TRUMP MAKES HIMSELF MILITARY DICTATOR OF VENEZUELA - 1.5.26

Summary

Podcast Summary: Countdown with Keith Olbermann

Episode: TRUMP MAKES HIMSELF MILITARY DICTATOR OF VENEZUELA – 1.5.26

Date: January 5, 2026 | Host: Keith Olbermann | Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

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Overview

In this charged and satirical episode, Keith Olbermann delivers a scathing analysis of Donald Trump's recent, controversial intervention in Venezuela, sharply criticizing what he frames as the illegal ousting of Nicolás Maduro and calling out Trump's subsequent self-installation as military dictator. Olbermann explores the implications for U.S. democracy, international affairs, regime change, and the shifting stories surrounding Trump’s health. The episode is peppered with his trademark humor, biting commentary, and classic recurring segments, including “Worst Persons in the World” and a throwback interview with Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s "Extraordinary Military Operation" in Venezuela

Timestamp: 02:04–19:00

• Blistering Satire of Trump’s Actions:
  Olbermann begins with a recap of Trump’s replacement of Maduro as Venezuela’s military dictator, drawing a mocking parallel to Putin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.

  • “Trump is now the military dictator of Venezuela...after what Trump called His extraordinary military operation, itself suspiciously evocative of Putin's invasion of Ukraine.” (02:04)

• Legality and Morality:
  Details how Trump’s self-appointment and proxy rule over Venezuela is illegal on multiple fronts: the invasion itself, kidnapping Maduro, threatening the acting president, and overriding established authority.

  • “That's also illegal, by the way. The invasion was illegal there and illegal here...Naming a proxy dictator is illegal. Acting as a proxy dictator is illegal, as was his threat yesterday to the acting president that, quote, if she doesn't do what's right, she is going to pay a very big price...” (03:00)
  • “That is a lot of illegal, even for Trump.” (03:38)

• Political and International Fallout:

  • Warns of looming protests, strikes, terrorism, and the risk of wider regime change doctrines being applied elsewhere (Cuba, Greenland, Iran).
  • Lampoons Trump’s inability to govern either the U.S. or Venezuela: “He doesn't have the brain power to run el Presidente of Venezuela until he finds somebody else to run it for him. Not the elected vice president, not the actual winner of the last election, not the U.N...”

• Comparison to Bush/Cheney Neo-Conservatism:

  • “He has become Dick Cheney and George W. Bush at the same time.” (07:12)
  • “The Nobel Peace Prize winner is a warmonger who likes to kill people and have other people take the risk.” (06:10)

• International Pariah Status:
  Predicts American isolation: “He has made us a rogue nation. He has made us into a country this country would ordinarily try to undermine. He has committed international terrorism.” (07:35)

• Sports Analogies:
  Draws on his sports background with quips about the World Cup and Olympics being moved because of U.S. illegality.

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2. Marco Rubio’s Legal & Political Maneuvering

Timestamp: 14:10–18:56

• Olbermann mocks Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s attempts to justify U.S. control over Venezuela:

  • Rubio claims they have “court orders,” prompting ridicule: “Ooh, little Marco has court orders...he's a moron.” (15:44)
  • Rubio’s inconsistent statements on Congressional approval and legal authority are shredded.
  • Calls for Rubio’s impeachment alongside Trump: “Impeach this lying twerp son of a bitch along with Trump and you can actually do this one too.” (16:38)

• Cites unpopularity of Venezuela intervention:

  • “In a rush poll Saturday by YouGov, do you support the military action in Venezuela? ...Total, 36%. Weak.” (18:15)
  • “Should Trump seek Congressional approval? Yes. 74%. Yes. Among MAGA, 54%.” (18:45)

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3. International Machinations and Russian Silence

Timestamp: 19:10–27:30

• Putin’s Calculated Silence:
  Unpacks how Russia, Venezuela’s previous ally, has been notably quiet about the coup, possibly as part of a Trump-Putin quid pro quo.

  • “Venezuela was Russia’s top ally... Putin has been virtually silent almost all through the buildup, and he’s been silent since this happened.” (20:41)

• Fiona Hill’s Testimony:
  References Hill’s testimony confirming “linkage” between Trump, Putin, Ukraine, and Venezuela—a “trade” or arrangement to let Putin have a freer hand in Ukraine in exchange for U.S. latitude in Venezuela.

  • “This is Trump trading Ukraine for Venezuela. It’s not just that he sold out to Putin. It’s that he sold out to big oil and Putin.” (22:13)

• Historical Parallels:
  Olbermann frames the Trump-Putin dynamic as a new “Hitler and Mussolini,” stating: “Those who have insisted Trump is not Hitler are in one sense correct...he’s just Mussolini.” (23:45)

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4. Comic Relief & Media Satire

Timestamp: 25:48–29:35

• Jokes about the “director of litigation at the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute, Ted Frank,” mocking news about the company surrounding Maduro when captured.
• Offers quick-hit satirical bulletins on Trump’s health, press coverage, and the White House’s revolving explanations.

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5. Trump’s Health: Cover-Ups, Revelations, and Ridicule

Timestamp: 29:36–37:20

• Escalating Cover-Up:
  Olbermann provides a detailed, mocking run-through of repeated changes in the official account of Trump’s health—MRIs vs. CT scans, aspirin regimens, questionable cognitive testing.

  • “Why did they just change the entire story about Trump’s health?...something has happened to change the story of Trump’s health.” (30:41)

• Notable Quotes:

  • On cognitive testing:

    “His brain is not melting yet. Quoting his post, the White House doctors have just reported Dr. Vinnie boom bots...I aced capitals, meaning was correct on 100% of the questions asked for the third straight time, my cognitive examination...” (36:24)

  • On health cover-up:

    “You have great genetics. Dad died after years of dementia, and mom went out in public for several decades with hair that made it look like a hornet's nest had fallen on her head.” (35:36)

• Anosognosia Reference:
  A recurring theme behind Trump’s refusal to acknowledge cognitive decline: “That is the core of anosagnosia. No, no, no, you’re all wrong. My arm’s not off. It’s just a flesh wound.” (37:00)

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6. January 6th and the Jack Smith Interview

Timestamp: 33:13–35:20

• Olbermann includes audio and analysis of Jack Smith’s House testimony implicating Trump as the central figure in the January 6th conspiracy.
  • Jack Smith:

    “President Trump was by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy. These crimes were committed for his benefit...The attack that happened at the Capitol as part of this case does not happen without him.” (33:13)

  • Smith on Causality:

    “He used that level of distrust to get people to believe fraud claims that weren't true...he invited them and then he directed them to the Capitol.” (34:24)

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7. Worst Persons in the World: Media and Political Satire

Timestamp: 38:14–44:00

• Jan Crawford (CBS):
  Ridiculed for defending the Supreme Court’s integrity:

  “Don’t line up with that. Don’t say ...it is profoundly wrong to call it or say corruption where there in fact is none.” (39:17)

• Chuck Schumer:
  Mocked for tepid response to Trump’s actions in Venezuela.

  • “Chuck, you used H double hockey sticks. Wow, man. I mean, when he read that, I bet Trump almost resigned. Chuck, you're making Susan Collins look decisive.” (41:12)

• Tucker Carlson and Cheryl Hines:
  Skewered for shallow discourse on vaccines.

  • “It's possible Tucker Carlson isn't that stupid...It's both about pitcher and catcher Tucker, if you know what I mean. It's possible Carlson isn't that stupid and he's just lying because money. But I'm thinking Cheryl Hines is that stupid.” (44:41)

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8. Classic Segment: Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy

Timestamp: 49:09–61:14

• Olbermann revisits a beloved comedic interview with Will Ferrell in character as Ron Burgundy (from Anchorman), reflecting on the absurdities of TV news culture in the early 2000s.

• Key themes: the "three pillars" of journalism – reading the teleprompter, aspiring to be a performer, and meticulous hair care.

  • “The first one is reading the teleprompter...the quintessential. The pillar on the journalism pyramid.” (54:43)
  • “I probably spend three hours on my hair before leave the house and then another three hours in the newsroom.” (58:29)
  • “If you ever want to go grab a steak or a chop. Lamb chop? ... Only if you play the jazz.” (60:07)

Notable Exchange:

• Ferrell (as Burgundy):

  “It's an art, and it's a bitch. Yeah. It's a real bitch.” (55:11)

• Olbermann:

  “I'm really focused and a viewer can't ask for any more than 80%.”

  • Ferrell:

    “I mean, that's a B.” (58:02)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s Regime Change Expediency:

  “If Trump gets to decide who runs Venezuela, how can we be even 1% confident that some other idiot, some other country's Trump, won't insist he gets to decide who runs America?” (10:43)

• Hitting Hard on Double Standards:

  “The same administration openly defying court orders here now hides behind court orders there.” (15:54)

• On the Meaninglessness of Regime Change “Wins”:

  “Everybody likes seeing stuff blow up. And again, though, the numbers are going to be before the first on the ground blowback, because there’s going to be blowback from all sides in Venezuela, and so far we don’t have anybody there to stop it. And if you want to send somebody there to stop it, you’re going to need to send American troops and some of them are going to die there.” (17:59)

• On Trump's Health Deceptions:

  “We cannot trust this administration to tell the truth or anything close to the truth about Trump's health.” (31:18)

• Jack Smith’s Condemnation:

  “He caused it and that he exploited it and that it was foreseeable to him.” [on January 6th] (34:09)

• Satirical "Worst Persons":
  Olbermann’s “Worst Persons” showcase his signature sarcastic tone, as he tears into media personalities and politicians for their sycophancy, stupidity, or lack of courage.

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:04 – Opening Rant on Venezuela/Trump’s Illegal Coup
• 06:01 – Comparison to Bush/Cheney, International Law, and U.S. Reputation
• 14:10 – Marco Rubio’s Interview and Justification
• 18:15 – Polls on Public Support for Venezuela Invasion
• 20:41 – Putin’s Silence and Russia’s Role
• 22:13 – Fiona Hill’s Testimony, Trump-Putin “Trade”
• 29:36 – Trump’s Health Lies and Cognitive Testing
• 33:13 – Jack Smith’s Congressional Testimony Clips
• 38:14 – “Worst Persons in the World” Segment
• 49:09 – Will Ferrell/Ron Burgundy Interview and Creative Reflection

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Overall Tone & Style

Olbermann’s tone is biting, irreverent, and unsparing, lacing serious analysis of U.S. policy with sardonic asides, deeply personal opinion, and extended comic riffs. The episode balances grim political content with flashes of absurdity and self-referential humor, true to his cable news roots and sports background. He peppers the podcast with inside jokes, vintage references, and pop culture nods.

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For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode is essential listening for anyone following the international fallout of U.S. regime change efforts, the blurred line between presidential power and unchecked illegality, and the broader decline of American democratic norms under Trump. Even if the premise is satirical, Olbermann’s deep dives, expert soundbites, and comedic interludes provide a sweeping, engaging experience.

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Memorable Closer

"Day 351 of America held hostage again by El Presidente and just 1,112 days until the scheduled end of his lame duck and lame brained term in this country unless he is removed sooner by Maga and Epstein or affordability or Susie Wiles or marble armrests or Venezuela." (63:16)

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For more insights and segments, tune in Thursdays for the next “Countdown with Keith Olbermann.”

Transcript

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[Keith Olbermann]

