Olbermann named Beck “Worst Person” for propositioning woman on show

Written by Andrew Ironside

Published

On the March 1 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann named CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck the “winner” in his nightly “Worst Person in the World” segment for saying to US Weekly's Dina Sansing, “I've got some time and a camera. Why don't you stop by?” As Media Matters for America and the weblog Crooks and Liars documented, Beck's comment came during a discussion about reports that "racy photos" of American Idol contestant Antonella Barba had surfaced on the Internet. Of Beck's remarks, Olbermann said: “I'm sorry, I would have to see that to believe it.” He then played the video of the exchange between Beck and Sansing.

As Media Matters for America documented (here, here, and here), during each of the first three episodes of his CNN Headline News program, Beck made suggestive comments to CNN Headline News anchor Erica Hill, who was then giving daily news updates during the show. Hill no longer appears on Beck's program.

ABC recently hired Beck as a “regular commentator” for Good Morning America, as Media Matters also noted.

From the March 1 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

OLBERMANN: But our winner, Glenn Beck of CNN Headline News. Talking about the latest naked photo scandal at American Idol, he asked a female guest to let him take nude photos of her. No, wait a minute. Not even he would do that. Ask a woman on television to pose nude for him, even hypothetically? I'm sorry, I'd have to see that to believe it. I'm sorry, Glenn. I don't know how this got in this list, I mean.

We have it on tape? Seriously? Dina Sansing, from US Weekly? All right, play it.

[begin video clip]

BECK: I don't think you have to be famous. I think you just work in the average, you know, in the average environment in America now, somebody would get a picture of you, and then it would be posted all around, and you -- it'll happen in your office.

SANSING: Yeah, possibly.

BECK: You don't think so?

SANSING: Well, it depends. You know, it depends --

BECK: Dina, I've got some time and a camera. Why don't you stop by? No? OK.

[end video clip]

OLBERMANN: Bravo, sir. I mean, not even Bill-O would do his sexual harassing on camera. Glenn Beck of CNN Headline News, today's “Worst Person in the World.”