 89 00:05:43,835 --> 00:05:52,675 Speaker 1: if he'd been handcuffed like a mime. Happily, As the 90 00:05:52,755 --> 00:05:56,955 Speaker 1: Stormy Daniel's case gets cloudier, the Marilago documents case keeps 91 00:05:56,955 --> 00:06:00,875 Speaker 1: getting clear. ABC first reported Tuesday night that the judge 92 00:06:00,915 --> 00:06:04,155 Speaker 1: called Trump's assertions last May that he had given all 93 00:06:04,235 --> 00:06:07,795 Speaker 1: the him It's back part of a quote, criminal scheme, 94 00:06:08,635 --> 00:06:10,835 Speaker 1: and she said that the Special Counsel Jack Smith had 95 00:06:10,835 --> 00:06:14,515 Speaker 1: shown quote prima facie evidence showing that the former president 96 00:06:14,555 --> 00:06:19,555 Speaker 1: had committed criminal violations. ABC also reported that the stuff 97 00:06:19,715 --> 00:06:22,795 Speaker 1: Trump lawyer Evan Corkrane now had to turn over to 98 00:06:22,835 --> 00:06:27,395 Speaker 1: Smith included transcripts of quote, private audio which appeared to 99 00:06:27,435 --> 00:06:31,995 Speaker 1: be recordings Corkrane made of Trump. Then came the bizarre 100 00:06:32,195 --> 00:06:35,475 Speaker 1: overnight appeal process by Trump to block the waiver of 101 00:06:35,515 --> 00:06:39,395 Speaker 1: attorney client privilege with Corkrane, which turned out against Trump 102 00:06:39,475 --> 00:06:42,115 Speaker 1: and which will apparently not be taken to a higher court. 103 00:06:42,675 --> 00:06:46,955 Speaker 1: Though this is Trump, and if he ever stopped paying 104 00:06:47,035 --> 00:06:50,475 Speaker 1: lawyers to do useless things for him, thousands of attorneys 105 00:06:50,635 --> 00:06:53,955 Speaker 1: would almost instantly starve on the streets within hours, and 106 00:06:53,995 --> 00:07:00,035 Speaker 1: the world economy would collapse. Now ABC has more informed 107 00:07:00,075 --> 00:07:03,635 Speaker 1: reporting that there are six topics about which Evan Corkran 108 00:07:03,715 --> 00:07:06,555 Speaker 1: has been ordered to give his testimony to the Special 109 00:07:06,595 --> 00:07:11,515 Speaker 1: Counsel Smith. One was Trump or anybody working for Trump 110 00:07:11,635 --> 00:07:15,315 Speaker 1: aware of this certification document that's at the center of 111 00:07:15,315 --> 00:07:19,035 Speaker 1: the thing, the document that Corkoran wrote and had Christina 112 00:07:19,155 --> 00:07:22,915 Speaker 1: Bob sign, which they then turned over the Department of Justice. 113 00:07:22,955 --> 00:07:26,595 Speaker 1: After what the document falsely says, was Trump voluntarily turning 114 00:07:26,595 --> 00:07:30,275 Speaker 1: over any remaining documents he still held at Marilago last spring? 115 00:07:31,035 --> 00:07:34,955 Speaker 1: Whoever signed that maybe guilty of perjury. Whoever wrote it 116 00:07:34,995 --> 00:07:37,675 Speaker 1: may be guilty of perjury. Whoever ordered it may be 117 00:07:37,755 --> 00:07:43,275 Speaker 1: guilty of subordination of perjury. Topic number two. Smith wants 118 00:07:43,315 --> 00:07:47,075 Speaker 1: Corkran to answer specifically, did Trump approve the claim in 119 00:07:47,155 --> 00:07:50,595 Speaker 1: that document that there had been a quote diligent search 120 00:07:51,555 --> 00:07:54,475 Speaker 1: and did Trump approve of the certification then being given 121 00:07:54,475 --> 00:07:58,155 Speaker 1: to the government. Number three. Corcoran also has to testify 122 00:07:58,155 --> 00:08:01,675 Speaker 1: about what steps he took to determine where the classified 123 00:08:01,755 --> 00:08:04,955 Speaker 1: documents were at Marilago and why he thought they were 124 00:08:04,995 --> 00:08:08,475 Speaker 1: all in the storage room. This all goes back to 125 00:08:08,515 --> 00:08:11,035 Speaker 1: the idea of did you just take Trump's word for it? 126 00:08:11,075 --> 00:08:13,155 Speaker 1: And did Trump tell you just to take his word 127 00:08:13,195 --> 00:08:17,435 Speaker 1: for it. Four. Corkran has to explain why they made 128 00:08:17,515 --> 00:08:22,355 Speaker 1: Christina Bob the fall Gal the designated custodian of all 129 00:08:22,395 --> 00:08:26,195 Speaker 1: the documents Trump held as an aside. I'm betting the 130 00:08:26,195 --> 00:08:32,155 Speaker 1: answer is nobody likes her. Five. Corkran has to explain 131 00:08:32,395 --> 00:08:35,155 Speaker 1: if he talked to Bob about this, and if so, 132 00:08:35,355 --> 00:08:39,155 Speaker 1: what did they say the custodian part, not the nobody 133 00:08:39,235 --> 00:08:42,755 Speaker 1: likes her part. And six and this all goes back 134 00:08:42,795 --> 00:08:45,195 Speaker 1: to the idea that Trump knew what he was doing 135 00:08:45,715 --> 00:08:50,315 Speaker 1: when a document that lied and said, all those classified documents, 136 00:08:50,355 --> 00:08:52,755 Speaker 1: I've turned them all over again. Here the signatures of 137 00:08:52,795 --> 00:08:55,915 Speaker 1: a couple of lawyers that Trump knew that in advance 138 00:08:55,995 --> 00:08:58,035 Speaker 1: and knew it was a lie in advance. It goes 139 00:08:58,155 --> 00:09:01,395 Speaker 1: to four knowledge of a crime and elevates the whole 140 00:09:01,395 --> 00:09:05,355 Speaker 1: thing monumentally. That's sixth one. There was a phone call 141 00:09:05,435 --> 00:09:08,955 Speaker 1: between Corkran and Trump on June twenty fourth, the same 142 00:09:09,035 --> 00:09:12,515 Speaker 1: day that the grand jury subpoena demanding Trump turn over 143 00:09:12,555 --> 00:09:16,715 Speaker 1: the surveillance footage of the Marilago storage room, which the 144 00:09:16,755 --> 00:09:19,755 Speaker 1: Department of Justice believed would show people moving boxes in 145 00:09:19,915 --> 00:09:22,435 Speaker 1: and out of it. The same day that subpoena showed 146 00:09:22,475 --> 00:09:26,995 Speaker 1: up at Marilago. This is a no brainer. Smith gets 147 00:09:27,035 --> 00:09:31,355 Speaker 1: to ask Corkran specifics about his call with Trump that day, 148 00:09:31,915 --> 00:09:35,155 Speaker 1: just happening to be the same day as the subpoena arrived. 149 00:09:35,835 --> 00:09:41,075 Speaker 1: Plus Smith gets all the documents and that tantalizing transcript 150 00:09:41,115 --> 00:09:45,115 Speaker 1: Corcoran has, which we already knew. So there it is 151 00:09:45,715 --> 00:09:49,435 Speaker 1: in the courtrooms of New York and Washington. Clear as 152 00:09:49,475 --> 00:09:52,995 Speaker 1: a bell. We know exactly what's going to happen from 153 00:09:53,035 --> 00:09:58,915 Speaker 1: here on in, unless somebody else throws a monkey wrench 154 00:09:58,955 --> 00:10:03,155 Speaker 1: into the works, or we're a wrench into the into 155 00:10:03,595 --> 00:10:08,835 Speaker 1: the monkey works, or the wait, unless somebody throws a 156 00:10:08,915 --> 00:10:28,795 Speaker 1: monkey into the wrench works. He's this year minky a 157 00:10:28,955 --> 00:10:31,075 Speaker 1: monkey into the wrench works, still ahead of us in 158 00:10:31,115 --> 00:10:34,435 Speaker 1: this edition of Countdown. For seven months, I've been telling 159 00:10:34,435 --> 00:10:38,115 Speaker 1: you how new management, namely the paste eating guy, has 160 00:10:38,155 --> 00:10:41,555 Speaker 1: been pushing CNN to the right under the guise of balance. 