Countdown with Keith Olbermann is a production of iHeartradio. So Trump is now the military dictator of Venezuela, replacing Maduro, the military dictator of Venezuela, after what Trump called His extraordinary military operation, itself suspiciously evocative of Putin's invasion of Ukraine by his special military operation. Coincidence, no doubt. Weakened, mentally degenerating, soulless president of the United States and now also absentee el Presidente of. Of Venezuela. That's two countries. He doesn't have the brain power to run el Presidente of Venezuela until he finds somebody else to run it for him. Not the elected vice president, not the actual winner of the last election, not the U.N. maybe somebody he, in his dysfunctional haze can trust, Maybe an oil executive or Elon Musk or Cat Turd. And that's also illegal, by the way. The invasion was illegal there and illegal here. The kidnapping was illegal. Declaring we would run the country is illegal. Naming a proxy dictator is illegal. Acting as a proxy dictator is illegal, as was his threat yesterday to the acting president that, quote, if she doesn't do what's right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro. And calling her belief that her country shouldn't be invaded by another country breaking its own laws is, quote, defiant rejection. That's illegal. It's all illegal. That is a lot of illegal, even for Trump. And I say this hating Maduro completely. Trump must be impeached, convicted and removed. Not that it is going to happen until next year. Now, in the interim, Trump and Rubio and the others are rubbing themselves thinking about repeating this in Cuba or Greenland or Iran, because they are all just neocons and always were. The Nobel Peace Prize winner is a warmonger who likes to kill people and have other people take the risk. So they all want this to happen in Cuba and Greenland and Iran before the first anti American protest in Venezuela occurs, or general strike or bombing or riots or terrorism here. Oh, and Trump's news conference, at which he sounded dead, so bereft, so exhausted, so barely functional, that by contrast, Reagan seemed more coherent. I mean, Reagan now. I mean, Trump sounded so bad, you wonder if Maduro was thinking, poor guy. Calling the Monroe Doctrine the Don Row Doctrine, more like the dumb Schmo Doctrine. Am I right? The ramifications of Trump's piracy, his banditry, are almost innumerable. He has made us a rogue nation. He has made us into a country this country would ordinarily try to undermine. He has committed international terrorism. He has repeated Iraq right down to insisting that the war will pay for itself because of the oil money. He has made every mistake, recited every lie of the neocons. He has become Dick Cheney and George W. Bush at the same time. He has contradicted our national purpose, pardoning one narco terrorist national leader and kidnapping the one next door. If he hadn't bought the head of international soccer, they would be moving this summer's World cup out of our country today. If the Olympics weren't impossibly corrupt and corporate, they would be kicking us out of the winter ones next month, today, and moving the ones scheduled for Los Angeles anywhere else in the world. More importantly, he has manufactured a crisis for us here, specifically in New York City. Unless Trump takes Maduro's bribe instead of his freedom, the supposed trial will be here. The potential for terrorism, or at least broad protest, has just doubled or trebled. And if it happens and it is Trump's fault, the only act he will take will be to blame somebody else for it, like Mamdani or Joe Biden. And again, the grim humor here. If Maduro is smart, he should just plead guilty to the charges and then give Giuliani and Trump a million each and get himself a pardon. And most of all, there is the reality I addressed when the first attempts to effect regime change became apparent weeks ago and when Trump unconstitutionally invaded Venezuela early Saturday morning. It is simple. If Trump gets to decide what who runs Venezuela, how can we be even 1% confident that some other idiot, some other countries. Trump won't insist that he gets to decide who runs America. It will never have occurred to Trump. It will never have occurred to Maga. It will never have occurred to the Washington press corps or the tech billionaires. But other countries have already tried to change our regime, and you can argue that at least three of them in the last 60 years, Vietnam in 1968, Iran in 1980, Russia in 2016. At least those three have succeeded in changing our regime, at least in part, admittedly, by stealth. Trump has sowed the regime change wind, and he will reap the whirlwind. Oh, and so has this drip Rubio. Trump has been dishonestly immunized by his concierge Supreme Court, but not Marco, who was already acting like he was artificially impaired and who yesterday went on the Sunday shows and made this look even more illegal and made himself look even stupider and shorter. Asked on NBC if the Cuban government is Trump's next target, even though, just like Venezuela, they don't produce or send fentanyl here either, and they were all insisting this is not about regime change, Rubio stupidly said, quote, I think they're in a lot of trouble. Yes. Then on abc, Marco Rubio dug his own impeachment. Stephanopoulos Trump said the US Is going to run Venezuela under what legal authority? Rubio we want a better future for the people of Venezuela. STEPHANOPOULOS I'll ask again, what is the legal authority? Rubio we have court orders. Ooh, little Marco has court orders. The same administration openly defying court orders here now hides behind court orders there. Also, Marco Rubio lied about getting congressional approval, War Powers act and all that little stuff. And his defense is to is to hide behind court orders here, quote. In an interview with the Washington Post, Rubio denied that he lied and said he promised to get congressional approval only if the United States was going to conduct military strikes for military purposes. This was not that. This was a law enforcement operation. Rubio said bullshit. When pressed that US Forces bombing Venezuela, seizing its leader and claiming to, quote, run, unquote, the country would be widely interpreted as a military operation, Rubio did not relent, saying the mission was in support of the Department of Justice. Now, unless they've renamed the Department of Defense from the Department of Defense to the Department of War to the Department of Justice, Jr. He's lying and he's a moron. Oh, and let's not forget the moment that Marco Rubio began to act like he was stoned when they first asked him about Ukraine last year. Now last month, and he said that wasn't our war because it was on another continent. The Trump premise there's an ocean between us. Nobody can ever get across an ocean. It's on another continent. Ukraine. Hey, you know what? Venezuela is on another continent. I mean, honestly, impeach this lying twerp son of a bitch along with Trump and you can actually do this one too happily. There is actually a slim chance the impeachment of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State could happen. This is wildly unpopular. All of this with Venezuela is wildly unpopular. And these numbers will probably go up and improve from the Trump point of view, slightly because kaboom. Everybody likes seeing stuff blow up. And again, though, the numbers are going to be before the first on the ground blowback, because there's going to be blowback from all sides in Venezuela and so far we don't have anybody there to stop it. And if you want to send somebody there to stop it, you're going to need to send American troops and some of them are going to die there. Asked in a rush poll Saturday by YouGov, do you support the military action in Venezuela? This is after it happened strongly yes. 20% somewhat yes. 16% total, 36% weak. Do you support us running Venezuela after Trump said we would be running Venezuela strongly support 19%. Oh, and an oldie but a goodie. A poll taken just Before Christmas by YouGov before using military force in Venezuela. Should Trump seek Congressional approval? Yes. 74%. Yes. Among MAGA, 54%. And again, war always gets a temporary polling bounce. Cause America F. Yeah, but there isn't very much here to bounce with. And these guys are going to F this up pronto because Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and Pete Hegseth are in charge. And the secure room was simply a Mar A Lago ballroom with a curtain rod next to it. I'd like to get back to something. I just swam past that non coincidence coincidence of Trump's extraordinary military operation and Putin's special military operation. It was the columnist Dave Troy of the Washington Spectator who remembered this. Of all the international reactions to El Presidente Trump, the most interesting one is Putin's, because Putin is the Sherlock Holmes dog that didn't bark in the night. Venezuela was Russia's top ally, Maduro's biggest supporter. Putin has been virtually silent almost all through the buildup, and he's been silent since this happened. And this underscores what Fiona Hill, Trump's senior director for Europe and Russia on the National Security Council, one of the few to recognize quickly the amazing breadth of Trump's imbecility and his immorality. On October 14, 2019, Hill testified during the first Trump impeachment that there was linkage between Putin and Trump and Ukraine and Venezuela. Director Hill testified about the backchannel conversations from the spring of 2019. And I'll quote her testimony. This is, you know, March, April into May, where we were having a standoff all over Venezuela. And the Russians at this particular juncture were signaling very strongly that they wanted to somehow make some very strange swap arrangements between Venezuela and Ukraine. In other words, if we were going to exert some semblance of the Monroe Doctrine of, you know, Russia keeping out of our backyard, because this is after the Russians had sent in these hundred operatives essentially to, you know, basically secure the Venezuelan government and, you know, to preempt what they were obviously taking to be some kind of US Military action, they were basically signaling, you know, you have your Monroe Doctrine, you want us out of your backyard. Well, you know, we have our own version of this. You're in our backyard in Ukraine, unquote. And suddenly, if it weren't clear already, Trump's endless dithering about Ukraine becomes clear. One of the rare disasters of Trump foreign policy that is not attributable to his broken brain and even more broken egomania. This is Trump trading Ukraine for Venezuela. It's not just that he sold out to Putin. It's that he sold out to big oil and Putin. The reason Trump has not only never fully committed to defend Ukraine and Europe, but deliberately stalled on Putin's behalf by constantly changing America's position and constantly moving the chronological goalpost is that when the day finally came that he felt emboldened to act, to invade Venezuela illegally, to overthrow its government illegally, legally, he knew Putin would do nothing, provided that the US had done nothing about Ukraine. And thus, this is not just about the darkness of the reality that America under Trump is now guilty of international terrorism and the worst kind of regime change and of murder to benefit corporations. It is that it is part of a transaction by which we let Putin do this to Ukraine. And where next? Poland? Scandinavia? What's the next trade if Trump stands aside as Putin goes for Finland, does Trump get Greenland? And now you see where this is headed. It's Hitler and Mussolini again. And finally, those who have insisted Trump is not Hitler are in one sense correct. He's not Hitler in this equation. He's not the leader in this edition of International Scumbaggery. He's just the Mussolini. Finally, the comic relief. This was from the director of litigation at the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute, Ted Frank. Quoting Ted Frank. The really shocking thing is that when they captured Maduro, he was with Olivia Newsey. Okay, I shouldn't have laughed, but I larfed. I don't think he's old enough for her. Two other things before they get buried under possible wall to wall Venezuela this week. First, about President brain spurs. So why did they just change the entire story about Trump's health? I mean, I know we see Venezuela as wag the dog with the Epstein story. I think