What’s up with Keith?
Posted by Michelle Moquin on March 28th, 2011
Good morning!
I have been patiently waiting for Keith Olbermann to start his new show on Current TV in May. Why, I don’t know, because I won’t be able to see it “live”, unfortunately. But I am HOPEful that I can Hulu it. Non the less, even if I’m not able to watch his new show ( X keeping my fingers crossed X), I only wish him well. And no doubt in my mind, he will do well.
Speaking of wishing him well…be happy FOX hasn’t wished you well.
Beware when FOX News wishes you well
NEW YORK — If someone at Fox News Channel wishes you well, watch your back.
The seemingly benign sentiment is a creative signature of Fox’s public relations, usually accompanied by a kneecapping. It’s something like a kiss from a Mafia don.
MSNBC host Keith Olbermann was the latest to visit the wishing well. When The New York Times recently asked Fox its opinion of Olbermann, who has repeatedly used Bill O’Reilly as a pinata on his nightly news countdown, spokeswoman Irena Briganti replied:
“Because of his personal demons, Keith has imploded everywhere he’s worked. From lashing out at co-workers to personally attacking Bill O’Reilly and all things Fox, it’s obvious Keith is a train wreck waiting to happen. And like all train wrecks, people might tune in out of morbid curiosity, but they eventually tune out, as evidenced by Keith’s recent ratings decline. In the meantime, we hope he enjoys his paranoid view from the bottom of the ratings ladder and wish him well on his inevitable trip to oblivion.”
Have a nice day, Keith!
Plainly, public relations is a contact sport at Fox News Channel _ with, as Fox PR chief Brian Lewis explains, a sense of mischief sprinkled in.
“Has there ever been a more disingenuous phrase in the corporate handbook, or the PR handbook, than `we wish him well’?” asked Lewis. “`Earnings have fallen in the last eight quarters and we wish Joe well as he leaves the company to pursue other interests.’ We know what they mean, so we just thought we’d have some fun and point out the hypocrisy of the term.”
The list of people to get Fox News Channel’s best wishes in print lengthens all the time. Here are some others:
- Ted Turner. The CNN founder called Fox a “propaganda voice” of the Bush administration and compared its popularity to Adolf Hitler’s rise in Germany before World War II. Briganti: “Ted is understandably bitter having lost his ratings, his network and now his mind. We wish him well.”
- Tim Russert. A journalist asked the NBC Washington bureau chief whether Fox would get better treatment from the White House with Tony Snow as press secretary and he replied, “no more than they get right now.” Fox’s Paul Schur shot back: “Tim’s sour grapes are obvious here, but at least he’s not using his father as a prop to sell books this time around. That said, we wish him well on his latest self-promotion tour.”
- George Clooney. Fox News branched out to Hollywood after the actor criticized O’Reilly. “We are disappointed that George has chosen to hurt Mr. O’Reilly’s family in order to promote his movie,” Schur said. “But it’s obvious he needs publicity considering his recent string of failures. We wish him well in his struggle to regain relevancy.”
- MSNBC correspondent David Shuster. After leaving a job at Fox, Shuster said that critical reporting on the Bush administration wouldn’t have been welcomed at his former employer. Briganti came back with: “We can understand David’s disappointment in being let go by Fox News Channel, but he’s too young to be so bitter. We wish him well in getting his career back on track.”
- Jonathan Klein. On the day the CNN U.S. president was hired, Briganti offered: “We wish CNN well in their annual executive shuffle.” She later stuck the knife in further with: “We wish Jon well in his battle for second place with MSNBC.”
Fox has essentially changed the language in the TV industry with its wishing well, turning a pleasantry into “take a hike.”
Or worse.
‘Mild, medium or spicy’
The wishing well opened at Fox in the late 1990s. Look further back in the archives and you’ll find examples of where the network wished someone well and actually appeared to mean it.
Whatever name is attached to it, a wish-well is generally a team effort by Fox’s PR staff, Lewis said. Fox News chief Roger Ailes even contributed the memorable “his mind” line to the Turner kiss-off.
Each line is a counter-punch, Lewis noted. Fox doesn’t “go nuclear” unless provoked. And he doesn’t want the lines to lose impact by overdoing it.
“Not every attack on us deserves a response,” he said. “It could be no response. That’s a strategy. It could be mild, medium or spicy, depending on what our needs are.”
Olbermann doesn’t find the whole thing particularly amusing. He may be the most frequent target, and he enshrined Briganti in his “worst person in the world” feature for the latest attack.