161 00:10:42,355 --> 00:10:47,035 Speaker 1: Now looks like it started at MSNBC, which has just 162 00:10:47,195 --> 00:10:49,835 Speaker 1: hired a former Republican governor and made one of its 163 00:10:49,875 --> 00:10:53,995 Speaker 1: hosts welcome him like anybody watching MSNBC wanted to see 164 00:10:54,035 --> 00:10:57,755 Speaker 1: a Republican governor, and the host stood up to this perversion, 165 00:10:57,875 --> 00:11:04,475 Speaker 1: like like somebody who really likes that NBC money. You 166 00:11:04,555 --> 00:11:06,475 Speaker 1: know what happens when you elect a new chair of 167 00:11:06,515 --> 00:11:08,715 Speaker 1: your state Republican party and you select the woman who 168 00:11:08,715 --> 00:11:11,835 Speaker 1: believes abortion is just to cover up of satanic child 169 00:11:11,955 --> 00:11:16,715 Speaker 1: sacrifice and that demonic possession can be transmissible by sex 170 00:11:16,795 --> 00:11:20,715 Speaker 1: with demons. Well, what happens is you get tweets over 171 00:11:20,795 --> 00:11:25,035 Speaker 1: your party's name comparing gun control to the Holocaust, complete 172 00:11:25,075 --> 00:11:28,675 Speaker 1: with pictures of the wedding rings of thousands of Holocaust victims. 173 00:11:29,315 --> 00:11:34,795 Speaker 1: Good move Michigan, and it's official local television sportscasting is dead. 174 00:11:35,395 --> 00:11:39,755 Speaker 1: I know this because it's in Sports Illustrated magazine. Also 175 00:11:39,795 --> 00:11:42,635 Speaker 1: because I wrote an article predicting this in a different 176 00:11:42,635 --> 00:11:48,795 Speaker 1: magazine in January of nineteen ninety two. That's next, this discountdown. 177 00:11:55,635 --> 00:12:06,115 Speaker 1: This is countdown with Keith Olberman still ahead. We're doing 178 00:12:06,155 --> 00:12:08,995 Speaker 1: this out of order today because worse Persons is way 179 00:12:09,035 --> 00:12:12,795 Speaker 1: more interesting than the sports segment is. But coming up. 180 00:12:12,835 --> 00:12:15,075 Speaker 1: I used to be a local TV sportscaster. I did 181 00:12:15,115 --> 00:12:17,395 Speaker 1: the sports segment on the news three times a night, 182 00:12:17,515 --> 00:12:20,275 Speaker 1: six days a week. No, really, they used to have 183 00:12:20,355 --> 00:12:24,755 Speaker 1: sportscasters on the local news. That apparently is coming to 184 00:12:24,835 --> 00:12:29,635 Speaker 1: an end. I come not to praise local TV sportscasting, 185 00:12:29,675 --> 00:12:33,155 Speaker 1: but to burying it. Next first time for the daily 186 00:12:33,235 --> 00:12:36,075 Speaker 1: roundup of the miscrants, morons and dunning Kruger effects specimens 187 00:12:36,115 --> 00:12:40,235 Speaker 1: who constitute today's whereas persons in the world. The Bronze everybody, 188 00:12:40,235 --> 00:12:43,275 Speaker 1: from Trump who demanded a boycott to Greta van Sustran, 189 00:12:43,315 --> 00:12:47,115 Speaker 1: who called for a congressional investigation to Senators Tom Cotton, 190 00:12:47,195 --> 00:12:49,955 Speaker 1: Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, and Mike Lee who wrote a 191 00:12:50,035 --> 00:12:54,395 Speaker 1: letter threatening dire consequences and insisted this was liberal censorship. 192 00:12:54,995 --> 00:12:58,395 Speaker 1: What am I talking about about Newsmax and Direct TV? 193 00:12:58,715 --> 00:13:03,715 Speaker 1: Remember this, It was only last month Direct TV dropped Newsmax, 194 00:13:03,755 --> 00:13:07,835 Speaker 1: and the whiney but hurt snowflake fascists like Cruise demanded, 195 00:13:08,475 --> 00:13:12,355 Speaker 1: I don't know firing squads. We all told them, no, 196 00:13:12,515 --> 00:13:16,075 Speaker 1: it's not censorship. Newsmax gave its channel for free to 197 00:13:16,235 --> 00:13:19,555 Speaker 1: Direct TV, and then one day Newsmax said to Direct TV, look, 198 00:13:19,555 --> 00:13:23,395 Speaker 1: instead of free, we'd like you to give us thirteen 199 00:13:23,435 --> 00:13:26,035 Speaker 1: million dollars a year for it, and Direct TV said, 200 00:13:26,115 --> 00:13:30,515 Speaker 1: are you kidding? For that crap? Direct TV and Newsmax 201 00:13:30,555 --> 00:13:33,795 Speaker 1: have now made a deal. Terms not disclosed. Newsmax will 202 00:13:33,795 --> 00:13:36,875 Speaker 1: be back on the satellite provider. The head of Newsmax 203 00:13:36,915 --> 00:13:41,155 Speaker 1: now says it's great. The Direct TV quote clearly supports 204 00:13:41,275 --> 00:13:46,395 Speaker 1: diverse voices, including conservative ones and Cruz and Graham and 205 00:13:46,475 --> 00:13:49,035 Speaker 1: Trump and all the other morons who were wrong. Cruise 206 00:13:49,155 --> 00:13:54,555 Speaker 1: is still insisting its censorship because Ted Cruz is the dumbest, 207 00:13:54,835 --> 00:13:58,715 Speaker 1: most cynical, most manipulative son of a bitch in the Senate. 208 00:13:59,435 --> 00:14:01,675 Speaker 1: And I might remind you that Kirsten Cinema is in 209 00:14:01,715 --> 00:14:08,035 Speaker 1: the Senate. The runners up are melbur and MSNBC. Look, 210 00:14:08,435 --> 00:14:11,595 Speaker 1: I've been there. Your TV employer wants you to do 211 00:14:11,675 --> 00:14:18,315 Speaker 1: something that's obviously wrong, obviously insults your audience, obviously degrades you, 212 00:14:18,395 --> 00:14:21,515 Speaker 1: and violates your own morals and principles, and the point 213 00:14:21,515 --> 00:14:24,915 Speaker 1: of your entire career obviously shows that your employers are 214 00:14:24,915 --> 00:14:28,715 Speaker 1: trying to kiss the Republican's ass. I've been there, Ari Melburn, 215 00:14:29,195 --> 00:14:32,235 Speaker 1: I've been there at MSNBC. In fact, they tried to 216 00:14:32,275 --> 00:14:35,515 Speaker 1: put Michael Savage on my show in two thousand and three, 217 00:14:35,555 --> 00:14:37,195 Speaker 1: and then in two thousand and ten they tried to 218 00:14:37,195 --> 00:14:40,035 Speaker 1: put a whole slew of Republican contributors on my show. 219 00:14:40,355 --> 00:14:44,475 Speaker 1: I know your dilemma just because in two thousand and 220 00:14:44,515 --> 00:14:48,195 Speaker 1: three I called a cab to lead the studio and 221 00:14:48,275 --> 00:14:51,155 Speaker 1: told them I was quitting before I put Michael Savage 222 00:14:51,155 --> 00:14:53,995 Speaker 1: on my show, and just because in two thousand and 223 00:14:54,035 --> 00:14:58,075 Speaker 1: ten I sit Republican contributors Final Straw and I quit 224 00:14:58,115 --> 00:15:00,835 Speaker 1: a month later. But I get it. Not everybody can 225 00:15:00,875 --> 00:15:04,195 Speaker 1: do that. Not everybody puts the