it's more about wagging the dog with Trump's health changing again. What happened? Was it Epstein? Was it Venezuela? What happened that made it worth it to essentially admit Trump lied and the entire organization, the criminal organization he runs, lied about even something as easy as what kind of God damned imaging he had, MRI or ct? What happened that made it worth it to confirm that the White House press secretary repeatedly did not tell the truth to the nation? What happened that made it necessary to portray everybody with the slightest connection to Trump's health as participants in another cover up, a conspiracy, a scam, two scams of a conspiracy of a coverup? What happened that made him suddenly blurt out that he's had yet a Third, cognitive tests. A cognitive test that he doesn't seem to understand is given out of fear of growing dementia or worsening brain impairment. I mean, we don't know if he had another test or he's just making this test up because he thinks he and his co conspirators have some remaining credibility when they open their big bazoos on the subject of his health. Well, you know, two things. One, we cannot trust this administration to tell the truth or anything close to the truth about Trump's health. And two, whether these latest revelations are correct or just new lies swapped in for the old lies, something has happened to change the story of Trump's health. And the irony, the stupid sidebar that always accompanies everything falsified by this Trump gang that couldn't lie straight. The irony is that this complete 180 on where Trump's failing health now stands or sits cuz he can't stand very long anymore. This whole tacit admission, sure, we lied then, but we're not lying now. The irony is that this resulted from what the White House clearly thought was going to be a puff piece in the Wall Street Journal. A puff piece by the execrable soulless hack Annie Lynskey, the ghoul who had been bounced by the Washington Post after she captioned a photo of President Biden by writing Biden goes to church and walks through a graveyard in Wilmington as his legislative agenda is dying in Washington, if you will remember. What she was making fun of was Biden in fact going to visit the final resting places of his first daughter, his first son and his first wife in the graveyard in which they are buried? Linsky, a scumbag, deleted the tweet, then issued a non apology apology, then was forced into a tepid I'm sorry. And now she's in hell. She works for Rupert Murdoch, the White House. And Trump had turned to this creature, Linsky and assumed she would clean up the unraveling scandal over the Trump health cover up. Instead, the impact of even her piece was so bad that two days later Trump posted he is in perfect health. And if you need any proof, he just taken another cognitive test and aced it. As if that fact is anything but confirmation that he is as far from perfect health as you can be. But why, why, why, why, why? Why have they changed all the stories? Let's just review this. First, the MRI where he didn't know which part of his own body had been MRI'd and acted as if no one was ever told what part of the body was being MRI'd and he was the authority on MRI'd that's now inoperative. It was a CT scan, even though Trump said at the time, quote, it was just an mri. What part of the body it wasn't the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it. Pro tip for the doctors next cognitive test you give him, ask him what an MRI is. Let's see him ace that. And of course the St. Pauli Girl beer bottle logo whose press secretary said it was a perfect mri. Highest score ever. I don't know that she used those three initials. I don't know that she used the acronym. But quoting Politico, White House press secretary Carol Ian Levitt told reporters Monday that the results from Donald Trump's recent MRI were perfectly normal amid questions from Democrats about the president's health. Quote, everything evaluated is functioning within normal limits with no acute or chronic concerns. Levitt, reading a summary provided to her from the physician to the president, said at a White House press conference. In summary, this level of detailed assessment is standard for an executive physical at President Trump's age and confirms that he remains in excellent overall health. The oops, it's no longer an mri. Trump in the journal, it wasn't an mri. It was less than that. It was a scan. So we've gone in weeks from Trump, it was just an MRI. To Trump, it wasn't an MRI. His White House doctor, I think he's a doctor. Dr. Vinnie Boom Bots. No, I'm sorry. Dr. Sean Barbara Bella. Which is actually funnier. Dr. Sean Barbara Bella says now it was a CT and quoting him, it was done to definitely, no, excuse me, definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues. That's an angiogram. But in, in 2018, the old Dr. For Trump, Ronnie Glug Glug Jackson, said a coronary CT had showed cardiovascular issues, a buildup of plaque in his blood vessels, moderate heart disease. This the Monty Python joke about the guy was turned into a newt. I got better. So they changed not only the MRI story, they changed the question of whether or not he's got any cardiovascular issues. He did in 2018. He doesn't now. More McDonald's. That'll do it every time. 2. Remember the hand bruises, the giant patches that look like filled in potholes? Those are from too much handshaking. Even though among humans anyway, maybe not in the area of whatever Trump is. Among humans, the only time you use the outside of your hand in a handshake is when you do the double handed handshake. And Trump is too germaphobic ever to do that. Well, it's no longer hand bruises anyway. It's aspirin. Wall Street Journal quote they say aspirin is good for thinning out the bra blood and I don't want thick blood pouring through my heart. Trump said of why he takes a larger dose, 325 micrograms. I want nice thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make any sense? Not really, no. Quote they'd rather have me take the smaller one, Trump added. I take the larger one, but I've done it for years. And what it does do is it causes bruising. Uh huh. I will give him this. When I was a kid, it was widely believed among mothers that kids should have an aspirin every day. A full strength aspirin, maybe two. I remember doing this into my 20s, I'll give him that. However, his 20s ended in 1975. Should have broken this habit by now. And what was the handshake story? A lie. Okay, three. His ankles. His giant inflatable ankles, his mega cankles. Well, there's nothing wrong with his ankle. Oh no, wait, yeah, there is. Trump told the Journal he tried compression socks but didn't like them. He also suggested he was not interested in taking up regular exercise. I just don't like it. It's boring, trump said. To walk on a treadmill or run on a treadmill for hours and hours like some people. That's not for me. Okay. By the way, if you need a definition of MAGA and you need to try to understand ultimately why it succeeded, here it is right in that sentence. I don't like it, so I'm not going to do it. And we have a president of the United States who says, good for you. Don't do it. Vaccines, Covid restrictions, laws, not going to Congress for approval of your own private war. Just don't do it. And then of course, you discover your Herman Cain. 4. Trump's diet Sweet Jesus on hockey skates, I thought I ate badly. The Journal again, Trump said he hasn't made changes to his diet. In a podcast interview in October, Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Grutters, who by the way, is the size of a beached whale, described being shocked by Trump's eating habits when they traveled together during the campaign. While flying to a campaign event, According to Grutters, Trump consumed French fries, a McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburger, a Big Mac and a filet au fish. Trump said he had plenty of energy, which he credited to his parents, who he said were energetic until their old age. Genetics are very important, he said. And I have very good genetics. Sure you do. You have great genetics. Dad died after years of dementia, and mom went out in public for several decades with hair that made it look like a hornet's nest had fallen on her head. And she liked it. And Don Jr. And Eric are barely functional mentally. I guess the big revision here, the big change as part of the overall change of the Trump health situation, is the filet o fish revelation. Gruder saw him consume French fries, a McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburger and a Big Mac and a filet o fish. Trump has never admitted to eating fish before. What kind of president do we have who eats fish? Next it'll be kale. But most importantly of all these changes, five. He's Changed the Story on the Brain Again Trump's response to the articles about his health, and particularly the one in the Wall Street Journal that did not turn out to be quite the puff piece that they expected was to play his ace in the hole. I passed the test that they use to triage people who are beginning to succumb to dementia. Yay. His brain is not melting yet. Quoting his post, the White House doctors have just reported Dr. Vinnie boom bots. The White House doctors have just reported that I am in perfect health capitals and that I aced capitals, meaning was correct on 100% of the questions asked for the third straight time, my cognitive examination, something which no other or previous vice president was willing to take. P.S. i strongly believe that anyone running for president or vice president should be mandatorily forced to take a strong, meaningful and proven cognitive examination. Our great country cannot be run by capital letters, stupid small letters or incompetent people. President DJT Every Trump accusation is a confession once again. The question, though, is why did they change the story again? Why is his heart now under scrutiny again? And most importantly, why? Why did they give him another cognitive test, a third cognitive test, which he has convinced himself, possibly through, remember our new favorite word, anosagnosia, possibly convinced himself he is something good. A third one in what, nine months? It looked like they were doing this every six months, along with a brain scan of some sort to check to see possibly if there was dementia. Or, as was wildly speculated, maybe there were dementia drugs in progress and they needed to see the actual physical impact on his brain instead of the next one being due in, like, April. He's done three in nine months. It was after the second one that his niece Mary Trump, so perceptively asked, why does he keep getting tested for Cognitive problems the answer? I think I'm going on a limb here. Maybe it is continuing signs of, you know, cognitive problems. Middle of the Venezuela thing and Trump went off on the emptied their asylums stuff again because he's the only person in this country dumb enough or impaired enough not to realize that mental asylums and political asylums are different effing things. That by itself is a cognitive problem. It is the refusal to correct yourself. A complete lack of fear of just getting caught being stupid. No, no, I'm right. That's a form of. That is the core of anosagnosia. No, no, no, you're all wrong. My arm's not off. It's just a flesh wound. He made two more posts. That's a total of three of birds near a wind turbine or a flock of them flying successfully around a wind turbine. One is captured eagles going down, which is not an NFL reference. The photo is of a red kite bird in Spain in 2010. Another is captioned killing birds by the millions, which actually shows approximately 50 birds, all of them living. That photo is from 2006, it's from Taiwan, and it's of an inactive wind turbine. So once again, why does he keep getting tested for cognitive problems? And let's now add to that and marry with it. Why did they just change the Trump health cover up story again? And a third item today, because they were nice enough to bury the video on New Year's Eve and then, you know, invade Venezuela. Here is two minutes from Jack Smith's what, eight hour testimony to the House Judiciary Committee which may serve to suggest that the first Democratic investigation of 2029 should be into Merrick Garland and whether or not Merrick Garland was on the up and up or was being influenced by something or someone nefarious or whether or not, while Attorney General Merrick Garland was still actually alive, the evidence here.

