Keith Olbermann, a former MSNBC show host, drew fire today over an attack he launched against Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer who tied for 5th place with male swimmer Lia Thomas in 2022. Gaines states about that competition that it is unfair that males compete in women’s athletic events due to men being biologically (on average) stronger and better built than women. Mr. Olbermann referenced this event when he posted in response to a Gaines tweet, “Can you just address the reality and move past it? You sucked at swimming. That’s why you lost.”
Can you just address the reality and move past it? You sucked at swimming. That's why you lost.
— Keith Olbermann⌚️ (@KeithOlbermann) August 31, 2023
Gaines in this instance was reacting to a statement by state Senator Megan Hunt (I-NE) who had called a Women’s Bill of Rights an “offensive and ridiculous proclamation” and had written that the governor who signed this law “should try saying this stuff to my face then we would see who’s got what biological advantage.” Gaines snapped back writing, “Defining woman = ridiculous to state senator Megan Hunt…Remember that next election, Nebraskans.”
Defining woman = ridiculous to state senator Megan Hunt 🤡🤡🤡
Remember that next election, Nebraskans https://t.co/E6gfim16rv
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) August 31, 2023
Olbermann’s comment did not go over well. Olivia Rondeau wrote, “Keith Olbermann is a misogynist who thinks women who are forced to go against male athletes “suck.””
Keith Olbermann is a misogynist who thinks women who are forced to go against male athletes “suck.” https://t.co/xGyzF9Rit1
— Olivia Rondeau 🇺🇸 (@rondeaulivia) August 31, 2023
Talex, the alias of an X user and a master meme maker, wrote, “Better than you, You just suck.”
Better than you, You just suck.
— talex (@talex00530544) August 31, 2023
Audsauce posted a meme of Gaines slapping Olbermann in a hero comic book fashion.
— ♠️Audsauce♠️ (@Audjuice9989) August 31, 2023
The X user The Sarcasticat shot back,” [Keith is the] [s]ports analysis from the guy who got fired from three sports analysis jobs. Or was it four?”
Sports analysis from the guy who got fired from three sports analysis jobs.
Or was it four?
— The Sarcasticat (@TheSarcasticist) August 31, 2023
The Sarcasticat mused, “I suppose it depends on whether you count two separate dismissals by ESPN as one or two. Can we get a ruling from the judges?”
The X user then posted a poll of whether that dismissal counted as one or two instances. The Sarcasticat prefaced the poll by writing, “Does Keith Olbermann’s twin dismissals from ESPN, in 1997 and again in 2015, count as one or two?”
Does Keith Olbermann's twin dismissals from ESPN, in 1997 and again in 2015, count as one or two?
— The Sarcasticat (@TheSarcasticist) August 31, 2023
The four instances of Olbermann being forced out of a job were in 1997 by ESPN, 2010 by MSNBC, 2012 by Current TV, and in 2015 by ESPN again. The 2012 firing was over what the company described as “material breaches of his contract, including the failure to show up at work, sabotaging the network and attacking Current and its executive.”
X user JdB said, “Wowza. Honestly the most cringe thing I’ve read on X all year [is Olbermann’s comment] and there’s a lot of cringe worthy material on this platform. Congratulation.”
Wowza. Honestly the most cringe thing I’ve read on X all year and there’s a lot of cringe worthy material on this platform. Congratulation.
— JdB 🆓 (@JDBNEB) August 31, 2023