1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,435 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. It 2 00:00:21,675 --> 00:00:25,195 Speaker 1: sure looks like they've got much of the Trump Georgia team, 3 00:00:25,355 --> 00:00:29,635 Speaker 1: including Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell and maybe Trump himself, 4 00:00:30,075 --> 00:00:34,035 Speaker 1: first for stealing confidential data from a voting machine there, 5 00:00:34,395 --> 00:00:37,795 Speaker 1: and then for conspiracy to use that data to falsely 6 00:00:37,955 --> 00:00:41,195 Speaker 1: desertify first the twenty twenty presidential vote in that state 7 00:00:41,435 --> 00:00:44,675 Speaker 1: and then the Senate runoff vote in that state as well. 8 00:00:45,555 --> 00:00:50,435 Speaker 1: CNN reporting that the Trump operatives communicated by text, including 9 00:00:50,475 --> 00:00:53,955 Speaker 1: that standard text in which you remind each other not 10 00:00:54,035 --> 00:00:58,275 Speaker 1: to tell anybody. Quote here's the plan. Let's keep this 11 00:00:58,715 --> 00:01:02,755 Speaker 1: close hold. And as a reminder, if you ever type 12 00:01:02,795 --> 00:01:06,275 Speaker 1: words akin to don't tell anybody, you might as well 13 00:01:06,315 --> 00:01:08,315 Speaker 1: get on all TV networks at the same time and 14 00:01:08,395 --> 00:01:11,675 Speaker 1: announce whatever it is you don't want to tell anybody. 15 00:01:12,795 --> 00:01:15,515 Speaker 1: One of the not too bright culprits, a guy who 16 00:01:15,635 --> 00:01:19,635 Speaker 1: washed out of the National Security Agency, Jim Penrose, texted 17 00:01:19,675 --> 00:01:24,355 Speaker 1: to Doug Logan, CEO of Cyber Ninjas, on January nineteenth, 18 00:01:24,355 --> 00:01:27,755 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one, after the Trump ship had sailed, or 19 00:01:27,755 --> 00:01:32,275 Speaker 1: more correctly sank. He texted, per CNN, quote, we only 20 00:01:32,315 --> 00:01:34,475 Speaker 1: have until Saturday to decide if we are going to 21 00:01:34,555 --> 00:01:37,875 Speaker 1: use this report to try to decertify the Senate runoff election, 22 00:01:38,275 --> 00:01:41,155 Speaker 1: or if we hold it for a bigger moment. Could 23 00:01:41,195 --> 00:01:44,155 Speaker 1: you be more specific? I believe Matt text is so 24 00:01:44,275 --> 00:01:48,795 Speaker 1: complicated the jury will be out nearly twenty minutes. By 25 00:01:48,835 --> 00:01:51,515 Speaker 1: the way, the bigger moment he referenced there we hold 26 00:01:51,555 --> 00:01:53,515 Speaker 1: it for a bigger moment. That would have been a 27 00:01:53,595 --> 00:01:57,275 Speaker 1: lawsuit for after certification. It would have been more dramatic 28 00:01:57,355 --> 00:02:01,835 Speaker 1: that way. All of this happened thirteen days after the 29 00:02:01,875 --> 00:02:06,435 Speaker 1: former GOP chairwoman of Coffee County, Georgia, a lady with 30 00:02:06,675 --> 00:02:10,555 Speaker 1: blue hair named Kathy Latham and not blue hip hair, 31 00:02:10,955 --> 00:02:14,515 Speaker 1: was caught on video holding the door open to the 32 00:02:14,515 --> 00:02:17,635 Speaker 1: Board of Elections there for Scott Hall and Paul Maggio, 33 00:02:17,875 --> 00:02:20,715 Speaker 1: who promptly downloaded the voting data onto a portable hard 34 00:02:20,795 --> 00:02:25,875 Speaker 1: drive at they say the behest of Sydney Powell. Good 35 00:02:25,955 --> 00:02:29,795 Speaker 1: luck in prison, Sydney Powell. The data was then all 36 00:02:29,875 --> 00:02:33,515 Speaker 1: uploaded to an encrypted server so Powell and the inaccurately 37 00:02:33,635 --> 00:02:37,915 Speaker 1: named ninja guys Logan and Penrose could access it. Oh 38 00:02:37,955 --> 00:02:41,475 Speaker 1: and so Rudy Giuliani could access it. A Trump White 39 00:02:41,515 --> 00:02:43,755 Speaker 1: House staffer who was at the Armageddon meeting in the 40 00:02:43,795 --> 00:02:47,475 Speaker 1: Oval Office on the eighteenth of December twenty twenty testified 41 00:02:47,475 --> 00:02:50,475 Speaker 1: that amid the sub coup plans like Marshall Law and 42 00:02:51,035 --> 00:02:56,115 Speaker 1: seizing ballots nationwide and naming Powell as special counsel, et cetera, 43 00:02:56,435 --> 00:03:02,515 Speaker 1: one attendee proposed accessing voting machines in Georgia, and that 44 00:03:02,675 --> 00:03:09,075 Speaker 1: one attendee was Rudy Giuliani. Good luck in prison, Rudy Giuliani. 45 00:03:10,395 --> 00:03:13,555 Speaker 1: The office of the Fulton County DA Fani Willis already 46 00:03:13,555 --> 00:03:16,275 Speaker 1: told Giuliani he is a target of its investigation, and 47 00:03:16,355 --> 00:03:20,355 Speaker 1: after the special pre grand jury grand jury there reported 48 00:03:20,355 --> 00:03:23,115 Speaker 1: back that there should be a lot of indictments, some 49 00:03:23,235 --> 00:03:26,995 Speaker 1: for witness perjury. Willis is trying to construct a racketeering 50 00:03:27,075 --> 00:03:33,915 Speaker 1: case against everybody that in large part appears to be 51 00:03:33,915 --> 00:03:38,035 Speaker 1: because the DA has other texts from these Keystone cops. 52 00:03:38,035 --> 00:03:41,755 Speaker 1: Penrose and Sidney Powell paid for the team to go 53 00:03:41,875 --> 00:03:45,595 Speaker 1: to Coffee County on January seventh and steal the voting 54 00:03:45,675 --> 00:03:52,355 Speaker 1: materials paid in advance, and Penrose and the cyber Ninja's 55 00:03:52,395 --> 00:03:55,475 Speaker 1: CEO idiot he was texting Logan were also named in 56 00:03:55,515 --> 00:03:58,635 Speaker 1: a criminal investigation in Michigan for trying to seize voting 57 00:03:58,675 --> 00:04:04,035 Speaker 1: machines there. Back at the Ranch, Special counsel Jack Smith 58 00:04:04,075 --> 00:04:06,915 Speaker 1: has all this inside his ever expanding investigation. And no, 59 00:04:07,315 --> 00:04:08,835 Speaker 1: it does not have to be one or the other. 60 00:04:08,875 --> 00:04:11,515 Speaker 1: Smith can indicte and Fannie Willis can indict. It's a 61 00:04:11,515 --> 00:04:16,795 Speaker 1: big tent in that way. And as in aside, if 62 00:04:16,835 --> 00:04:19,275 Speaker 1: you were going to call your company, whether it delivers 63 00:04:19,995 --> 00:04:25,235 Speaker 1: voter fraud or pizza, if you're going to call it ninja's, 64 00:04:25,835 --> 00:04:31,795 Speaker 1: would you please try and act like a ninja just 65 00:04:31,915 --> 00:04:36,195 Speaker 1: once in a while. Now. The key, of course, is 66 00:04:36,235 --> 00:04:38,675 Speaker 1: to get somebody to flip and say Trump approve the 67 00:04:38,715 --> 00:04:41,515 Speaker 1: Georgia Plan in the White House in December twenty twenty 68 00:04:41,955 --> 00:04:45,075 Speaker 1: or enabled the attempt to cover up the Georgia Plan. 69 00:04:45,155 --> 00:04:48,475 Speaker 1: And the key to that would obviously be Juliani. And 70 00:04:48,555 --> 00:04:50,915 Speaker 1: even though I know him thirty years, God help me, 71 00:04:50,995 --> 00:04:52,955 Speaker 1: I cannot tell if he's going to be too scared 72 00:04:53,395 --> 00:04:56,715 Speaker 1: not to flip and give them Trump or too stupid 73 00:04:57,435 --> 00:04:59,995 Speaker 1: to flip and give them Trump. Because Rudy is also 74 00:05:00,115 --> 00:05:04,915 Speaker 1: a big tent. He's both scared and stupid. It is 75 00:05:04,995 --> 00:05:08,075 Speaker 1: another big week on the whole for Donald J. Chump 76 00:05:08,395 --> 00:05:11,395 Speaker 1: Tomorrow the e Gen Carrol trial starts here near as 77 00:05:11,395 --> 00:05:13,875 Speaker 1: I can tell. The defense continues to be She's not 78 00:05:13,995 --> 00:05:17,315 Speaker 1: even my type, which is not me being sexist. It 79 00:05:17,395 --> 00:05:20,235 Speaker 1: is what he actually said about her in June twenty nineteen, 80 00:05:20,475 --> 00:05:23,915 Speaker 1: which is just another drop in our bucket of understanding 81 00:05:24,475 --> 00:05:29,035 Speaker 1: that the fundamental issue is this guy is somewhere on 82 00:05:29,075 --> 00:05:34,435 Speaker 1: the serial killer paint chart spectrum, and anything he does 83 00:05:34,475 --> 00:05:38,795 Speaker 1: that resembles an ordinary bit of human behavior is just 84 00:05:39,035 --> 00:05:46,715 Speaker 1: clever mimicry. This is Ted Bundy in a long tie. Well, 85 00:05:46,755 --> 00:05:49,235 Speaker 1: we then have to extend that realization to his cult. 86 00:05:49,835 --> 00:05:53,715 Speaker 1: NBC out with a poll that's NBC Who's chairman Jeff 87 00:05:53,755 --> 00:05:55,515 Speaker 1: shell Rennegg done a plan to bring me back to 88 00:05:55,635 --> 00:05:59,155 Speaker 1: MSNBC and he got fired yesterday for intra office extramarital 89 00:05:59,435 --> 00:06:02,795 Speaker 1: So I will be literally singing the Schadenfreud song for 90 00:06:02,835 --> 00:06:07,355 Speaker 1: you later. NBC outw poll that chose National Republican primary 91 00:06:07,435 --> 00:06:10,715 Speaker 1: voter support for Trump holding at forty six percent, with 92 00:06:10,795 --> 00:06:14,555 Speaker 1: DeSantis at thirty one. Among the others, only Pence got 93 00:06:14,555 --> 00:06:17,555 Speaker 1: as high as six percent. Pence, who said on Face 94 00:06:17,595 --> 00:06:20,675 Speaker 1: the Nation yesterday that the current outrage of crazy old 95 00:06:20,715 --> 00:06:23,875 Speaker 1: white people with guns shooting and trying to kill others 96 00:06:23,875 --> 00:06:27,115 Speaker 1: who rang their doorbell or drove up their lane or 97 00:06:27,475 --> 00:06:29,715 Speaker 1: happened to be a kid chasing a lost ball. That 98 00:06:29,715 --> 00:06:32,835 Speaker 1: that reflects quote the fear that so many Americans are 99 00:06:32,835 --> 00:06:37,075 Speaker 1: feeling about the crime wave, a reminder that Pence is 100 00:06:37,235 --> 00:06:40,835 Speaker 1: just another scumbag who had one good day in his life, 101 00:06:40,995 --> 00:06:43,395 Speaker 1: and that one good day was mostly the result of 102 00:06:43,635 --> 00:06:48,515 Speaker 1: fear of getting caught back to that pole. And before 103 00:06:48,555 --> 00:06:51,595 Speaker 1: you think, maybe a forty six thirty one Chump Dessantis 104 00:06:51,595 --> 00:06:55,155 Speaker 1: split might mean Descantis still has a chance to overtake Voldemort. 105 00:06:55,595 --> 00:07:00,715 Speaker 1: Hang on, NBC did something smart besides firing CEO jeffhell. 106 00:07:01,155 --> 00:07:05,475 Speaker 1: It asked for second choices among Republican primary vote. Twenty 107 00:07:05,555 --> 00:07:09,835 Speaker 1: percent of them picked Trump as a second choice, which 108 00:07:09,875 --> 00:07:12,795 Speaker 1: means only a third of Republican primary voters are not 109 00:07:12,995 --> 00:07:16,675 Speaker 1: content with him running as their nominee for a third 110 00:07:16,795 --> 00:07:20,915 Speaker 1: straight time. Thirty three percent of them took DeSantis as 111 00:07:20,995 --> 00:07:27,195 Speaker 1: second choice, meaning he's second choice barring the really dramatic 112 00:07:27,235 --> 00:07:29,395 Speaker 1: and whoever imagined we would ever live in a world 113 00:07:29,395 --> 00:07:32,795 Speaker 1: in which the possible indictment of the Republican nominee in 114 00:07:32,875 --> 00:07:36,755 Speaker 1: two different states and federally would not be considered really dramatic. 115 00:07:37,595 --> 00:07:40,795 Speaker 1: Barring the really dramatic, Trump is going to be the 116 00:07:40,835 --> 00:07:42,875 Speaker 1: Republican nominee next year. And I think there is a 117 00:07:42,995 --> 00:07:47,355 Speaker 1: silver lining in this. Last November, after Trump screwed the 118 00:07:47,355 --> 00:07:50,235 Speaker 1: pooch in the midterms and then launched his campaign as 119 00:07:50,235 --> 00:07:52,955 Speaker 1: if he were sleepwalking, it looked like we might get 120 00:07:52,995 --> 00:07:57,875 Speaker 1: that dream scenario in which somebody rested the nomination away 121 00:07:57,875 --> 00:08:02,435 Speaker 1: from him, and Trump's serial killer personality would make him 122 00:08:02,555 --> 00:08:07,435 Speaker 1: run as the third part already candidate. I think that's dead. 123 00:08:08,195 --> 00:08:12,395 Speaker 1: The arrest did not curb their enthusiasm. His declaration that 124 00:08:12,475 --> 00:08:15,995 Speaker 1: he is their justice and their retribution did not curb 125 00:08:16,035 --> 00:08:19,595 Speaker 1: their enthusiasm. His plan for mass deportations and building new 126 00:08:19,635 --> 00:08:24,875 Speaker 1: cities like San fran Trump and New Trump and Trump City, Arizona, 127 00:08:25,395 --> 00:08:30,675 Speaker 1: and mandatory stop and frisk that didn't either. The anybody 128 00:08:30,715 --> 00:08:35,035 Speaker 1: but Trump dream is I think dead. But I think 129 00:08:35,155 --> 00:08:38,795 Speaker 1: this good news has replaced it. The Trump cult really 130 00:08:38,835 --> 00:08:41,875 Speaker 1: doesn't see any line of succession for him. There is 131 00:08:41,955 --> 00:08:45,675 Speaker 1: nobody they actually want besides him. That's bad in the 132 00:08:45,715 --> 00:08:47,675 Speaker 1: short term, but excellent in the long term because it 133 00:08:47,715 --> 00:08:51,115 Speaker 1: allows for the possibility that this nightmare dies with him. 134 00:08:51,595 --> 00:08:54,555 Speaker 1: And I use that reference deliberately because you know damned 135 00:08:54,595 --> 00:08:58,435 Speaker 1: well that when he stumbles off this mortal coil, some 136 00:08:58,795 --> 00:09:01,595 Speaker 1: double digit percentage of his kool Aid drinkers will And 137 00:09:01,635 --> 00:09:04,275 Speaker 1: since he's not really dead, he's coming back from the beyond, 138 00:09:04,275 --> 00:09:06,355 Speaker 1: and he will run again in twenty twenty eight or 139 00:09:06,355 --> 00:09:08,635 Speaker 1: twenty thirty two or twenty fifty six. No, no, he's 140 00:09:08,675 --> 00:09:14,515 Speaker 1: not dead. He's just resting. The problem with a political 141 00:09:14,555 --> 00:09:17,275 Speaker 1: cult anywhere, at any time is that it requires a 142 00:09:17,355 --> 00:09:22,835 Speaker 1: similar figure to keep it afloat. Ask Hitler, Ask Huey Long, 143 00:09:23,475 --> 00:09:27,115 Speaker 1: ask even Stalin, although Stalin came to power so young 144 00:09:27,155 --> 00:09:29,915 Speaker 1: that he had time to institutionalize much of the oppression, 145 00:09:29,955 --> 00:09:34,275 Speaker 1: which kept his cult in line more prosaically. And recently, 146 00:09:34,995 --> 00:09:36,115 Speaker 1: ask George W. 147 00:09:36,195 --> 00:09:37,115 Speaker 2: Bush. 148 00:09:37,435 --> 00:09:41,155 Speaker 1: How many people said, seriously as late as two thousand 149 00:09:41,155 --> 00:09:43,715 Speaker 1: and three or two thousand and four, I had at 150 00:09:43,795 --> 00:09:47,275 Speaker 1: least half a dozen on my show alone that George W. 151 00:09:47,355 --> 00:09:51,315 Speaker 1: Bush was the greatest president in a century. I heard 152 00:09:51,315 --> 00:09:54,755 Speaker 1: somebody say it was the greatest president since Lincoln. Fifteen 153 00:09:54,835 --> 00:09:59,355 Speaker 1: years out of office, and his own party has buried 154 00:09:59,515 --> 00:10:06,435 Speaker 1: George W. Bush alive. Rondatis was the regional cult leader 155 00:10:06,475 --> 00:10:09,395 Speaker 1: closest to Trump, and evil in deviousness in not letting 156 00:10:09,475 --> 00:10:13,835 Speaker 1: little things like morals or laws impede him. But just 157 00:10:13,875 --> 00:10:16,595 Speaker 1: as Mike Pence is not Trump's successor, and Junior Trump 158 00:10:16,635 --> 00:10:19,755 Speaker 1: is not Trump's successor, and Stephen Miller is not Trump's successor, 159 00:10:19,995 --> 00:10:24,155 Speaker 1: DeSantis has already proved it he also is not Trump's successor. 160 00:10:24,755 --> 00:10:28,235 Speaker 1: He climbed up onto that national stage and promptly tripped 161 00:10:28,275 --> 00:10:33,075 Speaker 1: over his own elevator shoes. He, as the NBC poll suggested, 162 00:10:33,835 --> 00:10:38,315 Speaker 1: is second choice. By the way, did I mention NBC 163 00:10:38,395 --> 00:10:43,515 Speaker 1: fired its chairman yesterday, the liar guy. There is one 164 00:10:43,675 --> 00:10:47,195 Speaker 1: dark cloud in this fairly sunny forecast for the week 165 00:10:47,275 --> 00:10:50,715 Speaker 1: ahead in Truth, Justice, and the American Way, And as usual, 166 00:10:50,795 --> 00:10:55,755 Speaker 1: it was put there by Democrats. I have mentioned several 167 00:10:55,795 --> 00:10:57,995 Speaker 1: times that right now the Dems do not have a 168 00:10:58,035 --> 00:11:03,115 Speaker 1: majority inside the Senate Judiciary Committee and in other subcomponents 169 00:11:03,155 --> 00:11:06,715 Speaker 1: of the Senate as well. Not really, because Diane findesign 170 00:11:07,235 --> 00:11:13,715 Speaker 1: is missing in action, her absence shingles. It still shingles, 171 00:11:13,795 --> 00:11:16,155 Speaker 1: right we calling it something? 172 00:11:16,235 --> 00:11:16,355 Speaker 3: Now? 173 00:11:16,355 --> 00:11:23,075 Speaker 1: Are we sticking with shanles? Shingles? It's still shingles. Her 174 00:11:23,115 --> 00:11:25,595 Speaker 1: absence literally means there is no eleventh vote in that 175 00:11:25,635 --> 00:11:28,035 Speaker 1: committee with which Dick Durbin can get a judge approved, 176 00:11:28,755 --> 00:11:31,315 Speaker 1: or get a subpoena of John Roberts, or of Clarence 177 00:11:31,355 --> 00:11:35,275 Speaker 1: Thomas or of me, for God's sake. And it's even 178 00:11:35,315 --> 00:11:38,115 Speaker 1: worse than that. Remember Durbin writing a letter saying, we're 179 00:11:38,115 --> 00:11:40,915 Speaker 1: holding in an ethics hearing about the Supreme Court, and 180 00:11:41,035 --> 00:11:46,115 Speaker 1: we're inviting you Justice Roberts to just pop by or 181 00:11:46,195 --> 00:11:49,355 Speaker 1: send anybody on the Court you like, anybody at all, 182 00:11:50,395 --> 00:11:55,635 Speaker 1: even that handmade Amy Cony Barrett. Not only did Chief 183 00:11:55,715 --> 00:11:59,915 Speaker 1: Justice Roberts not say yes to this letter, shocking, he 184 00:11:59,955 --> 00:12:05,155 Speaker 1: didn't even answer the letter himself. That is shocking. Urban's 185 00:12:05,155 --> 00:12:11,235 Speaker 1: reply came from Judge Roslin R. Mouskof, Secretary of the 186 00:12:11,315 --> 00:12:16,715 Speaker 1: Judicial Conference. The Judicial Conference handles policymaking for the federal courts, 187 00:12:17,475 --> 00:12:20,115 Speaker 1: and it stands there as a barrier to remind up 188 00:12:20,115 --> 00:12:22,875 Speaker 1: at these senators that one group here is appointed for 189 00:12:22,955 --> 00:12:26,715 Speaker 1: life and it ain't them. And Secretary mouse Coaugh, yes, 190 00:12:27,035 --> 00:12:31,715 Speaker 1: it's maus like we didn't have enough augers and symbolism going. 