[Jack Smith]

Made clear that President Trump was by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy. These crimes were committed for his benefit. The attack that happened at the Capitol as part of this case does not happen without him. The other co conspirators were doing this for his benefit. So in terms of why we would pursue a case against him, I entirely disagree with any characterization that our work was in any way meant to hamper him in the presidential election. I was, I would never take orders from a political leader to hamper another person in an election.

[Keith Olbermann]

So did you develop evidence that President Trump was responsible for the violence at the Capitol on January 6th?

[Jack Smith]

So our view of the evidence was that he caused it and that he exploited it and that it was foreseeable to him.

[Keith Olbermann]

But you don't have any evidence that he instructed people to crash and crash.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

The Capitol, do you?

[Jack Smith]

As I said, our evidence is that he, in the weeks leading up to January 6, created a level of distrust. He used that level of distrust to get people to believe fraud claims that weren't true. He made false statements to state legislatures to his supporters in all sorts of contexts and was aware in the days leading up to January 6th that his supporters were angry when he invited them and then he directed them to the Capitol.

[Keith Olbermann]

The second half of the Jack Smith Report now being covered up by Judge Eileen Cannon has got to get out. And I no longer care how it gets out. I don't care. Let's just turn it over to Trump and have him invade her courtroom illegally or something like that. I mean, in addition to the other time he illegally invaded Eileen Cannon's courtroom. Also of interest here, how dumb is Cheryl Hines? And while you're laughing at that question, it is a question about vaccines. There's some actual comic relief, a performance by me and Will Ferrell. That's next. This is an all new edition of Countdown. Here's something that'll freak you out. Most people think their insurance will cover them if disaster strikes. But here's the truth. Many are wrong. You pay your premiums, you assume you're protected. Then the fine print hits, exclusions, limits, loopholes, and suddenly that coverage you counted on isn't really coverage at all. It's not your agent's fault. Their job is to sell policies. But you need someone in your corner who protects you, not the insurance company. My policy advocate takes your actual policies, home, life, auto, whatever you got, and breaks them down in plain English. They show you what's really covered and what isn't. Here's the best part. Costs just 27 cents a day. That's less than a cup of coffee for peace of mind to make sure your family is protected when it matters most. When a disaster hits, you don't want surprises. You want certainty. So before you assume you're covered, go to mypolicyadvocate.com let them review your policy. You might be shocked at what you find. MyPolicyAdvocate.com Nothing in life is free except.

[Commercial Announcer]

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You know how everything's a subscription now. Music, movies, even socks. I swear.

[Keith Olbermann]

If to continue this ad, please upgrade to premium plus platinum.

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[Keith Olbermann]

Please confirm your billing.

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Wait, no subscription?

