Gail Shister
TVNewser Columnist
Keith Olbermann says the NBC debut of Countdown Sunday will be business as usual, so that can only mean one thing — Bill O’Reilly will be the “Worst Person in the World.”
Again.
“I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he’s in there,” Olbermann said in an interview this afternoon. “He can’t go two days without doing something worthy of mention.”
Olbermann will anchor a special 7pm edition of Countdown live from MSNBC’s Secaucus, NJ headquarters. Then he’ll bolt to 30 Rock for a commentary on disgraced quarterback Michael Vick for NBC’s Sunday Night Football studio show, which he joins this season.
In case Olbermann doesn’t arrive before halftime of the Eagles-Steelers preseason game, he’ll tape a “safety” copy at MSNBC.
Olbermann, on vacation this week, has no plans to tone down anything in Sunday’s Countdown, he says.
“Not one word has been said to me about any content. It will be driven by the day’s, or the weekend’s news. There will certainly be a political roundup and a presidential campaign segment. Since this is the one week of the year without a debate, there won’t be a debate story.”
Olbermann sees the NBC shot “as a great opportunity to advertise our product. It’s an hour-long infomercial. Obviously, it’s the biggest storefront we have.
“I don’t think anyone expects us to do really well in the ratings. We can do basically whatever we want. If they’re good, everyone can be pleasantly surprised.”
Is it a tryout? Maybe.
“If something comes of it, it would be great,” he says. “I have no expectations. My best analogy is that it’s like a top minor league pitcher being brought up for one game to pitch inside the huge ballpark. You know in advance that it’s a one-time thing.”
Despite Countdown’s skyrocketing numbers and a daily gig on ESPN Radio, Olbermann says it is too expensive to buy the apartment he’s renting now.
“I’m not a hedge fund trader or a meth dealer. I can’t possibly afford to buy around here.”