Keith Olbermann is a longtime American broadcaster, best known for co-hosting ESPN's SportsCenter in the 1990s, where he gained fame for his sharp wit and on-air chemistry with Dan Patrick. He later pivoted to political commentary, hosting MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann from 2003 to 2011, which became a progressive hit for its fiery critiques of the Bush administration and conservative figures.
Olbermann has since bounced between roles at ESPN (fired in 2015 for contract violations), Current TV, GQ, and podcasts, but his career has been marked by volatility: he's been suspended or terminated multiple times, including for political donations during his MSNBC tenure.
Now 66, he's largely active on X (formerly Twitter), where he posts frequently—often virulently—about politics, amassing over 5.5 million followers, though he's increasingly isolated from mainstream media.
Olbermann's online persona has evolved into one of relentless partisanship, frequently targeting conservatives like Donald Trump (whom he calls a "fascist" and has wished harm upon in past posts). His rhetoric has drawn criticism for crossing into personal attacks, but recent events have escalated concerns about his mental state.
The threat prompted a New York Post exclusive Thursday, where anonymous former colleagues from ESPN, MSNBC, and beyond painted a grim picture of Olbermann's decline.
They described him as "unhinged" and "isolated," warning that his embitterment stems from a string of professional failures—he's been "fired from every job he’s had," they claim, including clashes with bosses over ego and politics. One ex-ESPN producer called him "toxic" and "emotionally erratic," noting he's burned bridges across the industry, leaving him without a support network. "He’s losing it," another said, urging "serious help" like therapy, as his X rants (dozens daily) suggest untreated mental health issues, possibly exacerbated by aging and irrelevance.