“I’ve heard it all before and each time she’s said it the ratings go up 25 percent in the ensuing year, so I’m encouraging her to say it as much as possible,” Olbermann said. “They’re just without humor and without understanding of the impact of their words. It’s like O’Reilly. Every time he opens his mouth, I get more viewers.”
He believes more people are laughing at Fox than with them.
“If they’re going to come out and say these things, I’d much prefer the old muskrat line, whatever they said about Paula, then these attempts to sugarcoat these things,” he said.
It was a raccoon, actually.
The reference is to one of Ailes’ most famous quotes after Paula Zahn left Fox for CNN. He dismissed Zahn’s ratings increases while at Fox as a reflection of the network’s overall growth by saying, “I could have put a dead raccoon on the air this year and got a better rating than last year.”
“We know (Olbermann) has thin skin,” Lewis said. “Why else would he make a PR person one of the worst people in the world? Come on, we get that. What he’s trying to do to O’Reilly, we’re doing to him. It’s obviously getting to him.”
By DAVID BAUDER, TODAY Television
Readers: FOX lies as usual, so it’s no surprise they would lie about Olbermann’s demise. Helloo…get off of FOX News and get real…Olbermann is alive and doing exceptionally well. Have you read his blog, “Friends of Keith”, FOK News? Love the name.
Just in case you know nothing about Keith Olbermann, except that he was the man to watch on MSNBC, here’s the truth:
About Keith Olbermann
Three-time Murrow-Award Winner Keith Olbermann is the “K” in “Friends Of Keith” and “Friends Of Keith” is the FOK in the not-for-profit FOKNewsChannel, which is the blog you’re now reading in case you’ve already forgotten. Keith is also the Chief News Officer of Current Media, the online presence and tv network co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore. His new nightly 8 PM news and commentary program on Current TV begins late this spring.
Keith stepped directly from Cornell University into national media at the age of 20 as a nightly sports anchor and correspondent for UPI’s radio network, switched to television with CNN Sports two years later, then spent nearly seven years as a local sportscaster in Los Angeles, winning the Best Sportscaster award from the California Associated Press three times. He later co-hosted ESPN’s SportsCenter from 1992 to 1997.
He moved to NBC News and Sports in 1997, and Fox Sports in 1999, juxtaposing hosting the 1997 and 2000 World Series, the 1998 and 1999 Baseball All Star Games, coverage of the 1998 Impeachment Crisis, and reporting from the 1999 Oscars. He returned to CNN as a news correspondent and host in 2001, then rejoined NBC as host of Football Night In America from 2007 to 2009, and Countdown on MSNBC from 2003 to 2011.
He is the author of five books, the first published when he was 14 years old, and the last three New York Times best-sellers (The Worst Persons In The World, Truth And Consequences, and Pitchforks And Torches) devoted to the American political scene. He also writes the Baseball Nerd blog at MLBlogs and most relevant at the moment, he writes all the stuff you’re reading right here. Including this. And this.
******
So…Wha’at’s up? Blog me.
Social Butterfly: Loved the link you posted on Kayla Kearney. What an inspiration and a role model for others like her wanting to come out. Thank you. Nice thoughts for Japan too. By the way, your moniker always brings a smile to my face. It’s perfect for your personality. At least from what I gather from your writing.
AH: That is quite the story about “Bricktop”. Why do you think there were so many insane psychopathic women killers in that time period? The movie “Gangs of New York” keeps popping into my mind. If the women were treated the same in New Orleans as they were in New York, during that time, it doesn’t surprise me that the women were a bit insane.
Forced into the life of prostitution would drive any young girl crazy. Perhaps Miller, the old ball and chain, had her trapped into playing that game. Forced into prostitution she was probably forced into killing for him too. I guess in the end, he got what he had coming.
Looking forward to hearing more about 16 year old Constance.
Lisa: You’re welcome. And you’re absolutely correct…technology has indeed removed any HOPE for privacy.
Doug: Thanks for posting such a great article on Geraldine Ferraro. My sincere condolences to her family.
Katie: Nice addition to Doug’s post. It is a sorry fact. When will women learn to stick together and support each other? HOPEfully not when Palin or Bachmann, should either run for president.
George: My pleasure.
Peter: It is good to be prepared for the worst, and I can say we are not quite there yet. And I don’t mean for the worst, (let’s HOPE it never happens in whatever manner) but being totally prepared. Thanks for the reminder. Hafa Adai.