191 00:12:32,395 --> 00:12:35,875 Speaker 1: Secretary Mousekaf basically said she was turning it over to 192 00:12:35,955 --> 00:12:39,835 Speaker 1: a committee within her organization on financial disclosure. She might 193 00:12:39,875 --> 00:12:42,875 Speaker 1: as well have written back to Dick Durbin, We'll get 194 00:12:42,915 --> 00:12:45,475 Speaker 1: back to you next year or maybe in twenty five, 195 00:12:46,115 --> 00:12:52,955 Speaker 1: impotent senate weasel. Her future is in her own hands, 196 00:12:53,035 --> 00:12:56,755 Speaker 1: Dick Durbin said of Feinstein yesterday. And then he mentioned 197 00:12:56,795 --> 00:13:01,115 Speaker 1: she served for decades with distinction in this and it's 198 00:13:01,155 --> 00:13:04,595 Speaker 1: her turn. It's like he's a headmaster at a failing 199 00:13:04,715 --> 00:13:07,515 Speaker 1: prep school talking about a beloved teacher who does not 200 00:13:07,635 --> 00:13:10,675 Speaker 1: know where they are anymore. He says, no, he has 201 00:13:10,715 --> 00:13:13,915 Speaker 1: not talked to her in weeks. He claims, Chuck Schumer 202 00:13:13,955 --> 00:13:17,315 Speaker 1: has the rumor mill. Of course he is. Nobody has 203 00:13:17,355 --> 00:13:20,915 Speaker 1: talked to her in weeks, and we are held hostage, 204 00:13:20,955 --> 00:13:24,555 Speaker 1: no judges, no real investigation of that horror Clarence Thomas 205 00:13:24,835 --> 00:13:28,435 Speaker 1: or that judicial quizzling John Roberts, because of a senator 206 00:13:28,475 --> 00:13:32,995 Speaker 1: who may be really missing in action. And I somewhat 207 00:13:32,995 --> 00:13:36,835 Speaker 1: grotesquely suggested last week that if one ailing Republican senator's 208 00:13:36,875 --> 00:13:39,995 Speaker 1: vote was all that stood between Lindsay Graham and subpoenaing 209 00:13:40,475 --> 00:13:44,755 Speaker 1: Say Catangi Brown Jackson, Graham would shove that ailing Republican 210 00:13:44,755 --> 00:13:48,915 Speaker 1: senator down a flight of stairs. More practically, let me 211 00:13:48,955 --> 00:13:51,915 Speaker 1: ask you why Democrats should not do something far less 212 00:13:51,955 --> 00:13:56,115 Speaker 1: grotesque that Republicans also would certainly do in a minute. 213 00:13:56,515 --> 00:13:58,235 Speaker 2: And remember, this is not a game. 214 00:13:59,235 --> 00:14:02,075 Speaker 1: This is not a testimonial dinner on behalf of a 215 00:14:02,115 --> 00:14:08,115 Speaker 1: retiring professor or night watchman or ballplayer. This is the 216 00:14:08,155 --> 00:14:11,355 Speaker 1: attempt to save this nation from a madman with the 217 00:14:11,435 --> 00:14:15,235 Speaker 1: personality of a serial killer, who has planted his agents 218 00:14:15,275 --> 00:14:19,675 Speaker 1: in every major national institution, from the Supreme Court down 219 00:14:19,755 --> 00:14:23,515 Speaker 1: to the Visiting Nurse Association. Here is what you do. 220 00:14:24,315 --> 00:14:28,275 Speaker 1: You write up the resignation letter for Senator Dianne Feinstein. 221 00:14:28,515 --> 00:14:31,595 Speaker 1: You forge her signature, and if she is still lucid, 222 00:14:32,355 --> 00:14:37,835 Speaker 1: she can object to it. If not, problem solved, let's 223 00:14:38,075 --> 00:14:56,035 Speaker 1: go to effing work. Already still ahead on this initiative countdown. 224 00:14:56,075 --> 00:14:58,635 Speaker 1: It is hard to believe that his spaceship could blow 225 00:14:58,755 --> 00:15:00,875 Speaker 1: up and his car company could lose a quarter of 226 00:15:00,875 --> 00:15:03,995 Speaker 1: its value, and neither would be the low point of 227 00:15:04,275 --> 00:15:08,795 Speaker 1: his week the Twitter Blue check fiasco, or to steal 228 00:15:08,795 --> 00:15:13,395 Speaker 1: the line from Arrested Development, how Elon Musk blew himself 229 00:15:14,475 --> 00:15:18,115 Speaker 1: speaking of desperately bad businessmen. Saturday, my old colleague Chris 230 00:15:18,155 --> 00:15:22,475 Speaker 1: lichtive CNN, the presumed paste eater makes his worst programming 231 00:15:22,515 --> 00:15:23,155 Speaker 1: decision ever. 232 00:15:23,435 --> 00:15:24,475 Speaker 2: Okay, I got it. 233 00:15:24,595 --> 00:15:28,515 Speaker 1: We'll hire Gayle King and Charles Barkley and we'll put 234 00:15:28,555 --> 00:15:31,875 Speaker 1: them on one show and we'll call it Charles King. 235 00:15:33,115 --> 00:15:33,235 Speaker 2: Now. 236 00:15:33,315 --> 00:15:35,035 Speaker 1: Wait, maybe there's a better name somewhere. 237 00:15:35,155 --> 00:15:36,435 Speaker 2: Wait, give me a day or so. 238 00:15:37,995 --> 00:15:41,915 Speaker 1: And while I was still chortling about that yesterday, the 239 00:15:41,995 --> 00:15:45,795 Speaker 1: man who misled me about taking me back to MSNBC 240 00:15:45,995 --> 00:15:48,755 Speaker 1: for two years and then basically told reporters, well, Keith 241 00:15:48,795 --> 00:15:52,155 Speaker 1: should have known I was lying is fired as the 242 00:15:52,235 --> 00:15:56,955 Speaker 1: CEO of NBC for lying and having an extra marital 243 00:15:57,035 --> 00:16:01,195 Speaker 1: relationship inside NBC. There's so much schadenfreud this week. I 244 00:16:01,235 --> 00:16:04,515 Speaker 1: will actually sing for you the Schadenfreud saw. 245 00:16:05,555 --> 00:16:15,595 Speaker 2: That's next. This is count Doll. This is Countdown with 246 00:16:15,755 --> 00:16:16,915 Speaker 2: Keith Olberman. 247 00:16:29,395 --> 00:16:31,835 Speaker 1: Still ahead on an all new edition of Countdown. The 248 00:16:31,915 --> 00:16:35,275 Speaker 1: Shot in Freud is special, featuring a disastrous new show 249 00:16:35,275 --> 00:16:38,195 Speaker 1: at CNN under Chris Licht and the ouster of the 250 00:16:38,235 --> 00:16:41,115 Speaker 1: CEO of NBC who lied to me for having an 251 00:16:41,115 --> 00:16:45,475 Speaker 1: extramarital affair inside the company about which he also lied 252 00:16:46,035 --> 00:16:50,155 Speaker 1: allegedly with an on air reporter. This is so much fun. 253 00:16:50,235 --> 00:16:53,155 Speaker 1: I'm actually going to sing the shot in Freud song 254 00:16:54,675 --> 00:16:57,635 Speaker 1: the Ode to Joy first time. For the daily roundup 255 00:16:57,635 --> 00:17:00,035 Speaker 1: of the miscreants, morons and Dunning Kruger X specimens who 256 00:17:00,035 --> 00:17:03,795 Speaker 1: constitute today's worst persons in the world, I got a 257 00:17:03,875 --> 00:17:06,955 Speaker 1: tie here for the between Mark Robinson, the Lieutenant governor 258 00:17:06,995 --> 00:17:09,995 Speaker 1: of North Carolina now running for governor, and Phil Jackson, 259 00:17:10,155 --> 00:17:14,115 Speaker 1: legendary basketball coach about whom they've always been racism, rumbles 260 00:17:14,115 --> 00:17:19,435 Speaker 1: and mumbles. Jackson first. He has revealed in a podcast 261 00:17:19,435 --> 00:17:22,795 Speaker 1: that he stopped watching the NBA during the playoff bubble 262 00:17:22,835 --> 00:17:26,275 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty because the league supported Black Lives Matter. 263 00:17:26,915 --> 00:17:29,635 Speaker 2: They even had slogans on the floor in the baseline. 264 00:17:29,715 --> 00:17:32,275 Speaker 1: He said, it was trying to cater to an audience 265 00:17:32,355 --> 00:17:34,235 Speaker 1: or trying to bring in a certain audience to the game, 266 00:17:34,515 --> 00:17:37,315 Speaker 1: and they didn't know it was turning other people off. Unquote. 267 00:17:37,595 --> 00:17:40,835 Speaker 1: NBA rosters, Phil are now eighty percent black, which is 268 00:17:40,835 --> 00:17:43,435 Speaker 1: where they were basically when you were a coach. Maybe 269 00:17:44,155 --> 00:17:47,315 Speaker 1: just work with me here, Phil, Maybe it mattered to 270 00:17:47,395 --> 00:17:50,195 Speaker 1: the players, and even to the players who weren't black. 271 00:17:50,595 --> 00:17:54,435 Speaker 1: Maybe it really just mattered to people then, and the 272 00:17:54,475 --> 00:17:57,995 Speaker 1: people who dismissed it as quote, politics were just finding 273 00:17:58,035 --> 00:18:03,115 Speaker 1: an excuse for their own racism. Phil Meanwhile, he's tied 274 00:18:03,155 --> 00:18:06,515 Speaker 1: with Lieutenant Governor Robinson, who is African American, but desperately 275 00:18:06,515 --> 00:18:08,395 Speaker 1: attempting not to be, at least for the sake of 276 00:18:08,395 --> 00:18:11,955 Speaker 1: the Republican Party. Robinson repeated to a North Carolina GOP 277 00:18:12,115 --> 00:18:15,755 Speaker 1: meeting that American blacks are not owed reparations for slavery. Instead, 278 00:18:15,795 --> 00:18:20,355 Speaker 1: he thinks American blacks oe reparations for freedom. What Robinson 279 00:18:20,355 --> 00:18:22,475 Speaker 1: didn't know was, as he said this, he stood behind 280 00:18:22,475 --> 00:18:25,195 Speaker 1: a podium that was supposed to say NC GOP. 281 00:18:25,955 --> 00:18:27,915 Speaker 2: But the NC and the OP. 282 00:18:27,755 --> 00:18:31,355 Speaker 1: Were in black, and the G was inside a red star, 283 00:18:31,795 --> 00:18:34,115 Speaker 1: and the prongs of the star stuck out and covered 284 00:18:34,155 --> 00:18:36,435 Speaker 1: the opening in the sea. So the sign seemed to 285 00:18:36,475 --> 00:18:41,995 Speaker 1: read no GOP. You got that right. Mark the runner up, 286 00:18:42,075 --> 00:18:45,555 Speaker 1: Missouri Senator Josh Hawley. That book, he said, was being 287 00:18:45,635 --> 00:18:48,235 Speaker 1: censored and canceled just because he shot a clenched fist 288 00:18:48,275 --> 00:18:51,355 Speaker 1: of support to the January sixth mob that was about 289 00:18:51,355 --> 00:18:53,715 Speaker 1: to overtake the Capitol. Oh, it will be out on 290 00:18:53,755 --> 00:18:57,195 Speaker 1: May sixteenth. That got published anyway, and it's titled Manhood. 