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[Keith Olbermann]

This is Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Still ahead on this all new edition of countdown, the comic relief. I was reminded of a live comedy bit I did with Will Ferrell years ago when anchorman was new. I'm going to play the audio of it for you next in things I promise not to tell first. Believe it or not, there's still more new idiots to talk about. The roundup of the miscreants, morons and Dunning Kruger effect specimens who constitute today's other worst persons in the world, LeBron's worse Jan Crawford, legal expert, CBS News now look, I've seen this done. I'm not saying I've ever done it before. Kind of once in Los Angeles, oddly enough, with CBS in 1991, when I really didn't want to move back to the cold. But if you're going to beg your boss to keep your job, try to be subtle. Don't do what Jan Crawford has done. Clearly trying to get a hold of Barry Weiss and say, I'm here for the new Tony Ducupel or Dukopol or whatever the f his name is. CBS Evening News, where we don't believe in experts or journalism. Don't, don't line up with that. Don't say something like Tony. This may be the first year the CBS Evening News has a total of four different anchors in one year. Who's next? How does Cronkite look that bad? Can you I mean, he. We always had to touch him up. How's his mustache? Still there. Okay, bring him in. Can't be worse than this guy. Certainly the journalism is not dead in Walter Cronkite. But I digress. If you're going to try to beg for your job, if you're begging Barry Weiss to keep your job, Jan Crawford, try to be subtle. Don't say it like this. Quote. This is a conservative Supreme Court. It has been a conservative Supreme Court for 20 years. People can disagree and do disagree with their opinions, but it is profoundly wrong to call it or say corruption where there in fact is none. What's under report? No, no, no. She claims to be an expert. What is underreported is any understanding of what this court has been doing for the past 20 years, its views of its role vis a vis the other branches, how it sees the law, how it's trying, and its focus to restore some kind of accountability in our constitutional structure. Well, right, Jan. By erasing the Supreme Court from having any relevancy or control over the executive branch and turning the executive into the king we broke away from in 1776. Resuming Jan Crawford, quote. Again, this is a court that is functional. It is consistent. There are nine justices. They don't necessarily see the Constitution the same way. Transparent, diaphanous toilet paper by any means, or how to interpret federal law. They're in a struggle over the proper way to interpret the Constitution. But that is as it should be. And I think as we approach, as we approach our 250th anniversary of this country, it's important to think about the Court and the rule of law as the justices are doing, especially if we hope to keep democracy intact. I got bad news for you, Jan. Democracy's not intact anymore. Sorry you missed that. But Barry Weiss wants you to say that if the public loses confidence in the rule of law. What's this if. If the public loses confidence in the rule of law, I don't know what that means for democracy. And that's why I think some of the rhetoric about corruption is so, so profoundly irresponsible. Barry, please don't fire me. I have a mortgage. Please, please, please, please, please, please. I love being on tv. I'm a TV addict. Sure, Jan. No, we asked you about the Supreme Court in this country. My God, talk about debasing yourself. And to continue the theme, the runner up, Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, who is just taking up space now. This was before the illegal Trump move in Venezuela. Boy, oh, boy. Chuck was ready he came out firing with 1/1 millionth of 1 barrel. I'll say it again. He wrote, trump needs to be straight with the American people and explain what his strategy is and what the hell he's doing in the Caribbean. Wow, Chuck, you used H double hockey sticks. Wow, man. I mean, when he read that, I bet Trump almost resigned. Chuck, you're making Susan Collins look decisive. Lastly, the worst, the co winners, Tucker Carlson and Cheryl Hines together again for the first time. Cheryl Hines goes from Curb youb Enthusiasm to Being on Camera with Mother Tucker Carlson. We join their interview about vaccines in which their combined IQ is still only in double digits. Already in progress.

[Cheryl Hines]

I didn't have very strong feelings about vaccines one way or the other. My whole life I never really thought about it. I didn't realize that it was a religion to a lot of people and political.

[Keith Olbermann]

Well, but that, you know, it's religion.

[Cheryl Hines]

Because that doesn't make any sense. If the vaccine is effective and you take it, then you're good to go, right? Why does it matter if I take it?

[Commercial Announcer]

Somebody else does it.

[Cheryl Hines]

Did anyone? I heard smart people make that case. People I thought were smart, but. Doesn't make any sense just on the face of it.

[Commercial Announcer]

No, it doesn't make any sense. And that, and that wasn't enough for people.

[Cheryl Hines]

It wasn't?

[Commercial Announcer]

No. It wasn't enough for someone to be able to take the vaccine and feel like, woo, I'm, I'm okay now. I don't care what you do.

[Cheryl Hines]

Right.

[Commercial Announcer]

It wasn't enough.

[Cheryl Hines]

So the. My body, my choice was not a real thing, it turned out.

[Commercial Announcer]

No, no. It was like. And I wouldn't. I need to get involved with your body?

[Keith Olbermann]

Yes.

[Cheryl Hines]

Your body, my choice.

[Commercial Announcer]

Your body, my choice.

[Keith Olbermann]

It's possible Tucker Carlson isn't that stupid that he knows vaccines for communicable diseases minimize the disease's impact on you. But primarily they minimize how easy it is to spread that disease to other people. That's why it matters. How many other people also get the vaccine. It's both about pitcher and catcher Tucker, if you know what I mean. It's possible Carlson isn't that stupid and he's just lying because money. But I'm thinking Cheryl Hines is that stupid. I mean, let's start with this. She believes RFK Jr. Is faithful to her or faithful adjacent. Tucker Carlson and Cheryl Hines. And by the way, no matter how funny you think my friend Larry David is and how funny you thought my late friend Richard Lewis was on Curb, they were both way funnier than you ever Imagined. Because how in the hell do you make the funny when the gal playing Larry's wife is that stupid? Tuk Tuk and Mrs. R.F.K. jr. For the moment, anyway. Today's Other Worst Persons in the World. Here's something that'll freak you out. Most people think their insurance will cover them if disaster strikes. But here's the truth. Many are wrong. You pay your premiums, you assume you're protected. Then the fine print hits, exclusions, limits, loopholes, and suddenly that coverage you counted on isn't really coverage at all. It's not your agent's fault. Their job is to sell policies. But you need someone in your corner who protects you, not the insurance company. My policy advocate takes your actual policies, home, life, auto, whatever you got and breaks them down in plain English. They show you what's really covered and what isn't. Here's the best part. Cost just 27 cents a day. That's less than a cup of coffee. For peace of mind to make sure your family is protected when it matters most. When a disaster hits, you don't want surprises. You want certainty. So before you assume you're covered, go to mypolicyadvocate.com let them review your policy. You might be shocked at what you find. MyPolicyAdvocate.com do you actually know Ball?

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Podcast Host]

Who would you call if the unthinkable happened?

[Michelle Williams]

I just fell and started screaming.

[Podcast Host]

If you lost someone you loved in the most horrific way, I said, they.

[Cheryl Hines]

Were shot 22 times.

[Podcast Host]

The police, right? But what if the person you're supposed to go to for help is the one you're the most afraid of?