audience or their own 226 00:15:04,195 --> 00:15:09,075 Speaker 1: credibilit first. You do, you, Ariy Melbourne. But when MSNBC, 227 00:15:09,275 --> 00:15:13,955 Speaker 1: which keeps firing liberals and demoting diverse voices, when they 228 00:15:14,035 --> 00:15:18,315 Speaker 1: made you announce that it had hired for money former 229 00:15:18,355 --> 00:15:22,595 Speaker 1: Ohio Governor John Kasik as a Republican contributor to your 230 00:15:22,675 --> 00:15:26,515 Speaker 1: show into MSNBC. Did you have to show a super 231 00:15:26,555 --> 00:15:30,755 Speaker 1: cut of all of Kasik's great Republican moments and then 232 00:15:30,835 --> 00:15:33,795 Speaker 1: act so excited that he would be there and got 233 00:15:33,835 --> 00:15:38,315 Speaker 1: paid to lie about Republicans and America on MSNBC. We 234 00:15:38,435 --> 00:15:42,635 Speaker 1: appreciate your being here and welcome, but like I said, 235 00:15:42,675 --> 00:15:45,755 Speaker 1: I've been there. Of course I stopped it from happening, 236 00:15:45,755 --> 00:15:50,315 Speaker 1: and you didn't. But I understand your dilemma and the money. 237 00:15:51,355 --> 00:15:54,195 Speaker 1: But our winners the new chair of the Michigan State 238 00:15:54,275 --> 00:15:59,195 Speaker 1: GOP and her organization, Christina Caramo. Christina Caramo is the 239 00:15:59,235 --> 00:16:03,915 Speaker 1: crazy person election denier, sex with Demon's nutbag who was 240 00:16:03,955 --> 00:16:06,195 Speaker 1: elected a month to go to run the party in Michigan. 241 00:16:06,275 --> 00:16:07,995 Speaker 1: And I don't want to tell you Republicans how to 242 00:16:08,035 --> 00:16:11,955 Speaker 1: run your local fascist chapter, but I'm thinking long term. 243 00:16:12,595 --> 00:16:16,595 Speaker 1: Even for you guys, Christina Caramo is not really going 244 00:16:16,635 --> 00:16:19,915 Speaker 1: to help, and if you're smart, which you're not, you 245 00:16:19,955 --> 00:16:22,635 Speaker 1: would get rid of her, like, well, what time is 246 00:16:22,675 --> 00:16:26,955 Speaker 1: it now? Inside the next hour? The Michigan GOP has tweeted, 247 00:16:26,995 --> 00:16:31,795 Speaker 1: supposedly in defensive gun rights, this message quote. History has 248 00:16:31,835 --> 00:16:33,835 Speaker 1: shown us that the first thing a government does when 249 00:16:33,835 --> 00:16:36,795 Speaker 1: it wants total control over its people is to disarm them. 250 00:16:37,115 --> 00:16:39,955 Speaker 1: President Reagan once stated, if we lose freedom here, there 251 00:16:40,035 --> 00:16:42,835 Speaker 1: is nowhere to escape to. This is the last stand 252 00:16:42,875 --> 00:16:46,675 Speaker 1: on earth. Hashtag to a and below that is a 253 00:16:46,715 --> 00:16:49,515 Speaker 1: little meme. It's a photo. It's a photo from a 254 00:16:49,595 --> 00:16:53,355 Speaker 1: Nazi death camp during the Holocaust showing thousands of rings, 255 00:16:53,355 --> 00:16:57,155 Speaker 1: with the caption quote, before they collected all these wedding rings, 256 00:16:57,155 --> 00:17:01,715 Speaker 1: they collected all the guns. Now, obviously it's unconscionable and 257 00:17:01,875 --> 00:17:05,675 Speaker 1: grotesque to use imagery from the Holocaust and compare it 258 00:17:05,715 --> 00:17:09,835 Speaker 1: to pretty much anything, but particularly to the Second Amendment debate. 259 00:17:10,075 --> 00:17:14,115 Speaker 1: But it's also factually stupid and the inaccurate. Strict laws 260 00:17:14,155 --> 00:17:17,315 Speaker 1: against gun ownership in Germany were established by the German 261 00:17:17,355 --> 00:17:21,435 Speaker 1: Republic in the nineteen twenties. The Nazis actually loosened those 262 00:17:21,515 --> 00:17:24,755 Speaker 1: laws in many cases. Also, the Second Amendment doesn't have 263 00:17:24,795 --> 00:17:27,315 Speaker 1: a damn thing to do with gun ownership in this country. 264 00:17:27,515 --> 00:17:31,635 Speaker 1: That's why the word ownership isn't in the Second Amendment. 265 00:17:32,115 --> 00:17:35,995 Speaker 1: Oh and Christina Caramo and her clique of psychos who 266 00:17:35,995 --> 00:17:39,435 Speaker 1: have taken over the Michigan GOP. They're aligned in terms 267 00:17:39,435 --> 00:17:44,635 Speaker 1: of policy, hatred, prejudice, and mental instability with the nazis 268 00:17:44,955 --> 00:17:50,155 Speaker 1: not against them. So Christina Caramo and the tasteless, clueless, 269 00:17:50,475 --> 00:17:56,995 Speaker 1: gutless Michigan Republican Party, shut the f up. You are 270 00:17:57,235 --> 00:18:28,915 Speaker 1: two days worst persons. And this is Sports Center. Wait 271 00:18:29,115 --> 00:18:36,675 Speaker 1: check that not anymore. This is Countdown with Keith Alberman 272 00:18:36,955 --> 00:18:40,155 Speaker 1: in Sports. About one hundred and seventy two different people 273 00:18:40,195 --> 00:18:43,275 Speaker 1: have sent me an article from Sports Illustrated called the 274 00:18:43,435 --> 00:18:47,635 Speaker 1: Death of the Local sports Anchor by John Worthime. The 275 00:18:47,835 --> 00:18:52,395 Speaker 1: subheadline is marvelous. They were once gods walking among their immortals. 276 00:18:52,755 --> 00:18:57,035 Speaker 1: Now they're lucky to get two minutes. The Peace centers 277 00:18:57,075 --> 00:18:59,315 Speaker 1: on the last day of a local TV sportscaster in 278 00:18:59,395 --> 00:19:02,635 Speaker 1: Los Angeles named Fred Rogan after forty two years on 279 00:19:02,675 --> 00:19:06,035 Speaker 1: the job. There, I reported on his demise in January 280 00:19:06,075 --> 00:19:08,435 Speaker 1: and noted that when he had been there seven or 281 00:19:08,475 --> 00:19:11,355 Speaker 1: eight years on Channel four, I had been there two 282 00:19:11,435 --> 00:19:14,755 Speaker 1: or three years on Channel two. Back then, Fred Rogan 283 00:19:14,835 --> 00:19:16,835 Speaker 1: had a well, let's just call it a bit of 284 00:19:16,915 --> 00:19:21,675 Speaker 1: a substance problem. He projected a nice kid next door persona. 285 00:19:21,755 --> 00:19:24,115 Speaker 1: But after I made a joke about him on the air, 286 00:19:24,235 --> 00:19:25,955 Speaker 1: he called me up and said he had a tape 287 00:19:25,955 --> 00:19:28,075 Speaker 1: of everything I'd ever said about him, and he was 288 00:19:28,115 --> 00:19:31,395 Speaker 1: going to kill me. He also used to steal stories 289 00:19:31,435 --> 00:19:34,595 Speaker 1: from other stations, which we squelched. Once by teasing a 290 00:19:34,635 --> 00:19:37,395 Speaker 1: story about a trade that never happened. I did not 291 00:19:37,515 --> 00:19:40,315 Speaker 1: put it in my sportscast. Fred put it in his. 292 00:19:41,315 --> 00:19:43,235 Speaker 1: Once I got a call from a kid who said 293 00:19:43,435 --> 00:19:45,875 Speaker 1: Fred Rogan was about to give him an internship over 294 00:19:45,875 --> 00:19:48,235 Speaker 1: there at Channel four, but had instructed him that he 295 00:19:48,275 --> 00:19:51,475 Speaker 1: had one last task to accomplish. And the kid said, 296 00:19:51,755 --> 00:19:53,355 Speaker 1: I have to call you up and tell you to 297 00:19:53,395 --> 00:19:57,315 Speaker 1: go f yourself. The kid was named Bill Weir. He 298 00:19:57,435 --> 00:20:00,235 Speaker 1: later became a sportscaster in La matter of fact and 299 00:20:00,395 --> 00:20:02,515 Speaker 1: a news reporter, and I think he's still at CNN. 300 00:20:02,555 --> 00:20:05,915 Speaker 1: And the day he called me in nineteen nineteen ninety one, 301 00:20:05,915 --> 00:20:08,955 Speaker 1: I told him, you do realize I will never stop 302 00:20:09,035 --> 00:20:14,835 Speaker 1: telling this story about you, and I haven't hi Bill anyway. 