291 00:18:57,915 --> 00:19:01,195 Speaker 1: That's two words, one printed on top of the other 292 00:19:01,275 --> 00:19:04,315 Speaker 1: on a red on red cover. It's twenty four dollars 293 00:19:04,355 --> 00:19:08,315 Speaker 1: a night eighty cents for Josh Hawley's Manhood. That's the 294 00:19:08,755 --> 00:19:16,115 Speaker 1: not really hardcover edition obviously, but our winner, Elon Muskie. 295 00:19:16,675 --> 00:19:20,555 Speaker 1: Where do we begin? The blue check mark fiasco. NBC 296 00:19:20,595 --> 00:19:24,115 Speaker 1: News reports there were four hundred and twenty thousand Legacy 297 00:19:24,195 --> 00:19:27,675 Speaker 1: blue check marks issued to prevent impersonation and scamming. The 298 00:19:27,795 --> 00:19:29,875 Speaker 1: number of those people who signed up for the eight 299 00:19:29,955 --> 00:19:34,515 Speaker 1: dollars Vanity blue check marks was nineteen, four hundred and 300 00:19:34,555 --> 00:19:39,515 Speaker 1: ninety seven. Basically, twenty thousand did four hundred thousand didn't. 301 00:19:40,195 --> 00:19:42,795 Speaker 1: The number of legacies who signed up as the legacy 302 00:19:42,795 --> 00:19:47,915 Speaker 1: marks were disappearing twenty eight two eight against the deadline, 303 00:19:48,035 --> 00:19:50,395 Speaker 1: a Twitter source supposed we reveal the number of Vanity 304 00:19:50,395 --> 00:19:52,635 Speaker 1: Blues who signed up in total for the final twenty 305 00:19:52,635 --> 00:19:57,555 Speaker 1: four hours was four hundred. Musk apparently tried to make 306 00:19:57,635 --> 00:19:59,755 Speaker 1: light of this at first. He took three celebrities who 307 00:19:59,835 --> 00:20:02,555 Speaker 1: questioned the process and said he was personally buying Twitter 308 00:20:02,595 --> 00:20:06,635 Speaker 1: Blue for them. William Shatner, Stephen Lebron, James King, and 309 00:20:06,835 --> 00:20:11,235 Speaker 1: Lebron said no thanks. Instantly, The blue check mark became 310 00:20:11,315 --> 00:20:14,635 Speaker 1: not a status symbol, not like it was before. It 311 00:20:14,675 --> 00:20:18,355 Speaker 1: was an anti theft device before, not a status symbol instead, 312 00:20:18,435 --> 00:20:20,275 Speaker 1: now it's a scarlet. 313 00:20:19,875 --> 00:20:24,155 Speaker 2: Letter, only only blue. It's a blue scarlet letter. 314 00:20:24,955 --> 00:20:28,555 Speaker 1: And then at this point panic apparently set in in 315 00:20:28,715 --> 00:20:32,675 Speaker 1: musk Land. On Saturday, blue check marks reappeared for every 316 00:20:32,715 --> 00:20:36,355 Speaker 1: Twitter user with more than a million followers, complete with 317 00:20:36,395 --> 00:20:39,355 Speaker 1: the explanation on each user's homepage that they had paid 318 00:20:39,355 --> 00:20:42,835 Speaker 1: for Twitter Blue and had provided a phone number, which 319 00:20:42,875 --> 00:20:45,915 Speaker 1: they didn't. And it's not just cheesy, but under section 320 00:20:45,955 --> 00:20:48,875 Speaker 1: forty three A of the Lanham Act, that is illegal. 321 00:20:48,995 --> 00:20:53,555 Speaker 1: It's called false endorsement, and it's defined as anything quote 322 00:20:53,635 --> 00:20:56,715 Speaker 1: likely to confuse consumers as to the plaint of sponsorship 323 00:20:57,075 --> 00:21:00,315 Speaker 1: or approval of the product. In short, any account with 324 00:21:00,435 --> 00:21:03,755 Speaker 1: more than a million followers that now has a blue 325 00:21:03,835 --> 00:21:07,715 Speaker 1: check market didn't four can now sue Elon Musk for 326 00:21:07,835 --> 00:21:12,115 Speaker 1: false endorsement. Of course, this gets even worse. There are 327 00:21:12,195 --> 00:21:14,995 Speaker 1: countless Twitter accounts with more than a million followers, even 328 00:21:14,995 --> 00:21:18,475 Speaker 1: though the celebrity whose account it was is now sadly dead, 329 00:21:19,155 --> 00:21:21,755 Speaker 1: so that Twitter and Musk are now claiming that Pele 330 00:21:21,995 --> 00:21:25,875 Speaker 1: brought bought Twitter blue, and Anthony Bourdain bought Twitter blue, 331 00:21:25,875 --> 00:21:30,755 Speaker 1: and Kobe Bryant and especially problematic Gibbon Musk's Saudi investors 332 00:21:30,755 --> 00:21:34,035 Speaker 1: in Twitter. Twitter is now claiming that Jamal Koshogi has 333 00:21:34,075 --> 00:21:37,595 Speaker 1: bought Twitter Blue. Happily for the living who did not 334 00:21:37,715 --> 00:21:39,795 Speaker 1: buy it, there is a way out if you got it. 335 00:21:39,995 --> 00:21:41,835 Speaker 1: If you've got one of these vanity blues, you can 336 00:21:41,875 --> 00:21:45,115 Speaker 1: make it disappear simply by altering your name or your 337 00:21:45,155 --> 00:21:46,115 Speaker 1: avatar photo. 338 00:21:46,515 --> 00:21:47,715 Speaker 2: You may have to do it more than once. 339 00:21:47,755 --> 00:21:52,315 Speaker 1: But sue Elon first, because he sure did it. He 340 00:21:52,395 --> 00:21:57,755 Speaker 1: went and blew himself Elon plas some wag on Twitter said, 341 00:21:57,755 --> 00:22:00,275 Speaker 1: the Vanity blue check mark now seems to be compensation 342 00:22:00,395 --> 00:22:02,035 Speaker 1: for guys who have small penises. 343 00:22:02,195 --> 00:22:05,595 Speaker 2: Okay, the wag was me Musk days. 344 00:22:06,115 --> 00:22:21,915 Speaker 4: Worst worst and the line. 345 00:22:22,675 --> 00:22:25,235 Speaker 1: And now to the number one story on the countdown, 346 00:22:25,275 --> 00:22:27,715 Speaker 1: and there's so many things I promised not to tell. 347 00:22:27,755 --> 00:22:30,635 Speaker 1: It's going to take the rest of the show two segments. 348 00:22:31,275 --> 00:22:34,315 Speaker 1: There's the latest news of Chris lickt His latest solution 349 00:22:34,475 --> 00:22:36,795 Speaker 1: to CNN's free fall is a weekly news show with 350 00:22:36,915 --> 00:22:40,075 Speaker 1: Gail Kane and Charles Barkley, and they announced it Saturday, 351 00:22:40,315 --> 00:22:42,235 Speaker 1: even though they have no idea when it's going to start. 352 00:22:43,355 --> 00:22:46,995 Speaker 1: Had that not been funny enough? News broke yesterday and 353 00:22:47,075 --> 00:22:50,035 Speaker 1: was expanded upon late last night that my former friend 354 00:22:50,035 --> 00:22:53,715 Speaker 1: of twenty years Jeff Shell had been fired as the 355 00:22:53,795 --> 00:22:59,075 Speaker 1: CEO of NBC Universal Chairman of NBC gone and rarely 356 00:22:59,155 --> 00:23:01,995 Speaker 1: nobody saw it coming. Went off like an atomic bomb 357 00:23:01,995 --> 00:23:05,235 Speaker 1: at every goddamn NBC affiliate from Albuquerque to say dusky. 358 00:23:06,395 --> 00:23:09,995 Speaker 1: Jeff Shell, who misled me from literally the night the 359 00:23:10,075 --> 00:23:13,675 Speaker 1: story of his getting the NBC CEO job broke in 360 00:23:13,755 --> 00:23:18,275 Speaker 1: December twenty nineteen through September twenty twenty one, misled me 361 00:23:18,555 --> 00:23:20,995 Speaker 1: that he wanted to bring me and count Down back 362 00:23:21,035 --> 00:23:24,195 Speaker 1: to MSNBC, that we needed to keep fighting to find 363 00:23:24,235 --> 00:23:26,315 Speaker 1: a way to make it happen, and then had one 364 00:23:26,315 --> 00:23:28,515 Speaker 1: of his lackeyes tell me, after two years of this 365 00:23:28,555 --> 00:23:31,275 Speaker 1: that Rachel Matdow has vetoed it. And then when I 366 00:23:31,315 --> 00:23:33,915 Speaker 1: told this story publicly, Shell had one of the NBC 367 00:23:34,035 --> 00:23:37,195 Speaker 1: news pr flunkies say there had never been any real 368 00:23:37,235 --> 00:23:39,595 Speaker 1: interest in bringing me back and that in essence I 369 00:23:39,675 --> 00:23:43,355 Speaker 1: should have known Jeff Shell was lying to me all 370 00:23:43,355 --> 00:23:46,795 Speaker 1: that time. In other words, the chairman of NBC was 371 00:23:46,875 --> 00:23:48,835 Speaker 1: lying to you for two years. You should have known 372 00:23:48,875 --> 00:23:54,035 Speaker 1: that that is not the flex that NBC thought it was. However, 373 00:23:54,675 --> 00:24:00,075 Speaker 1: apparently it was foreshadowing. Yesterday, Shell wrote a brief note 374 00:24:00,115 --> 00:24:02,915 Speaker 1: emailed throughout NBC Television and the rest of the company, 375 00:24:02,995 --> 00:24:05,915 Speaker 1: explaining he was truly sorry for an inappropriate relationship with 376 00:24:05,955 --> 00:24:08,955 Speaker 1: a woman, and this was his last day at the company. 