[Keith Olbermann]

This dude is the devil. He's a snake. He'll hurt you.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I got you.

[Keith Olbermann]

I got you.

[Podcast Host]

I'm Nikki Richardson, and this is the Girlfriends Untouchable. Detective Roger Galupski spent decades intimidating and sexually abusing black women across Kansas City, using his police badge to scare them into silence. This is the story of a detective who seemed above the law until we came together to take him down. I told Roger Gorlupski, I said, you're gonna see my face till the day that you die. Listen to the Girlfriends untouchable on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your Podcasts.

[Michelle Williams]

You know, we always say new Year, new me, but real change starts on the inside. It starts with giving your mind and your spirit the same attention you give your goals. Hey, everybody, it's Michelle Williams, host of Checking in on the Black Effect Podcast Network. And on my podcast, we talk mental health, healing, growth and everything you need to step into your next season whole and empowered. New Year. Real you listen to Checking in with Michelle Williams from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app and Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Keith Olbermann]

So to the number one story on the countdown and things I promised not to tell. And something happened on New Year's Day, more correctly, New Year's night, that flashed me back 21 years. The great Will Ferrell was at the Los Angeles Kings hockey game, seated as he usually is in the first row and. And doing a bit. Not for money, not to try out an act to make a movie out of, not for any particular reason. Just dressed right down to the helmet and all the hand signals as a National Hockey League referee, he kept the bid up for the entire game. There was no real applause. He knew he was doing the bit, and they all knew at the game that he was doing the bit, but. But he was doing the bit because he wanted to. And that's what led me to the number one story on the countdown. I was flashed back to the thought that I had 21 years ago when, for the second time I believe it was in my life, I met Will Ferrell. And he confessed that he had been a viewer of mine when he was in high school, when I was a local sportscaster in la. And I said, do you realize I was only a couple of years older than you were when you were in high school? In any event, vanity aside, we started to talk about doing a bit 4 countdown on the then new movie Anchorman. They had offered him to us as a guest. He was going to do a select series of interviews in character, dressed as the Ron Burgundy guy, complete with the burgundy jacket. And I said to him, I'm sure you're tired of this. How about we do it this way? How about I pretend that this is not a film film, that this isn't a comedy, that this isn't you acting, but that this is a documentary about a San Diego anchorman, a real life one named Ron Burgundy, who I encountered in my days in Southern California local news. And his eyes widened and he got real boyish and went, gee, that would be great. And we then did it. And for seven minutes we ad libbed a whole bit, and I thought that night, coming back from that interview, that I was seeing something about what it means to be a professional versus what it means to be an amateur, especially in creative fields. And I was reminded again of this on New Year's Day, when he wore that referee's uniform to the hockey game for no reason other than to have fun. The difference between a pro and an amateur in any creative field, and I know this because I recognized it when I was an amateur and became a pro, is the first day that you have to do whatever you like being creative at when you don't want to do it, when you have to do it even though you're sick, even though you're not in the mood, even though you had a fight with somebody before the show, even though who knows what, but you have to do it. Can you do the thing you did as an amateur when you wanted to, as a professional, when you really don't want to? And the only exception to these rules that require you to plow through and sometimes turn over your creativity to what I once described to Rachel Maddow as the robot version of Rachel Maddow that you will have to create for yourself on those nights when you're not really there. I think she took me a little bit too seriously on that point. In any event, that robot version will take over for you, but there will still be an occasion now and again when you don't really want to. And then something delicious stands in front of you, something absolutely creative that transcends whether or not you're making a dollar for doing this or a million dollars for doing this, or no dollars for doing this. Whether you're a pro or an amateur, the original spark of wanting to be creative comes back to you. And it did. The night that I interviewed Ron Burgundy, pretending to be following up on the documentary Anchorman, we ad libbed this, and I have to say, at the end of it, after they shut the tape off, he burst into laughter, and so did I, and we gave each other a hug goodbye. It was that much fun, and I felt like I'd gotten to play in the big leagues for a moment from a guy who now goes to hockey games dressed up as a referee just for fun.

[Interviewer]

The movie Anchorman opens tomorrow night. While the advertising may have led you to believe this is a comedy of some sorts, starring an actor named Will Ferrell, I can report to you exclusively tonight that Anchorman is actually a documentary of the career of the Mandarin of local television newscasters, Ron Burgundy. Our number one story in the Countdown tonight, my exclusive interview with the legendary Mr. Burgundy. And by exclusive, I mean he was on the Today Show Tuesday and CNN yesterday. But I'm the only one interviewing him tonight, exclusively. It's a nice color on you.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Likewise. Very nice.

[Interviewer]

What were the chances?

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Probably. It's probably just a magnificent, beautiful coincidence, is my hunch.

[Interviewer]

Absolutely. My homage.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Yes. I appreciate it.

[Interviewer]

So I thought we could spend our time talking about the three principal elements of television, of journalism. The first one being, obviously.

[Keith Olbermann]

Which are.

[Interviewer]

Well, you need a little.

[Keith Olbermann]

No, no.

[Interviewer]

The first one is reading the teleprompter.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Reading the teleprompter, Absolutely.

[Keith Olbermann]

It's the.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

It's probably the quintessential. It's probably the. The pillar on the journalism pyramid. The base block of the center block.

[Keith Olbermann]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

Without which the rest of it collapses.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Collapses into a something flame.

[Keith Olbermann]

Good evening.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I'm Ron Burgundy.

[Keith Olbermann]

Damn it. Who typed a question mark on the teleprompter. Reading it.

[Interviewer]

I mean, people don't understand that it's an art to read correctly.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

It's an art, and it's a bitch. Yeah. It's a real bitch.

[Interviewer]

You speak as a man who might have had problems.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I've had a few snafus in my. In my career.

[Keith Olbermann]

Yes.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

One of which actually cost me a job.

[Interviewer]

Well, we've all been through that.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

But, yeah. So, you know, it's something you literally and figuratively have to keep an eye on.

[Interviewer]

Very good.

[Keith Olbermann]

But you.

[Interviewer]

The snafu that you refer to. Big snafu.

[Keith Olbermann]

Big snafu.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I basically told an entire city to F off, and I didn't realize I said it. Well, you're locked in there. You know how it is, Keith. You're locked in.

[Interviewer]

But did they deserve it?

[Keith Olbermann]

Right.

[Interviewer]

Was it a bad city?

[Keith Olbermann]

No, no, no.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Wonderful city, San Diego. Great town.

[Keith Olbermann]

Wonderful. Canada. Right.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Quaint village in Canada. No, San Diego is a Mexico. Mexican protectorate. It's actually part of Mexico.

[Keith Olbermann]

San Diego. San Diego.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

San Diego.

[Interviewer]

San Diego. Santiago.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Pronunciation differs.

[Interviewer]

So the second pillar of television journalism.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Right.

[Interviewer]

Is that there must be someone in every newsroom who believes that they would be a singer, dancer, or musician.

