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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Sometimes the good guys win

Posted by Jill | 9:33 PM

MSNBC's newest prime-time host

Well, it's about freaking time.

Here at Casa la Brilliant, we're like Stimpy doing the Happy Happy Joy Joy Dance, because while we loves us the Messrs. Olbermann and Stewart and Colbert, the closest we've had of late to a really kickass female presence on something resembling a regular basis on something resembling progressive media here in the burbs outside of New York is Katherine Lanpher subbing for John Hockenberry on "The Takeaway" on WNYC-AM.

But tonight, Rachel Maddow's most staunch advocate at MSNBC, Keith Olbermann himself, spilled the beans over at Le Grand Orange:

Happy Now? [Jill's note: Yes, we are happy.]

The network will be formally announcing this tomorrow, but I am pleased to inform you in this fully authorized leak, that as of Monday, September 8, our mutual friend Ms. Maddow will become host of her own show, on MSNBC, at 9 PM Eastern Time.

And, yes, we will be making another unofficial announcement of this on tonight's edition of Countdown. My guest to analyze the Rachel Maddow news will be Rachel Maddow.

Let me answer the key questions in advance:
1) No, she will not be serving as a VeeJay introducing music clips or cartoons.
2) No, I don't think we have the name of the show chosen yet. She wanted to use "Countdown With Keith Olbermann" and I said, that's where I draw the line.
3) No, the format isn't set, though there have been a lot of discussions out there and they have all centered on how to best allow her to both give her laser-quality insights while soliciting the opinions of others.
4) Yes, I had something to do with it.
5) Yes, you had something to do with it.
6) Yes, this is why I never really responded to any of the 41,754 comments that all pretty much read "And get Rachel her own show, nitwit."
7) No, I'm not sure it will replay later in the evening but I bloody well hope so.
8) Yes, I did like the description of her in The Nation: "Everything about her radiates competence and a deft, bright careerism."
9) Billy Loes. A teammate of Hodges in 1950, an opponent of Adcock in 1954, an opponent of Colavito in 1959, a teammate of Mays in 1961.
10) No, this actually happened pretty quickly. Less than five months between first paid appearance and own show is pretty fast. I believe I still hold the MSNBC record: I came back to guest host for three days in 2003 and 39 days later I had a contract to do the 8 PM show. With people as talented like Rachel, getting it locked down quickly is a good thing.
11) No, I have no idea who will start guest hosting Countdown. Took me five years to find her.
Dammit! Why didn't I think of this! She can't be the guest host any more! I knew I'd forgotten something!
12) No, there will not be pie. Well, you may bring your own pie, but I can't be bothered with pie now! I have to go find another guest host. Dammit.

Hey, Keith...I'm available for guest hosting. And I can even pass for late thirties if the lighting is flattering. I'm told I was pretty good on Sirius last week, too.

But amidst the joyful bells that pealed throughout the land, a churlish voice was heard from the Villagers with their pitchforks and torches, angry that an upstart with no Botox has risen so far so fast. Exhibit A: Howie Kurtz:

Rachel Maddow has been sounding off about politics on MSNBC so often she might as well have her own show.

And now she does.

The liberal commentator and Air America host, who has become a breakout star for the cable channel during this campaign, is taking over the 9 p.m. slot following Keith Olbermann, who she often subs for on "Countdown." Olbermann broke the news in what he called a "fully authorized leak" this afternoon on the left-wing Web site Daily Kos. Dan Abrams, the former MSNBC general manager who had been hosting "Verdict" at that hour, will continue as NBC's chief legal correspondent and will be a daytime anchor for MSNBC.

With the promotion, which takes effect Sept. 8, Maddow, 35, breaks into what had been criticized as a boys club at the network, led by Olbermann and Chris Matthews. Hillary Clinton's campaign frequently ripped MSNBC for what it called sexist coverage during the Democratic primaries. Maddow, who lives with her girlfriend Susan Mikula in Manhattan and Northampton, Mass., may also be the first openly gay woman to host a prime-time program.

Her appointment is certain to draw criticism that MSNBC is moving further left in an attempt to compete with Fox News from the opposite side of the spectrum. John McCain's campaign has repeatedly assailed the network's campaign coverage as biased.

Awww...ain't that terrible? Poor widdew Johnny McCain sez MSNBC is MEAN to him. WAAAAHHHH!! I guess in addition to being entitled to the presidency, McCain thinks he's entitled to dictat who the cable news networks hire.

Delusions of grandeur much, Johnny?

Jealous much, Howie?

UPDATE:

Because we had to get our beauty sleep, we didn't get to watch this until this morning. But Mr. Olbermann is, like us, positively giddy at this development:

Labels: Keith Olbermann, MSNBC, Rachel Maddow, sheer awesomeness