303 00:20:15,075 --> 00:20:17,955 Speaker 1: The Sports Illustrated pieces about the death of local TV 304 00:20:18,075 --> 00:20:22,795 Speaker 1: sportscasting while we were all wildly overpaid. That's why most 305 00:20:22,795 --> 00:20:25,395 Speaker 1: of us did it. The best I ever saw at 306 00:20:25,435 --> 00:20:29,355 Speaker 1: local TV sportscasting, Glenn Brenner in Washington made a million 307 00:20:29,395 --> 00:20:32,795 Speaker 1: a year, and he was worth every penny of it. 308 00:20:33,595 --> 00:20:36,875 Speaker 1: I went from making seventy two grand at KTLA Channel 309 00:20:36,875 --> 00:20:39,675 Speaker 1: five in Los Angeles on a Friday in nineteen eighty 310 00:20:39,715 --> 00:20:43,435 Speaker 1: eight to making five hundred grand at KCBS in Los 311 00:20:43,475 --> 00:20:49,395 Speaker 1: Angeles two days later. It was fun. Then came ESPN, 312 00:20:49,955 --> 00:20:53,755 Speaker 1: so I went to ESPN. Anyway, there's a quote in 313 00:20:53,795 --> 00:20:57,195 Speaker 1: work Times Sports Illustrated piece from me about the amount 314 00:20:57,195 --> 00:21:01,235 Speaker 1: of publicity we local sportscasters used to get. Quote. Keith 315 00:21:01,275 --> 00:21:03,875 Speaker 1: old Remain, another LA sports anchor in the nineteen eighties, 316 00:21:03,915 --> 00:21:07,315 Speaker 1: once remarked during an earthquake, your chances were one in 317 00:21:07,515 --> 00:21:12,195 Speaker 1: three of being crushed by a Fred Rogan billboard unquote. 318 00:21:12,795 --> 00:21:16,435 Speaker 1: Fittingly to the point that local sportscasting is being phased out, 319 00:21:16,475 --> 00:21:21,555 Speaker 1: I said that in nineteen eighty six. Anyway, Worth Time 320 00:21:21,635 --> 00:21:24,635 Speaker 1: notes that a Boston station announced in January it was 321 00:21:24,675 --> 00:21:28,195 Speaker 1: testing a six pm newscast with no sports at all, 322 00:21:28,755 --> 00:21:30,835 Speaker 1: and that rang a distant bell and made me look 323 00:21:30,875 --> 00:21:34,755 Speaker 1: at my cobwebs strewn archives. It seems to me that 324 00:21:34,915 --> 00:21:37,475 Speaker 1: I had written a piece about the eventual extinction of 325 00:21:37,515 --> 00:21:41,515 Speaker 1: the local TV sportscaster. And there it was from La 326 00:21:41,595 --> 00:21:46,675 Speaker 1: Style Magazine, a gorgeous monthly publication which naturally went out 327 00:21:46,675 --> 00:21:50,195 Speaker 1: of business because magazines are like local TV sportscasters. The 328 00:21:50,275 --> 00:21:53,315 Speaker 1: piece isn't too long, and it's pretty prescient, given it 329 00:21:53,315 --> 00:21:56,235 Speaker 1: was written thirty one years ago, so I thought, it's 330 00:21:56,315 --> 00:21:59,515 Speaker 1: my podcast. If you don't care, you can skip ahead. 331 00:21:59,555 --> 00:22:01,235 Speaker 1: I'm not going to take it personally, or just shut 332 00:22:01,235 --> 00:22:03,995 Speaker 1: it off. We'll see you tomorrow. Anyway. This was printed 333 00:22:03,995 --> 00:22:06,755 Speaker 1: in either ju or February nineteen ninety two, and the 334 00:22:06,755 --> 00:22:09,355 Speaker 1: only thing I've changed in it is the references to 335 00:22:09,475 --> 00:22:14,075 Speaker 1: years and times, because guess what, nineteen eighty five is 336 00:22:14,195 --> 00:22:21,555 Speaker 1: not seven years ago anymore. She's anyway, here goes when 337 00:22:21,595 --> 00:22:24,595 Speaker 1: I came to LA seven years ago in nineteen eighty five. 338 00:22:25,115 --> 00:22:29,635 Speaker 1: The other principal sportscasters were Jim Hill, Stu Nahan, Ted Dawson, 339 00:22:29,755 --> 00:22:34,515 Speaker 1: Scott Saint James and Tom Kelly. Dawson and Saint James 340 00:22:34,515 --> 00:22:37,675 Speaker 1: were distinguished from the others by being the loudest, Nahan 341 00:22:37,755 --> 00:22:40,515 Speaker 1: and Kelly by being the oldest, and Hill by being 342 00:22:40,515 --> 00:22:43,035 Speaker 1: the guy who always got the interview but never asked 343 00:22:43,075 --> 00:22:49,435 Speaker 1: the question. Otherwise, their programs were all the same scores, highlights, previews, predictions, 344 00:22:49,515 --> 00:22:53,315 Speaker 1: an occasional rant, and a periodic rave, but at least 345 00:22:53,315 --> 00:22:57,395 Speaker 1: they reported sports news. It was always my viewpoint that 346 00:22:57,475 --> 00:23:00,315 Speaker 1: sports was not covered seriously enough, while at the same 347 00:23:00,355 --> 00:23:04,155 Speaker 1: time it was covered way too seriously. The business of sports, 348 00:23:04,155 --> 00:23:07,635 Speaker 1: the hippocracy, the violence, the human tragedies, and triumphs were 349 00:23:07,675 --> 00:23:10,955 Speaker 1: usually glossed over so a few more home runs could 350 00:23:10,955 --> 00:23:15,395 Speaker 1: be shown simultaneously. Sportscasters refused to comment on the twenty 351 00:23:15,395 --> 00:23:18,795 Speaker 1: percent of sports that is basically absurd, from events like 352 00:23:18,915 --> 00:23:23,675 Speaker 1: tractor polls and motorcycle racing on ice two fans dressed 353 00:23:23,755 --> 00:23:27,515 Speaker 1: up as slabs of luncheon meat. The problem was that, 354 00:23:27,675 --> 00:23:30,475 Speaker 1: with the advent of cable TV and the competition it 355 00:23:30,475 --> 00:23:34,035 Speaker 1: brought to local sports coverage, the local television news sportscast 356 00:23:34,155 --> 00:23:36,955 Speaker 1: needed to be retooled so that it would cover the 357 00:23:36,995 --> 00:23:40,075 Speaker 1: extremes of the spectrum and not just the routine middle. 358 00:23:40,675 --> 00:23:44,795 Speaker 1: With this retooling, however, a Pandora's box was open. While 359 00:23:44,795 --> 00:23:47,995 Speaker 1: the viewers tended to respect the serious reporting and criticism, 360 00:23:48,275 --> 00:23:51,835 Speaker 1: they were driven flat out bonkers by those guys dressed 361 00:23:51,915 --> 00:23:57,075 Speaker 1: up as salamis. Viewers quietly enjoyed the memorial to Roger 362 00:23:57,155 --> 00:24:00,595 Speaker 1: Marris that I did once, but they telephoned my station 363 00:24:00,635 --> 00:24:04,315 Speaker 1: in droves demanding that we keep playing videotape from a 364 00:24:04,315 --> 00:24:08,155 Speaker 1: New Year Giants super Bowl party showing tiny Tim getting 365 00:24:08,195 --> 00:24:12,555 Speaker 1: hit in the privates with a snowball. A few months 366 00:24:12,595 --> 00:24:15,195 Speaker 1: after I had arrived in La Nahan was out at 367 00:24:15,275 --> 00:24:18,195 Speaker 1: Channel four and Fred Rogan had begun his non stop 368 00:24:18,275 --> 00:24:21,995 Speaker 1: descent into the full time coverage of fans dressed as salamis. 