[Keith Olbermann]

Right?

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I would think so.

[Interviewer]

Then if you.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Well, I fancy myself a musician. Sure. Not a dabble. Afternoon delight.

[Keith Olbermann]

I don't know, Ron.

[Interviewer]

That sounds kind of crazy.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Afternoon delight. When I make a phone call here. Question the subject, play a little. I play jazz flute. Oh, yes.

[Interviewer]

Do you find it helps with the news in any way?

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Not really. It just. It's just an extension of my artistic side, and I Found it to be a. Well, I found it to be a wonderful tool in terms of interaction with the female species.

[Interviewer]

It's an extended tool, is what you're saying.

[Keith Olbermann]

Well, it's an extended tool.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

That's great. I might, might steal that from you.

[Keith Olbermann]

That's.

[Interviewer]

Well, you're welcome to it.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Good.

[Interviewer]

So the musician. But it's a rhythm and a performance.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

A rhythm and a performance. You know, you like to move and do this.

[Interviewer]

Well, you have to do that on the air, don't you?

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

A lot of times.

[Interviewer]

That's the format that many, many stations employ, is the moving, is the moving. The shoulder. The shoulder, possibly the tie adjustment of.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

The neck, the torso turn.

[Interviewer]

So the consultants have let you do all that on the air?

[Keith Olbermann]

Pretty much.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

They've let me be for the most part because I won't have it any other way.

[Interviewer]

But you wind up telling the whole city to have themselves.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Right.

[Keith Olbermann]

Because.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Yeah, I wasn't. Wasn't paying attention that moment. I'd say 80% of the time I'm paying. I pay attention.

[Interviewer]

Excellent. I'm really focused and a viewer can't ask for any more than 80%.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I mean, that's a B.

[Interviewer]

There you go. But then the third.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I never got a B in school. Mostly Cs and C minuses.

[Interviewer]

So you are. This is the pinnacle. This is what you were meant to do. God or aim that you do this.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

The excellent moment in my life.

[Interviewer]

Yes. Well, then that leads naturally to the.

[Keith Olbermann]

Third.

[Interviewer]

Pillar of television, third building block journalism, which is hair maintenance.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Hair maintenance.

[Interviewer]

How important is there?

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I mean, I almost would put that first. Number one.

[Interviewer]

Well, I was going in an ascending order. It's a show called Countdown.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

So we have three that if you don't. If you don't take care of what's up here, it's not going to work here or here. And the people aren't going to get it here. So I probably spend three hours on my hair before leave the house and then another three hours in the newsroom.

[Interviewer]

Well, because all of a sudden it.

[Keith Olbermann]

Can be very windy, Very windy.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

You don't know what sort of atmospheric conditions might be out there.

[Interviewer]

But do you do it all yourself? Especially some of the women in the business?

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I do it all myself at home and I have a team of about 11 people. 11, 11 people in the newsroom.

[Interviewer]

They work all at once or it shifts.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

It shifts because I get angry at them once occasion fire them momentarily and I rehire them, but they're in rotation.

[Interviewer]

I saw that in the documentary Life that they Presented in this film.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Pretty fascinating, I would say.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

It's amazing they caught all that on film. I wasn't even aware there was a camera there half the time.

[Interviewer]

Well, that would have been during the 20% period when you weren't really. When you're sort of too focused in.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I appreciate this, Keith, because a lot of these other adults I talked to don't follow so well.

[Interviewer]

They don't own the suit.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

They don't wear clothing.

[Cheryl Hines]

That's right.

[Interviewer]

That's what it's all about.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

When in Rome.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Win in Rome. Thank you.

[Interviewer]

Oh, thank you. It's been. It's been spectacular.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

It really has.

[Interviewer]

It has.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

It really has. And if you ever want to go grab a steak or a chop. Lamb chop?

[Interviewer]

Yeah, that'd be good. Only if you play the only. Play the jazz.

[Keith Olbermann]

I will.

[Jack Smith]

All right.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

And you pick up the check.

[Keith Olbermann]

No.

[Interviewer]

It'S a good color.

[Keith Olbermann]

Really?

[Cheryl Hines]

Yeah.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

I like it a little.

[Interviewer]

It's a little lighter than this.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

It's a little bit lighter. Reflects the light. That's more.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, it does.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

And these coral buttons, I don't know if you see that.

[Keith Olbermann]

I know.

[Interviewer]

I got the cheap ones.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

These are imported from Malaysia.

[Keith Olbermann]

Wow.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Is that near San Diego?

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

God, I hope I have no idea.

[Interviewer]

All the best to you.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Thank you, sir.

[Interviewer]

Congratulations on the documentary.

[Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell)]

Thank you.

[Interviewer]

Will Ferrell portraying his character in the movie Anchorman Ron Burgundy. And we thank him for playing along. Not to spoil the film for you, but if you do go see it, remember this. Other than the violence, I've met all these people and seen all those things actually happen in TV newsrooms over the last 25 years. Lord only knows how I survived them.

[Keith Olbermann]

God, that was fun. I mean, probably more fun doing it than it is listening to it now, because the whole anchorman thing, the. The key to it, and Will once told me this was the novelty, that they went there. Back when newscasters even located local newscasters were still somewhat respected. I shouldn't say that some are still respected, but they were universally respected to some degree. In 2004, the novelty was to just blow the lid off of it, prove that, you know, 27 guys in the Southern California markets saw that movie and said, oh, that's me. And he's like, no, no, no, don't. You're not supposed. It's not. That's not a. That's not a great. I'm in the movies. No, no. It's not a good portrait. No, no, no, no. Anyway, we had fun doing it, and the next time I saw Will was like four years later and he remembered every second of that and said it was the most fun he had other than making the movie itself. Might have just been nice to me about it, that's all. Anyhoo, I've done all the damage I can do here. Thank you for listening like you're still listening. Most of our Countdown music arranged, produced and performed by Brian Ray on the guitarist, bass and drums and John Philip Chenale handling orchestration and keyboard. They are our musical directors of Countdown and it was produced by TKO Brothers. Our satirical and pithy musical comments are by the best baseball stadium organist ever, Nancy Foust. The sports music is the Olbermann Theme from ESPN2 written by Mitch Warren Davis, courtesy of ESPN Inc. Other music arranged and performed by the group no Horns Allowed. And my announcer today was my friend Larry David. This program was produced by Ted. Everything else was, as always, my fault. That's Countdown for today. Day 351 of America held hostage again by El Presidente and just 1,112 days until the scheduled end of his lame duck and lame brained term in this country unless he is removed sooner by Maga and Epstein or affordability or Susie Wiles or marble armrests or Venezuela. The next scheduled countdown is Thursday. Until then, I'm Keith Olbermann. Good morning, good afternoon, good night and good luck. When they arrested Maduro, he was with Olivia Newsy Countdown with Keith Ulberman is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Commercial Announcer]

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