377 00:24:09,595 --> 00:24:12,675 Speaker 1: There was some kind of complaint, There was a quick investigation, 378 00:24:12,875 --> 00:24:16,155 Speaker 1: and then it was mutually decided that Shell and NBC 379 00:24:16,195 --> 00:24:19,555 Speaker 1: should part ways, which means it was mutually decided you're 380 00:24:19,635 --> 00:24:23,875 Speaker 1: effing fired. And then late last night came the second 381 00:24:24,195 --> 00:24:28,595 Speaker 1: nuclear detonation of the day at NBC. The Hollywood website 382 00:24:28,675 --> 00:24:32,755 Speaker 1: Deadline is reporting, quote multiple sources tell Deadline that the 383 00:24:32,795 --> 00:24:36,635 Speaker 1: woman who filed the complaint against NBC Universal CEO Jeffshell 384 00:24:37,075 --> 00:24:43,635 Speaker 1: for inappropriate conduct was CNBC anchor and senior international correspondent 385 00:24:43,755 --> 00:24:49,275 Speaker 1: Hadley Gamble unquote. This would be the same Hadley Gamble 386 00:24:49,635 --> 00:24:54,315 Speaker 1: who interviewed Vladimir Putin, the Dictator of Russia, on stage 387 00:24:54,755 --> 00:24:58,555 Speaker 1: at Russian Energy Week in a panel in twenty twenty 388 00:24:58,595 --> 00:25:02,995 Speaker 1: one while wearing a very tight black dress. She was 389 00:25:02,995 --> 00:25:05,915 Speaker 1: wearing the dress not Putin, and then caught Putin making 390 00:25:05,995 --> 00:25:09,315 Speaker 1: goofy faces at her, and then Russian state media came 391 00:25:09,355 --> 00:25:11,875 Speaker 1: out with a story claiming she had been sent there 392 00:25:11,915 --> 00:25:15,635 Speaker 1: as a sex object to distract Putin quote like she 393 00:25:15,795 --> 00:25:17,915 Speaker 1: was in the movie Nine and a half Weeks or 394 00:25:18,075 --> 00:25:22,155 Speaker 1: Basic Instinct, and Russian State Media in both the Sharon's 395 00:25:22,235 --> 00:25:27,475 Speaker 1: stone leg crossing scene about Hadley Gamble. Back to the 396 00:25:27,515 --> 00:25:30,595 Speaker 1: Deadline story quote, Deadline has learned that Shell had a 397 00:25:30,635 --> 00:25:33,955 Speaker 1: relationship with Gamble which started about eleven years ago and 398 00:25:34,035 --> 00:25:37,195 Speaker 1: continued sporadically up until a couple of years ago, when 399 00:25:37,195 --> 00:25:40,675 Speaker 1: it ended. The complaint was lodged. Within the past month, 400 00:25:40,755 --> 00:25:43,275 Speaker 1: Deadline has learned the matter went all the way to 401 00:25:43,315 --> 00:25:46,835 Speaker 1: Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, through the proper channels, 402 00:25:47,075 --> 00:25:51,555 Speaker 1: and was handled expediently. Sources said. The outside law firm 403 00:25:51,635 --> 00:25:55,275 Speaker 1: hired to investigate delivered their findings to top Comcast brass 404 00:25:55,315 --> 00:25:59,275 Speaker 1: within the past week. We hear and then comes the 405 00:25:59,315 --> 00:26:04,035 Speaker 1: real kicker in the Deadline story quote. Deadline has learned 406 00:26:04,035 --> 00:26:08,355 Speaker 1: that there was communication between Shell and Gamble via company 407 00:26:08,475 --> 00:26:12,075 Speaker 1: email which came to light in the investigation. 408 00:26:12,675 --> 00:26:19,635 Speaker 5: Woy So, the chairman of NBC, was what sending emails 409 00:26:20,675 --> 00:26:24,955 Speaker 5: inside the NBC email system to his ex lover, a 410 00:26:25,075 --> 00:26:30,555 Speaker 5: reporter for CNBC, inside the company system after the relationship. 411 00:26:30,035 --> 00:26:34,475 Speaker 1: Ended, and he was asking for what, So you're saying, 412 00:26:34,515 --> 00:26:37,315 Speaker 1: maybe you should have known I was lying. Wasn't just 413 00:26:37,475 --> 00:26:42,395 Speaker 1: used on me my favorite boss, my true friend, friend 414 00:26:42,435 --> 00:26:44,835 Speaker 1: at Fox Sports in nineteen ninety nine to two thousand, 415 00:26:44,875 --> 00:26:47,275 Speaker 1: who stayed in touch, who moved on to Comcast, and 416 00:26:47,315 --> 00:26:50,755 Speaker 1: when Comcast was buying NBC, reappeared in my life to 417 00:26:50,795 --> 00:26:53,915 Speaker 1: try to talk me out of leaving my show on MSNBC. 418 00:26:54,155 --> 00:26:57,275 Speaker 1: He said he would fix everything because when Comcast took over, 419 00:26:57,315 --> 00:27:00,435 Speaker 1: he would be in charge of NBC cable stations. Probably 420 00:27:00,475 --> 00:27:02,995 Speaker 1: shouldn't have been saying that Comcast execs were under strict 421 00:27:03,035 --> 00:27:05,915 Speaker 1: instructions not to intervene in day to day operations at 422 00:27:05,995 --> 00:27:08,475 Speaker 1: NBC before they actually closed the sale. 423 00:27:08,475 --> 00:27:08,995 Speaker 2: But what am I? 424 00:27:09,035 --> 00:27:11,675 Speaker 1: The Federal Trade Commission? And then he lied to me 425 00:27:11,715 --> 00:27:16,395 Speaker 1: for two years or he lied about lying to me. Oh, 426 00:27:16,955 --> 00:27:20,435 Speaker 1: now he's lying about this Hadley gamble and they fired 427 00:27:20,555 --> 00:27:27,955 Speaker 1: him for it. That's a shame. One PostScript to this, 428 00:27:28,115 --> 00:27:30,875 Speaker 1: The Wall Street Journal suggests one of the candidates to 429 00:27:30,915 --> 00:27:34,955 Speaker 1: replace Shell is Sezar Conde, chairman of NBC News. He 430 00:27:35,115 --> 00:27:37,875 Speaker 1: was the guy Shell wanted me to meet to discuss 431 00:27:37,955 --> 00:27:39,995 Speaker 1: the return of Countdown and how to make it happen. 432 00:27:39,995 --> 00:27:42,635 Speaker 1: And one day early in twenty twenty one, this conde 433 00:27:42,755 --> 00:27:45,595 Speaker 1: invited me to breakfast. A few days later, his assistant 434 00:27:45,675 --> 00:27:48,875 Speaker 1: then called to find an appropriate quiet restaurant nearby where 435 00:27:48,875 --> 00:27:52,155 Speaker 1: we could meet. We found one, we arranged, it was 436 00:27:52,195 --> 00:27:54,875 Speaker 1: all set, and thirty minutes later she called back and 437 00:27:54,875 --> 00:27:57,435 Speaker 1: canceled the breakfast because suddenly says our conde was going 438 00:27:57,475 --> 00:27:58,955 Speaker 1: to be out of town for a week. Oh, we 439 00:27:59,115 --> 00:28:02,035 Speaker 1: do it whenever he got back, which apparently he never has. 440 00:28:02,755 --> 00:28:05,595 Speaker 1: Because the next thing is the statement about how I 441 00:28:05,595 --> 00:28:09,115 Speaker 1: should have known Jeff Shell was lying constantly. And if 442 00:28:09,155 --> 00:28:11,475 Speaker 1: it sounds like I am having way too much shodden 443 00:28:11,515 --> 00:28:14,555 Speaker 1: Fried of fun, it's because I'm sitting here, stamping my feet, 444 00:28:14,595 --> 00:28:18,115 Speaker 1: having wait too much shot and Fry of fun, so 445 00:28:18,275 --> 00:28:21,075 Speaker 1: much fun, I feel like bursting out in song. 446 00:28:21,915 --> 00:28:23,595 Speaker 2: Oh Nancy. 447 00:28:28,875 --> 00:28:34,635 Speaker 3: Ride a s food talk on our. 448 00:28:34,795 --> 00:28:48,515 Speaker 6: S arm about Lepton for your drunken Deely diem dinzo 449 00:28:49,595 --> 00:28:55,795 Speaker 6: in don feed bast mood thing got. 450 00:28:56,475 --> 00:29:09,755 Speaker 2: A man and bell Don Broyd Bard Sup, don't knan 451 00:29:10,035 --> 00:29:12,355 Speaker 2: fast and I'll just leave you with this. 452 00:29:13,555 --> 00:29:18,155 Speaker 1: The Hapley gamble didn't pay off, and she has left 453 00:29:18,315 --> 00:29:36,395 Speaker 1: Jeff a shell of his former self. Still ahead on Countdown, 454 00:29:37,195 --> 00:29:39,555 Speaker 1: Part two of Things I Promised not to Tell And 455 00:29:39,635 --> 00:29:41,515 Speaker 1: it was a big weekend for people who don't like 456 00:29:41,595 --> 00:29:45,995 Speaker 1: people I don't like. There are nine rules of cable news, 457 00:29:46,155 --> 00:29:50,955 Speaker 1: and CNN's new Charles Barkley Gail King show violates all 458 00:29:51,155 --> 00:29:54,115 Speaker 1: nine of them. First in each tradition of Countdown to 459 00:29:54,195 --> 00:29:56,115 Speaker 1: feature a dog in need you can help. Every dog 460 00:29:56,235 --> 00:29:59,555 Speaker 1: has its day. Tobias is an eight year old Husky 461 00:29:59,635 --> 00:30:04,555 Speaker 1: mix handsome white and creamy tan fella. He has soulful eye. 462 00:30:05,355 --> 00:30:07,515 Speaker 1: He has not been taken care of by a human 463 00:30:07,555 --> 00:30:10,435 Speaker 1: in years, and understandably, he has trust issues with people, 464 00:30:11,115 --> 00:30:13,395 Speaker 1: and he's on the kill list in the high kill 465 00:30:13,515 --> 00:30:17,275 Speaker 1: shelter at DeVore, California, and he desperately needs out and fast. 466 00:30:17,715 --> 00:30:20,315 Speaker 1: He needs a foster in the area. He needs our 467 00:30:20,435 --> 00:30:22,835 Speaker 1: pledges to help defray the costs of a rescue to 468 00:30:22,835 --> 00:30:25,955 Speaker 1: get him out and train him before they kill him. 469 00:30:26,515 --> 00:30:29,195 Speaker 1: You can find Tobias on my Twitter feeds, and as always, 470 00:30:29,235 --> 00:30:31,155 Speaker 1: if you pledge and we don't save him, you're under 471 00:30:31,195 --> 00:30:35,075 Speaker 1: no obligation on the other hand, with your help we 472 00:30:35,235 --> 00:30:38,715 Speaker 1: might save him. I thank you, and Tobias thanks you. 473 00:30:56,395 --> 00:31:01,475 Speaker 1: And as promised to two topical editions of things I 474 00:31:01,595 --> 00:31:05,755 Speaker 1: promised not to tell Jeff Shelled gone at NBC and 475 00:31:05,955 --> 00:31:09,115 Speaker 1: at see It end, Chris Lickt stepped done another rake, 476 00:31:09,195 --> 00:31:13,715 Speaker 1: and soon or late one of these rakes will be 477 00:31:13,875 --> 00:31:18,395 Speaker 1: his last. Lickt has gone ahead and done it. He 478 00:31:18,475 --> 00:31:23,675 Speaker 1: will premiere show about News, co hosted by Charles Barkley, 479 00:31:24,035 --> 00:31:26,515 Speaker 1: who has never done a news show before, and Gail King, 480 00:31:26,555 --> 00:31:29,555 Speaker 1: who has never been on a successful news show before. 481 00:31:30,195 --> 00:31:33,595 Speaker 1: It will be once a week, starting sometime in the 482 00:31:33,675 --> 00:31:37,635 Speaker 1: near future, we think on one of seven possible nights 483 00:31:37,715 --> 00:31:43,275 Speaker 1: to be determined, and they've announced it now. This is 484 00:31:43,395 --> 00:31:47,355 Speaker 1: the genius of Chris Lickt in action again. And when 485 00:31:47,395 --> 00:31:48,955 Speaker 1: I say genius, of course, I mean when we were 486 00:31:48,955 --> 00:31:51,675 Speaker 1: at MSNBC together, we all thought Chris Lickt eight paste. 