Howie: Thank you.
Zen Lill: Happy to hear your stickin’ around too.
Doug, Al, Robert: I have really found the dialogue between the three of you interesting and thought provoking. Thanks.
There was some additional chitchat between some readers that I wanted to address but I have run out of time this morning. Perhaps tomorrow.
And in honor of Women’s History Month:
“We’ve chosen the path to equality;
don’t let them turn us around.”
~Geraldine Ferraro
“We’ve chosen the path to equality;
don’t let them turn us around.”
~Geraldine Ferraro
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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March 28th, 2011 at 10:55 am
Fok that’s funny and good for him, I hate that ‘wish her/him well’ shit no matter who says it, it usually is a nasty kiss off technique. If you can’t stand someone just say – buh-bye now : )
I was PO’d that Geraldine Ferraro got the raw deal she did, if she were a man whose spouse did questionable things, they’d have saitized/killed the story most likely but bc she was a woman I believe they took the opportunity to go off on her. I could be wrong : ) and I’m quite sure someone here will say it if I am.
FYI…I’ll be getting back to the beginning and some refresher stuff for the women of MM blog for lifestyle change/exrecises and etc…and just for the record: I believe more solidarity is what you are looking for and therefore you will get it, as a girlz it is required. Dudes: you’re on your own, I will not be sending out any ‘females do atrocious shit, too’ comments anymore…(they can and do but not at the nearly the rapid pace or with the sick attitudes of males) – (disclaimer: not all males but – a lot) and there you have it….
Luv, Zen Lill
March 28th, 2011 at 7:32 pm
I have been trying to get in all day to say that I love Keith. This is wonderful that you gave him a nod.
I this doesn’t get in today I will try again tomorrow.
Jessica
March 28th, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Zen Lill you are the kind of Girlz I want to be. You are sexy, tough, sweet with the words and HOT!
Mable
March 28th, 2011 at 8:01 pm
I’m so horny. I wonder if I will ever get laid by my babe.
March 28th, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Dr. Murray Grossan’s Secret to Making Any Medication Work Much, Much Better
Murray Grossan, MD
The placebo response is the therapeutic benefit that many patients experience after taking a placebo (something that looks like a drug but doesn’t contain medicine).
In drug studies, approximately one-third of patients who take placebos report an improvement in symptoms. Sometimes placebos work even better than that.
A study of patients with acute sinusitis, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, found that patients taking placebos did just as well after one week as patients taking the active drug already proven to be effective.
I have found in my research that we can harness the placebo response to make real medications work even better. I call this “medication enhancement.”
For patients taking medications, it can be used to improve the effects of these drugs. In some cases, medications can even be reduced or stopped (so it is important to be monitored by your doctor).
MINDFUL HEALING
It’s not entirely clear why or how placebos work. We used to think that placebos were mainly effective for subjective symptoms that aren’t easily measured, such as pain.
It’s become clear, however, that placebos can affect virtually every bodily function, including respiration, heart rate and even the movement of immune cells to the sites of injuries.
Also, patients who reduce stress, think positively about getting well and take an active role in their recovery can experience a very strong enhancement of their body’s natural healing factors. Patients who do these things and take medication usually respond better than those who merely take a pill a few times a day.
Patients who think positively about a treatment can alter their internal chemistry so that it mimics the effects of some drugs. Consider antihistamines, which work by blocking a chemical that causes nasal congestion.
A patient with allergies who takes antihistamines — and who believes that the treatment is working — will produce higher levels of histamine-blocking chemicals than a patient who just takes the drugs.
To make all of your medications more effective…
Know how the drug works
I spend a lot of time explaining to patients exactly what their medications do — how they work, what body systems they affect, how quickly they work and how different symptoms will respond. Once a patient understands how a drug works, the brain amplifies this information and produces additional positive effects.
Example: I might give the same prescription antihistamine to two patients. The patient who takes the time to understand how the drug works will almost always get better results than the patient who tunes out the discussion and just takes the pills. This is difficult to prove scientifically, but every doctor I know reports the same thing.
VISUALIZE IT WORKING
A technique known as visualization therapy, in which patients create soothing mental images, commonly is used to reduce stress. It also can enhance the effects of medication by changing how the body functions.
Example: Someone who takes medication for hypertension can achieve further reductions in blood pressure by imagining that the medication is expanding blood vessels… reducing arterial contractions… and causing blood to flow more smoothly.