369 00:24:22,835 --> 00:24:26,555 Speaker 1: Vic the Brick Jacobs was imported by Channel thirteen and 370 00:24:26,675 --> 00:24:32,155 Speaker 1: started throwing things at the camera. Channel seven unleashed Todd Donahoe, who, 371 00:24:32,235 --> 00:24:35,075 Speaker 1: on the night that former Angels pitcher Donnie Moore shot 372 00:24:35,115 --> 00:24:38,795 Speaker 1: and wounded his wife and then killed himself, still began 373 00:24:38,955 --> 00:24:43,435 Speaker 1: his sportscast with the trivia question, as it will eventually 374 00:24:43,435 --> 00:24:46,955 Speaker 1: prove for all local sportscasters around the nation. Inside this 375 00:24:47,075 --> 00:24:51,235 Speaker 1: Pandora's box was also the doomsday machine. Sports news was 376 00:24:51,275 --> 00:24:54,835 Speaker 1: always included in TV newscast because there was an unwritten 377 00:24:54,915 --> 00:24:58,115 Speaker 1: law that it had to be. So what if even 378 00:24:58,155 --> 00:25:01,635 Speaker 1: in the pre cable days of the seventies and early eighties, 379 00:25:02,115 --> 00:25:05,555 Speaker 1: an average of only fifteen percent of local viewers, it 380 00:25:05,675 --> 00:25:10,675 Speaker 1: was found, actually care about the subject. In Los Angeles, 381 00:25:10,715 --> 00:25:12,795 Speaker 1: the male audience that made up the bulk of that 382 00:25:12,955 --> 00:25:16,275 Speaker 1: fifteen percent now gets home after the four, five, and 383 00:25:16,395 --> 00:25:20,155 Speaker 1: six o'clock newscasts are over and goes to sleep before 384 00:25:20,235 --> 00:25:23,835 Speaker 1: the eleven o'clock begins. In between, in addition to a 385 00:25:23,915 --> 00:25:26,875 Speaker 1: swarm of ball games, sports fans can now watch a 386 00:25:26,915 --> 00:25:30,315 Speaker 1: half hour cable sportscast at eight, an hour long one 387 00:25:30,315 --> 00:25:33,155 Speaker 1: at eight thirty, a local half hour at ten, and 388 00:25:33,275 --> 00:25:38,635 Speaker 1: two competing half hours at eleven thirty. These guys just 389 00:25:38,755 --> 00:25:43,075 Speaker 1: don't watch the local newscasts anymore. By the end of 390 00:25:43,075 --> 00:25:46,195 Speaker 1: my tenure at KCBS, management was claiming the audience for 391 00:25:46,235 --> 00:25:50,355 Speaker 1: the five o'clock newscast was three quarters women, women who 392 00:25:50,355 --> 00:25:53,955 Speaker 1: actually got angry when they saw news time wasted on 393 00:25:54,035 --> 00:26:00,435 Speaker 1: sports that could have been devoted on something important like Madonna. 394 00:26:00,755 --> 00:26:03,875 Speaker 1: So in local news, a masset of television that is 395 00:26:03,915 --> 00:26:06,355 Speaker 1: losing viewers of all kinds and losing money in all 396 00:26:06,435 --> 00:26:10,555 Speaker 1: kinds of frightening amounts. Sportscasts are becoming a liability. They 397 00:26:10,635 --> 00:26:14,995 Speaker 1: require a large department of producers, the services of videotape editors, 398 00:26:15,035 --> 00:26:19,355 Speaker 1: and a huge salary outlay. Talent agents whose lives and 399 00:26:19,475 --> 00:26:23,315 Speaker 1: livelihoods depend on such information. Confirmed that last year fully 400 00:26:23,435 --> 00:26:27,155 Speaker 1: half of the on air sportscasting jobs that opened up 401 00:26:27,155 --> 00:26:32,115 Speaker 1: on local stations around the country were not filled. Last 402 00:26:32,195 --> 00:26:37,395 Speaker 1: year being nineteen ninety one. In La, k NBC cutback 403 00:26:37,435 --> 00:26:41,635 Speaker 1: from three sportscasters to two, KCBS replaced its number two 404 00:26:41,675 --> 00:26:44,395 Speaker 1: guy with a freelancer, and after my departure, had for 405 00:26:44,435 --> 00:26:49,795 Speaker 1: a time no staff sportscasters. As yet, local stations have 406 00:26:49,915 --> 00:26:52,875 Speaker 1: merely been cutting back on sports coverage. In a span 407 00:26:52,915 --> 00:26:55,715 Speaker 1: of a few months last year, KCBS reduced the daily 408 00:26:55,755 --> 00:26:58,915 Speaker 1: average of twelve minutes of sports in its newscasts to 409 00:26:59,155 --> 00:27:03,555 Speaker 1: seven and a half minutes. At KNBC, Rogan's Bellweather Sunday 410 00:27:03,635 --> 00:27:07,115 Speaker 1: Night Sports Law forty percent of its audience between May 411 00:27:07,195 --> 00:27:10,675 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty nine and November nineteen ninety one, and the 412 00:27:10,715 --> 00:27:13,995 Speaker 1: show was relegated to a later time slot, and the 413 00:27:14,075 --> 00:27:19,715 Speaker 1: pressure from cable is increasing. My new employer, ESPN again, 414 00:27:19,875 --> 00:27:24,035 Speaker 1: this is nineteen ninety two. My new employer, ESPN is 415 00:27:24,115 --> 00:27:26,995 Speaker 1: cooking up a second network that would be nothing less 416 00:27:26,995 --> 00:27:33,315 Speaker 1: than a perpetual sportscast, all highlights, all the time, forever. Inevitably, 417 00:27:33,435 --> 00:27:36,875 Speaker 1: sportscast will begin to disappear outright from the local news. 418 00:27:37,395 --> 00:27:41,075 Speaker 1: Floating around CBS headquarters is an outline for eliminating them 419 00:27:41,075 --> 00:27:45,155 Speaker 1: in such cities as New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Miami, and 420 00:27:45,315 --> 00:27:49,075 Speaker 1: Los Angeles, first from the afternoon newscasts and then from 421 00:27:49,075 --> 00:27:52,755 Speaker 1: the late night versions. Local team highlights would still be 422 00:27:52,795 --> 00:27:57,515 Speaker 1: shown narrated by newscasters. Weekend coverage will continue, and the 423 00:27:57,555 --> 00:28:01,635 Speaker 1: local postgame show tacked onto a network sporting event, will flourish, 424 00:28:02,115 --> 00:28:06,995 Speaker 1: but the Sunday night wrap up shows will vanish. Someday somewhere, 425 00:28:07,315 --> 00:28:11,795 Speaker 1: I'll have this conversation with some youngster, way back before 426 00:28:11,835 --> 00:28:14,435 Speaker 1: the turn of this entry, I used to do the 427 00:28:14,515 --> 00:28:19,195 Speaker 1: sports on some stations in Los Angeles. What the Dodgers, 428 00:28:19,435 --> 00:28:24,275 Speaker 1: the kid will say, the Lakers, No, all of them. 429 00:28:24,315 --> 00:28:27,195 Speaker 1: I used to show all the highlights on the news 430 00:28:28,315 --> 00:28:33,515 Speaker 1: on the news, Sports on the news honest to God, 431 00:28:34,755 --> 00:28:37,555 Speaker 1: he'll look at me and then screw his face up 432 00:28:37,595 --> 00:28:44,595 Speaker 1: in confusion. Why so, that was my prophecy in LA 433 00:28:44,755 --> 00:28:47,555 Speaker 1: Style magazine in nineteen ninety two, got us say the 434 00:28:47,595 --> 00:28:50,675 Speaker 1: local sports cast has lasted way longer than I expected 435 00:28:50,675 --> 00:28:53,715 Speaker 1: it would thirty one years ago, although the salaries didn't. 436 00:28:54,355 --> 00:28:57,275 Speaker 1: When I went to ESPN to do Sports Center, I 437 00:28:57,355 --> 00:28:59,595 Speaker 1: was making about two fifths of what I had been 438 00:28:59,595 --> 00:29:03,675 Speaker 1: paid in LA. That was a surprise. When I went 439 00:29:03,715 --> 00:29:07,755 Speaker 1: back to ESPN in twenty thirteen, I was making about 440 00:29:07,795 --> 00:29:11,395 Speaker 1: as much as all the local TV sportscasters in New 441 00:29:11,475 --> 00:29:16,995 Speaker 1: York City combined, and I was maybe the twentieth highest 442 00:29:17,035 --> 00:29:21,835 Speaker 1: paid guy at ESPN. Anyway, while we're on this subject, 443 00:29:21,875 --> 00:29:25,075 Speaker 1: this Rogan fella and I had one memorable contest that 444 00:29:25,235 --> 00:29:28,555 Speaker 1: pertained to the greatest scoop I have ever gotten in 445 00:29:28,595 --> 00:29:32,395 Speaker 1: my life, a scoop for which I did almost nothing. 446 00:29:32,915 --> 00:29:36,075 Speaker 1: I earned none of the credit that I got. And 447 00:29:36,235 --> 00:29:40,515 Speaker 1: then came Awards season, and well I got my come upance. 448 00:29:41,275 --> 00:29:58,795 Speaker 1: Fred Rogan cleaned my clock. Next, finally, I number one 449 00:29:58,835 --> 00:30:01,275 Speaker 1: story on the countdown Things I promised not to tell. 450 00:30:01,355 --> 00:30:04,595 Speaker 1: And back to my favorite topic me, This is thirty 451 00:30:04,875 --> 00:30:08,035 Speaker 1: four years ago. So it was August eighth, nineteen eighty 452 00:30:08,075 --> 00:30:10,275 Speaker 1: eight on the West coast. But by the time I 453 00:30:10,315 --> 00:30:12,955 Speaker 1: got the story on the air at ten PMPDT and 454 00:30:13,035 --> 00:30:16,115 Speaker 1: it made all the wires that made it August ninth, 455 00:30:16,275 --> 00:30:21,035 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty eight. So happy double Day Anniversary, Wayne Gretzky. 456 00:30:21,835 --> 00:30:24,795 Speaker 1: Just after dinner, the phone rang in my office at 457 00:30:24,875 --> 00:30:28,395 Speaker 1: Channel five in La Hi, I'm a viewer. I took 458 00:30:28,435 --> 00:30:31,435 Speaker 1: a deep breath. You never knew where a call that 459 00:30:31,595 --> 00:30:34,355 Speaker 1: started like that was going to end up. I just 460 00:30:34,395 --> 00:30:37,595 Speaker 1: wanted to Janoah. I was out golfing at Riviera at 461 00:30:37,595 --> 00:30:40,955 Speaker 1: the Riviera Clubs afternoon and Bruce McNall, the owner of 462 00:30:40,955 --> 00:30:44,235 Speaker 1: the Kings, well, he just walked through the locker room saying, hey, guys, 463 00:30:44,275 --> 00:30:47,195 Speaker 1: if you want to buy your seasoned King's tickets, do 464 00:30:47,315 --> 00:30:49,675 Speaker 1: it now. I just traded for Wayne Gretzky. The price 465 00:30:49,715 --> 00:30:53,275 Speaker 1: is going to go up next week. To be polite 466 00:30:53,715 --> 00:30:57,035 Speaker 1: to the viewer, I asked a few questions, but frankly, 467 00:30:57,075 --> 00:30:59,915 Speaker 1: the story was pretty stupid. This was the second week 468 00:30:59,915 --> 00:31:01,955 Speaker 1: of August nineteen eighty eight, and there was a lot 469 00:31:01,955 --> 00:31:04,835 Speaker 1: of talk that the Edmonton Oilers, We're going to trade 470 00:31:04,835 --> 00:31:07,955 Speaker 1: Wayne Gretzky, the most famous player in hockey, and there 471 00:31:07,995 --> 00:31:10,035 Speaker 1: was nearly as much talk that that trade would send 472 00:31:10,115 --> 00:31:13,315 Speaker 1: him to us in LA. But the owner of the 473 00:31:13,435 --> 00:31:18,795 Speaker 1: Kings just telling passers by at random in a golf 474 00:31:18,955 --> 00:31:23,515 Speaker 1: clubhouse that he had just made the trade. I was 475 00:31:24,115 --> 00:31:28,915 Speaker 1: suspicious that I was being pranked. Fifteen minutes later, my 476 00:31:28,995 --> 00:31:31,515 Speaker 1: phone rang again. Hi, I'm a big fan of yours 477 00:31:31,555 --> 00:31:34,355 Speaker 1: and I watch every night. Here we go again. I 478 00:31:34,435 --> 00:31:36,235 Speaker 1: was just having lunch with a friend of mine out 479 00:31:36,235 --> 00:31:38,795 Speaker 1: here at the golf course in bel Air, And in 480 00:31:38,835 --> 00:31:41,795 Speaker 1: like an hour later, freaking Bruce McNall shows up in 481 00:31:41,835 --> 00:31:44,675 Speaker 1: the dining room and asks for everybody's attention, and he 482 00:31:44,715 --> 00:31:48,475 Speaker 1: says he's just completed the deal for Wayne Gretzky. And 483 00:31:48,475 --> 00:31:51,515 Speaker 1: and now I was beginning to get actually worried. I 484 00:31:51,635 --> 00:31:54,115 Speaker 1: was a lame duck as the sports director of Channel 485 00:31:54,155 --> 00:31:56,235 Speaker 1: five in Los Angeles, and four months there had been 486 00:31:56,315 --> 00:31:58,995 Speaker 1: rumors that I was moving down the street to Channel 487 00:31:59,035 --> 00:32:02,115 Speaker 1: two in Los Angeles. There had been these rumors mostly 488 00:32:02,155 --> 00:32:05,395 Speaker 1: because I was moving down the street to Channel two. 489 00:32:05,755 --> 00:32:08,355 Speaker 1: The deal had been done months earlier. We were going 490 00:32:08,395 --> 00:32:11,275 Speaker 1: to announce it that week. In fact, as these two 491 00:32:11,315 --> 00:32:14,515 Speaker 1: guys called in I had actually been busily packing up 492 00:32:14,555 --> 00:32:18,595 Speaker 1: my Channel five office. My thought now was that the 493 00:32:18,675 --> 00:32:22,275 Speaker 1: sportscaster at the local NBC station, who had a bit 494 00:32:22,315 --> 00:32:26,475 Speaker 1: of a substance problem and a nasty temper and a 495 00:32:26,515 --> 00:32:28,475 Speaker 1: real dislike for the fact that I was nearly as 496 00:32:28,515 --> 00:32:31,835 Speaker 1: popular as he was, was setting me up. I had 497 00:32:31,875 --> 00:32:34,595 Speaker 1: once managed to mislead him into thinking we were about 498 00:32:34,635 --> 00:32:37,355 Speaker 1: to break a story about a big LA football trade. 