487 00:31:52,795 --> 00:31:55,955 Speaker 1: There are nine fundamental rules of cable TV news, and 488 00:31:56,035 --> 00:31:59,715 Speaker 1: this idea violates all nine of them. Here they are 489 00:31:59,915 --> 00:32:04,155 Speaker 1: Number one, don't mistake friends of yours for universally popular 490 00:32:04,235 --> 00:32:07,795 Speaker 1: television people. Number two, remember that no matter how big 491 00:32:07,875 --> 00:32:10,595 Speaker 1: the ratings, last place in the ratings is still last place. 492 00:32:11,715 --> 00:32:15,435 Speaker 1: Number three. Remember that whatever somebody's ratings are over there, 493 00:32:16,235 --> 00:32:18,355 Speaker 1: that does not mean that they will get those same 494 00:32:18,475 --> 00:32:23,515 Speaker 1: ratings over here. Number four. Remember the law of the 495 00:32:23,715 --> 00:32:29,155 Speaker 1: day part number five. Remember news viewers actually don't want 496 00:32:29,435 --> 00:32:33,915 Speaker 1: pop culture figures or sportscasters giving their opinions on the news. 497 00:32:35,555 --> 00:32:37,915 Speaker 1: I know what you're saying. I'm going into detail on 498 00:32:37,995 --> 00:32:40,355 Speaker 1: this in a little bit. Number six. You may think 499 00:32:40,515 --> 00:32:46,555 Speaker 1: cable viewers want neutral, non ideological balance shows, but there's 500 00:32:46,595 --> 00:32:49,875 Speaker 1: only about just this scant twenty five years worth of 501 00:32:49,995 --> 00:32:52,995 Speaker 1: data proving that no, no, they do not want neutral, 502 00:32:53,075 --> 00:32:59,075 Speaker 1: non ideological balanced shows at all. Number seven, once a 503 00:32:59,195 --> 00:33:02,435 Speaker 1: week on cable news might as well be once a year. 504 00:33:03,635 --> 00:33:06,955 Speaker 1: Number eight. If you have recentably made a bad, big mistake, 505 00:33:07,555 --> 00:33:11,155 Speaker 1: recognize it and do not repeat it. And number nine, 506 00:33:11,315 --> 00:33:15,595 Speaker 1: do not do not pick a cute title for a show, 507 00:33:15,835 --> 00:33:18,395 Speaker 1: especially if it is a play on the name of 508 00:33:18,475 --> 00:33:23,475 Speaker 1: the host or the hosts okay, one by one. Number one, 509 00:33:24,035 --> 00:33:27,515 Speaker 1: don't mistake friends of yours for universally popular TV figures 510 00:33:27,635 --> 00:33:30,635 Speaker 1: or talent. I got nothing against Gail King. She is 511 00:33:30,715 --> 00:33:33,515 Speaker 1: a very nice lady. I knew her so long ago 512 00:33:33,555 --> 00:33:36,275 Speaker 1: that when we met I was just starting at SportsCenter 513 00:33:36,675 --> 00:33:40,115 Speaker 1: and she was a local newscaster in Hartford, Connecticut. Then 514 00:33:40,155 --> 00:33:42,715 Speaker 1: she had an NBC talk show canceled, She had a 515 00:33:42,755 --> 00:33:47,035 Speaker 1: syndicated talk show canceled, She had a show on Oprah's network, canceled. 516 00:33:47,395 --> 00:33:51,355 Speaker 1: Other jobs at XM Radio, at ABC News not one success, 517 00:33:52,355 --> 00:33:55,435 Speaker 1: and she went to work at CBS under Chris Lickt. Now, 518 00:33:55,515 --> 00:33:58,675 Speaker 1: if you're Chris licked you have to recognize the first say, 519 00:33:59,075 --> 00:34:02,035 Speaker 1: six failures out of six tries are more important than 520 00:34:02,075 --> 00:34:05,835 Speaker 1: your successful friendship. You do not say of a Gail 521 00:34:05,955 --> 00:34:09,395 Speaker 1: King Charles Barkley show, as Lickt actually did last week 522 00:34:09,475 --> 00:34:11,755 Speaker 1: on the record quote, wouldn't that be a fun show 523 00:34:11,795 --> 00:34:14,355 Speaker 1: to watch? Wouldn't you watch that show? I would watch 524 00:34:14,435 --> 00:34:17,515 Speaker 1: that no matter what network it was on. If that's 525 00:34:17,555 --> 00:34:20,395 Speaker 1: the methodology here, guess what, Chris, you will soon get 526 00:34:20,635 --> 00:34:24,035 Speaker 1: plenty of time to watch any show, no matter what 527 00:34:24,195 --> 00:34:28,675 Speaker 1: network it's on. Number two, remember that last Place is 528 00:34:28,755 --> 00:34:32,595 Speaker 1: still last Place. I know that the CBS morning show 529 00:34:32,715 --> 00:34:35,995 Speaker 1: she is now on is the best Last Place show 530 00:34:36,075 --> 00:34:39,675 Speaker 1: of all the dozens of different Last Place shows CBS 531 00:34:39,795 --> 00:34:42,515 Speaker 1: has produced in the mornings over the decades dating back 532 00:34:42,515 --> 00:34:45,035 Speaker 1: to nineteen fifty four when it was Walter Cronkite and 533 00:34:45,155 --> 00:34:49,355 Speaker 1: a puppet co hosting the morning news, and most relevantly, 534 00:34:49,755 --> 00:34:52,555 Speaker 1: this show was the last news program that CNN's new 535 00:34:52,595 --> 00:34:54,955 Speaker 1: boss had anything to do with, and Gail King is 536 00:34:55,035 --> 00:34:57,715 Speaker 1: thus one of only four or five people in the 537 00:34:57,795 --> 00:35:00,675 Speaker 1: news business he knows the first thing about. But it's 538 00:35:00,755 --> 00:35:04,875 Speaker 1: still a last place show. The ratings from the week 539 00:35:04,915 --> 00:35:07,395 Speaker 1: before last, people who chose to watch a network morning 540 00:35:07,435 --> 00:35:09,715 Speaker 1: show and chose the one Gail King is on two 541 00:35:09,795 --> 00:35:12,875 Speaker 1: point two million people who chose one of the ones 542 00:35:12,915 --> 00:35:15,315 Speaker 1: Gail King is not on five point nine million. 543 00:35:17,195 --> 00:35:17,955 Speaker 2: Law three. 544 00:35:18,795 --> 00:35:23,075 Speaker 1: Remember that whatever somebody's ratings are over there does not 545 00:35:23,195 --> 00:35:25,515 Speaker 1: mean they're going to get those same ratings over here. 546 00:35:26,795 --> 00:35:29,315 Speaker 1: An average of million, two hundred and eighty four thousand 547 00:35:29,395 --> 00:35:33,155 Speaker 1: people watch Gail King's show on CBS week before last. 548 00:35:33,515 --> 00:35:36,435 Speaker 1: The most recent day we have of cable news ratings, Thursday, 549 00:35:36,475 --> 00:35:39,955 Speaker 1: April twentieth, two million, two hundred and sixty eight thousand 550 00:35:39,955 --> 00:35:45,435 Speaker 1: people watch CNN between seven pm and midnight total. For 551 00:35:45,635 --> 00:35:49,235 Speaker 1: twenty years, CNN has been relentlessly advertising and promoting and 552 00:35:49,315 --> 00:35:53,035 Speaker 1: pushing Anderson Cooper, who has an even higher profile job 553 00:35:53,115 --> 00:35:56,555 Speaker 1: at CBS than King does for twenty years, he's been pushed. 554 00:35:57,075 --> 00:35:59,715 Speaker 1: Cooper's CBS show is sixty minutes and it gets roughly 555 00:35:59,755 --> 00:36:01,715 Speaker 1: seven and a half million viewers an episode. A CNN 556 00:36:01,835 --> 00:36:08,035 Speaker 1: show gets five hundred thousand viewers. His CNN show gets 557 00:36:08,155 --> 00:36:11,555 Speaker 1: seven and a half percent the ratings of his CBS show. 558 00:36:11,915 --> 00:36:16,475 Speaker 1: If that number holds up for Gail King, her CNN 559 00:36:16,595 --> 00:36:20,355 Speaker 1: show will get one hundred and seventy one thousand viewers. 560 00:36:21,115 --> 00:36:24,675 Speaker 1: That's like a third of what CNN is getting right 561 00:36:24,795 --> 00:36:28,395 Speaker 1: now in primetime. Yet somebody at CNN is saying this 562 00:36:28,675 --> 00:36:29,915 Speaker 1: will be our breakthrough show. 563 00:36:32,355 --> 00:36:32,555 Speaker 2: Four. 564 00:36:33,315 --> 00:36:36,315 Speaker 1: Remember the Law of the Day part. Early on the 565 00:36:36,355 --> 00:36:38,555 Speaker 1: morning of February twenty second, two thousand and five, the 566 00:36:38,595 --> 00:36:41,755 Speaker 1: President of CBS less Moonbez, and the president of CBS News, 567 00:36:41,795 --> 00:36:45,595 Speaker 1: Andrew Hayward, sneaked into my apartment building. There had been 568 00:36:45,635 --> 00:36:47,835 Speaker 1: a late hitch in their plan to hire Katie kirk 569 00:36:47,915 --> 00:36:50,155 Speaker 1: away from the Today Show, which was on in the mornings, 570 00:36:50,635 --> 00:36:52,875 Speaker 1: to make her the anchor of the CBS Evening News, 571 00:36:52,915 --> 00:36:59,075 Speaker 1: which was on, as their clever title implied, in the evenings. Now. 572 00:36:59,315 --> 00:37:01,635 Speaker 1: These guys were confident they could get around that hitch, 573 00:37:01,675 --> 00:37:04,915 Speaker 1: but they had no backup plan, and they decided kind 574 00:37:04,915 --> 00:37:08,115 Speaker 1: of at the last minute. I was the backup plan. Now, 575 00:37:08,195 --> 00:37:10,435 Speaker 1: apart from my what the hell, let me tell you 576 00:37:10,515 --> 00:37:12,675 Speaker 1: what I really think, pitch, I mean, my odds getting 577 00:37:12,675 --> 00:37:14,635 Speaker 1: the job are about one in one thousand, I asked 578 00:37:14,675 --> 00:37:17,435 Speaker 1: them before you signed, Katie Kirk, have you considered the 579 00:37:17,475 --> 00:37:20,315 Speaker 1: possibility that being a successful co host of a morning 580 00:37:20,435 --> 00:37:25,475 Speaker 1: show might not translate into being a successful sole anchor 581 00:37:25,635 --> 00:37:28,595 Speaker 1: of the CBS evening news, which is on in the evenings. 