Keith Olbermann Slams MSNBC's 'Racist Purge'

Keith Olbermann Calls Out MSNBC for 'Racist Purge'

Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann did not hold back in his criticism of the network's recent restructuring, calling it a "racist purge" after multiple non-white anchors lost their shows. 
Following the announcement that Joy Reid's program was being canceled, MSNBC revealed that three other non-white hosts were also losing their slots. 
"Now 5 different anchors of color dismissed/cancelled," Olbermann wrote on X. "An MSNBC purge so brutally racist it makes you think it was done by Musk." He further criticized the network for not even attempting to "hide the racism" by firing white anchors as cover.
Here are four takeaways from Olbermann's rant. 
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MSNBC Reshuffles Lineup Amid Controversy

MSNBC's shake-up included new roles for some displaced hosts, with Michael Steele, Symone Sanders-Townsend and Alicia Menendez moving to a new weekend primetime show. 
They will also host a two-hour Monday evening program. Additionally, reports suggest the cable news network is in discussions with Eugene Daniels and Melissa Murray to host new weekend programs. Despite these shifts, Olbermann and others remain unconvinced, arguing that removing these prominent non-white voices from the weekday lineup reflects deeper systemic bias.

Olbermann Calls on MSNBC Hosts to Take a Stand

Not content with merely voicing his outrage, Olbermann urged MSNBC's top anchors to publicly condemn the network's decision. 
He directly called out Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes and Lawrence O'Donnell, tweeting, "Protest, or you are all Joe Scarborough." 
Olbermann also used his podcast, Countdown, to blast MSNBC for allegedly prioritizing profits over standing against racism. He insisted that if any of the network's high-profile hosts failed to speak up, they would be complicit in enabling Trump-era racial divisions.

MSNBC Hosts Show Support for Joy Reid

Despite Olbermann's push for an internal revolt, several MSNBC hosts did voice their support for Reid. Maddow gave an emotional on-air tribute, calling Reid the colleague she most admired. "I do not want to lose her as a colleague here at MSNBC, and personally, I think it is a bad mistake to let her walk out the door," Maddow said. 
O'Donnell and Nicolle Wallace also appeared on Reid's show to bid her farewell, further reinforcing the impact of her departure.

Olbermann's Final Condemnation of MSNBC

Even after MSNBC acknowledged Reid's departure with on-air tributes, Olbermann remained relentless in his accusations. "Of course MSNBC's firing of Joy Reid was racist," he wrote. "They've only had four women of color host their own shows. They've now fired them ALL."