Studies have shown that visualization exercises can change heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and the perception of pain. They also can reduce inflammation and swelling.
I advise patients who take sinus medications, for example, to spend a minute or two every day thinking about how the drug is causing the swollen tissues to shrink and allowing more air to move through the nose into the lungs.
IMAGINE YOURSELF HEALED
Every serious athlete is trained to visualize success — winning the race, making the free throw, hitting the ball.
Reason: Thinking about failure increases the odds that you will fail, because negative thoughts raise levels of hormones that impair performance. Positive thoughts do the opposite.
The same is true when you’re taking medications. People who tell themselves that a drug is working and imagine being completely healed tend to have better physiological responses than those who are skeptical.
DO-IT-YOURSELF BIOFEEDBACK
The so-called stress hormones, such as cortisol, make just about every symptom worse. People who are highly stressed recover more slowly after surgery, experience more pain and respond less effectively to medications.
Stress control is such an important part of healing that most medical centers use biofeedback machines to promote relaxation and relieve pain. These machines give patients feedback on how much muscle tension they have.
Try this: Use a mirror as a biofeedback machine. Once or twice a day, stand in front of a mirror and look at your face for a few minutes. Unclench your jaw. Let your lips relax and hang slightly apart. Feel the tension drain away from your cheeks and eyes. It’s almost impossible to feel anxiety when your muscles are relaxed.
While you’re doing the mirror exercise, pay attention to your breathing. Breathe in deeply for a count of four, then relax as you exhale for a count of six. Do this several times. This type of breathing and muscle relaxation shifts the limbic system (the part of the brain associated with stress) into a more relaxed mode.
Personal interviewed Murray Grossan, MD, otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon with the Tower Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic at Cedars-Sinai Medical Towers in Los Angeles. He has written about biofeedback for medical journals and is author of Stressed? Anxiety? The Cure Is in Your Mirror. http://www.Grossan.com
March 28th, 2011 at 9:43 pm
Michelle, you mentioned the “Gangs of New York.” Here’s what they were saying about women and the gangs back in 1860.
==========New Your Police estimate that 30,00 men and women belong to the city’s criminal gangs. The most notorious of these are:
PLUG UGLIES: Named for their “plug ” (top) hats, stuffed with leather and rags to serve as helmets. Each Plug Ugly is at least 6ft tall and carries a brick or bludgeon. Members wear hobnail boots to trample their victims, and may carry pistols. The have bee active for 30 years.
BOODLE GANG: Originally robbers who raided food wagons, these toughs then acquired heir own carts in which they descend on butchers in the Centre Market snatching meat which they throw into their carts before racing away.
DAYBREAK BOYS: Lethal teenagers, some as young as 12 years. They kill for fun and scuttle ships in harbor. But they seem to have been much reduced in numbers since most of their leaders died in gun-battles with police last year.
DEAD RABBITS: Irishmen who do battle with a dead rabbit on a pole as their standard. Despite their claim to be a political association supporting Irish immigrant interests, there is no doubt that they control crime throughout the Lower East Side, except the Bowery. They are linked to sectional interests in Tammany Hall, the city Democratic Party headquarters.
BOWERY BOYS: Gangsters who also hold legitimate jobs, frequently in the fire service. Bitterly anti-Irish, they support Naive American Party candidates whose policy is to repatriate immigrants. They fight the Dead Rabbits at weekends: one massive battle in 1857 left several gangsters on both sides dead. They also have links with Tammany Hall.
ROACH GUARD: Originally a vigilante group protecting shopkeepers in the Five Points area from the Dead Rabbits and the Plug Uglies, the Roach Guard has now deteriorated into just another mob of extortionist brawlers.
HARTLEY MOB: Ingenious thieves who use a hearse and a phony funeral procession to trasport stolen goods, or lull their enemies’ suspicion before leaping into the fray.
GRABBER GANGS: Procurers luring girls into prostitution. The two main gangs are lead by “The Red light Lizzie” and Hester “Jane The Grabber” Haskins.
GRADY GRANG: Sneak thieves organized by receiver John D. Grady.
HOOK GANG: Waterfront pirates with a reputation for taking on vessels even when absurdly out numbered.
March 28th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
Zen Lill, You nailed it. If it was a man, they would have not made anything of it.
March 29th, 2011 at 8:47 am
Alright Anonymous 4 – I’ll bite. Why can’t you get laid by your babe?
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