Thursday, April 9, 2009

Worst Person in the World: Keith Olbermann cuts a promo on "Harold Hill" Glenn Beck calling him an "accessory" [to murder?]

VIDEO: Glenn "Accessory" Beck Worst Person

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann cut a promo on Glenn Beck in a recent 'Worst Person' segment of his show. In pro wrestling, "cutting a promo" is the act of getting on the mic and delivering an impassioned speech, usually to call out another wrestler.

Olbermann's charge was similar to Bill Maher's criticism that Glenn Beck's brand of populism incites militia style violence, misguided fanaticism where people begin taking the law in their own hands. Glenn Beck promptly responded to that charge masterfully affirming his "you are not alone/ we surround them" meme
Bill Maher and Keith Olbermann on Glenn Beck + Beck's response
GLENN BECK: But I guarantee you, anyone who grabs a gun, criminal, insane, whatever and starts shooting people. If they've even watched Fox News, look out! They're just waiting for some nutjob, that way they can take what you believe and twist it to -- well see "look at what these people believe. I mean they're doing horrible things with them." And they're gonna blame it on those beliefs. They're gonna blame it on the people who talk about those beliefs. The people who listen to those beliefs. That is me and that is you.
Olbermann awarded Glenn Beck his Worst Person in the World, referring to him as 'Harold Hill' based on the conman salesman from the 'Music Man' - think Lyle Lanley from the monorail episode of The Simpsons.
KEITH OLBERMANN: But our winner "Harold Hill" again, its about his continuing attempt to disassociate himself with his inflammatory paranoia...

So videogames can cause people to try to kill police and television caused the doubling of the homicide rate. But Glenn Beck reducing the complexities of the world to the level of a video game for his television viewers and telling them to "rise up and take back their country before the government takes their guns". That couldn't possibly have anything to do with one of those viewers rising up and taking back his country before the government takes his guns. Glenn Beck "accessory" - Today's worst Person in the World
Expect Beck to respond to Olbermann's charge with even more vigor than he did returning fire to Bill Maher's criticism.

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