Keith Olbermann told David Letterman Tuesday night that it was all his fault that his Current TV show, a reincarnation of "Countdown," ended with his being fired after less than a year on the air.
"I screwed up. I screwed up really big on this," he told Letterman.
How so? For not knowing that Current was far from being a fully-developed cable network. It is well-known that Olbermann, whom Current fired last week after months of conflict, was disenchanted with the studio he filmed in and the overall production quality at the fledgling network (to say nothing of the low ratings).
So count this as the most backhanded of quasi-apologies, as Olbermann compared himself to a $10 million chandelier and Current to the owner of an empty lot without any building permits.
Translation: Current is a pauper, Olbermann is a rare, expensive gem. Just ignore the reports about his being an incorrigible malcontent and missing work.
Also Read: Where Are Keith Olbermann and Glenn Beck?
Letterman joked with Olbermann, who has now had acrimonious departures from Current, MSNBC and ESPN, handing him an adjustable business card.
Olbermann took it in stride, laughing and telling Letterman that his last appearance on "Late Night" — in September — was "the last time I had fun on TV."
While Olbermann ponders his next move, he can take solace in the fact that the show that replaced him, "Viewpoint with Eliot Spitzer," debuted to fewer than 50,000 viewers.
Here's the video: