This was the only picture I could find of him that was free to use I got what I paid for. |
He went off on a rant about Penn State's victories being reinstated and ended up insulting students who raised money to fight cancer.
Did he get trapped into it? Kind of.
Was there a more diplomatic solution that he overlooked? Absolutely.
It's easy to be on the outside looking in and throw stones, but I'm not going to do that.
I don't think he should get suspended, and I don't think he should get fired.
But I sure as hell am going to remember this when he calls for someone's resignation. Guarantee it.
It's easy to want Olbermann to get fired. He's not likable.
And it's funny. Because, unlikability on a level like this is not something that can be conjured in a work of fiction. We all deal with toads and tools (and a few toadstools) in all walks of life, but it's never easy to create a tool of a character in fiction.
What is the difference between Robert Downey Jr. and Macklemore?
What makes you feel a certain way about a person?
A part of it can come from your allegiances. I like the Lakers. Never understood why some people don't like Kobe. He's innocent. He doesn't need a wheelchair to take him off the court when he hurts an elbow.
Lebron. I've come to the terms that he's a human being. And it's a silly game.
Bill O'Reilly. Michael Moore. Each side has theirs.
So, it has to be something more than that.
Likability comes from knowledge, more importantly, knowledge of everyone's perspective and knowing the world does not revolve around you
You know how certain things are racist, but other things are tolerated?
I think it comes to this...
When someone feels like they aren't treated like human beings, like a joke is made at their expense, as oppose to an observation of the human condition, they find it racist.
The preceding sentence was very lawyery. I did that on purpose. There's going to be someone yammering about it.
Giuliana is not friends with Zendaya. That's why there's problems.
Insulting someone you don't know is different.
But at the same time, the entire point of Fashion Police is designed to tear people down. Fashion Police Brutality. Even the Fashion Police are racist. That was a joke. I hope it was received as such. Fine, give me a day to pen the apology...
There's a difference between joking about an experience with your friends, and that asshole nine year old yelling racial slurs on Xbox Live.
You see it in a lot of shows where diverse people are depicted. You can feel like there was this obligation to quota. No character has a voice, because you don't know where that character comes from. Lena Dunham writing a black character, for example.
And interesting characters can't exist because of it. Conflict is interesting. But, conflict can be interpreted as prejudice.
If Luke Skywalker is black, you'll say he couldn't stop the Death Star without white Han Solo saving him.
If Han Solo is black, you'll say that he is some type of oppressive archetype because he's helping a white person succeed.
Quota destroys innovation, whether that's financial, political, or otherwise.
Does that mean you shouldn't talk to those different than you? No, it doesn't.
I personally don't think most people are racists. I think there is some flaw in human psychology that we've yet to analyze. We never acknowledge good things. This is where negativity comes from.
I mean, working in customer service can make you hate people. But that's only because you're forgetting the good people you work with everyday. You take them for granted, because you don't worry about them. You don't toss and turn thinking about them. Unless you're a weirdo like me, of course.
But let's be honest. The reason why Olbermann has backfired is because...
He comes off as insincere
People used to ask Mister Rogers why he remained to be the same person offscreen as onscreen.
Mister Rogers replied "Kids can spot a phony from a mile away". He always accepted people for who they were.
Back in the day, a group of thieves stole Mr. Rogers car. They returned it shortly later with the note "Sorry we stole your car, we didn't know it was yours".
If that doesn't warm your heart, don't talk to me.
You never want to make money being a personality. That is, something that you need to turn on and off. Something you're not consistent with.
If you're not an artist, and you are burdened to create content everyday, all that is left is creating drama. All that's left is pissing people off.
You can't seal yourself off and work on your novel or your album. You can't go into self-exile and train for your next match.
It's not good to be a personality.
Because we all have bad days. And each fanbase needs an excuse.
Kate Gosselin has no excuses. There's no reason to be a fan of Kate Gosselin.
All the reasons are gone. Especially if you're not a nice person to work with.
John Travolta is getting a lot of flack right now. But if you love Welcome Back, Kotter, Saturday Night Fever, and Pulp Fiction, there's nothing his new silliness can do to take that away. Although, some will argue that he tries.
Making something of worth can erase a lot of negatives. At least excuses. A lot of despicable people have made amazing things.
It's this weird emotion I feel when Kanye says he has the right to work with Disney Imagineers. It's almost like when Iggy Azalea does anything. Can you imagine Gucci Mane throwing a fit over Papa John's giving out his number? I don't even think Iggy Pop would care.
You know that old Outer Limits episode where scientists create fake aliens in order to create a fake alien invasion so the world can unite?
I feel like Iggy Azalea is an alien created to bring people of all races together. I feel like T.I. might secretly be a martyr. Everyday he says to himself "One day, it will all be worth it". It makes more sense than what we're dealing with right now.
We like Walter White, because we want to pretend that's who we will become when we have to deal with something as bad as cancer.
Everyday, we wake up, and deal with obstacles. We like to look up to those who solve those problems.
And we resent those who only make it worse on themselves.
Those teenagers who keep tripping in the slasher movies. We actually root for Jason Voorhees. He has plans, and he knows where he's going.
I root for everyone in this picture |
It's the fundamental root of drama and storytelling.
We mess up. We accept characters that mess up. But they have to redeem themselves. Redemption means they've learned something. And we like them better for that.
Keith Olbermann has been to the doghouse before. And he's going back. He hasn't learned. This bothers people.
He's not Steve McQueen going back in the cooler.
He's every other guy apologizing, maybe make a comment about anger management, rehab and the like.
And it's going to continue...
So till the next time, we'll see you.