582 00:37:29,395 --> 00:37:32,595 Speaker 1: Have you considered what we called in radio day parts. 583 00:37:33,715 --> 00:37:36,475 Speaker 1: It's not the same job. It's not what people know 584 00:37:36,635 --> 00:37:41,035 Speaker 1: her for. Morning shows are interviews, Evening news is are 585 00:37:41,115 --> 00:37:43,835 Speaker 1: reading teleprompter and then getting on a plane for Afghanistan. 586 00:37:44,275 --> 00:37:48,435 Speaker 1: It's not what people watch her for. And last Moonvez said, 587 00:37:48,515 --> 00:37:51,915 Speaker 1: but she's a star, And I said, let me just 588 00:37:52,115 --> 00:37:56,155 Speaker 1: tell you precisely how it matters that what time somebody 589 00:37:56,235 --> 00:37:57,915 Speaker 1: is on is bigger than whether or not they're a star. 590 00:37:58,115 --> 00:38:00,235 Speaker 1: When I was a local sportscaster in LA Channel five, 591 00:38:00,315 --> 00:38:01,915 Speaker 1: we did the ten o'clock news, so I came on 592 00:38:02,555 --> 00:38:05,995 Speaker 1: about ten fifty every night. I was I've got to 593 00:38:06,035 --> 00:38:08,835 Speaker 1: use the word I was beloved. The ratings went up 594 00:38:09,075 --> 00:38:11,515 Speaker 1: at ten fifty every night. It was the only newscast 595 00:38:11,595 --> 00:38:13,675 Speaker 1: in a major city in America where the ratings went 596 00:38:13,795 --> 00:38:17,195 Speaker 1: up when the sports guy came on. Naturally, I got 597 00:38:17,275 --> 00:38:20,355 Speaker 1: hired away by another station, your station, last Channel two 598 00:38:20,395 --> 00:38:22,675 Speaker 1: in LA. They got paid seven times when I was 599 00:38:22,715 --> 00:38:24,995 Speaker 1: making and we did the eleven o'clock news. So I 600 00:38:25,115 --> 00:38:27,435 Speaker 1: came on not at ten fifty, but at eleven thirty 601 00:38:27,435 --> 00:38:30,955 Speaker 1: every night, and I was hated. None of the viewers 602 00:38:31,035 --> 00:38:35,115 Speaker 1: got my jokes. Nobody liked me anymore. They hated me, 603 00:38:36,035 --> 00:38:39,275 Speaker 1: and I was shocked. My bosses were shocked, and their 604 00:38:39,315 --> 00:38:42,435 Speaker 1: bosses were shocked. And then they spent a shocked fortune 605 00:38:42,715 --> 00:38:45,315 Speaker 1: on research to figure out why it didn't work. And 606 00:38:45,435 --> 00:38:47,915 Speaker 1: they came back and they said, look, the evidence is overwhelming. 607 00:38:48,715 --> 00:38:52,555 Speaker 1: All the people who loved this guy's sportscasts apparently had 608 00:38:52,595 --> 00:38:54,195 Speaker 1: the jobs where they had to be in the office 609 00:38:54,235 --> 00:38:55,675 Speaker 1: at seven or eight in the morning because of the 610 00:38:55,715 --> 00:38:58,515 Speaker 1: whole East coast West coast thing, and they were literally 611 00:38:58,595 --> 00:39:01,155 Speaker 1: staying up as late as they could to watch them 612 00:39:01,155 --> 00:39:04,435 Speaker 1: at ten fifty. When you put them on at eleven thirty, 613 00:39:04,835 --> 00:39:10,395 Speaker 1: all the people who liked him are asleep less Andy, 614 00:39:11,235 --> 00:39:13,715 Speaker 1: I said, ten to fifty PM and forty minutes later 615 00:39:13,755 --> 00:39:17,155 Speaker 1: at eleven thirty pm. They are different day parts. And 616 00:39:17,275 --> 00:39:20,355 Speaker 1: if ten fifty pm at eleven thirty pm are different 617 00:39:20,475 --> 00:39:23,955 Speaker 1: day parts, then seven am and six thirty pm are 618 00:39:24,075 --> 00:39:29,955 Speaker 1: completely different day parts. They didn't listen. I didn't expect 619 00:39:29,995 --> 00:39:32,075 Speaker 1: them to. They hired Katie Kirk who was a morning 620 00:39:32,155 --> 00:39:36,595 Speaker 1: success and was a nighttime disaster, and now CNN wants 621 00:39:36,635 --> 00:39:41,235 Speaker 1: to hire a morning not success and put her on 622 00:39:41,395 --> 00:39:45,675 Speaker 1: at night. So what could possibly go wrong here? Back 623 00:39:45,755 --> 00:39:48,475 Speaker 1: to our laws Number five, news viewers actually do not 624 00:39:48,755 --> 00:39:52,875 Speaker 1: want pop culture figures or sportscasters giving their opinions on 625 00:39:52,995 --> 00:39:55,515 Speaker 1: the news. I don't have stats on this. I just 626 00:39:55,555 --> 00:39:58,235 Speaker 1: again have my own experience. When I was a news 627 00:39:58,355 --> 00:40:02,075 Speaker 1: commentator on MSNBC and had as a sideline co host 628 00:40:02,115 --> 00:40:04,835 Speaker 1: of an hour of Dan Patrick's ESPN radio show and 629 00:40:04,915 --> 00:40:07,315 Speaker 1: then co host a Football Night in America on NBC. 630 00:40:07,435 --> 00:40:10,755 Speaker 1: That was fine, keep the politics out of the sportscast, 631 00:40:11,195 --> 00:40:13,635 Speaker 1: and nobody cares if you do both the sportscast and 632 00:40:13,715 --> 00:40:18,915 Speaker 1: the newscast. But anytime I was perceived as a sportscaster 633 00:40:19,595 --> 00:40:22,915 Speaker 1: giving opinions on the news, like when I first left 634 00:40:23,155 --> 00:40:25,675 Speaker 1: ESPN to go to AMSNBC, and then when I left 635 00:40:25,715 --> 00:40:29,115 Speaker 1: Fox Sports to become a news anchor at CNN, big trouble. 636 00:40:29,795 --> 00:40:32,995 Speaker 1: Viewers could accept the change and even the overlap from 637 00:40:33,075 --> 00:40:37,915 Speaker 1: news to sports, but from sports to news, particularly commentary, 638 00:40:38,555 --> 00:40:42,275 Speaker 1: It's going to take a year two, maybe maybe three 639 00:40:42,395 --> 00:40:47,155 Speaker 1: before viewers will accept Charles Barkley or take him seriously. 640 00:40:47,715 --> 00:40:51,035 Speaker 1: And then the interim what could also happen is he 641 00:40:51,075 --> 00:40:52,795 Speaker 1: could really tarnish his sports brand. 642 00:40:54,955 --> 00:40:55,235 Speaker 2: Six. 643 00:40:55,555 --> 00:40:59,355 Speaker 1: You may think cable viewers want neutral, non ideological, balance shows, 644 00:40:59,355 --> 00:41:01,355 Speaker 1: but there's only about twenty five years of data proving 645 00:41:01,755 --> 00:41:06,835 Speaker 1: oh they don't. Pre Chris Lick, CNN was not purely ideological, 646 00:41:06,875 --> 00:41:10,115 Speaker 1: but nobody watching thought they were piously neutral, especially not 647 00:41:10,195 --> 00:41:13,875 Speaker 1: about Chump the new fascist owners, and Licked promised to 648 00:41:13,915 --> 00:41:16,675 Speaker 1: return to the old CNN whatever that was. What they 649 00:41:16,755 --> 00:41:20,955 Speaker 1: got was hemorrhage. CNN's ratings for the first quarter of 650 00:41:20,995 --> 00:41:24,355 Speaker 1: this year are down thirty four percent from the first 651 00:41:24,435 --> 00:41:27,635 Speaker 1: quarter of twenty twenty two. As the announcement was made, 652 00:41:27,755 --> 00:41:31,715 Speaker 1: Barkley promised his show would not lean any one way politically, 653 00:41:31,795 --> 00:41:35,515 Speaker 1: and I in turn promise that whatever the audience size 654 00:41:35,635 --> 00:41:39,395 Speaker 1: is on week one, he really does that and remains neutral, 655 00:41:40,355 --> 00:41:42,795 Speaker 1: his audience size will be thirty four percent smaller on 656 00:41:42,875 --> 00:41:48,195 Speaker 1: week two. Seven. Once a week on cable news might 657 00:41:48,235 --> 00:41:52,595 Speaker 1: as well be once a year. No once a week 658 00:41:52,715 --> 00:41:57,915 Speaker 1: show has ever succeeded in cable news. I was there 659 00:41:57,955 --> 00:42:03,235 Speaker 1: when it started. CNN later tried a rotation of five 660 00:42:03,355 --> 00:42:05,235 Speaker 1: once a week shows in prime time in the late 661 00:42:05,315 --> 00:42:10,555 Speaker 1: nineties and promptly lost its ratings monopoly. Every network has 662 00:42:10,635 --> 00:42:14,275 Speaker 1: tried them except Fox. MSNBC is trying it now with 663 00:42:14,395 --> 00:42:18,195 Speaker 1: Rachel Mattow and the ratings are really disturbing. Before she 664 00:42:18,355 --> 00:42:21,475 Speaker 1: cut back to Monday's only her high watermark ratings, like 665 00:42:21,515 --> 00:42:24,275 Speaker 1: the old saw Goes were the rising tide that lifted 666 00:42:24,355 --> 00:42:27,955 Speaker 1: all boats. Last Monday at nine pm a week ago, 667 00:42:28,035 --> 00:42:30,275 Speaker 1: she drew two hundred and thirty five thousand viewers in 668 00:42:30,355 --> 00:42:33,715 Speaker 1: the advertising demo, which is very good these days. The 669 00:42:33,795 --> 00:42:35,915 Speaker 1: show before her at one hundred and forty seven thousand. 670 00:42:36,395 --> 00:42:38,555 Speaker 1: The show after her had one hundred and forty one thousand. 