499 00:32:37,915 --> 00:32:40,195 Speaker 1: There was no breaking story because there was no trade, 500 00:32:40,355 --> 00:32:43,475 Speaker 1: and he had actually mentioned it on the air, having 501 00:32:43,555 --> 00:32:46,515 Speaker 1: clearly stolen it from me because I was the one 502 00:32:46,515 --> 00:32:49,315 Speaker 1: who had made it up. And oh was he furious 503 00:32:49,355 --> 00:32:52,155 Speaker 1: at me? For all I knew he wanted to embarrass 504 00:32:52,195 --> 00:32:55,195 Speaker 1: me three weeks before I moved into direct competition with 505 00:32:55,275 --> 00:32:59,395 Speaker 1: him at five, six and eleven. This August eighth, nineteen 506 00:32:59,435 --> 00:33:01,635 Speaker 1: eighty eight was in fact my first day back after 507 00:33:01,715 --> 00:33:04,235 Speaker 1: I had burned all my Channel five vacation time, And 508 00:33:04,315 --> 00:33:07,395 Speaker 1: for all I knew, this guy at NBC had been 509 00:33:07,395 --> 00:33:09,635 Speaker 1: having his staffers call me for a week with made 510 00:33:09,715 --> 00:33:12,915 Speaker 1: up sightings of McNall confirming a Gretzky trade that frankly 511 00:33:12,995 --> 00:33:16,035 Speaker 1: I never believe was going to happen. I mean not 512 00:33:16,075 --> 00:33:18,915 Speaker 1: to get two sidetracked here. But one day my phone 513 00:33:18,995 --> 00:33:21,555 Speaker 1: rang and it was a kid who said, I'm mister Oberman. 514 00:33:21,715 --> 00:33:24,075 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, but I'm a finalist to be an intern 515 00:33:24,115 --> 00:33:27,635 Speaker 1: here at Channel four for Fred Rogan, and mister Rogan 516 00:33:27,675 --> 00:33:30,035 Speaker 1: says I can have the spot, but only if I 517 00:33:30,115 --> 00:33:33,755 Speaker 1: call you up right now and say I'm sorry. If 518 00:33:33,795 --> 00:33:35,275 Speaker 1: I call you up and I tell you to go 519 00:33:35,395 --> 00:33:39,675 Speaker 1: f yourself, the kid did not say f To his credit, 520 00:33:40,035 --> 00:33:44,155 Speaker 1: he used his real name, Bill Weir. He later became 521 00:33:44,155 --> 00:33:47,275 Speaker 1: a sportscaster for the third Network station in LA, then 522 00:33:47,275 --> 00:33:50,435 Speaker 1: a correspondent for ABC and now CNN and I have 523 00:33:50,635 --> 00:33:54,035 Speaker 1: not let a year go by since without reminding him 524 00:33:54,115 --> 00:33:59,395 Speaker 1: of his f yourself internship phone call. He said life 525 00:33:59,435 --> 00:34:01,515 Speaker 1: paid him back by making him work with the guy 526 00:34:01,555 --> 00:34:05,715 Speaker 1: for several months. Anyway, back to Gretzky Night, two supposed 527 00:34:05,755 --> 00:34:08,395 Speaker 1: listeners have called to say that Bruce McNall, the owner 528 00:34:08,435 --> 00:34:12,355 Speaker 1: of the La Kings, is apparently trapsing through golf locker 529 00:34:12,435 --> 00:34:14,995 Speaker 1: rooms and dining rooms at country clubs to tell them 530 00:34:15,075 --> 00:34:17,475 Speaker 1: he has completed a trade for the babe Ruth of hockey, 531 00:34:17,515 --> 00:34:21,115 Speaker 1: Wayne Gretzky. And they're calling me because they like me 532 00:34:21,875 --> 00:34:27,075 Speaker 1: I'm suspicious, And now the phone rings again. This guy 533 00:34:27,275 --> 00:34:30,875 Speaker 1: was playing golf at the La Country Club. Same story. McNall, 534 00:34:31,075 --> 00:34:34,635 Speaker 1: by your kream's tickets. No, I just got Gretzky. The 535 00:34:34,795 --> 00:34:37,075 Speaker 1: next caller had been at yet a fourth club. I 536 00:34:37,115 --> 00:34:39,915 Speaker 1: think will share or something. If this was at prank, 537 00:34:39,995 --> 00:34:42,835 Speaker 1: it was a big one, and bluntly I had begun 538 00:34:42,875 --> 00:34:47,795 Speaker 1: to admire it. Finally came a fifth call. You don't 539 00:34:47,835 --> 00:34:50,355 Speaker 1: known me, but I watch you every night. I stumbled 540 00:34:50,355 --> 00:34:52,155 Speaker 1: onto a story. I think you'll want to run tonight. 541 00:34:52,995 --> 00:34:55,915 Speaker 1: I said, which golf course were you at? And he said, 542 00:34:56,075 --> 00:34:58,755 Speaker 1: excuse me. I was in my office all day, and 543 00:34:58,835 --> 00:35:02,355 Speaker 1: so was my missus. She's on the phone with me. 544 00:35:02,395 --> 00:35:05,835 Speaker 1: She works for Bruce McNall, the Kings. This time I 545 00:35:05,875 --> 00:35:08,595 Speaker 1: grabbed a pencil, honey, why don't you take it from here? 546 00:35:08,835 --> 00:35:11,555 Speaker 1: And she did. She worked in the finance office and 547 00:35:11,595 --> 00:35:14,675 Speaker 1: she had, literally, she said, just made out a check 548 00:35:14,715 --> 00:35:17,515 Speaker 1: for fifteen million dollars to the owner of the Edmonton Oilers, 549 00:35:17,515 --> 00:35:21,475 Speaker 1: Peter Pocklington. She said, and the note memo, were you white? 550 00:35:21,475 --> 00:35:23,875 Speaker 1: Write what it's for? I was told to put in 551 00:35:24,315 --> 00:35:30,355 Speaker 1: Wayne Gretzky. She also had seen the trade contract identified 552 00:35:30,395 --> 00:35:32,235 Speaker 1: the players that Kings were going to give up with 553 00:35:32,275 --> 00:35:34,835 Speaker 1: the fifteen million to get Gretzky. They were Jimmy Carson 554 00:35:34,955 --> 00:35:38,395 Speaker 1: and Martin Zellela. There were also draft choices, but she 555 00:35:38,475 --> 00:35:43,355 Speaker 1: didn't know or didn't remember the specifics of which ones. Now, breathless, 556 00:35:43,675 --> 00:35:45,595 Speaker 1: I asked her if I could call her back through 557 00:35:45,635 --> 00:35:48,355 Speaker 1: the switchboard of the LA Forum where the Kings and 558 00:35:48,435 --> 00:35:52,275 Speaker 1: McNall's offices were, just to confirm she was who she 559 00:35:52,355 --> 00:35:56,115 Speaker 1: said she was. She said I could, I did, she was. 560 00:35:56,835 --> 00:35:58,515 Speaker 1: I believe. In fact, she turned out to be the 561 00:35:58,555 --> 00:36:00,755 Speaker 1: only person on the McNall financial team that did not 562 00:36:00,835 --> 00:36:04,075 Speaker 1: get charged with something. So now I went in to 563 00:36:04,115 --> 00:36:06,315 Speaker 1: talk to my news director and to the producer of 564 00:36:06,315 --> 00:36:08,915 Speaker 1: our newscast. We were not on until ten PM. It 565 00:36:08,995 --> 00:36:12,515 Speaker 1: was now about seven. They were very excited, and they 566 00:36:12,515 --> 00:36:15,035 Speaker 1: said that given that I had exact details from a 567 00:36:15,155 --> 00:36:18,075 Speaker 1: King's source, plus the four witnesses to the owner of 568 00:36:18,115 --> 00:36:21,395 Speaker 1: the team shooting off his big bazoo at every golf 569 00:36:21,435 --> 00:36:24,435 Speaker 1: course he could reach, that we should run it, and 570 00:36:24,475 --> 00:36:26,875 Speaker 1: that we should run it as the lead news story 571 00:36:26,955 --> 00:36:29,715 Speaker 1: right at the start of the newscast that night, which 572 00:36:29,755 --> 00:36:34,515 Speaker 1: we did. The Kings would not confirm it, obviously, but 573 00:36:34,595 --> 00:36:36,395 Speaker 1: as soon as I got off the air with my 574 00:36:36,475 --> 00:36:39,515 Speaker 1: sportscast the second time I reported this story, a reporter 575 00:36:39,555 --> 00:36:41,875 Speaker 1: from the Associated Press was on the phone asking me 576 00:36:41,915 --> 00:36:45,995 Speaker 1: to read him my script, which he then quoted word 577 00:36:46,035 --> 00:36:49,715 Speaker 1: for word and put out on their sportswire. It was 578 00:36:49,835 --> 00:36:52,075 Speaker 1: on the back page of the New York Post. The 579 00:36:52,155 --> 00:36:55,515 Speaker 1: next day, my friends called me from New York to say, Hey, 580 00:36:55,755 --> 00:36:57,955 Speaker 1: your sportscast is on the back page of the New 581 00:36:57,995 --> 00:37:00,555 Speaker 1: York Post along with this big picture of Wayne Gretzky. 