Keith Olbermann walks back threats toward Scott Jennings after volatile online exchange

Ex-ESPN and longtime media provocateur Keith Olbermann publicly walked back a string of posts that included a veiled threat toward CNN conservative Scott Jennings, as a heated online exchange over Jimmy Kimmel’s reinstatement by ABC and related industry tensions unfolded.

Olbermann, whose return to the public spotlight has been marked by provocative social-media posts, issued a Tuesday statement saying he deleted two responses to Jennings that could be misinterpreted as threats and that he replaced them with clarifications. In a post on X, he wrote: "I apologize without reservation to [Scott Jennings]. Yesterday I wrote and immediately deleted 2 responses to him about Kimmel because they could be misinterpreted as a threat to anything besides his career. I immediately replaced them with ones specifying what I actually meant." He went on to say, "I oppose and condemn political violence, and the threat of it. All times are the wrong time to leave even an inadvertent impression of it — but this time is especially wrong. I should've acknowledged the deletion and apologized yesterday. I'm sorry I delayed." Olbermann noted that he had indeed deleted the offending posts and provided clarifications.

Jennings, often the lone conservative voice on liberal CNN, responded to the exchange from his Salem Radio Network program by poking fun at the attention the thread drew. He joked that he was "live on the Salem Radio Network, marking myself safe from that nut Keith Olbermann, whom you might have noticed threatened yours truly on the internet yesterday." The moment underscored how the two figures, long viewed as contentious personalities in the media landscape, remain focal points in a broader debate over civility and rhetoric online.

In a separate exchange, Olbermann pressed his critique, telling Jennings, "You're next mother******." The thread also included an additional jab later on, with Olbermann writing: "But keep mugging to camera, amateur." The volleys appeared in the context of a thread responding to ABC’s announcement that Kimmel would be back on air Tuesday night, following a monologue that had drawn intense conservative criticism over the portrayal of Charlie Kirk’s murder as politically exploited by conservatives. The exchange, captured by screenshots and later circulated by outlets, raised questions about the boundaries of political commentary in a media environment already strained by clashes between network executives, on-air talent, and affiliate groups.

The online confrontation unfolded as Townhall columnist Dustin Grage shared a screenshot of the deleted Olbermann post, which Jennings then reposted, tagging FBI Director Kash Patel in the process. The move amplified attention on the exchange and contributed to a broader narrative about political rhetoric online in an era of heightened scrutiny of media personalities. The situation built on Olbermann’s earlier response to Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns a large number of ABC affiliates, when he attacked the company after it said Kimmel’s suspension was not enough and urged additional action. In that wave of posts, Olbermann wrote, "Burn in hell, Sinclair," a message that was later deleted but widely captured and circulated by conservative outlets and watchdogs.

Sinclair’s decision to preempt Kimmel on its ABC stations added another layer to the controversy, prompting industry chatter about the limits of protest by affiliate groups and the potential impact on late-night programming. ABC had confirmed on Monday that Kimmel would return to the air on Tuesday, amid reporting that Kimmel had negotiated his comeback with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment Co-Chair Dana Walden. While the network signaled that Kimmel would address the controversy on his show, it remained unclear whether he would issue a formal apology. The stance frustrated some affiliate operators who had continued to preempt the program in protest, arguing that further action was necessary.

Olbermann’s defenders say the host is exercising a longstanding habit of provocative commentary that sparks attention and debate in a crowded media ecosystem. Critics, however, say his rhetoric has crossed the line from political commentary into dehumanizing or threatening language, particularly at a moment of elevated political tension and close media scrutiny. That tension is shaping how audiences interpret public figures’ online conduct and how networks and affiliates respond to controversial on-air remarks.

Kimmel’s return to late-night television and the ongoing fallout from his remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk remain at the center of a broader media conversation about accountability, free expression, and the boundaries of online discourse. Olbermann’s recent posts—and his subsequent attempt to apologize and delete—illustrate the fragile line many media personalities tread as they navigate public backlash, platform policies, and the pressures of audience engagement in a highly polarized cultural landscape.