Baritoned MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann, who's probably dynamited every bridge he's ever crossed, appears to be setting the career charges again.
One year after joining the cable news network, Olbermann wants out, the Washington Post reports, citing unnamed sources.
Apparently, the ex-ESPN SportsCenter lead anchor is unhappy with MSNBC's incessant coverage of the Clinton sex scandal and is talking to NBC News President Andrew Lack about getting out of his three-year contract early.
The 39-year-old Olbermann, who hosts MSNBC's The Big Show with Keith Olbermann and White House in Crisis, recently described the latter program as The White House Isn't in Crisis but We'll Keep Calling It That Because There's a Graphic. And in June, while giving a speech at Cornell University, he let it be known, "I'm having the dry heaves in the bathroom because my moral sensor is going off but I can't even hear it, I'm so seduced by these ratings."
But Lack is reportedly unfazed by Olbermann's crisis of conscience. According to the Post sources, he's angry because, when he asked Olbermann last year if he was ready to make the jump from sports to news--and all the moral dilemmas that go with that--Olbermann responded with an enthusiastic "yes."
And Lack might sabotage future career opportunities for his disgruntled charge. The boss is reportedly considering enforcing a "no-compete" clause in Olbermann's contract that would keep his snarky wit off the air for two years. "Andy is freezing him out right now," an unnamed exec said.
Of course, Olbermann has never been the model employee. He feuded openly with ESPN management before bolting from his contract a bit early in June of last year. He's also had a string of sports anchor jobs on local TV stations that have ended acrimoniously.
Describing his stormy sports-guy tenure on KCBS in Los Angeles, and how it related to his ESPN departure, L.A. Times sportswriter Larry Stewart said last year, "He was always angry about something [when in Los Angeles]. The question is not why Olbermann got into trouble with ESPN management, but what took him so long? He may never be happy."
Any pending exit from MSNBC appears to be on hold for now as Pat O'Brien has taken over hosting chores on White House in Crises while Olbermann assists NBC's coverage of the Major League Baseball playoffs.