Keith Olbermann apologizes for deleted threats toward Scott Jennings
Former MSNBC and ESPN host says the timing was 'especially wrong' and that he condemned violence; tweets were deleted and language refined.
Keith Olbermann apologized on X Tuesday for two now-deleted tweets that appeared to threaten CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings, saying the timing was especially wrong. "I apologize without reservation to @ScottJenningsKY," he wrote. "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." "All times are the wrong time to leave even an inadvertent impression of it – but this time is especially wrong," he wrote.
Olbermann's posts reportedly targeted Jennings on Monday with a message about TV host Jimmy Kimmel, including the remark 'You're next motherf—ker' before ending with a jab about mugging to the camera. The tweets were deleted and replaced with more precise language, the former MSNBC and ESPN host noted, and he said he condemned political violence and threats of it.
Olbermann, a longtime media figure who has hosted programs on MSNBC and ESPN, drew renewed scrutiny this week as online rhetoric and threats in political discourse continue to be debated. The episode comes amid a broader conversation about how public figures communicate on social media and the potential consequences of inflammatory posts.
Jennings is a CNN political commentator, and the interaction spurred discussion among observers about accountability for statements made in online exchanges. While Jennings did not face a formal sanction in this incident, commentators stressed the need for careful language when addressing colleagues across outlets in a highly polarized media environment. The public response highlighted concerns about the line between criticism and threats in digital discourse, particularly when figures from different factions cross paths online.
There was no immediate comment from Jennings reported by the outlets, as the story began to circulate Tuesday. The episode underscores ongoing debates about digital conduct among prominent media personalities and how social media activity can influence perceptions of violence or intimidation in politics.
Analysts note that the incident sits at the intersection of entertainment, political commentary and online accountability, with Olbermann's return to public attention prompting renewed scrutiny of past and present online rhetoric. In his public reply, Olbermann emphasized that the timing of the messages was especially inappropriate and that his wording was adjusted to avoid any implication of threat in the future, a point he framed as a corrective step in the broader discussion about how media figures engage with one another in the digital age.