582 00:37:01,835 --> 00:37:04,595 Speaker 1: The leak caused the Kings to move up the announcement 583 00:37:04,675 --> 00:37:07,315 Speaker 1: of the deal from their original plan, which was Thursday 584 00:37:07,315 --> 00:37:10,995 Speaker 1: the eleventh, to the next night, Tuesday the ninth. A 585 00:37:11,195 --> 00:37:14,115 Speaker 1: King's vice president told me at the press conference that 586 00:37:14,195 --> 00:37:16,875 Speaker 1: the Oilers were in rage because they had wanted to 587 00:37:16,915 --> 00:37:20,355 Speaker 1: hold off until the eleventh because the deadline for their 588 00:37:20,395 --> 00:37:24,315 Speaker 1: season ticket holders to get their deposits back were Wednesday 589 00:37:24,355 --> 00:37:27,155 Speaker 1: the tenth. The Kings were nice enough to let me 590 00:37:27,195 --> 00:37:29,955 Speaker 1: of all the TV guys interviewed Gretzky First Live, and 591 00:37:30,035 --> 00:37:33,275 Speaker 1: I congratulated Wayne on the move, and he actually congratulated 592 00:37:33,315 --> 00:37:34,795 Speaker 1: me on the scoop, and I said I didn't do 593 00:37:34,835 --> 00:37:37,355 Speaker 1: anything but answer the phone, and he thought about it 594 00:37:37,395 --> 00:37:39,915 Speaker 1: for a second and said pretty much the same for me, 595 00:37:40,395 --> 00:37:44,115 Speaker 1: and we've been friendly ever since. But the laziest scoop 596 00:37:44,155 --> 00:37:46,875 Speaker 1: of all time did eventually come back with a sting 597 00:37:47,115 --> 00:37:50,355 Speaker 1: for me and some payback. A year later, we all 598 00:37:50,435 --> 00:37:54,435 Speaker 1: submitted our best stories for consideration for the local Emmy 599 00:37:54,515 --> 00:37:57,795 Speaker 1: for Best TV Sports Reporting for the calendar year nineteen 600 00:37:57,835 --> 00:38:03,355 Speaker 1: eighty eight. I submitted Surprise, Surprise, the Gretzky scoop. The 601 00:38:03,435 --> 00:38:06,315 Speaker 1: Emmys were always judged by a committee of television types 602 00:38:06,355 --> 00:38:08,795 Speaker 1: from a different city, so he didn't have that home 603 00:38:09,075 --> 00:38:12,275 Speaker 1: la Bias. And the guy from NBC, who I had 604 00:38:12,315 --> 00:38:15,115 Speaker 1: first thought was pranking me about the Gretzky story, had 605 00:38:15,195 --> 00:38:18,315 Speaker 1: somehow found out that the Emmys for nineteen eighty eight 606 00:38:18,595 --> 00:38:23,155 Speaker 1: would be judged in nineteen eighty nine in Ohio. In Columbus, Ohio, 607 00:38:23,235 --> 00:38:26,875 Speaker 1: I think. So he managed to get an interview with 608 00:38:26,955 --> 00:38:31,435 Speaker 1: MORGANA the Kissing Bandit, who was this scantily clad bucksom 609 00:38:31,475 --> 00:38:34,555 Speaker 1: woman you may remember, who in the old days of innocence, 610 00:38:34,635 --> 00:38:37,435 Speaker 1: used to bribe her way onto Major League Baseball fields 611 00:38:37,675 --> 00:38:40,555 Speaker 1: and bounce out onto the plate or the mound, and 612 00:38:40,635 --> 00:38:43,675 Speaker 1: she'd go and kiss stars like George Brett and Nolan 613 00:38:43,795 --> 00:38:51,435 Speaker 1: Ryan during games. Morgana. Morgana Roberts lived near Columbus, Ohio, 614 00:38:52,195 --> 00:38:54,395 Speaker 1: so sure enough, at the Emmy's the next year, my 615 00:38:54,515 --> 00:38:57,475 Speaker 1: exclusive report of the trade of Hockey's greatest player, Wayne 616 00:38:57,515 --> 00:39:00,195 Speaker 1: Gretzky was one of the finalists for the Los Angeles 617 00:39:00,435 --> 00:39:04,155 Speaker 1: Best TV Sports Reporting Emmy. But in the ceremony, and 618 00:39:04,155 --> 00:39:07,635 Speaker 1: it was at Old Landmark Hotel in Pasadena, they showed 619 00:39:07,675 --> 00:39:10,115 Speaker 1: clips of all the pieces that were finalists and then 620 00:39:10,115 --> 00:39:14,915 Speaker 1: announced that the winner was Fred Rogan k NBC. For 621 00:39:15,675 --> 00:39:21,555 Speaker 1: being chased by Morgana the Kissing bandit, my agent stood 622 00:39:21,635 --> 00:39:25,435 Speaker 1: up and booed. My girlfriend punched me in the arm 623 00:39:25,475 --> 00:39:28,115 Speaker 1: and said, let's get out of here and go drinking. 624 00:39:29,395 --> 00:39:45,275 Speaker 1: We left. I've done all the damage I can do here. 625 00:39:45,315 --> 00:39:47,355 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening. Here are the credits. Most of 626 00:39:47,395 --> 00:39:50,235 Speaker 1: the music was arranged, produced, and performed by Brian Ray 627 00:39:50,315 --> 00:39:53,835 Speaker 1: and John Philip Channel, who are the Countdown musical directors. 628 00:39:54,235 --> 00:39:57,915 Speaker 1: All orchestration and keyboards by John Philip Chanelle, guitars based 629 00:39:57,955 --> 00:40:01,835 Speaker 1: and drums by Brian Ray, produced by Tko Brothers, and 630 00:40:02,035 --> 00:40:06,315 Speaker 1: the mystery villain was Wayne Gretzky. Other Beethoven selections have 631 00:40:06,355 --> 00:40:09,395 Speaker 1: been arranged and performed by No horns allowed. The sports 632 00:40:09,515 --> 00:40:12,555 Speaker 1: music is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, and it 633 00:40:12,595 --> 00:40:15,675 Speaker 1: was written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy of ESPN, Inc. 634 00:40:16,115 --> 00:40:19,835 Speaker 1: Musical comments from Nancy Faust. The best baseball stadium organist ever. 635 00:40:20,115 --> 00:40:23,235 Speaker 1: Our announcer today was John Deane. Everything else is pretty 636 00:40:23,275 --> 00:40:25,715 Speaker 1: much my fault. So that's countdown for this, the eight 637 00:40:25,795 --> 00:40:29,315 Speaker 1: hundred and seventh day since Donald Trump's first attempted coup 638 00:40:29,315 --> 00:40:32,835 Speaker 1: against the democratically elected government of the United States. Arrest 639 00:40:32,955 --> 00:40:36,395 Speaker 1: him now while we still can, or if it's already 640 00:40:36,395 --> 00:40:38,995 Speaker 1: happened as you listen to this, arrest him again while 641 00:40:38,995 --> 00:40:42,355 Speaker 1: we still can. The next schedule countdown is tomorrow, So 642 00:40:42,475 --> 00:40:45,675 Speaker 1: until then, I'm Keith Olderman. Good morning, good afternoon, goodnight, 643 00:40:46,235 --> 00:40:59,555 Speaker 1: and good luck. Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production 644 00:40:59,715 --> 00:41:05,035 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 645 00:41:05,075 --> 00:41:08,475 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.