671 00:42:38,555 --> 00:42:42,875 Speaker 1: In other words, about ninety thousand additional demo viewers showed 672 00:42:42,955 --> 00:42:46,795 Speaker 1: up just for Meadows once a week show, and then 673 00:42:46,835 --> 00:42:50,915 Speaker 1: they went away. They stopped watching MSNBC, so they are 674 00:42:50,995 --> 00:42:53,475 Speaker 1: paying and maybe this had something to do with Jeff 675 00:42:53,475 --> 00:42:56,395 Speaker 1: Shell getting fired. They are paying Rachel Maddow thirty one 676 00:42:56,435 --> 00:43:00,955 Speaker 1: million dollars a year to get an additional ninety thousand 677 00:43:01,235 --> 00:43:04,795 Speaker 1: viewers a week. In fact, that may be generous, yes, 678 00:43:05,515 --> 00:43:07,355 Speaker 1: the rest of the week when it's not her in 679 00:43:07,435 --> 00:43:10,595 Speaker 1: the nine PM slot, the nine PM slot average one 680 00:43:10,675 --> 00:43:13,075 Speaker 1: hundred and seventy nine thousand demo viewers. They may be 681 00:43:13,195 --> 00:43:16,195 Speaker 1: paying Rachel thirty one million dollars a year for only 682 00:43:16,435 --> 00:43:21,075 Speaker 1: fifty six thousand viewers above average a week. And the 683 00:43:21,235 --> 00:43:25,635 Speaker 1: ratings at eight pm and ten pm were higher on 684 00:43:25,755 --> 00:43:29,795 Speaker 1: the nights she wasn't on on nine PM compared to 685 00:43:29,875 --> 00:43:34,955 Speaker 1: those when she was. It is a maximum of cable news. 686 00:43:35,075 --> 00:43:37,195 Speaker 1: Nobody is going to watch your network on nights you 687 00:43:37,275 --> 00:43:39,915 Speaker 1: are not on just because they want to say thank 688 00:43:40,035 --> 00:43:43,635 Speaker 1: you to your employer, even if everything I'm saying about 689 00:43:43,675 --> 00:43:47,035 Speaker 1: Barkley and King is wrong. Shows that are on once 690 00:43:47,075 --> 00:43:49,475 Speaker 1: a week do not help the other shows on your 691 00:43:49,515 --> 00:43:51,915 Speaker 1: cable news network. You want to succeed based on a 692 00:43:51,955 --> 00:43:54,635 Speaker 1: bunch of shows that are on once a week, you're 693 00:43:54,635 --> 00:43:56,675 Speaker 1: going to need about twenty eight really good once a 694 00:43:56,755 --> 00:44:01,995 Speaker 1: week shows, and that's just for primetime. Law eight of 695 00:44:02,075 --> 00:44:05,755 Speaker 1: the nine if you've recently made a bad mistake, recognize 696 00:44:05,795 --> 00:44:11,555 Speaker 1: it and don't repeat it. Chris Lick's last brainstorm was 697 00:44:11,635 --> 00:44:14,035 Speaker 1: to go big, to hire a big name to appear 698 00:44:14,115 --> 00:44:17,475 Speaker 1: once a week, to take what was previously the online 699 00:44:17,595 --> 00:44:20,995 Speaker 1: only supplement to Bill Maher's show on HBO and put 700 00:44:20,995 --> 00:44:23,715 Speaker 1: it on live on Friday nights on CNN. Friday the seventeenth, 701 00:44:24,835 --> 00:44:29,715 Speaker 1: two hundred and seventy seven thousand viewers. Every other hour 702 00:44:30,035 --> 00:44:32,955 Speaker 1: that night on MSNBC and Fox had at least one 703 00:44:33,075 --> 00:44:37,275 Speaker 1: million viewers. Bill Maher two hundred and seventy seven thousand, 704 00:44:38,715 --> 00:44:42,395 Speaker 1: two hundred and seventy seven thousand viewers is about at 705 00:44:42,475 --> 00:44:45,075 Speaker 1: the point where you have to consider whether it's worth 706 00:44:45,195 --> 00:44:48,555 Speaker 1: paying for all that electricity required to length the studio. 707 00:44:51,115 --> 00:44:53,915 Speaker 1: And the last rule rule nine, do not pick a 708 00:44:54,115 --> 00:44:55,875 Speaker 1: cute title for a show, especially if it is a 709 00:44:55,955 --> 00:44:59,915 Speaker 1: play on the name of the host or hosts. People 710 00:44:59,995 --> 00:45:02,355 Speaker 1: don't believe this today, but as I've mentioned before, Tucker 711 00:45:02,475 --> 00:45:04,995 Speaker 1: Carlson used to work at MSNBC had his his own 712 00:45:05,115 --> 00:45:08,195 Speaker 1: primetime show, and as a favor to a friend, I 713 00:45:08,435 --> 00:45:12,035 Speaker 1: served as the liberal foil to Tucker Carlson for a 714 00:45:12,075 --> 00:45:15,635 Speaker 1: few demo pilot shows and at some point the former 715 00:45:15,835 --> 00:45:18,835 Speaker 1: CNN president, the one who tried the five nights a 716 00:45:18,875 --> 00:45:21,995 Speaker 1: week with once a week shows he was then running MSNBC, 717 00:45:22,155 --> 00:45:26,035 Speaker 1: Rick Kaplan. He saw these demos and he liked the interplay, 718 00:45:26,915 --> 00:45:29,875 Speaker 1: probably because I was just saying whatever I could say 719 00:45:29,955 --> 00:45:31,875 Speaker 1: to get me off the stage the fastest. So I 720 00:45:31,955 --> 00:45:35,235 Speaker 1: go back to my office and write my show. So 721 00:45:35,395 --> 00:45:37,715 Speaker 1: Kaplan approached me with an offer. He would tear up 722 00:45:37,755 --> 00:45:39,555 Speaker 1: my contract. He would give me a huge raise if 723 00:45:39,555 --> 00:45:42,555 Speaker 1: I would do Countdown and stick around until eleven o'clock 724 00:45:42,595 --> 00:45:46,315 Speaker 1: every night and co host co host with Tucker Carlson. 725 00:45:47,115 --> 00:45:49,315 Speaker 1: It would be perfect, he said, because he could combine 726 00:45:49,355 --> 00:45:53,515 Speaker 1: our initials and give the show the greatest name in 727 00:45:53,675 --> 00:46:00,835 Speaker 1: cable news history, TKO. The content of the show, its feasibility, 728 00:46:00,955 --> 00:46:02,995 Speaker 1: and this did not matter to him. What he was 729 00:46:03,035 --> 00:46:08,795 Speaker 1: in love with was the title TKO. It's perfect, the 730 00:46:08,955 --> 00:46:12,395 Speaker 1: name of the new Charles Barkley Gaile King Show. It 731 00:46:12,555 --> 00:46:14,715 Speaker 1: leaves me wondering if Chris Lick actually did this, if 732 00:46:14,715 --> 00:46:16,475 Speaker 1: he actually developed not a show, but a title for 733 00:46:16,555 --> 00:46:22,315 Speaker 1: a show. Charles Barkley's nickname is King Charles, so let's see, 734 00:46:22,315 --> 00:46:25,275 Speaker 1: he can't host it by himself. He doesn't even host 735 00:46:25,355 --> 00:46:27,235 Speaker 1: his own basketball show by him, so he needs a 736 00:46:27,315 --> 00:46:27,955 Speaker 1: co host he. 737 00:46:28,075 --> 00:46:30,195 Speaker 2: Needs I got it. 738 00:46:30,835 --> 00:46:35,475 Speaker 1: It's perfect. He needs somebody named King. That way, the 739 00:46:35,635 --> 00:46:39,795 Speaker 1: title of the show will be King Charles. Let's see 740 00:46:40,035 --> 00:46:43,515 Speaker 1: who can we get Stephen King. No, he'll never do it. Nos, 741 00:46:43,515 --> 00:46:47,675 Speaker 1: eyebrows scare children. Larry King No, no, sadly no, he's 742 00:46:47,715 --> 00:46:50,235 Speaker 1: gone now though. Oh look, if anybody could come back 743 00:46:50,275 --> 00:46:52,355 Speaker 1: to do a new show, it would be Larry Now 744 00:46:53,395 --> 00:46:57,075 Speaker 1: King Wally from Sportsphone. Now he's the PA announcer for 745 00:46:57,115 --> 00:46:59,715 Speaker 1: the Knicks, right, so he's got a larger audience every night. Wait, 746 00:46:59,795 --> 00:47:03,595 Speaker 1: I got it. Gail King, King Charles get it? Isn't 747 00:47:03,635 --> 00:47:06,515 Speaker 1: that clever? I would watch that no matter what network 748 00:47:06,595 --> 00:47:13,475 Speaker 1: goes on, so it couldn't be worse. Actually I'm wrong 749 00:47:13,515 --> 00:47:16,115 Speaker 1: about that. The show could have been called King Charles, 750 00:47:16,675 --> 00:47:20,555 Speaker 1: and it could have had three hosts, Gail King, Charles 751 00:47:20,675 --> 00:47:40,675 Speaker 1: Barkley and King Charles of Great Britain. Okay, so Jeff 752 00:47:40,715 --> 00:47:44,995 Speaker 1: Shell's gone, Chris Lick closer to his end. I have 753 00:47:45,195 --> 00:47:48,275 Speaker 1: done all the damage I could do here, well almost. 754 00:47:51,115 --> 00:47:54,195 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening. Here are the credits. Most of 755 00:47:54,235 --> 00:47:56,475 Speaker 1: the music was arranged, produced and performed by Brian Ray 756 00:47:56,475 --> 00:47:58,795 Speaker 1: and John Phillip Shanelle. They are the Countdown musical directors. 757 00:47:59,155 --> 00:48:02,955 Speaker 1: All orchestration and keyboards by John Phillip Shanelle, guitars Bassed 758 00:48:02,995 --> 00:48:06,475 Speaker 1: and drums by Brian Ray, produced by ITK Overrops. Other 759 00:48:06,555 --> 00:48:09,635 Speaker 1: Beethoven selections have been arranged and performed by No Horns Aloud. 760 00:48:10,035 --> 00:48:12,795 Speaker 1: The sports music is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, 761 00:48:12,835 --> 00:48:15,475 Speaker 1: and it was written by Mitch Warren Davis Curtisy of ESPN, INC. 762 00:48:16,155 --> 00:48:19,395 Speaker 1: Musical comments by Nancy Fauss, the best baseball stadium organist ever, 763 00:48:19,475 --> 00:48:23,115 Speaker 1: and our announcer today was John Dean. Everything else pretty 764 00:48:23,195 --> 00:48:25,235 Speaker 1: much my fault. So that's countdown for this the eight 765 00:48:25,355 --> 00:48:27,875 Speaker 1: hundred and thirty ninth days since Donald Trump's first attempted 766 00:48:27,915 --> 00:48:30,395 Speaker 1: coup against the democratically elected government of the United States. 767 00:48:30,835 --> 00:48:34,715 Speaker 1: Don't forget. Keep arresting him while we still can. The 768 00:48:34,795 --> 00:48:37,715 Speaker 1: next scheduled countdown is tomorrow, and until then, I'm Keith Olderman. 769 00:48:37,795 --> 00:48:41,555 Speaker 1: Good morning, good afternoon, good night, and good luck. 770 00:48:55,715 --> 00:49:06,555 Speaker 3: Right ot for talk on our sarm in about Tapton 771 00:49:07,955 --> 00:49:16,595 Speaker 3: drunken Sam Dinzo. 772 00:49:16,395 --> 00:49:26,235 Speaker 7: Be Don feed bast Moack got a man and fell 773 00:49:26,515 --> 00:49:31,475 Speaker 7: down Froyd Dot Boe, sunt Free. 774 00:49:35,875 --> 00:49:40,035 Speaker 1: Duncan and Faust. Countdown with Keith Olreman is a production 775 00:49:40,315 --> 00:49:45,595 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 776 00:49:45,715 --> 00:49:49,035 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.